Attention other bloggers:
Since there seemed to be a lot of interest in this idea when I mentioned it yesterday I figured I would give everyone a heads up over the weekend. I do plan on setting this up next week, so now is the time to go through your stuff and make a list and take some pictures. Think of it as summer cleaning!
Several unrelated things happening here today, so I apologize in advance for the random.
First – today is the LAST DAY to use coupon code fbpony14 to receive 15% off your Mango Bay order. Get on it!
Second – I measured Henry for his PS of Sweden bridle last night. I was finally able to get in contact with them and they answered some questions for me, so I’m going to take the plunge and order one. It’s definitely different looking but I think it’s pretty and has the same general idea of a Micklem without being so ugly (IMO). I’m sure I’ll get lots of weird looks at shows but I’m okay with that. Hopefully it works for us. He measured pretty solidly in the middle of the cob size measurement range except for the upper part of the nose, where he was on the higher end. I was kind of hoping he’d measure as a full so the bridle would fit Sadie too, but I’m afraid it’d be too big for Henry. Cob it is.
Interesting to note: The prices on the PS of Sweden website include the 25% VAT that Euro buyers have to pay. Of course, I am not a Euro buyer so the bridle is actually only $267 for me. That makes it pretty reasonably priced considering it comes with reins. They are backordered until mid-month for the model I want and then it has to ship from Sweden so it could be a while until it arrives. Fingers crossed that it fits and we both like it! Total leap of faith here but I can’t get it out of my head so I’ve gotta give it a shot.
Third – As I’ve been going through my excess stuff lately I realized that I have several things just sitting around that I’d like to sell. Would anyone be interested in a “tack sale/tack swap” type of thing? Maybe in a blog hop style format or something? Open to suggestions. The idea just occurred to me the other day when I listed a couple things on a fb sale group and I figured I’d see if anyone else had any interest.
And for a little bit of Friday fun… since everyone enjoyed Henry’s tongue antics so much yesterday, I thought I’d make a video of a typical day with him and his weirdo tongue. This is what it’s like pretty much all the time, although the more bored he is the more he plays with his tongue. Last night he was pretty bored after all the measuring. 😉 Now you can probably see why I have more pictures of him making faces than I do of him standing there being normal.
Henryxties from amanda chance on Vimeo.
On Tuesday I was feeling pretty lazy and unmotivated (this has been a trend lately), so I just put Henry’s hackamore on and decided to have a simple fun ride. My friend Amy came out again to play with her camera therefore we have photographic evidence.
He was extremely enthused about the ride from the very beginning…
But he started out pretty normal
Until the lightbulb went off and he realized “Wait a minute… I’m in my hackamore… I CAN PLAY WITH MY TONGUE!!!!”
So I reached down and played poke the flopping tongue while he cantered around the ring yelling “You can’t take away my FREEEEDOOOOOM”, Braveheart style.
Poke the flopping tongue made him angry, so when we started jumping he decided to teach me a lesson and be horribly naughty.
He dolphined all the way through the corner, but he doesn’t seem to realize that bucking should also include the hind end, not just the front. He was very impressed with his rodeo display. I on the otherhand was overcome with hysterical fits of laughter. Naughty Henry becomes confused as to why the human is not appropriately terrified of him.
I was laughing so hard I literally had to stop and collect myself to avoid sliding right off the side. This must have broken poor Naughty Henry’s spirit, because after that he just jumped around with a defeated attitude, like he wasn’t sure how I possibly survived but surely some kind of magic was involved.
Poor Henry. Some horses are just really bad at being bad.
Oh and PS – if anyone is interested in a horse size Ovation figure eight bridle, I have one for sale. 😉
I’ve got two super fun ways to spend money today!
First – Mango Bay Design has been kind enough to offer my readers a 15% off coupon code! There have been some recent additions to her shop so if it’s been a while since you’ve browsed, go take a look. Use coupon code fbpony14 for your discount.
And since Viva Carlos’ latest blog hop determined that we all need more poneh shirts, here’s your chance to add to your collection while also benefiting a good cause. CANTER TX is selling these super cute t-shirts! TB fans, you need one.
To order:
– Paypal Leholmes8@gmail.com
– Price is $25 including shipping, or $20 for local pickup if you’re in/near San Antonio.
– Make sure to put CANTER Texas shirt in the message, as well as your size.
– Keep in mind these are slim fit. If in doubt, order a size up.
– If you want more than one shirt shipped, email the above address for price.
The ponies thank you for your support!
I should preface this post by saying that I’m really picky about breeches. The fit has to be perfect, the fabric has to be perfect, they have to wear well, they have to be comfortable, they have to be flattering, they have to wash well, they have to be attractive and they have to hold up to a lot of abuse.
Over the years I’ve tried so many brands it’s ridiculous: SmartPak, TS, Pikeur, Ovation, Grand Prix, TuffRider, Equine Couture, Kerrits, Tredstep, Ariat, Tropical Rider, Animo, Riding Sport, Trainer’s Choice, Goode Rider, etc etc. Most never made it out of the dressing room. The vast majority of those that did were either taken back or resold.
The top three?
Animo, TS, Pikeur. I consider TS and Pikeur to be pretty interchangeable for me. I might like the Pikeur a little more but I like the price tag and colors of the TS better, so in my mind they equal out. However the Animo are head and shoulders (and torso) above the rest.
I know what you’re thinking… “$400 breeches are not happening”. Give me a minute to make my case.
My oldest pair of Animo breeches are my navy ones, which are now almost 3 years old. First, I bought them on sale for around $250… still pricey, but let’s keep talking. They are BY FAR my most worn breeches – honestly I wear them probably twice as much as any of my TS. It’s fair to say they’ve seen a lot of action by now. I’ve shown in them, I’ve fallen in them, I’ve mucked stalls in them… you name it, they’ve done it. Literally the only wear they show is some pilling of the fabric behind the knee, which mostly occurred when I spent several months riding in too-tall boots that rubbed the back of my knee area.
Other than that, they still look just as good as the day I bought them. The stitching is all still flawless, the buttons are firmly attached and the zipper has given me no problems. The fabric has not changed since day 1. No fading, no thinning. I also can wear them probably 3-4 times between washings (in the machine!) – stop saying ew and hear me out. The fabric does not hold moisture or any kind of scent. They don’t smell like a dead animal after a particularly sweaty day. I can also take a wet rag and just wipe the fabric down to get rid of any dirt that’s showing. Literally – I wet the rag that I also use to clean my horse’s bit and wipe off my thighs. It happens. And it works. The best thing though? They don’t show moisture. This is great if you’re like me and have a pretty raging case of swamp ass in the summer. Being able to go somewhere after the barn without looking like you peed yourself? Awesome.
The fit is fantastic. They’re the most flattering breeches I own and also the most comfortable. The cut of the knee area is genius and I absolutely love the sock bottom. Far superior to velcro in every way. My favorite feature though is also the one I was originally the most skeptical about: the silicone knee patches. If you need grip, those things are unparalleled. I used to have a jumper that literally felt like being strapped to the back of a coked up deer sometimes. If I wasn’t wearing the Animos I would add a little sticky spray to prevent being launched into orbit, but I found that with the silicone patches I didn’t need it. I never felt “stuck” to the horse, but if a time came where I needed some extra grip, they provided it. They’ve helped me out on a couple of particularly naughty horses as well.
So what’s a gal (or dude) to do if (s)he wants Animo but doesn’t have the money to drop on retail price? My advice – shop sales and shop used. Pretty much every Animo vendor I know has regular sales or periodic end of season clearances. Mine have all been purchased for under $250. My tan ones that I use for showing were a whopping $111 during a Selwood Equine sale. No that’s not a typo. They can be very affordable if you know where to look and are patient.
For the sake of curiosity, let’s do some math. Let’s just say that you pay $300 (on the high side of sale price) for a pair of Animo. You then wear said breeches twice a week every week for, let’s say, 5 years (I feel like that’s being conservative on the life span). That’s 58cents per wear. My $110 Grand Prix breeches lasted a year and a half, at around 1 wear per week because I didn’t love them that much, before they sprung a hole. That’s $1.41 per wear. Which one is really the better deal? Quality costs money but a) it’s far more enjoyable on a daily basis b) it’s cheaper in the end.
I’ve discovered that Animo has so thoroughly spoiled me that I find a lot of breeches totally intolerable now, with my main complaint being the fabric. The only other brand I own is TS and that’s largely because the fit is so good for me and they’re comfortable. They still aren’t Animo but they work. Eventually I’d like to empty my closet of everything else and fill it only with Animo. That’s how obsessed I am. It will happen eventually, one sale at a time.
breedrideevent.com 