I’ve tried really hard to like SmartPak, I swear I have. I’ve actually had SmartPak’s themselves at a couple points in time for different horses, I’ve placed orders for random items through them on occasion, and I tried like hell to convince myself I liked their Piper breeches. At this point in my horse life there is zero to entice me to use actual SmartPak’s… if there’s a supplement I need a) they usually don’t have it, or b) it’s considerably more expensive. That said, my horse isn’t on any feed through supplements anyway. There were a couple of times years ago when I emailed requests for certain products (not supplements) and never heard back, but I wasn’t really surprised by that from a big company. To give them credit, they have good customer service from what I’ve personally experienced. Returning the greatly disappointing Piper’s was pretty painless and I got my money back in a timely manner.

I guess I’m just super spoiled by my favorite “big time” online retailer Riding Warehouse. They offer free shipping on all orders over $50, plus their prices are some of the lowest already, plus there’s almost always a $10 off coupon code or a 20% sale going on, plus I get things crazy fast. Like two or three days after I order it. Often it’s boxed up and on it’s way the same day I order, even though I didn’t pay a dime for shipping. I emailed once to ask if they could order an item for me in a color they didn’t offer online and they were on it immediately, made it happen for me, and I still got my free shipping and coupon code. So for me personally, RW has Smartpak beat on every count. Even PS of Sweden, who are located in SWEDEN, have always gotten my orders to me in a week or less (it’s usually on it’s way within a day or two and at my house 3 days later) and they’ve been great with communication.

Still, I decided to order a nameplate for Henry with a SmartPak gift card I had, and barn buddy Brandy got in on the order to get herself some spurs and a nameplate for her horse too. Luckily with all 3 things combined we eeked over the $75 minimum for free shipping. It’s cool that USEF members get 5% off, but since I’m a low level eventer I only have to be a USEA member, not a USEF member (thank god) so that helps me none.

I knew that since we ordered nameplates it could take a while to ship, so I placed the order on 1/6 and promptly forgot about it. When I got a shipping notification on 1/10 I was like “awesome, 4 days is a great turnaround time for plates”. Sadly when the package arrived via USPS (started out as UPS then transferred to USPS)  on 1/15 I realized it was only the spurs that had shipped. Nine days to get some spurs? Four days of which were processing? That’s a bit excessive IMO. To make matters more mediocre, the spurs obviously looked like a return of some sort. They were no longer attached to the cardboard backing, but instead were in a plastic baggie with the cardboard backing and the cut zip ties that had originally held the spurs to said backing. They were still in new condition, but that was cheesy. At least zip tie them back on so we never know the difference.

But ah well, whatever. The next day I got another shipping notification and I thought “Oh good, there’s the plates!”. This time the package was carried all the way by UPS and arrived on 1/19. Alas – it was only one plate. Okaaaaay then. I went back to the SmartPak website (which to their credit is very easy to use), and realized the other nameplate shipped on 1/13 via UPS then was transferred to USPS. It was finally delivered yesterday. Weird.

I get that SmartPak is outsourcing the nameplates from elsewhere but that was such a weird shipping/delivery process. Now I see why their prices are higher – they must spend a boatload on shipping! Each thing came packaged in a box, so it definitely could not have been super cheap for 3 boxes.

 

There’s no actual complaint here and SmartPak definitely didn’t do anything wrong, they just yet again haven’t done anything to wow me. They do say that they price match (although I’ve heard someone say they didn’t have luck with that with Tailored Sportsmans) and they have free returns (but so does Riding Warehouse). The turnaround time on the plates was decent, although IMO the spurs were really slow. I guess I just assumed it would all ship together so I didn’t think twice about the spurs taking so long to ship until they actually arrived. Also annoying – the emails. Especially the one I got this morning titled “Amanda – You’re About To Have An Ah-Ha Moment” in which they tried to give me the hard sell on SmartPaks. The only emails I get from Riding Warehouse are about sales and giveaways I think Riding Warehouse will be keeping my business whenever possible. Sorry SmartPak. I tried, I promise. But Riding Warehouse has set the bar way too high! Tell me, SmartPak lovers – what am I missing, because I just don’t get it?

 

Since Thursday is supposed to be rainy, I’ve picked it as the day for Henry’s third and final body clip of the season. All along I’ve had every intention of clipping something into his butt, but I have absolutely no idea what so I just haven’t done it. It seems like all the best ones have something to with the horse’s name:

 

Or an official brand or breed logo

Of course, Henry’s name is a “people” name, and his show name is Happenstance. I don’t really know of any shapes that immediately come to mind to reflect either of those. Not to mention that I don’t have super mad clipping skills or the little bitty clippers (or the patience) required for intricate designs.

Here’s where I need help – what’s a good, fairly simple design to put on his bum? I love stars but SB has already won the star game with C-rage, so anything I do will be second rate at best. I thought about a lightning bolt, only because a) it seems simple and b) it makes me giggle. It doesn’t really tie into his names at all though.

His registered name is He’salmostsweet because he was born the day before Valentine’s, but I fear that putting a heart on his bum will make me look like a 10yo ponykid who just loves her SNOOKUMS, like OMG. This is a pretty rad heart though:

I also thought about maybe a horseshoe, since Happenstance is kinda like luck? Help me out here, creative people! What do I clip into Henry’s bum?

 

Finally! FINALLLLYYY!!! Our true Texas winter has returned. Temperatures in the low 70’s and not a cloud in sight. This is why we endure scorching summers. I hope that cold crap is gone for good.

Even my mood seems vastly improved… at one point yesterday I just sat in a parking lot with my sunroof open, basking in the sun. The stresses of life seem to just melt away on really beautiful days like that. Also – I got to ride my horse again! After almost two weeks I’d pretty much forgotten what that was like.

HenryJan18 from amanda chance on Vimeo.

It was also my first chance to ride, or really even groom, since starting Henry on the omeprazole. He’s now been on it for 10 days, and maybe it’s just purely coincidental but I’m seeing a few subtle changes. First, when I groomed him he did not go to Grump Town when I brushed his right side. Normally as soon as I get over there with a curry, brush, or towel he gives me The Face and sometimes would even pick up his back leg to threaten me away. Yesterday I curried, brushed, AND toweled and got only a single tail swish. Coincidence? Maybe. He also seemed less “jumpy” to my leg under saddle… he’s always been a sensitive horse and I imagine always will be, but I wasn’t getting that quick jerky overreaction like I sometimes do. Of course, that was just based off of one ride so we’ll see if that continues. I also thought he was marching more forward and free in his walk than is normal for him, but that could have been the I-haven’t-been-ridden-in-two-weeks coming out. We’ll see as time goes on, although I’m fairly encouraged to see any changes at all. And glad, because I’ve got omeprazole tubes coming out of my ears. Seriously, my locker looks like a pharmacy. Henry also got his teeth done and sheath cleaned last week while I was off barnsitting. Big thanks to Auntie Brandy for giving him his meds and looking after him while I was away from the barn. And for taking this glorious picture.

The place I was barnsitting is basically my dream property in every way, I had a great time there. I even made SO make the drive on Friday night so I could show him everything and point out why it was a good design, the soil, the footing, the layout, the fencing, blah blah blah. I think his eyes glazed over, but he said he liked it too.

He also spectated while I groomed the Traks and cleaned the barn. As in… spectated from the porch with a cup of coffee while I cleaned and spectated from a safe distance while I groomed. He did actually hold Toni’s lead rope for a few minutes, although he set it down and backed up a step when I told him Toni was a stallion. Toni was not impressed with either of us, but he appreciated having the now-abandoned lead rope to chew on. Whoa there, wild stallion.

All in all it was a nice fun WARM weekend with lots of time spent outside. The next few days look to be equally as lovely, too… I love it.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a blog hop, and I still haven’t ridden my horse since last week, so why the heck not?

Beka (my blog wife) over at The Owls Approve asked:

Let’s pretend that financial restrictions don’t exist and logistics isn’t a nightmare.  If you could do anything with your Ponykins, what would you do?

Four things immediately come to mind:

1) AEC’s. I know, I know, I talk about it a lot, but it’s my main goal of 2015. Not gonna lie – if we don’t make it I’ll be really disappointed.

2) a Novice 3-day event. Because jog-ups, and roads and tracks, and steeplechase! I’m still a die-hard fan of the long format of eventing so this would be cool in so many ways. Plus I will probably never ever have the cojones to want to jump around any actual FEI level event, so this is a good way to play dress up and do the fun stuff without actually trying to kill myself on a giant solid XC jump. In my dreams I would love to do a N3DE next year, but a) I just dunno about that b) it would depend on if the one that used to happen in Texas ever actually happens again. Fun as it would absolutely for sure definitely be, I can’t see me hauling several states away for something like that.

 

 

3) Foxhunting. And while I totally would settle for Texas foxhunting (should have put that on my 2015 goals…) in my fantasyland I mean Virginia foxhunting. Not Ireland, because those people are a hair too drunk/crazy, but I’m game for VA style. That seems like a happy medium.

Like this:

 

 

But not:

 

4) Ride on the beach. I’ve done this a couple times before in my life but not on my own terms, so it’d be fun to tak Hens for a little gallop by the water.