Every once in a while I like to circle back around and give updates on things I’ve reviewed, or maybe just thoughts on small things that I didn’t bother doing a full review on. It’s been a while, and a few things are worthy of some follow-up, so here we go.
First up, those Freejump stirrups. I somewhat impulse-purchased the Soft’Up Pro during Black Friday and while my initial thoughts were positive, my long term thoughts are downright glowing. I freaking love these things. They’re so balanced, so comfortable, and so grippy. I have been plagued forever by knee and ankle issues, and now I can’t even remember the last time I actually thought about my knees or ankles while I was riding. I love how they hang, I love the weight, I love how grippy they are. The only annoying thing is that they don’t really stay run-up on the leathers when your saddle isn’t in use. Which is because they naturally really want to hang down where they’re supposed to. I can’t get too grumpy about that. Zero regrets about this purchase.
I also bought a new XC vest right around the same time as the stirrups. I haven’t reviewed this one yet because honestly I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it. After a lot of internet research I bought the Dainese Balios 3. I wanted something comfortable, breathable, BETA 3 approved, and with good coverage of my stomach and collar bone area. A lot of vests really only cover the ribcage, and I want more than that. The Dainese had many excellent reviews in the UK (because of course no one sells it in the US) so I bit the bullet and bought one.
I’m still kind of on the fence. On one hand, the thing is REALLY bulky looking. Like… when I put it on I look as though I’m suited up to go play football. There’s nothing flattering about this thing at all. BUT, on the other hand, it’s still somehow really comfortable. I never would have thought that a bulky vest like this would be as comfortable as it is, but that hexagon construction makes it very flexible. Despite being considerably bulkier, it’s markedly more comfortable than my Airowear was, and it doesn’t feel bulky to wear. It also covers quite a bit more surface area, making me feel a bit safer. Of course, that’s also why it looks bulky. So, ya know… catch 22.
There are pros and cons here. Do I feel well-protected and comfortable? Yes. Do I look like a navy ninja turtle? Also yes.
More recently I’ve been revamping my riding shirt collection. A lot of my Kastels are going on 5 years old, and they are looking really sad and faded and stained. To their credit, they’re still perfectly useable, they just look relatively awful. When I was at the Tack Shack of Ocala I walked around their extensive sunshirt collection, feeling all the fabric and looking at the colors. I’m kind of picky about what I like, and I am also a bit cheap when it comes to sunshirts. I ended up settling on a Tredstep Sun Chic shirt in hunter green, mostly because the shoulder detail was cute, I liked the color, and the price was acceptable. I could not say the same for 95% of the other sunshirts in the store.
I like the Tredstep. The outside fabric is very deceiving because it almost feels cottony, but the underside is silky smooth and REALLY nice. The fit is a little more boxy than I prefer, but it’s a nice shirt. Not as cooling as the Kastels, I don’t think, and I’d rather buy it on sale than pay full price again, but I would buy another. They have a really pretty dark purple.
Then I picked up a couple of Equine Couture Erna shirts at Karen’s recommendation. I’ve not been much a fan of EC stuff in the past, but they always have a 30% off coupon code, so I was ok with risking $35 per shirt. These are interesting because the entire arm and top of the shoulder is mesh. As you might expect, they have pretty fantastic airflow. If the fabric of the body was more like Kastel I would fill my closet up with these things. As it is, I’ve ended up going back and buying one in every color they have (which right now is only black, white, and navy – I’m wearing the navy in the pic above). For $35 I’m pretty darn happy with them. We’ll see how they hold up over time.
I’ve got two sets of tall boots in my collection right now – a pair of Tucci Marilyn’s and a pair of brown Ego 7’s. I’ve reviewed both in detail in the past. It’s really unfair to even compare the two, since the Tucci are high end and the Ego7 are economy. To be honest, I’ve been a bit ruined by the Tucci’s. They’re so comfortable and fit so well and are so pretty. I can wear them all day and it’s no problem. They’re also wearing like iron.
The Ego7’s are fine. I’ve had a couple of issues, first when the zipper puller broke off of the zipper bridge. Both are metal, so I can only assume that I am the Hulk. That was a relatively easy fix at the boot shop, at least. The bigger issue is that the leather under the laces on the right boot has started to disintegrate a bit. If I’d paid the US price of $500 for them I’d probably be upset, but since I paid $250 in Europe, they’re wearing about like I would expect a $250 boot to wear. I love the chocolate color, the sole is still in great shape, and no off-the-rack boot has more fit options, but they’re definitely no Tucci. Granted, they aren’t anywhere near the same price category either.
I kind of think that any other budget boot is going to be underwhelming to me forever now. It’s hard for me to want to wear anything BUT the Tucci’s. Major first world problems.
I’m about at my wit’s end with quarter sheets. They are not particularly easy to shop for when all of your saddles are monoflap and you also live in a warm place where you are guaranteed to have to remove said quarter sheet after your warmup. Early last fall I picked up a Shires on clearance, after selling the previous one (who’s brand I can’t remember) that I also bought on clearance. I purchased the previous one because it was basically just a nylon shell with nylon lining – no fleece. But it was so lightweight that it got whipped all over the place by our insane Texas wind.
The Shires had a lining (granted it’s fleece, which I’ve always hated, so I kind of did this to myself) so I was hoping it would be heavier and stay put. Yes it’s heavier (real freakin heavy) but the stupid fleece lining makes it stick to the horse and then get pulled toward the back when they move. I can’t get the damn thing to stay on unless I strap it down completely underneath the saddle. And if I put it under the saddle then I can’t remove it while I’m riding, which makes it basically useless in my climate. Even if I put it on top of the saddle and sit on the damn thing, it goes flying off the back as soon as we trot or canter. I’m about to just give up on quarter sheets, considering the only one I’ve ever loved was the wool PS of Sweden one that Henry outgrew. And then when PSoS finally came out with more they changed the style. Still pouting.
We’re past quarter sheet season now so I’m going to let my angst die down a bit before I start looking around again for more options, but the Shires is a fail.
Anything else I’ve bought or reviewed in the past couple years that y’all want updates on? I tend to lose track of things…
breedrideevent.com 
If my knee issues worsen, I’m definitely getting those stirrups. You’ve sold me on them.
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“Do I feel well-protected and comfortable? Yes. Do I look like a navy ninja turtle? Also yes.”
😂😂😂 Made me giggle hard!
Always a pleasure to read you.
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Okay. I’m gonna need you to hook me up with the EC coupon… Also, I honestly really love my Rambo quarter sheet. Yeah, it’s fleece so it picks up dirt. (Honestly not as much as you’d think, though the newmarket pattern hides everything, even the wine I spilled on it once while wearing it as a cape…um, yeah. No shame.) It does also inch backwards on their butt, but I have much fewer problems with it inching than I’ve seen others struggle with. And when I sit on it instead of tuck it under the flap, it doesn’t fly away, even in the crazy Midwestern winter winds or an East Coast Nor’easter. There’s some flapping, and I need to pull it up more if I’m galloping in it, but overall I think it’s one of the best and long lasting purchases I’ve ever made. I also love that it acts as a wicking cooler if I don’t pull it off and my horse starts to sweat. This is nice when we’re working hard outside in the cold, or for a cool down walk in a cold rain. I know I sing its praises all the time, but I love it.
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Code MAR30 should work for the rest of the month.
I made an exception to my fleece hatred this one time and I have lived to regret it. No more fleece lol. Gonna see what kind of wool options I can find in Europe, maybe. That’s all I really like.
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Schneider’s makes a wool quarter sheet that I bought last season & I think it’ll work with your monoflap. It’s Duratech brand.
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Honestly, I don’t think the vest looks as bulky as you describe.
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I purchased a pair of freejump stirrups not long after you did (enabler!). I love them! I stopped trying to run them up, and now just remove them after riding.
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For the quarter sheet try Friday Fox in the UK. I got a Witney cooler from them and LOVE it. They have stock quarter sheets in the Witney pattern that are lovely and the price isn’t terrible, especially for wool and made in England.
https://www.fridayfox.co.uk/
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i wish they made it in not whitney colors lol
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What about the wool quarter sheet from horze.com?
https://www.horze.com/riding-rugs/horze-vail-wool-riding-blanket/24612.html#color=PDB
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I looked at those last year but i’m not sure where I could hook the top strap, since I have monoflaps.
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Gotcha.
I checked kraemer.de (probably the german RH) …it’s incredibly hatd to find non-fleece ones.
I did stumble upon this gem though:
https://m.kraemer.de/Pferdebedarf-Pferdezubehoer/Pferdedecken/Nieren-Fuehranlagen-Ausreitdecken/Fliegen-Ausreitdecke-mit-Fransen-1
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I’m hoping I can find one when we’re in Europe in the fall! They seem more common over there.
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I have the free jump stirrups also and love them! For running them up I kinda pull the leather out towards the back then loop it through the stirrup before pulling it back out the back… it forms a bit of a knot, if that makes sense? It seems to work good for me and they’ve never come undone!
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I’ve been happy with the Amigo Competition quarter sheet. But I really want the BoT one. I always keep wavering on whether I want to brown Ego7s. That sucks your zipper broke, so now I’m like erm maybe not.
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Yeah I dunno how I managed to break the actual metal pull tab off of the zipper, but I’m Shera like that.
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It’s a … bit… early, but I would like updates on the neue schule when you find it appropriate!!!
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Let’s see, short version: I love it more every day and it’s a freakin miraculous piece of metal that I wish I had bought years ago, I’m pretty sure it was forged by angels out of unicorn horns.
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I wonder if you could doctor up the BOT loin cover. I really love it. I know the way the straps are now wouldn’t work, but maybe there’s something you could alter on it? You’re good at sewing!
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I’m not so patiently awating an update on Bobby’s new pony. Just saying.
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I think your new vest looks perfectly fine – didn’t even notice a “turtle hump,” LOL! Those Tuccis were drool-worthy when you got them so I’m glad they’re holding up well, too. I never knew a bit could make so much of a difference with a non-green horse so I’m just plain fascinated by the Neue Schule!
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I bought a Dainese vest after your post about buying yours, aaaaaaand it’s too small. Apparently I am incapable of reading a size chart. So if you know anyone small who likes yours and wants one, please send them my way!
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Oh no! That stinks.
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I was going to message you about the Free Jumps and see if you had a trick to keep them run up. It drives me crazy having them always hanging down but I love them too much otherwise to replace them for it.
Maybe a dumb suggestion but have you looked at endurance rump rugs instead of a full quarter sheet? I don’t use quarter sheets so this may not give you what you want but they cover the butt, are usually not all fleece and are made to roll up when you don’t need it and tuck under the cantle of the saddle out of the way. It doesn’t provide you with any warmth but does keep those large butt muscles warm until the horse is moving. Just a thought.
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I was coming here to suggest the rump rug idea as well.
Or…and I’m not sure how legit a suggestion it is, but the Arctic Skirt. I know SO MANY riders who use them and LOVE them, even though they’re a “skirt”, they find they can work easily in them.
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Have you looked at Saratoga Horseworks exercise or riding blankets? They’re wool, and everything I’ve ever heard about the quality is fantastic.
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Amanda – you can customize a tonne of things with their horse clothing. A person could easily design something that is uniquely theirs. Here is the 20% off coupon code (HeelsDown20) I heard on Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast.
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I’m definitely going to get one of those shirts! Would you say it’s pretty true to size? Sometimes I go up a size in sun shirts so they aren’t suctioned to my midsection lol.
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I bought the same size that I buy in Kastel.
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