I don’t own any tack, but I just love the fact that every single Etsy review is 5-star!
I regret to report that Libby’s Magikal Leather Balm was not able to infiltrate 100+ year old leather as well as I would have liked so I’ve switched to another product while I attempt to bring the old lady back to life. I will, of course, continue to use it on other things, but I can’t expect it to do everything 
So I got my Woody’s Confidence Blend in the mail a few days ago, and it. smells. like. happiness. And of course, it cleans just as well as the other Higher Standards soaps.
When I ordered it, I wondered how it was going to differ from Buzz’s Citrus Ginger and Ben’s Rosemary Mint. So here’s the report from the field: Buzz’s Citrus Ginger is to orange cream cake as Woody’s Confidence Blend is to fresh-squeezed orange juice. In Woody’s Confidence Blend, the rosemary seems to function more as an amplifier for the citrus smell than a true co-star to the citrus. It’s just like how the rosemary in Ben’s Rosemary Mint doesn’t draw attention to itself–it makes the mint seem minty-er. Citrus ginger still smells very fresh, but the ginger keeps it mellow.
My trainer and I are both really into woody, piney, “manly” type smells. I walked up to her with my Woody’s Confidence Blend and after giving it a whiff, her reaction was “Yessssssss! My favorite so far!!!” (Keep in mind, between everyone in my barn, we now own six different scents from Higher Standards. My trainer already owns CinnaMint and Citrus Ginger.)
ETA: Another good analogy for Woody’s Confidence Blend might be “A really good mimosa on a sandalwood porch.”
So if I like Citrus Ginger because I adore the smell of citrus, I will love Confidence Blend?
[QUOTE=Renn/aissance;7538356]
So if I like Citrus Ginger because I adore the smell of citrus, I will love Confidence Blend?[/QUOTE]
Precisely!
I got both the Citrus Ginger and the Confidence Blend, and I admit I can’t decide which is my favorite. My SO would tell you that I have a strong opinion about EVERYTHING, so that speaks to how good they both smell! I actually think they smell pretty similar - I agree that the Citrus Rosemary smells more citrus-y, while the Citrus Ginger is a bit softer. They are both very subtle scents though. I brought Citrus Ginger to the barn, and have been using it on all the school horse tack, and left the Confidence Blend at home to clean my boots. So far, so good. Thanks, Bensmom!
I’m so glad y’all like it!! I love mixing the essential oils and seeing what the different notes bring out in each other!
Renn – I cleaned out my PM box, if you’d like to try again!
I’m so glad y’all like it!! I love mixing the essential oils and seeing what the different notes bring out in each other!
Renn – I cleaned out my PM box, if you’d like to try again!
can we have christmas in july and temporarily bring back cinnamint? I missed it and I really love cinnamon and christmassy smells 
Bensmom… my Vanilla Lavender and Leather Balm have arrived!! I’m quite excited about using them later today on my saddle! 
So I just got home from the barn, and guess what was FINALLY waiting for me at the door?!? I got Fox’s Lavender Vanilla, Buzz’s Citrus Ginger, and the balm. Although the soaps are yummy, I think I like the scent of the balm the best :lol: I wish I had brought my tack home with me, I can’t wait to clean it! I’ll try to remember to take some before and after shots.
So… I ended up going home for lunch just to use my new soap and balm! LOVE the vanilla lavender scent and the balm! I cleaned my paddock boots and put a little balm on them, they look quite nice now… and my new saddle got a quick going over with the soap, wiped off then a thin layer of balm… I am in saddle soap/balm love! Thank you Bensmom.
Yay! It makes me filled with all warm and fuzzy feelings to know you guys like it!
I haven’t been on this thread in a while so I was playing catch up and I just saw that Veronica got the special Devon soap in!!! Yay!! Is it lemon? Tell me it’s lemon!
So, this happened yesterday at the barn:
Me: Omigod this Woody’s Confidence Blend smells amazeballs. (<–Yes, I use that word in real conversation. Only God can judge me.)
Barnmate Alison: I saw someone on Facebook the other day with a Higher Standards ball cap. I was extremely jealous.
Me: Who has this and why do we not have it!? I would totally buy a Higher Standards ballcap.
Alison: Or a polo shirt.
Me: Or a vanity t-shirt. Like, if it said “I smell like Woody’s Confidence Blend,” or whatever.
Alison: YES. ALL OF THOSE.
Libby, please oh please start selling Higher Standards “flair gear.” We will all buy some and wear it at shows, clinics, etc. Heck, I’d even buy a bumper sticker for my trailer.
Oh, you guys are funny!
I do have some ballcaps, but I had made just a few for my crew – it never occurred to me that anyone else would want them! I picked up a few more last week.
I’ve actually thought about using them for a giveaway and at one time was thinking of doing the stickers to put in the packages, but I’ve not had them made in enough quantity to do that.
Now, y’all have my wheels turning! The ballcaps only have the logo, as we couldn’t fit the words on them. But, I like them anyway!
Hmmmm . . . .
So I finally got around to cleaning my tack over the weekend… and I love my soap and balm! I forgot to take pictures (sorry) but my tack looks great after using it. The soap seemed to dry out my bridle a bit, or maybe I used too much water, but after using the balm it was totally fine. I liked how it made the leather soft and supple, but not that yucky, over-oiled, sticky feeling that sometimes happens with other products. My saddle and girth were in better shape to start with, but they both appreciated some TLC too.
The best/weirdest part though was that after my lesson this evening, I WIPED DOWN MY TACK. All of it. And cleaned my mare’s gross halter. This is abnormal behaviour… what is in that soap???
PS - I’ve been making everyone smell it. The cult-like stories of daily tack cleaning and compulsive sniffing that I scoffed at pages ago seem so reasonable now :lol:
Mwuahahahahahaaa, I have one of the coveted caps! (Did I finally make it to the cool kids’ club? Pardon me while I time-travel back to high school and tell myself to hang in there for a few years (and to get up a half hour earlier and run a comb through my hair in order to not stumble into school looking like a blind hobo)).
Anyways.
I have a cap! And it is awesome. And if I didn’t <3 it so much, I would auction it off to the highest bidder!
Bensmom, any chance if a Memorial Day sale? (Or maybe there’s something on facebook but I’m not on facebook so I don’t know about it!) I love my soap & now need to try all the other scents! Thanks!!!
Hmmm – now there’s a good idea! Watch this space!
