Early Winter Resources

Finally!
 I'm back with some of the things I've enjoyed reading, watching, or buying in recent months (the small consolation to losing daylight so early - a little more time to peruse the internet!)

It was 4pm when I took this.That's all I can say.

 - Let's get controversial right of the bat: The Rider Weight Debate. As a not so small rider of ponies, you know this was a link I had to click. It's a very small study but I still thought worth a read. I liked the calculator links at the end of the article...like most there is a minimum suggested horse weight, but they break that down further. For example someone of my size should be good on any draft horse, average horses, or small horses/ponies over 14.1hh. Cool. Time to lose weight, because smaller ponies would be nice to see on the list :)

- Bucas Freedom Riding Rug.This thing is perfect for my needs. Waterproof, and attaches over the saddle so I can put it over my legs and stay warm and dry. It's got reflective stripes and has a tail flap too so the ponies stay dry and safe. Oh, and the lining is nylon, so no static shocks.

I ordered hot pink, but this grey-blue color came instead and I like it.

- Recognizing Subtle Lameness. The link is to part 1 of a video series on YouTube. I haven't watched the rest yet, but I found the first one useful - lots of points brought up I hadn't considered and good visuals for what to look for and how to see which part of the body it may be originating from. Some of the stats they mentioned were rather alarming to me but I'll let you make up your own minds.

-AnnaBlakeBlog. How have I only recently discovered this? I'm enjoying reading through. Some of the topics resonate immediately as things we intuitively know about our horses, some I think I might mull over further before I commit one way or the other. Whatever the case, it's got me thinking and I like that.

-Keystone Equine. I've been a fan of this facebook page forever because she's Canadian and trains ponies so obviously she's awesome ;) Seriously though, if you don't follow her already, she's worth a look and I see she has a new book to tempt everyone with too. I've added it to my Christmas wish list.

-This Bit. I took a chance since it was marked down 80% off  and the only size left was the hony size I seem to need. (It's feast or famine with these sized equines, I swear - either the thing you want simply doesn't exist in their size and you need to order custom, or you score because the size you need is the same one no one else wanted and it is on super clearance sale. ) I've never found a magic bit for Bridget and Sophie needs one, so why not? Sophie is SO dramatic and fussy...the rest I tried on her were immediately met with a big gaping mouth trying to spit it out. This one is not loved either but it's acceptable and she carries it quietly, so it's a win. I need to try it on Bridget and see what she thinks.

Sprenger Dynamic RS

May Resources

I've been spending a lot more of my spare time at the barn and in the garden, so my media consumption is less than normal. Still, I have to do something on those long ferry rides every week so no worries about me breaking the habit completely!

This month I was watching:

- The Event Rider Masters. I really like the short recap shows, but they post video of the entire event too if you don't want to miss anything.

- Badminton Horse Trails. Believe it or not, the dressage coverage is a highlight almost as much as the cross country and kind of a gold mine of learning due to the commentary.

- Elphick.Event.Ponies She's got a 14.1 Welsh D she events at BE100. I'm sold!

- USEF Learning Center. Thanks for the tip, LWilliams! I haven't explored this one too deeply, but there is a ton of good content just waiting for me to have the time to view.

Text break, only because I love this picture of S

Reading:

- Forward by Natalie Keller Reinert.  It's free on Kindle Unlimited and is about a couple of eventers in Florida getting started in the professional side of the business . In the same vein, Down The Centreline by Hazel Beecroft. Also free. I'm grouping these together because they were well written (for books with horses in them :) and suited for adults, both feature some pretty flawed characters trying to be better, and both were centered around eventing. I'm not going to give either a rave review, but they are both a pretty solid choice if you like light fiction with horses in it and served me well enough for passing time on my ferry commute.

- Smoky The Cowhorse. I was wondering if this one would hold up over time for me. My childhood self loved it. Yep, my adult self still likes it too. Some of the terms used might not be socially acceptable today, but it's a book about a cowboy and his horse written in 1927, so if anything that makes it feel authentic for the time. This part stuck out to me, because these days you do hear a lot about how the old ways were 'bad' and the new 'natural' ones are good. Seems that discussion has been going on for a very long time:

"There's folks that's read some on how horses are broke on the range, and from that reading they get the idea that the cowboy breaks the horses' spirit, that it's the only way a wild horse can be tamed. What I've got to say on the subject if that's what's believed, is that either them folks read something that's mighty wrong, or else they got the wrong impression and misunderstood what they read; and breaking a horse the way he's broke on the range is about the same on the animal as schooling is to the human youngster. The spirit of the wild horse is the same after years of riding as it was before he ever felt a rope, and there's no human in the world wants to preserve that spirit in the horse like the cowboy does;--he's the one what knows better than anybody else that a horse with a broken spirit is no horse at all"

That's it for this month...it's a beautiful day out, so back to the barn I go :)

Blog Hop: My Favorite Event

Thanks to 3DayAdventures for the great blog hop!

Participating in this feels a bit cheat-y since I evented B for about 2 and a half years at the lowest level, and all at venues within our province. I'm not sure I'm a 'real' eventer and certainly don't have a super long list of places to compare to! Still, I feel like the awesome venues and organizers here deserve a shout out, even if it's just from lowly old me!

I went to Rebecca Farm a couple of summers ago to cheer on my barnmates, and I loved it. It was a bucket list thing forever for me to compete there, and if I was more local I'd be making sure it happened. But when we finally drove out there the reality set in. While the venue is of course stunning and everyone loves it, the logistics for us to travel and show there are pretty challenging. It's a long way and a lot of $ for us coastal Canadians to get there!

So, my all time favorite event remains the Campbell Valley Horse Trials! This one is unique because it's actually held at a regional park located in Greater Vancouver. While there are equestrian trails and historic farm sites, it's not your typical eventing facility - there is no permanent stabling and no resident horses. The Metro Vancouver Parks website says the following:

"Sunlight-dappled forests, grassland vistas and wetlands make this regional park great habitat for wildlife, from songbirds to salmon to squirrels and more. The network of trails provide lovely routes for walkers to explore the variety of landscapes, the heritage features and a Nature House. Horse riding is also popular here."

If that description is anything to go by, horse riding is the afterthought :)

Part of the cross country area, which is a hay field too. Photo found here

To the best of my knowledge, there is only the one event a year put on by volunteers, and that's the only time of the year you can camp or keep horses in the park. It's a really lovely park and the volunteers do a fantastic job keeping the XC courses and corrals maintained.

Beautiful trails.Image from here.

Bridget appreciates her tent and grass filled pen, is less impressed with the neighbour behind.

The format is to have dressage on Friday, XC on Saturday, and show jumping on Sunday. So, a full three days. I enjoy the relaxed pace a lot more than the typical events that fit it all into 2 days. 

Show jumping is on grass, B always thinks that's pointless- fields are for grazing.

Camping and amenities are pretty rustic - there is just a big field to camp in. They organize porta potties and a food truck on site, so you can quite easily survive, but quite honestly the park is within a 10min drive of everything so there's no reason you can't head into Langley (a city in it's own right, and also a suburb of Vancouver) for a shower or a nice dinner.

A good part of the reason this one is my favorite is because it's pretty easy to convince my husband to come along and the proximity to everything combined with the easy schedule means we can usually fit in a dinner and movie night and a couple of fun outings elsewhere in the city. One year we went to an afternoon football game downtown after my early morning cross country time.

Our first event! I was sure I was going to die, B looks like she might be starting to figure it out. If I remember right that year we had refusals at the first and second jumps when she was like "Wait!What?" :)

My very favorite part of this event, though, is that pretty much everyone goes. The divisions are usually huge for our area and it's a lot of fun to chat and catch up with everyone you might not regularly see.

Finally, they don't have events, but they should. My favorite 'real' show grounds is TBird. They won me over with the hot showers and laundry even at the off season events we attend, and they won Bridget over with the lovely stalls, all rubber matted with huge banks of shavings included. The grounds are always immaculate and the service is amazing. Surprisingly, for the shows I attend, the fees still are in line with other local venues with far less in the way of amenities.

Actually, checking the schedule,  a person could theoretically attend both Campbell Valley and T-Bird's Summer Fort Classic 4* Grand Prix.

22 minute drive between the two is doable.

Sounds like a road trip to me!

Hansbo Saddle Pad Review

I bought this pad on a too good to be true Amazon sale a few months ago.

It checked all the boxes for the discerning saddle pad shopper that I am:

- Available in pony dressage size
- On sale for less than $40
- Available in Navy

The manufacturer, however would like us to know this saddle pad has much more than that going for it:

From the Hansbo website:

"HS IC SADDLE PAD Dressage and jumping saddle pad with channel stitched lining in infused ceramic polyester, which prevents chafing and has the unique property that it increases blood circulation during use. The ceramic matter is fused into every fibre, unlike similar products, which means that function is not adversely affected after washing. The filling in the saddle pad is 5 mm foam and 550 g/m2 polyfill, making this one of the market’s most stable saddle pad. Edging in the same colour as the channel stitched cotton quilt. HANSBO SPORT logo in silicone to counteract the saddle pad moving during use. Two edgings in gold or silver, with Velcro fastener for saddle girth. Embroidered HS logo in gold or silver. Wash at 40 °C / 104 °F. "

Whoa. Sounds fancy!

Now that it's been in regular use and been washed a few times I figure it's time for a proper review.

Likes:
This pad still looks brand new, despite me using it multiple times a week, not giving it any special care and washing it in cold water. It looks and feels well made. I like the lack of excess keepers, love the Velcro for the girth. As the owner of a round pony, I can confirm this pad does not slip and keeps my saddle very stable.  I love the dark navy color, and like the general look and feel of this pad. I've had a ton of compliments on it.  The cut is good for my dressage saddle, with just the right amount of fabric in front and behind the saddle. It seems to wick well too, Bridget has been pretty sweaty, but stayed dry under the saddle. Finally, the outer fabric seems to be good at repeling dust and dirt...my tack lives with my hay storage and my blankets and pads can get grimy just being in there. This one dusts right off to look presentable with minimal effort.

Meh:
If you've used the Back on Track pads, this one has a similar weight to it. Not heavy by any means, but much more substantial feeling than your average pad.
The "channel stitched lining" on the underside might be part of the reason this pad wicks well...but those channels are also a great place for dirt and hair to accumulate.

Don't love:
The drop could have been more, but it's not the manufacturer's fault my pony is built more like a corgi and my saddle flaps are way too long for us both. I probably need a cob size pad -something in between pony and horse.  I don't love the bright yellow logo either...it's a bit too big and obvious for my tastes.

Overall: This has been my go to pad all fall and winter. It's thick enough to maintain its shape, seems pretty tough and well made, and stays secure under my saddle. I can't speak to any magical results from the ceramic, but Bridget is normally quite good through her back and is maybe not the best tester of such things. As you can tell by my  initial shopping checklist, I've never been too fussy about pads, but this one has impressed me. Since I'm pretty sure this pad is going to last forever, I guess I don't need another, but if I did I wouldn't hesitate to buy it at full price...it's that much better than my other pads, and IMHO, nicer quality than the current trendy Lemieux ones and the BoT ones in the same price range.

The black one IS pretty though...

More Products I Like

Pony moving went just fine yesterday, but the monsoons have returned for today. Seems like a good morning to hide inside and write a blog!

Amazon was busy delivering to my house this summer! I really am not a huge spender on tack and am not a fashionista, but seasonal clearances usually see me stocking up on necessities and replacement items and making the odd splurge (somehow my splurge is ALWAYS saddle pads, why?)

Yay, Amazon delivery! Let's look inside.

Oh wait, never mind. Kitty customs is holding this box, yet again. 

Here's a few of the things I bought this summer that I'm really happy with:

Tub trugs: I love these for in the trailer or at shows as water or muck buckets. They're priced reasonably, flexible and safe for horses, and tough. Lately, I've been using a smaller one for Sophie's dinner grain, and it's a winner since she's a slow eater and I can just leave it with her overnight, no having to wait around until she's done.

Plus they come in fun colors. The coordinating bucket and blanket were unintended, but I appreciate that it looks like I had a plan.

Mountain Horse Opus Tall Boots: 3 months in with near daily use and they have yet to give me any blisters and clean up like new! Plus, they're pretty.

I ordered the brown, and if a little extra money found it's way to me, I'd strongly consider ordering the black for showing. 

Magic Bands: Last show season, I ordered standard rubber bands. The tack store was out and subbed in Harry's Horse Magic Braids. They're a game changer for me! So tough that they're reusable more often than not, they don't tangle and pull out hair, and they don't break. My tiny hands appreciate that they're a little wider than the norm, too, so IMO easier to grip. I use them all winter for B's tail and one elastic typically lasts 2 or 3 weeks, even with combing her tail out once a week! They are only slightly more expensive than the cheap rubber bands. I think I paid $5 for a bag of 500 last time.

Someone (*cough*Bridget) raided my brushes in search of treats and grabbed the container of elastics, took it into her paddock and spread the elastics everywhere. I ordered this brand last month as a replacement- they work equally well. Www.cottagecraft.co.uk

BR Passion saddle pad: It's pretty and shiny. Oh, and it fits nice and is wearing well. It's just an averagely nice saddle pad, to be honest, but it looks like one of those super expensive "luxury" pads. And for $35 on clearance ;) Plus navy. Navy or black seem to be my go to saddle pad colors because they pretty much match anything close enough to make it look like I had some sort of plan when I got dressed in the morning.

 I'm a fan of the BR brand in general. I have another saddle pad and a really nice waterproof quarter sheet, both found at very good prices.

Magic Brush: I use this thing on everything. The cat has one and loves it, I have a spare for getting hair off my clothes, saddle pads, blankets before washing, and one for the horses that's pretty much my go to year round. It works on their entire bodies including mane and tail and is gentle, but still manages to get dirt and loose hair off. Both my horses love it. My only complaint is that it works almost too well and I feel like I spend a lot of time cleaning it out because it gets clogged with dirt and hair pretty quickly.

I don't actually have these, I have some knock off ones from the local tack store. I think they're $2-3 each there.

Ventolin Green Spot: This came in a basket Bridget won at a show, and I finally tried it out on Sophie the other day. Works super well, a little goes a long way, don't need to rinse it out. Bonus: it doesn't turn them blue or purple :) It doesn't smell as pretty as the Cowboy Magic stuff, but it works just as well and I think the bottle will last a lot longer given how thick the liquid is and how little you need to use. I'd buy it again.

Random on sale leather halter. I finally subbed one in as Bridget's daily halter (unlike another pony we know, she can be trusted to not pull back and break them). There's truly nothing at all special about the halter, but seeing B in it makes me smile...there's nothing wrong with her nylon halter but the leather one, to me at least, makes it look like someone thinks she's special. And, they do. So it makes me happy. Next up, nameplates  :)

Rainy Day Reading - Dressage Edition

I unearthed not one, but two boxes of riding related books while I was in the basement looking for my extra bottle of saddle soap. I thought they were in storage, so thanks, previous me, for putting those boxes in the basement instead!

With Sophie in mind I did a quick re-read of one of my favorites - Basic Training of The Young Horse with Ingrid and Reiner Klimke. I've reviewed it before, I still love it. If you've got a young horse, you might find it useful. Lots of great common sense insights and lots of tips to help you from handling a foal all the way to riding at their first show.

Next up, one I don't remember reading previously: Elements of Dressage by Kurd Albrecht Van Ziegner. This book ties in really nicely with the Klimke books, and is equally jam packed with useful tidbits.

The book is organized with an introduction, and a description of his training process, which differs a little from the training pyramid you usually see used as an example. There is a chapter dedicated to each of the 10 elements of his training tree:

Similar to the standard pyramid you're probably seen before, but with the order a little different and some of the components broken down into 2 distinct elements to emphasize them more. 

The ten elements make the base or trunk of the tree, and all horses, regardless of discipline, should have a good base. The crown of the tree is the special, discipline specific training.

Notes:

- Start under saddle around 4, first two years under lunge and saddle are basic training. Which, yes, isn't surprising. But, just like the Klimke books, the author goes on to say he'd expect the horse to be going Second level, and confident over all sorts of jumps and terrain (ditches, water), hacking on the trails and in traffic. This is a horse with basic training and at this point should be enjoyable to ride. I'm pretty sure the European definition of basic training differs hugely from what we expect locally :)

- Basic training is basic training...It's not new school, old school, there are no shortcuts. The basics haven't changed since Xenophon.

"Keep your horse happy. Happy horses don't get tense."

"Take your time. Relaxation does not equal fatigue."

-Advocates caveletti and free jumping to help horses learn to use their bodies (emphasis on using their backs to promote relaxation, regularity of gaits, and strength)

-Short rides, forward seat for the first few months. Again, looking to build strong, correct back muscles and relaxation before sitting in classical position.

-Purity of rhythm depends a great deal on riders seat, aids, feel. Riders who cannot follow or feel the motion or deviation in rhythm or tempo best spend time improving their seat on a well trained horse.

-People who are not musical may not hear the difference in footfalls, but they should see it/feel it. Canter beat sounds like "It is fun"

-A lot of discussion throughout the book about 'leg movers' vs 'back movers'. Makes a point quite often that back movers are the correctly trained ones, leg movers should be penalized and have been trained incorrectly.

-Talks a lot about Prix St James test, proposed to be first part of a PSG test (essentially, you would ride them both back to back and get one score.) "Here, the goal is to show that no "tricks" lead to FEI, only solid basic training, whose fundamental elements of submission, throughness and impulsion are highly valued."

Overall, this was an interesting book and well worth reading. I'm glad I picked it up!

Talk Horse Boots To Me

As mentioned previously, my little wild child of a two year old is...athletic. And yet, kind of not. She's a lovely mover, but she's also not shy about flinging those legs in all sorts of directions they probably shouldn't go in.

Baby giraffe

I've mentioned her energy levels and love of play time a lot here. What I haven't mentioned is that it's not unusual for her to come back with nicks and dings on her legs. It doesn't seem to be confined to one leg, it seems like basically anything from the knee or hock down is fair game from her other hooves. We're on tiny cut number 3 in the last month, which shouldn't be a big deal, but it's summer, and there is dust and flies and they take a bit to heal. I am tired of hosing and using multiple containers of fly repellents and magic healing potions. I don't want any teensy scars on my perfect pony that I spent too much on :).

So help me, because I'm new to this. My other horses have been nice enough, and athletic enough, but nowhere near motivated or bendy enough to injure themselves so creatively.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this, but I've never bought any kind of boots or wraps for my horses before. Bridget is the first one I've used them on and she's actually won two full sets of jumping boots for herself as prizes from shows, so I don't over think it and just use those when my coach says to :) (Bridget's boots are obviously too big for Sophie)

Cute pic of Bridget, just because

What sort of boots do you prefer? As far as I'm concerned, she's going to have to be naked in turnout, but I wouldn't mind something to stick on her when we're out and about or for the first hour or so when I swap her field around (which is usually when she feels the need to show off her extra....special...moves anyway!)

Bonus points if it's something we can continue to use once she's under saddle, because I'm poor. Extra special bonus points if it doesn't involve wrapping or special care. What do the cool dressage kids use? Is there a version of that for ponies?

Google is presenting me with way too many options and I'm over thinking it. Basically I need something that comes in 14hh sporty pony size, and will protect her legs from the effects of potentially interfering with the other 3 legs. I'm not so much worried about support or anything like that, just something to effectively bubble wrap her and keep those legs pretty :)

Magic Tack, Part 2

First, the magic saddle. Then, in my perusing of all things horse on the internet, I saw what looked like a good bit to try on Midge and saw it was dressage legal, too. I started researching it and other Myler bits. Would one help the extra fussy Midge?

Reading about them on the Myler website, I was definitely getting an infomercial, too-good-to-be-true vibe.

ShamWOW!

Also, IMO they're not overly cheap for what I perceive the quality to be. Kind of an expensive experiment should B hate it, as she has many other bits I've tried.

Although I was skeptical, it really did look and sound like a bit that would suit B, so I took the plunge and ordered one through the Home Shopping Channel Riding Warehouse. It arrived in record time, and I've ridden in it twice now.

Myler MB33WL. Paying in 3 easy installments of $29.95 and I get a free Ziploc bag to keep it in because I ordered it before the time ran out. Just kidding, it was $89 USD (including a free Ziploc bag and a very large box)

Initial thoughts? Yep, for Bridget at least, it's magical. She's not hiding from the contact, and she's flexing easily side to side when I ask, rather than her previous go to of bracing. Ditto in the transitions - she's more easily forward into the contact and not wanting to brace or hollow as much.

Obviously, our every day basic training issues remain. (It's been hot, so again we struggle with a lack of energy and plenty of reminders are required to keep her up in front of my leg. Also, she's quite heavy and on the forehand in the canter if I'm not really on the ball)  It's not THAT magical of a piece of equipment. But, she likes it, and that alone is worth it and makes my job simpler.

Bridget's level of enthusiasm is never dramatic, but so far this bit seems to meet her standards

Long term, who knows? I'm glad I bought it for where we're at now, though! Plus, a magic bit is still far cheaper than that magic saddle I covet :)

Champagne Taste

You're all familiar by now with the long, long saga that has been finding appropriate tack for round sized Bridget ponies. Spoiler alert: It's not easy. I've pretty much just decided to settle for "good enough" since B and I arent hitting any big goals anymore.

 I'll save up for something prettier down the road when Sophie is ready for her own saddle.

In the meantime inbetweentime, I've fallen in love with a saddle that's well beyond my current beer budget:

County Epiphany

I ride in this on my lesson nights, and it's just perfect. This is the first dressage saddle I've used that I don't feel like I'm fighting against in one way or another. It's soft and confortable without being a couch, and it puts me on such a good place I don't even need to think about my position. No more sore lower back or hips. The twist is narrow enough that even my short legs hang nicely, and yet it still feels close contact. Audrey loves it too, and goes noticeably better in it than her previous saddle. Also, it's now super easy for me to sit her gaits.  I want, want, want one of my own. Fingers crossed when the time comes for Sophie to have a saddle, an Epiphany works for her. Time to start hoarding pennies, just in case!

Anyway, if you're shopping, I highly recommend trying this saddle. Apparently everyone at the barn who's used it loves it, so I'm not alone in wishing for one. We're all fairly different shapes and sizes too, so it's interesting to me that we all loved it.

And, yes, I had the most fantastic lesson this week. Recap coming!

Collegiate Honor Saddle: Thoughts

I had this great idea. I mostly ride Bridget in her dressage saddle, and Sophie is going to be growing and changing for a few more years yet, so it seemed pretty silly to go all out on a fancy jump saddle for either one. Something adjustable and reasonably priced seemed well worth a try to get us through the next couple of years.

I ordered the Collegiate Honor saddle to try:

What I like about it:

-very grippy

-comfortable (feels like a relation to the Antares Spooner I ride in)

-puts me in a good position

-balance of saddle seems good, stitching and workmanship is decent, and far surapsses what I'd expect for the price.

-adjustable velcro blocks

-supposedly wool flocked

-range of gullets available for it

-price point (~$1000 MSRP). Even if it falls apart after in a couple of years, that will still be less than what I think the depreciation on a nicer saddle given my current baby pony and rough boarding/riding in the west coast rain all winter situation.

As nice as it's ever going to look

What I'm unsure about:

-It's made with the doubled leather. Stiff (cheap?) leather underneath the flaps, layer of calfskin on top. The potential longevity of this concerns me - it scratches VERY easily. (Reminds me a lot of a M. Toulouse saddle I had years ago. The quality seems better...but yeah, the similarities are definitely there)

-The 'wool' feels pretty firm. Like it might actually be foam or a mix? I'm feeling skeptical.

- The seat is very open and roomy. I like it, but I could have sized down to a 17" rather than the 17'5" I ordered.

-The medium gullet it came with seemed very narrow and the XW one I bought follows that trend, and IMO equates more to a MW tree in the British saddles I'm used to (County, Barnsby, Jeffries).

What I dislike:

-the flaps are very long. If you're tall you might want to try this saddle. I am not tall and the flap is a bit annoying.

-changing the gullet to an xw one was a two person job. The screw holes don't line up on the wider gullet without quite a bit of persuasion. I wouldn't want to change it often or if I was in a hurry.

-the panels seem quite flat/straight and bridge a little even on B (who isn't what I'd consider curvy back to front). If you're on a budget, you might want to try this for a more "A" shaped horse, one with a straight back.

And yet...

I'm keeping it for now. I like it well enough for myself. The price point is VERY reasonable on these and the quality is great for the price. I'm going to order a 2XW gullet and give that a try on B, and if necessary, see if my saddle fitter can adjust the flocking a little. It's worth a shot. If we can't get it close, I'll sell it and actually be a little sad about it - as a rider I really want to like this saddle. Speaking from experience, I'd have a hard time finding even a well used saddle in this price range that feels as nice to sit in. That being said, if this saddle was marketed in a higher price range, I'd probably pass and look for a nice used Fairfax or Pessoa with a changeable gullet.

New Boots!

I've spent 6 months and 2 broken zipper incidents trying to break in the new boots I got just before Christmas. It sucks. They're still stiff and awful.  So, when a large tear developed on my everyday Ariat contours (whose zippers required some inventive tricks to keep them done up since day 1 and overall quality seemed dubious for the price, paticularly as time went on), I couldn't imagine  ordering a new pair ( or using the Christmas boots every day!) I knew it was time to try something different.

I'm a weird size...small-ish size 7 feet, 16" calves no matter what my weight is, and oh yeah, I'm 5'2". There's no such thing as boots out of the box that are going to fit perfectly. I can go up a shoe size so the width is there,  but then normally the height is a bit of a problem. I am getting to be pro at "making do" on a budget.

In that spirit, I ordered a pair of Mountain Horse Opus boots on a sale. (I paid $350CAD from the UK).  The measurements said they should fit close enough, but I was skeptical and not excited about breaking them in.

So pretty.

So, how'd that work out?

OMG THEY ARE PERFECT! Like almost custom, they fit so well. I pulled them out of the box, zipped them on, and walked out the door and went for a ride. Zero blisters, zero issues. Worth every penny, and pretty enough to look like I spent more than I did.

So comfy. Also, it's really hard to take pictures of my own boots, lol. The color is closer to the manufacturer picture above, kind of a dark chocolatey brown.

I'm tempted to order a pair in black and live happily ever after, ignoring the shiny stiff dressage boot trend completely :)