Product Review: Harmony Western Dressage Saddle

Background:  Theo is a 16.2h Perch/Cheval Canadian cross with big honkin' shoulders, very long withers, a short flat back, and an uphill build.  This is basically the opposite of your run of the mill stock type horse.  He was tricky to fit for English saddles, western saddles proved to be borderline impossible.  I spent the better part of 1.5 years trying to get him in a western saddle.   He couldn't go in a full QH bar tree but he also struggled with the semi QH bar because it pinched his shoulders.  Saddles rocked on him.  I finally gave up and settled on a treeless saddle to get us into the ring but it didn't give me the support I needed as we moved up the levels.  As Theo's back came up and he got more bounce going, the treeless saddle didn't work for me.  Theo was happy but I was struggling.  I took a chance and ordered the demo of the Harmony Western dressage saddle as it was one of the few advertised for the discipline.

The Product:  The Harmony Western Dressage saddle is made by a subsidiary of Foxtrot and is built on an elastomer tree from Steele Saddle Tree.  That means it is a flex tree but as a hybrid, it has rigid parts to keep it from collapsing.  It also features a Sil-Cush lining for shock absorption.  Every saddle is custom made.  You can pick the leather colors, the tooling, the type of horn, anything.  The saddle was originally meant for gaited horses but was so popular with western dressage riders that they decided to market to them.  The stirrup and seat are designed to keep the rider in the correct alignment for western dressage.  It comes in three models based on weight.  I had the original with the round skirt and semi QH tree shipped out.

Base price is $2,495 and it goes up from there.

Review:  I absolutely LOVE this saddle, as does everyone that borrows it.  It fits most of the horses in the barn since it's a flexible tree and the right width for most English discipline horses (aka horses with withers).  The short, round skirt suits my horse and makes it flexible enough to fit a lot of other horses.

Every show I go to, someone comments on how attractive this saddle is.  I've been riding in it for months now and it gets better looking as it wears.  It's the basket weave/floral tooling option with silver conchos and it gives me just enough flair without making us look overly flashy.  I also like looking at my swell and seeing pretty flowers.

It fits Theo nicely.  We did have to play with saddle pad and cinch options to get it settled but I've learned that's expected with western saddles since you can't flock them.  Theo needed a 1" thick, 28" long Five Star wool saddle pad and a Total Saddle Fit cinch to get everything settled.  The dropped rigging is wonderful for stability but with a standard cinch, I found the saddle inching up on his shoulders throughout the ride and his saddle pad slipping back.  His girth groove was forward of where the cinch landed so it would creep forward and take the saddle with it.  The Total Saddle Fit cinch fixed that and the thicker Five Star pad got everything settled and locked in.

With the gear settled, this saddle is rock steady and neither the chiro nor the massage therapist have noted any problems.  Theo does all of his laterals as easily in this saddle as his dressage saddle.  I took it trail riding and found it very easy to relax with the horn and cantle to keep me feeling secure.  The seat is memory foam but under that you can definitely feel the rigid ground seat.  Everyone that has sat in it finds it very comfortable but it's not butt candy soft.  A good thing if you're in the saddle for hours, an overly soft seat starts to suck, but don't expect it to be a pillow.  The twist is wider than my English saddles but my hips adjusted just fine after a couple rides.  This is the first western saddle where I don't feel like I need to fight to keep my position, especially in the canter.

The negatives?  It's freaking 35 pounds.  Some of the ladies can't use it because it weighs too much to get up on their horses.  With my tall horse, it's a bit of a show watching me saddle him.  There are lighter models with the Ultra Light coming in at 25 pounds, but it has less tooling options and a fleece skirt instead of the Sil Cush and leather.  I wanted the tooling and extra shock absorption so I deal with the weight. 

Due to the flex tree, you can't drag, rope, or otherwise abuse the saddle.  Not a concern in my world, but it is a limitation if I decide to dabble in trail classes or cow work.  It's not meant for sports that put a lot of stress on the tree.  The flex tree was a concern for me in terms of holding up, but it comes with a 100% Lifetime warranty on the tree so I decided to take the risk.

Also cleaning the basket weave sucks.  Why would anyone do this to their saddle?  It's such a pain to clean and I'm sitting on large parts of it so you can't even see it.  Cleaning a saddle with a toothbrush is enough to make someone question their sanity.  That has nothing to do with the saddle quality, the tooling is gorgeous, but I freaking hate cleaning it.  I like handling the leather since it's so nice, but the tooling makes me batty.

Conclusion:  Awesome saddle that's made for the discipline.  It's comfy, stable, and does well on horses that are not the typical western shape.  English riders find it comfortable and don't feel like it's putting them in a weird spot.  Customer service was fantastic.  If you want to invest in a saddle for western dressage competition, check this one out.

Done with Smartpak

I've been a Smartpak customer for 15 years.  That's a hell of a long time to be a customer.  Allen, Fiona, Theo, even Koko and Ben all had Smartpak supplements.  When my senior MinPin needed supps to be comfortable, he got a Smartpak as well.  They had best in class customer service, super quick shipping, and the convenience was off the chart.  I spent years telling everyone to go there.

At IBM, I actually worked on their marketing management product and they were considered a best in class company.

Fast forward to now.  I no longer know when I'm going to get stuff I order.  Or if I'm going to get it at all.  I ordered a saddle blanket and show shirt for my show on Sunday.  They were both in stock and showed delivery early this week, so I figured it was safe.  I got a confirmation email saying that the order was processing, everything was in stock.  Yesterday a box arrived and I opened it with great excitement.  My new saddle blanket is gorgeous, but there was no shirt in the box?

My order now says 'out of stock' and expected back in stock in January.  No notification, no nothing.  My order shipped note only had the saddle blanket listed, but I figured the order had been split between two shipments.  It happens when it comes out of different warehouses.  I cancelled the order.  No time to order another shirt, so time to improvise.  I really want to show with my new purple saddle blanket!

The Smartpak brand items are dropping in quality with each year.  I got a flysheet and it fits quite odd through the shoulders and the halter loop is a joke.  My most recent pair of breeches are so tight in the thighs I can barely get on the horse.  I've worn the same size breeches from Smartpak for ages but here I am with breeches that fit very weird.  If that's how the clothes are going, I'm starting to wonder about my Smartpak brand supps.  Just what corners are they cutting?

The inventory is increasingly drop shipped which means I have no idea when or even if I'll get my order.  The order for my western boots took so long I cancelled it, then had them show up a week later.  I'm starting to get charged shipping despite my SmartPerks because not all items are included anymore.  Shipping is slow, communication is awful, and the in stock inventory is dropping away to nothing.  With the new non-horse CEO, I don't expect any of this to improve.  I've come to terms with the fact that it's time to jump off this sinking ship.

So where do people get their supplements?  I'm going to have to get on the baggie train, so I guess I can order from wherever I want.  It's going to be very tough for my unorganized butt to keep my horse in supps without a subscription but I can't keep giving my money to a company that's failing at every turn.

Product Review: Bit Butter

Background:  When I was first enlightened to my horse's complete lack of connection in August, his dry mouth and locked jaw were pointed out to me.  Loudly.  A lot happened in those two months, some very difficult, some very helpful, all very enlightening.  At the time, I was desperately trying anything that would possibly help make my locked up, dry mouth horse relax.  I won't mention how many loose ring snaffles I now own or how many things I bought.  It makes me sad.  A little jar of Bit Butter ended up in my locker during that frenzy.

In the end training and an appropriate loose ring fixed the dry mouth problem. Go figure.  But that little jar of Bit Butter did not go in the discard pile.

Theo is very sensitive about the corners of his mouth, insisting on long rubs after rides and getting cracked skin when the air is dry.  Going in a loose ring seems to increase the likelihood the corners of his mouth will get dry/chapped.

The Product:  Bit Butter is beeswax, cocoa butter, and mango butter mixed with some natural oils.  It's marketed for softening the unresponsive corners of your horse's mouth.  You massage it into the corners of your horse's mouth and apply it to the underside of your horse's bit.  It's all natural and edible, so you can use it as well.

Review:  It's chapstick for horses.  Pure and simple.

It smells like cookies.  Straight up cookies.  Or a Yankee candle.  I love the smell and so does Theo.  His ears perk when I open up the jar and that smell gets loose.

It also tastes fantastic.  Both Theo and I use this now that it's winter.  It's a solid chapstick for me and seems to serve me well on cold rides.  It's thicker and more like a coating than what you get with human chapstick, but I find it keeps the cold temps from destroying my lips.  Theo will lick it off my fingers if I give him a chance and sucks his bit in with enthusiasm when I use this.  A bit too much enthusiasm.  I have a scratch on my noseband from him pulling too much of the bridle in.

This stuff is magic on the cracked skin around Theo's mouth.  He loves it when I rub this in and I'm able to keep the area from drying out or cracking preemptively.  I also use it on his bit to prevent any friction between his sensitive skin and his loose ring which he plays with a bit.  I have seen a small increase in foam when this is used.  It won't fix a dry mouth problem, but it will encourage a horse to work the bit because it's tasty and slides nicely at the corners of their mouth.

It's a bit of a pain in the cold since it turns into a brick.  If you don't have a heated tackroom, you can scrape some out and warm it in your hand.  It's much easier to manage at room temps when it's soft and easy to smooth on the bit or the corners of your horse's mouth.

Conclusion: It's chapstick for your horse.  Useful addition to the tack trunk and a little jar will last a long time.  I use it on myself in winter and on Theo pretty much all the time but especially when the air is dry.  It's the kind of thing that's convenient to have on hand in case it comes up even if you don't always use it. If nothing else, it's a life saver when you're at a show and realize you forgot your chapstick.  It tastes awesome!

Product Review: Haas brushes

Background:  I like pretty things.  A lot.  But with brushes, I usually just use whatever is in my bag and don't think about it too hard.  I've had a random collection of nylon and unknown bristles in plastic handles for most of my career.  The horses are clean and shiny, no harm, no foul.  Why would I drop a bunch of money on a fancy set of brushes?  Because I own a yak and my brushes are mostly patting the surface.  I need something more effective to get down to the skin or I get this 'dead zone' in his winter coat that isn't groomed and becomes a mass of dead skin and oil.

I stared at the Haas brushes for a year.  Literally a year.  Reviews kept saying they really got into the coat.  I finally pulled the trigger and have been using them for a month.

The Product:  Haas brushes are made in Germany from a company that is very old (est 1919) and well respected.  They're definitely more expensive than your standard nylon bristle brushes.  They use natural materials for the bristles and most have a nice leather strap on the back to keep your hand in place.  They also have fancy German names like Cavaliere and Diva Exklusiv.

I did not go buy the whole 'Black Pack' set of brushes.  I couldn't convince myself to buy in that much.  But I did use sample lists of brushes to piece my set together.  I went through Smarkpak and bought  the Der Gute curry comb, Schimmel stiff brush, Cavaliere body brush, and Diamond Gloss finishing brush.

Review:

 Curry comb:  This thing is magic.  When I picked it up for the first time I went 'ugh, it feels cheap, it's hard plastic, why did I buy this?'.  And then I used it and watched the dirt and scurf and dandruff fly.   I don't know why this thing works as well as it does, but it cuts through mi papi's ridiculous coat and gets right down to the skin.  I usually buy softer, rubber curry combs.  This thing puts them all to shame for brute dirt removal.  Theo tolerated it on his belly better than I thought he would, so it's clearly not rough or offensive, just effective.  This thing is only $6 and is worth every penny and then some.  Even if you think the rest of the set is overpriced and dumb, give the curry a try for thick coats that get dirty.  It's also perfect for cleaning off brushes as you work.

Schimmel brush:  I like this one a lot.  I don't usually keep really stiff brushes around, too many horses get offended, but this one is a keeper.  It's coconut fiber and no joke stiff, but Theo hasn't killed me yet even when I do the girth area, so it's not over the top (unlike the Mustang that actually has some wire in it, I'm pretty sure that is too much for any clipped pony).  It's fantastic on knees and hocks that are coated in dried mud/manure/I do NOT want to know.  It's another product that really cuts through the coat and gets the dirt up from near the skin.  I keep the curry in my left hand to clean this brush as I go because it's great cutting through Theo's winter coat and getting up the dead skin.  I scrape it with the curry and watch the flakes of icky fall to the mats.  This is the other brush I would flat out recommend.  Between this and the curry, I'm seeing a real difference in how clean I can keep my shaggy yak.  I mean horse.

Cavaliere brush:  I was very confused on body brushes for awhile with Haas.  I eventually figured out that the Lippizaner and the Cavaliere were the same brush, but the Cavaliere was smaller and easier for small hands to handle.  That works for me!  I like this brush, it's a nice body brush and does a good job of getting the finer debris off of my horse that is left by the stiff brush.  It's also the one that goes on his face and he approves of it for use on delicate areas that still need a decent scrub (mud around the eyes most of the time).  It's not stunning like the first two, it's just very effective.  If you already have an effective, well loved body brush, don't bother.  If you need a replacement?  Go for it.  It's nice, dense, should last a long time, and puts on a nice shine.

Diamond Gloss brush:  This is so the wrong time of year to test this brush.  I did give it a good work out after his last clip job to see it in action.  It's so dense that it feels stiff and not like a finishing brush.  It does put one heck of a shine on your horse.  I don't bust this one out much since it's November and my horse is actually a yak, but when I tested it, it got the job done.  Worth the purchase?  If you're show ring bound, yeah, I'd toss this one in the show bag to give me that extra hit of shine before I head in.  I find I stop with the body brush most days at home, but I suspect the finishing brush will be getting more use in the summer.  It really needs your horse to be most of the way clean before you start to get the effect.  It's so dense it just jams up with dirt, but if you've done your work with the other brushes?  Mirror like finish is possible.

Overall?  I'm happy with my investment.  I'm seeing a real difference in the amount of gunk hidden under his coat and I'm having an easier time keeping him looking reasonable in this very rough time of year.  I'm looking forward to putting these brushes through their paces next summer when I can really shine him up for the competition ring.

At least the curry and the Schimmel brushes should be added to brush collections.  Those things are magic for those that own yaks.

Product Review: Cheeta Trotter Bra

Background:  I am rather hourglass shaped.  Which is a polite way of saying there's junk in the trunk and some serious business going on upstairs as well.  I wear a 34D bra and at 5'2", that's not a small percentage of my total mass.  Most of my life I've been fine with a sports bra and occasionally even a regular bra while riding.  Posting isn't that bad and when you never sit the canter?  Bouncing can be managed.

Never, ever wear a front clip bra while riding.  Yes, I speak from experience.  Explaining to the older, angry German man that I needed to step out of my lesson to duct tape my broken bra back together was a unique experience.  I snapped the little plastic clip in the midst of a jumping course.  Bouncy bouncy.

But now a days I spend a lot of time with my tush in the saddle and the bouncing is a problem.  Gods help me if I forget to pack a sports bra and even with that, there's some unseemly jiggling going on when I sit the trot.  I needed something with some real substance and staying power.

100% not me

The Product:  The Cheeta Trotter bra is a compression bra with a downward facing zipper in the back.  It's not like your usual pull on bra.  There's a video for getting everything settled where it should be and you do not lift the girls up to their usual position.  The model I chose is the one with the built in tank top in nude.

Review:  This thing is substantial.  The tank top part is sturdy and stays tucked into my breeches nicely.  The bra, though.  That thing is intense.  I ordered a medium based on my rib cage being between 34 and 36.  When it arrived, I noticed right off the bat that this thing isn't kidding about the elastic.  There was much wiggling to pull it on.

The zipper has a long tab on it so you can zip it on your own without too much trouble.  There's a single hook at the end to keep it from unzipping at an awkward moment like jumping a course in front of an angry man with a smoker's cough and a heavy accent.  It's definitely weird zipping something down, but it pushes the girls down and then crushes them into place.  Seriously, it took me a second to figure out breathing.  It's not uncomfortable anywhere, but you are definitely aware that you're strapped down.

My shirts definitely fit better with it on and I expect my jackets will look nicer with a solid inch taken off of my chest.  In the saddle, I finally had stability in the sitting trot!  Sure, I can perceive movement if I really focus on it, but it's certainly not bouncing.  All of my mass is squished in where it belongs, over my center of gravity.  There's a lot less distracting flopping going on.  It didn't interfere with my ride at all, but it does take some getting used to.  This is the first bra that successfully contained all of that mass while sitting Theo's working trot.

These things are not cheap.  Something like $67 through Smartpak a pop.  I intend to buy more.  It is such a relief to sit the trot and not have a bunch on unmanageable, sometimes uncomfortable movement.  I can't say it's a comfortable bra, it felt nice to take it off (and try to fluff the girls back up to their usual dimensions, poor things), but if you've got some serious business going on in the area of the chest, this will do the job of keeping everything sleek and still even during the sitting trot.  I recommend it.

Product Review: Ecovet

Background:  Theo breaks out in hives and/or welts when the bugs get after him.  He's also a total princess.  Combine that with the vicious array of bugs you get in New Hampshire and you have a recipe for an uncomfortable, pissy pony.  I'm pretty much willing to try anything in the heart of bug season to keep him comfortable.

The product:  Ecovet is a fly spray that acts very differently than the stuff we usually use.  Regular fly spray keeps the bugs from biting.  Ecovet claims to mess up the chemical receptors in the fly, causing them to not be able to locate your horse and sometimes die.  It's based on amino acids evaporating off of your horse and making a bit of a cloaking mechanism (Star Trek reference ftw). 

I got a free sample from SmartPak.  It's more expensive than my usual fly spray but you're supposed to use less, so it probably evens out.

Review:  This stuff is scary when you first read the instructions and reviews on line.  May cause respiratory distress, use it outside and upwind, yadda yadda.  I've heard multiple reports of horses going into fits of wheezing and trouble breathing.  It took me a couple days to get up the nerve to even try the stuff.  Also, it's described as horrible smelling so definitely don't do it in the barn aisle.

I wanted to take Theo out for a trail ride/mad gallop to avoid the bugs and thought it would be a good time to see if Ecovet was the miracle product people claim.  It was also breezy, so seemed a good day to apply the product without killing my horse.  I took him out in the parking lot, parked him with his face into the 10 mph breeze, and applied as directed on the bottle.  I got his chest, legs, and belly from midline down.  I was expecting it to smell like pure death.  It doesn't.  I didn't like the smell, but it's not like a skunk or anything.  More odd and unpleasant than anything.  I can imagine it's overwhelming if sprayed in an enclosed space.  No wheezing or coughing from Theo, just one big lip curl.  The breeze did it's job.  I tacked up as usual, noted my horse now smelled funny, and headed out.

It did NOTHING.  It was no different than my Ultrashield and frankly might be worse.  Deer flies were on us while walking down the road.  The trail ride was our usual mad dash.  The flies had no problem finding my horse and latching right on.  Whatever it's supposed to be doing, it doesn't work on the biting flies in NH.  It was too breezy for gnats so can't tell you if it worked on those, but frankly, I wasn't impressed.  If I'm going to go through all that trouble to apply the product, I should be able to see at least some improvement.  I gave the rest of the sample to the barn to use on a mare suffering from sweet itch, see if it helps her.  It's useless for Theo.

So no, it's not a revolutionary break through.  If your horse isn't allergic to pyretherin, stick with the traditional stuff to handle biting flies.  I'm really quite disappointed because I'd read reviews where it really made a difference on trail rides.  It might be regional and depend on the species.  If you've got the awful, yellow/orange deer flies we have in New England, save your money. 

It looks like the trails will just have to stay closed for a bit longer.

Product Review: All of the treats

As I jogged up the path from the ring to the barn so I could get the treats I forgot (scandal!), I realized that there is one area where Theo and I are well educated and can make a strong recommendation:  treats.  My positive reinforcement pony goes through a lot of treats.

So here they are, all of the cookies Theo has seen fit to try in no coherent order.

Applezz N' Oats
Three Stars 

I have a weak spot for any treat the comes in a jug.  I got these at the local consignment shop for cheap based entirely on the fact that they came in a big jug.  Theo is pretty ho hum on these.  I tried them and they're really not strongly flavored.  They're fine, but not something that's really going to get a horse's attention.  

PS of Sweden Clicker Candy
Three Stars

Flavor wise, Theo is a fan.  They smell really nice.  Downside is that they're very small.  Yes, small treats are good for clicker training, but these are small enough to make feeding them to my horse a bit complicated.  I got a little pinch from him trying to find the tiny, flat treat on my hand.  Forget handling them in gloves.  But we discovered they were magic for getting Miss Thang to eat at away shows, so they're clearly very tasty.  I got my bag for free with an order and we happily used them up, but Theo needed three or four at a time to get anywhere.

The German Horse Muffins
Five Stars

These are called the crack cookies at the barn because we have seen pupils dilate when this bag comes out.  Even horses that aren't treat motivated suddenly turn into beggars with these things.   I have no idea why.  They're a fairly standard muffin style treat, lots of molasses and oats, but the horses lose their minds over these.  Theo can get hard to handle if these are out, so I don't use them for training.  These are his good night turn out cookies ONLY.  He gets one when he gets turned out and he prances to his pasture, trying to fit his nose in my pocket.  You have been warned, horses find these ridiculously addictive.  These are Theo's favorites, hands down.

Harvest Hearts
Two Stars

I grabbed a handful of these from another rider at a show.  They are the closest I've gotten to Theo refusing something.  He looked rather disappointed when he started chewing on them.  Healthy?  Maybe, but certainly not motivating for Theo.  Can't recommend these.  If Theo is turning his nose up, they can't be that good.

Mana Pro Nuggets
Four Stars

These are my go to treats for training and riding.  They're a great size for pockets, are rock hard, and have a strong enough flavor that Theo has not yet gotten bored of them.  They're also cheap which is important with the number I go through.  Downside, they're dyed so Theo's drool turns interesting colors.  Since he prefers the apple flavored, his drool is usually red.  Not for show use!  But at home, these are what I stuff in my pockets and clean out of my dryer.  Our standard treat for day to day use.  The apple ones give Theo licorice breath, it's kind of weird.

 Mrs. Pastures Cookies for Horses
Four Stars

These are the leaser's go to treats.  She doesn't treat much from the saddle, so she doesn't carry nearly as many treats as I do.  These are bigger which Theo appreciates.  It takes him a little longer to woof one of these down.  He likes them about the same as the Mana Pro, they're just slower for him to eat and much messier in my pockets (or his leaser's bra when she doesn't have pockets, that lady is very committed to keeping him happy). 

 Stud Muffins
Four Stars

These are close to the crack cookies, but not quite.  They're missing something and that takes his reaction from obsession to very interested.  They're a great treat, but the same problems as any muffin style treat.  It's a big mouthful and you can't stick them in your pockets.  They're good for a bed time treat, but not good for any kind of training. 

Popper Mints
Four Stars

Another one I got for the jug the first time.  These are about equivalent to the Mana Pros in terms of size and Theo's interest in them.  They have two advantages, though.  One, they make his breath smell fantastic.  Two, they are slightly softer and I can break them in half, making my treats stretch further.  My local shops don't carry them or they'd probably take the place of Mana Pro treats on a day to day basis.  They're slightly softer so messier in my pockets, but it's nice to be able to make the exact size I want.

Nutra-Treats
Five Stars

These are on the expensive side for treats, but entirely worth it for show days.  Rock hard, about the size of a quarter, melt almost as fast as a sugar cube in Theo's mouth, and no dyes to make his spit look alarming.  They're also delicious in Theo's opinion.  He will try to turn himself inside out for the ginger flavored ones.  The marshmallow flavor was Fiona's favorite cookie.  The strong flavored ones are hit and miss for different horses (many didn't like the marshmallow), but their base flavor is well loved by every horse I've tried.  They also have an insulin resistant recipe.  I keep a big bag of these on hand for show days.  They're too expensive for every day use, but are otherwise perfect for training.  Find the right flavor and horses suddenly get very motivated.

Cabin Fever

I'm still inside and it's making me crazy.  The good news is that we only got a foot of snow last night.  The bad news is that the wind is gusting hard enough to make the blowing snow dance all about.  It's pushing ground blizzard levels out here as we gust into the 40 - 50 mph zone.  The snow we got was very fluffy so it's drifting all about.

I am so sick of being in the house.  So how do we cope with these situations?

I bought a new dressage coat!

The RJ Classics Soft Shell Piaffe Frock in navy.  This makes me very happy.  I've been eyeballing this coat for awhile since I love my RJ coats.  I have a frock from them in black and when I saw this in navy, in my size (12 Short), and on clearance for $118 at Smartpak?  It magically appeared in my cart.  Amazing how that happens.  I'm so excited to have my navy coat to go with my navy show bow.  Now I need a navy browband.  PS of Sweden has the exact one I need, navy pearls and clear rhinestones.  And I think a baby blue stock tie.  And a baby pink stock tie to go with my black coat, since I have a pink show bow and a pink browband . . .

But that will have to wait.  I just bought a new coat and his winter shoes are due this week.  Not cheap.  I can use my existing browbands, new bling isn't on the need list.  New bling won't help if my leg yields are still prone to collapsing.  Instead, I got something to help us actually perform. 

My judge crush continues.  I love this woman and reading a book written by her that focuses on making opinionated, less than perfect horses into dressage ponies?  Sign me up!  Might as well do something with my abundant indoors free time.  The reviews are excellent and I'm looking forward to a new read.

Also, I cannot emphasize enough how much I love my Dublin River boots.

I got for when it's muddy out and for walking cross country (ha!).  This winter I discovered that they are amazing in snow.  Last winter was really mild, so this winter they were really put to the test.  As I was wading through snow up to my knees yesterday, feeding the chickens, my feet stayed bone dry and toasty with a pair of wool socks.  I've slopped through every combination of slush/mud/water/slop known to man with our crazy weather and my feet stay dry.  I even ride in them on the days when it's too cold for my riding boots where I can't fit my thick socks.  I wear them into town with a pair of dark jeans and people think they're cute.  Slap on a set of ice cleats and these have served me through an entire day of outdoor barn chores, in the melting snow, including chasing my idiot horse as he decides playing tag is more fun than working in the sand box.

Really, if you live in an area prone to lots of snow with lots of melt, consider a pair.  Lifesavers this winter and especially through these last two storms.

As for Theo?  For Facebook users, here's a little clip of his pasture's situation.  Snow up to his chest in spots.  It's kind of like water training, right?  Lots of resistance meaning that he's going to stay fit just walking around his pasture.  At least that's what I'm hoping for.  Tomorrow's weather is supposed to be agreeable and I should be able to ride in my usual lesson.  And then rush home, shower, and go out for Valentine's Day.  Because that is how horse girls do romance.  You know we really care when we shower before showing up at a fancy bistro for a date.

Tack review: Revisiting the past

Time to update on a couple of previous purchases!

First up:  Frank Baines Evolution jumping saddle

 
This saddle is now a well loved, well used one year old saddle.  I've done jumping clinics, hunter paces, beach rides, and many jumping lessons up to 3' in this saddle.  It's been seen by the saddle fitter twice and used by a couple of other riders with Theo and with the Bambino. 

Everyone agrees, it's butt candy.  It's just insanely comfortable.  It's darkened up to a nice mahogany red.  The leather is all intact and looks good.  That calfskin covering makes a big difference when Theo does things like decide to squeeze a stride in.  It's flat as a pancake and will do nothing to keep you on through bucking, but the knee rolls are perfect and have been a great emergency seat belt.  Theo still goes better in this saddle than anything we've tried, including his custom fit dressage saddle.  It's still a calfskin covered saddle and I have to care for it like it's made of glass.  While my dressage saddle with buffalo can handle a nuclear blast, this thing lives with a cover on it.  It's worked, the saddle looks great and has improved with age.  Great investment and I don't regret buying it one bit.

Second:  PS of Sweden Flying Change Revolution bridle

I've had this bridle for about a year now.  It's used for all of my dressage rides and some trail rides when I'm too lazy to bust out the jumping tack.  It's gone to several shows this season, sometimes sporting the big bling and sometimes going plain.

You know your bridle is pretty when multiple stewards mention it while doing your tack check.  The leather is wearing well and the slipping browband problem seems to be limited to just the one browband.  It's not butter soft leather but it's wearing like iron and has a lovely shine when I clean it.  Our new bling stays put, no problem.  Theo finds this bridle comfortable and it fits better around his rather substantial ears than the other bridles I've tried on him.  The quick change browbands are fantastic when you want to change the look at a show. I decided to break out the big bling for my last day at GMHA and it took about a minute to put it on.  No bridle disassembly needed!  I like this bridle so much that I'm planning on buying a High Jump for him to replace his current jumping bridle (an HDR monocrown that just isn't the right fit and isn't wearing well).  Still a highly recommended bridle due to generous padding and an attractive look that will get you comments from those that handle your bridle.

Finally:  RJ Classics Soft Shell Hunt Coat

 

This poor thing has been through a war.  I got it last year in August I believe.  Since then it's been through rain, heat, dust, and thrown in the back of the trailer.  Then the back of my car.  I'm not good at taking care of my coats and this has been my only coat for about a year. 

If you need a basic coat that can take abuse, buy one of these.  Water beads and runs off rather than soaking you and making you hate your life in warm up.  It's stretchy enough that it doesn't gap over my rather substantial chest while still fitting my shoulders.  It's not a summer weight jacket, but it's a lot lighter than a traditional coat.  Three buttons, two vents, and functional pockets to finish it off.  It's not fancy, it's really pretty non-descript, but after a show I can throw it in my wash machine on cold, hang it to dry, and it's ready to go again.  I've washed it something like five times before that picture.  Solid purchase and will remain a feature in my show wardrobe even when I add fancier coats.  It's perfect for damp, rainy, muddy days and comfortable to wear.

Tack Review: PS of Sweden Tendon Boots

I wanted to make sure these were appropriately abused before writing up my review.  It is now time.

Background:  Theo is a princess and I'm a turnout snob.  This requires me to have cute brown boots that match my brown tack to jump in that also meet with mi papi's standards.  I had him in a set of open front leather boots from Dover, but they were hard leather and he didn't approve.  He showed his disapproval by trying to shake the back boots off at annoying times or refusing to walk after being tacked up.  I also noted some small rubs from the boots and decided they needed to be replaced with something softer.  I needed them for jumping in the ring, flat work, and occasional trail rides when I don't remember to change my boots.

Also, I take crap care of my boots.  Seriously, terrible.  I occasionally remember to hard brush them after a ride, then throw them in my locker.  

Product:  The tendon boots from PS of Sweden are a pretty new product for them.  They're sold as a full set and are an open front boot, the type that's popular with the show jumping crowd.  They're faux leather, either plain glossy or a crocodile print, with a teddy lining.  Nothing rigid in the boots.  They come in two sizes, cob and full.  They're held on with velcro.  I got a set in brown croco print to go with my tack and give papi a bit of style.  These do not have the metal tag the current version has, I got mine before those came out.

Review:  I got these for the introductory price for the set, so I really didn't have any worries.  For a full set, they're very cheap.  Even now they're just at $100 for a set.   I got my set at the beginning of December and started using them for pretty much every ride.

So shiny, so pretty, I thought they would stand no chance in hell of staying that pretty once they were at the barn.  White lining?  Ha!  They're not real leather and I figured they wouldn't survive heavy use.  But right out of the bag I noticed how soft and squishy the lining was.  They're shipped flat so I had to velcro them closed and let them sit for a day so they'd quit trying to spring open.

Once applied to Theo's legs, he gave his approval.  No protesting, no kicking out, no attempts to shake them off, and no rubs.  Five-six days a week for three months and still no rubs.  For that reason alone I'd buy them again.  He even protests having polos put on, but these he doesn't mind.

As far as durability, they're better than I thought.  After three months of use and an adventure through a bunch of mud puddles, I chucked them in the washer and even tumbled them in the dryer on low.  This is how they came out.

What do you know, they actually are machine washable!  I did them on the delicate cycle with cold water, so yes, they're still light tan on the inside.  You should have seen the state of them when they went in.  The terry bounced right back, though, and feels great.  That was my most pleasant surprise, that they're just as comfy for Theo after going through the machine.  I'm going to give them some fluffing with the hard brush, then they should be ready to go back to work until the next time I decide to go in the outdoor while it's soaked.

They do show wear from where Theo's kicked them.  Here's the worst of it.

 Yes, Theo does interfere and trip over his own feet, which is kind of why he needs boots.  On the inside of the front boots, the gloss is being kicked away.  The material is still sound, no ripping and you can still see the croc marks, but the shine is pretty much gone where he strikes.  Not so bad in the back (all of that strengthening is paying off!).  The stitching keeping the lining in place is also holding up. 

The velcro is holding up fine.  I do sometimes have the stop part of the velcro pull back, but its not common and Trainer A just pushes it back down when she spots it.  No trouble with boots coming off.  Have had some trouble with the front boots wanting to rotate a bit so the opening faces slightly to the outside instead of straight ahead.  They're flat when they show up and break in to the shape of your horse.  I think I put them on crooked the first couple of times and it stuck. Until they break in, they don't want to wrap around your horse's legs.  I'll keep a closer eye on the way they break in for future sets.

Protection wise, they're good for a horse that occasionally interferes.  There's nothing rigid to them and they soak up water like sponges.  Not for cross country, wet trail rides, or any situation where there may be a serious whack.  They're squishy, stylish, and comfy, not robust or hardy.  I love them for ring work, they shrug off most of the dirt and don't impede movement.  I don't use them outside of the ring except short trail rides when it's dry out.  I also get a lot of compliments on them, very stylish.

Conclusion:  Great purchase, very happy.  They're lightweight protection for ring use and fill that role perfectly.  They're wearing well, though the gloss is coming off in the strike area.  Machine washable without the lining being ruined or matted!  Not recommended for adventures outside of the ring, they soak up water like crazy and then sag.  I'll be adding a set of the dressage boots in white for formal occasions in the near future, much faster than polos and Theo much prefers the boots.

Tack review: Frank Baines Evolution

I think I could have a blog that was nothing but product reviews at this point.  This episode is for my jumping saddle, the Frank Baines Evolution.

Background:  When I started riding Theo, I used his dressage saddle from the lesson program for everything.  This included my reintroduction to jumping and even a schooling show at 2'3".  After jumping mi papi around in a saddle with a high pommel and a high cantle, I ended up sitting on my couch with a bag of frozen peas in my lap.  Bruising of the pubic bone is serious business.  My Perch cross partner likes to make a big move over fences and a dressage saddle was just not doing the business.  I tried a Wintec but discovered his back is very, very straight and needs a specific tree shape.  Research and some help from my local saddlery put my butt in this saddle.

The Product:  Frank Baines is a saddlery in England.  They've been around a good while and have the usual string of professional endorsements for their saddles.  They offer dressage, close contact, GP, and even an eventing model.  Theo's dressage saddle was a Frank Baines and the name came up during my search for saddles that fit the flat backed horse.  The Evolution was pointed out to me as the flatest tree in the Frank Baines close contact range by my saddlery.

The Evolution is a close contact saddle with calfskin covered flaps and a calfskin seat.  It has gussets front and back, a mid-sized knee block, and a small calf block.  It comes in several colors and can be ordered with the welting in a color such as red, blue, or green for no additional fee.  However, since it's from England, shipping can be a beast.  I got mine from a dealer state side which helped.  It's about $3K new, which I had to do since it had just come out at the time that I purchased it.  You might be able to find some used in the not too distant future.

Review:    The first time I sat in this thing, it was love.  As Trainer A called it, it's a pillow for your a$$.  I call it butt candy.  The seat is wide and softly padded, it's just nice to sit in.  Trail rides in this saddle are no problem, I've gone two hours without my butt getting sore.  I love calfskin, even if it scuffs if you so much as look at it too hard.  Nothing sticks me to the saddle quite like it.  The knee block was considerably bigger than what I was used to, but not distracting in appearance.  I'm only 5'2" so I don't usually end up using the blocks on a regular saddle anyway, but these are positioned well enough that I do end up using them on occasion.  The saddle I tried was their nut color and rather light red for my taste, but the welting/piping in red was a neat touch that I liked.  It hit all of the check list items I'd gotten from the saddle fitter and sure enough, fit his flat back like a glove.  I got a MW with a 17" seat.  The saddle fitter loved it and it was mine.

Six months later and I still love it.  Break in was nearly non-existent.  We were able to ride in it for lessons pretty much from the word go.  Covered flaps require more delicate care so I've only hit it with the lederbalsam a couple of times.  Most of the time I just wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth before putting it away.  It's darkened up nicely and picked up a lovely patina.  It's not the havana color I dreamed of, but it's flattering.  Just more red then I'd usually have for a jump saddle.  It needs a bridle and girth with some red in it to match.  My tack doesn't really match.

I flat in this saddle regularly and I've found it's not extreme in throwing my balance forward.  I can flat around with an upright position without fighting this saddle so long as I drop my stirrups down appropriately.  Trainer A, having a more normal length of leg being about 5'5", noticed the calf block interfering with her ability to get her legs down and around him when she dropped her stirrups down, but it hasn't affected my short legs.  A 5'10" man rode in it and really liked it, said that he felt very comfortable and not cramped.  It's not meant to be a flat saddle so I can't recommend it as a GP type saddle.  It's really meant to be a jumping saddle.

Over fences it's a secure seat and I've had no problem with rocking and rolling.  Any shift in my position is my own fault, not the saddle.  Trainer A hasn't noted any problems with this saddle in terms of my position and liked where it put her legs when she sat in it.  No chair seat!  Calfskin helps to keep me in the saddle when papi puts a little extra spice in his jumping.  The balance point is pretty central and allows for a seated position as well as staying in half seat.  It's a nice, open saddle that doesn't put you in a particular spot which I like.  Not everyone likes that.  It is most definitely not a seat belt type of a saddle.  It won't keep you in place through a massive series of bucks or anything.  I personally would take it cross country at Training level, but I also did Training level in my flat as a pancake, no blocks at all, equitation oriented Passier Precision.  I'm crazy.

The calfskin is delicate.  I have to guard this saddle with my life.  I'm also not the biggest fan of the leather they used on the billets.  The finish cracked during break in and they look more worn then I'd expect at just six months, even if I use the saddle at least five times a week.  I didn't order the short flap so the blocks aren't quite where they should be for my stubby legs, but other riders find them very well positioned.  I find them close enough to keep me in place when things go wrong. I also get some weird noises from my stirrups on occasion.  We're still working on that.  It's nothing structural, the saddle is very secure, but there's a weird sound that keeps showing up.  Makes Trainer A crazy.  It's probably more related to my stirrup leathers, but still worth mentioning.

I've also had to slap a wither relief pad under this saddle, the pommel doesn't give a particularly generous amount of clearance and Theo is a princess.  No wither pressure of any kind allowed ever for him.  For a shark fin TB, I'm not sure it would work.  But then again, the tree probably wouldn't suit that type anyway.  These saddles really suit flat backed horses with wide shoulders.

If I had my choice I would have ordered this saddle in the havana leather with blue welting and short flaps, but Theo's back needed help immediately and I didn't want to wait for a custom order.  I'm impressed that those options are all no extra charge when ordering a new saddle.  You can even get velcro blocks at no charge if you order the saddle.

Conclusion:  Love this saddle.  It's comfortable, it keeps me in a good position, and it's attractive.  Theo also loves it, going noticeably better in this saddle compared to other saddles.  It broke in pretty much instantly.  It's well loved by a variety of body types.  Not well suited for horses with curvy backs or super high withers and not good for situations where a saddle needs to take some abuse.  I don't recommend it as a GP saddle since it can interfere with a longer stirrup position, but it's fantastic over fences.

Tack Review: PS of Sweden Flying Change Revolution bridle

I really do buy a lot of stuff.  This time I'm looking at my dressage bridle from PS of Sweden.

Background:  I'm a bit of a turn out snob and it was bugging me to ride in a black dressage saddle and a brown bridle (that also had fancy stitching on it and a D ring bit, such a fashion faux pas).  I needed a black bridle for our dressage outings that would fit mi papi's block of a head.  It also needed to have the option to have the flash removed without that annoying loop since we don't use a flash.  That's a surprisingly difficult thing to find.  I also wanted nice padding and a monocrown.  Shopping around and blogger referrals led me to this bridle.

Product:  PS of Sweden specializes in anatomical bridles.  Think Micklem but higher quality leather and more adjustable.  They also have bridles like this one that are legal for dressage competition.  Everything is shaped for the comfort of the horse.  They also feature quick change browbands with the option to buy lots of blingy styles.

It does not come with a throat latch (designed not to need one) but you can add one on so it's competition legal.  It also has little elastic insets on the cheekpieces that end up under the rings of your bit.  It gives the bit a little give.  I'm still not sure if this is competition legal, but they're designed to be easily removed if they're a problem for showing.

I picked the Flying Change Revolution as a nice, straightforward bridle.  I don't like the patent leather look and rolled would look ridiculous on Theo's clunky head.  It does not come with reins and clocks in at about $300 with shipping.  Also, they have a pick and mix option for their bridles.  I used that to piece together something that would properly fit Theo (full size crown and cheek pieces, x-full browband and noseband).  Customer service is excellent, return policy is balls so take extra measurements and contact them if you have a question.

Review:  Out of the bag, this is a nice feeling bridle.  The padding is generous, the crown is wide, and the leather is a nice quality.  It's not old school Vespucci nice (not the current cr@p), but it's very pleasant to handle.  It takes some getting used to.  The noseband seemed ridiculously huge to me when I was putting it together and the crown seemed so wide.  Nice feature is the way the flash is attached.  It slides under the padding and buttons into place so you can take it off without a dumb loop and there's nothing between the padding and your horse's nose if you decide to leave it on.

On Theo's head, it looks fantastic.  The wide noseband really suits him and the browband looks very flattering with it's little swoop.  It stays clear of his cheekbones and  the slimmer profile on the bottom on his nose avoids all of the sensitive spots.  I had to squeeze a bit to get the throat latch attached, but everything looks and feels fantastic.  Crank noseband is not my favorite, I dropped the extra keeper and Theo promptly ate it, but it works fine without it.  The padding under the chin is a hit with mi papi.  I get lots and lots of compliments on this bridle and it's wearing well.  Theo seems quite happy in it and I've had no problems with rubs or slipping. 

Happy with the fit, I ordered a blingy browband.

Love, love, love the design on this browband.  It's very subtle with black beads and just a bit of flash.  Downside is that it slides down his face with the throat latch attached.  I returned it (again, great customer service), but the replacement was exactly the same.  I'm not sure what the deal is, since it's the same size as the browband that came with the bridle, but the loops on the blingy browband are bigger and don't hang on tight enough to the bridle.  For now, I used some black vet wrap to keep it from sliding.  I haven't heard of anyone else having this issue and I haven't ordered another browband yet, so I'm not sure if this is a fluke with this one design or a problem that people don't notice because they're not using the throat latch. 

Conclusion:  Very nice bridle and I recommend getting it if you're looking a mid-range bridle, good quality for the price point, pick and mix option is fantastic for oddly shaped horses, the Flying Change noseband is rather massive and probably not appropriate for delicate faces, can't recommend the blingy browbands due to issues with sliding but I seem to be the only one with this problem.

Tack review: Wither Freedom Half Pad from Total Saddle Fit

I finally realized that with all of the stuff I've bought, I should review some of it.  I'm going to start with one of my favorites:  Six Point Saddle Pad - Wither Freedom Half Pad from Total Saddle Fit.

Background:  Theo has fairly high withers, nothing too shocking, but they're freakishly long and pretty wide.  They go on forever, I swear.  The saddle fitter was slightly horrified when she saw them.  My saddle was carefully fitted, but I was still seeing some wither soreness.  It seemed that the pads were pressing down on the back part of his withers (where most horses don't have withers anymore) and I wanted to get as much clearance as possible as far back as possible.  Theo is also a total princess, so even the pressure of pads pressing down on the back of his withers is enough to make him gnash his teeth.  Regular wither relief pads and sheepskin half pads weren't enough, so I went out to find something that would give him all of the clearance and pressure relief he needed.

The product:  This is a sheepskin half pad that has pockets for shims.  It's all pretty standard fare except the wither relief.  It is completely open in the front and the opening runs about half way down the pad.  This is supposed to keep pressure off of the withers and even the trapezius muscles.  The velcro straps in front strap onto the D-rings of the saddle to keep it from sliding down instead of the usual wither relief pads that have a hole but close in front (and usually end up sitting on the highest point of the withers if you have a shark fin TB).

The review:  Out of the box, the sheepskin felt nice and it had good quality to it.  Quite fluffy, definitely check the girth after mounting.  I got the black model to avoid it showing dirt or yellowing and I love the way it looks with my champagne pad from PS of Sweden.

It's about three months old in that pic and looking very nice still, it has held up well.  I use it about five times a week.  I've had zero trouble with it sliding down which was a big concern of mine.  You can see in the pic that it's a bit big on my 17" CC saddle, but it looks fine.  It would probably handle an 18" saddle without trouble. 

It really does a fantastic job of keeping pressure off of the withers.  When I tack up, the saddle pad gets a tug so it's up off of his withers and the half pad keeps it neatly in place.  The opening runs back to his trapezius muscles and the saddle pad tends to get sucked up and off of his spine back to that point.  It's hard to tell when he's tacked up, but as far as I can tell, there's zero pressure on his withers for the entire length.  Not even pad pressure.  The real result is that after using this for a couple weeks, he stopped reacting to having the wither area palpated and we're now seeing some muscle development. 

Down side:  Saddle pads underneath this half pad can get tricky.  You'll need billet loops to keep them from sliding around and it takes a long billet loop to go over the sheepskin.  Something about the shape gives me more trouble than a typical half pad.  My PS of Sweden pad doesn't move, but it has massive billet loops that go over the sheepskin without any trouble.  My pad where I cut the billet loops off?  Disappeared under the saddle by halfway through my ride.  Takes a bit of trial and error and I'm still working on it. 

Final Take:  For me, this thing has been a huge step in getting Theo pain free.  I don't agree with TSF marketing messaging about their products being amazing for everyone (review of their girth will come later), but if you have a horse that's prone to wither pain after getting the saddle properly fitted, this is a product worth trying.  The price is pretty average for a sheepskin half pad and it's a quality product.