After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time! most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...
Day Twenty Nine: Favorite brands...boots, breeches, tops, helmets, etc.
It is funny to think about brands, since I am not always a loyal fan to certain brands. I normally won't just buy something because it is a certain brand. I usually look for an item based on my needs, what fits me or my horse, and what my budget looks like; I try to buy the best I can afford, which sometimes means saving for a bit or buying a nicer used item rather than a new but cheaply made item.
That said, I do have some favorites, mostly based on what I already own and would buy again.
Boots: I own a pair of Ariat riding boots and at first I figured the "brand" was just a hype. But I have to say that I adore my Ariat field boots. (Thankfully, my father bought them for me as a Chirstmas gift a few years back, since I could never afford the $300+ boots myself!) They broke in super easily, as I simply wore them to ride, and by the third ride they were broken in. And they have worn very well, as I use them as both my everyday boots and my show boots. I would not hesitate to buy another pair. As far as horse boots, I really like Woof boots, only because I have had good luck with them. I have a couple of pairs for cross country jumping and they all look great. And for shipping boots, I really like the Dover Pro's. I bought them for $40 used, but they had never been put on a horse. Score!
Breeches: I have owned lots of different pairs of breeches, but my favorites are Ariat, TuffRider, and Kerrits (sometimes). I currently have a pair of Ariat white dressage breeches that I show in that have worn very well, despite multiple washings and lots of shows. (Again, a gift from my father years ago...) My TuffRider breeches are my favorite schooling breeches, which I believe I already wrote about (scored them for very cheap in a consignment tack store, though the TuffRiders are pretty reasonably priced). And I like some of the Kerrits breeches, but sadly not all. I am a Kerrits Ambassador so I ought to be telling you how awesome the Kerrits breeches are. But all of the pairs I have owned have completely ripped out (and they are expensive!). While they are comfortable and fit me well, I have found that they do not actually hold up well for the value even though at one time I thought they did. Just recently I have had my favorite greenish schooling pair rip out as well as my tan show breeches! :-( I bought a pair of white ones (on sale!) with the black on the full seat (thinking the black would be better than white!), but HOLY COW they are awful! The black full seat makes me stick in an odd way to the saddle and when it is hot the full seats capture so much moisture it always makes me feel as though I wet my pants. :-(
Tops: I do like my Kerrits dressage show shirt, as it is comfortable and has worn well so far. I also like Ovation show shirts. As far as schooling, I tend to wear whatever t-shirt is on top of the pile. LOL!
Helmets: I like my IRH black helmet, which I use for both schooling and show. I just recently bought a Troxel Capriole for showing in hot weather, so I will know if I like it this summer! (Got it new for half price!)
I should also mention a few other brands I love:
- Horse Tech (they make Glanzen)
- Absorbine
- Triple Crown (grain)
- Crosby
- Stuebben (I love my dressage saddle and bridle!)
- Horseware
- Baker
- Weatherbeeta
- Dansko (love my clogs!!!)
- Equine Couture (love their ribbon belts!)
Absorbine (I swear by their grooming products), Kensington (they're stuff lasts FOREVER and still manages to look good, and they come in snazzy plaid colors!) and Ariat for boots. I loved my paddock and half chaps that I got from them, and then I got cheap when I moved to tall boots and got a pair of Dublins, which are really nice, but run really big in the calf. They're an inch too big around the calf and too short, and that's on an extra-slim/extra-tall! So, I got fed up after four years of awkward-looking boots, and now that I've saved up money I'm going back to Ariat for new field boots. I
ReplyDeletem really excited for when they come in. Also, TuffRider has the best breeches. All my breeches are TuffRider, because I've gotten rid of the others!
But as far as that, I do agree with practicality. Some brands are good at certain items and some aren't. I'll go with whatever works.
I adore my TuffRiders :) I have had my one pair for over 4 years, and they've held up with weekly washing, and constant wear and tear! Plus, I love the price tag almost as much.
ReplyDeleteHi honey,
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog but this new color hurts your old mother's eyes. Can you fix it? I love you Elizabeth, mom xoxox
Mom, what is wrong with the color? I have not changed it. Do you mean the blue color?
ReplyDelete