Best and Worst Tack/Clothing Purchases

[Allusion]

I LOVE this thread!!

Here are a few of mine:

BEST:

• Greenhawk’s Elation Platinum Brooklyn breeches - they’re super comfy, flattering, and cute with their contrasting stitching.
• PS of Sweden pad: I swore I wouldn’t spend that much on a pad, but fell in love with the colour, pattern, and attention to detail, and now I’m hooked. Ugh.
• Waldhausen rose gold halter: oh my gosh, I love this thing. The leather is super nice, the hardware adds the bit of rose gold detail, and it looks amazing on my gelding.
• Butet platinum saddle: seriously the nicest thing my butt has ever touched - for its minimalist style it promoted a correct position, didn’t lock me in, and allowed me to move where I needed to go. I died a little inside when I had to sell it… my new gelding is my forever horse and will never ever fit it.

“MEH:”

• Ariat Heritage Contour boots: I have a love/hate relationship with these… they’re SUPER comfortable, but they got holes in them within 6 months (riding 5 days/week) and they seem to attract dust and cling on to it for dear life.
• Prestige bridle: it looks super nice on my gelding, but the leather quality is “meh” for the price, and one of the cheekpiece keepers is loose and always slides down.
• Ogilvy half pads: I love the look, the craftsmanship is amazing, and I love Ogilvy for their regular pads, but the half pads have always seemed way too bulky for my liking…

WORST:

• TS breeches… they don’t fit me well and the metal clasp at the front always pinches my skin. Sigh. I want to be a TS girl, I really do, but I can’t.
• DK Malibu saddle: I have a DK Liberty (monoflap) and LOVE it (it’s been converted to wool) - and wanted a traditional dual flap for the hunter ring, so went with the Malibu - I hated it, I felt like I was a million miles off my horse’s back, and the FLAIR panels were odd. I listed it for sale very quickly and never looked back… but I still love my Liberty.

[HokieHorseVet]

@Bristol Bay

How to they hold up to washing?

I am new to the Dover Wellesley breeches!! My previous fave was Ariat Heritage Elite, which is still my number one fave as far as fit and especially the feel and wearing of the fabric… it is sooooo super nice!! So comfy and flexible, and looks brand new every time I take it out!!! I got a couple pair of the wellesley breeches when they were on winter clearance, and first of all, I was wearing a 30 in the Ariats, and needed a 26 in the wellesleys… Yes, I had lost some weight and the Ariats need a belt now… but I was surprised that I had to size down so much for the wellesleys… They do fit super well, and when you hit the right size, they only gape a tiny bit at the back waist… very minimal. And they are super flattering, and the only breeches that I don’t have to wear a belt with!!! Downsides- they are a bit thicker fabric so a little hotter in the summer compared to the ariats… and for me, they VERY quickly started to pill up at the knees where my knee hits the suede knee roll on my saddle. All of mine are full seat, and yes, there is the liner at my knee, but there’s an area on the fabric beyond the liner/knee patch that is just looking very worn. Other than that I am 100% on board with the wellesleys, especially when they are on clearance!!

Anyone have experience with the Dover Beverly breeches? I think they are more similar in fabric composition to the Ariats???

[Bristol_Bay]

@HokieHorseVet I’ve been wearing and washing my Wellesley breeches for two months now. They hold up great! I agree on the sizing—I sized down and they fit well.

[tohorse]

Best:
Prestige jumping saddle. I last sat in a prestige good 15 years ago as a pony club rider and I vividly remember how much I loved that saddle. So when I saw one listed for 350 my hoarding hamster eyes lit up and I paypalled the seller within half hour :D. At the beginning it was a bit slippery (fixed with a month of daily conditioning) and didn’t have the thigh blocks, which I installed for another 125 and I gotta say, after these upgrades this is the best saddle I’ve ever ridden in and I’ve previously sat in pretty much everything (Antares, CWD, Stubben, Kieffer and so on). I’m now shopping for a horse and I’m almost inclined to look for one that fits the saddle so I get to keep riding in it

Pleasant surprise:
Suedwind tall boots - picked up from Horseloverz on sale for 170 bucks. Very robust zipper, nice sole and soft leather. I’ve yet to see how they hold up, but so far so good. Awesome value for money.

Worst:
I picked up Horze half chaps (that tall boot look) in the local tack store until I find a replacement for my old Petrie tall boots, which broke down overnight after good 5 years. The chaps look nice and were inexpensive but that’s about it. They are very slippery (don’t clean them on purpose for that reason) and the zipper almost always gets undone during riding to the extent that I now use hairbands to hold it up.

Also a boo for Cavallo show breeches I ordered online together with another pair that were fleece lined (and perfect). It was some really odd, high tiny waist fit, super tight around hips and see through :no: I’ve bough Cavallo breeches before and loved them. No idea what happened there.

[Jo]

Best:
Kastel sunshirts
Wide brimmed helmets - thank you, helmet manufacturers!
HS bits
My Custom Saddlery saddle

WORST:
ALL THINGS TREDSTEP. I have ordered two pair of half chaps, clearly marked 15/17. The calf on BOTH pair measure between 12.5 - 13". Last year, I purchased a pair of TS Medici dress boots. First, the piping burst out. Then, they molded. On the inside. I’ve never in my life had that happen to a pair of boots. Then last month, the calf panel just… split… away from the zipper. I took them to Dover, who thank goodness stood behind their product and gave me my money back. It was so disappointing because they were so comfortable but come on. For that price, a boot should last more than a year when used by a 3x a week ammy…

FWIW I did contact Tredstep about all these issues, and their response was: “Sadly we do experience products that do not meet our expectations and we are working with quality control on this issue.”

[JBCool]

Sorry about your Tredsteps, Jo. Mine lasted nearly 10 years before the zipper gave out a few months ago. I loved them.

[hairystockings]

This is fun!
Best in clothing:

• After trying many different types of breeches, Tailoreds just fit me best and are the most comfortable. I liked the RJ's for awhile but for a long day in breeches like at a show, they actually chafe me. Tailoreds don't. So point, Tailoreds.
• Parlanti tall boots. I am short. They run short. They break in immediately and I love them. I have had quite a few pairs. My one most beloved pair has had the zippers replaced twice and I still use them everyday for schooling and have a separate newer pair for showing. I've gotten lucky either buying the outlet section of their website or directly from overseas since I know my size. I've never and would never pay the full $1k+ for them that is charged in the US.
• Asmar Melton Vest. I bought this grey vest from Asmar years ago (might have been a spectating Maclay finals purchase in KY) and I friggin love this vest. It has great pockets, it's thick and warm and I can machine wash it (it says dry clean only, I machine wash and lay flat to dry...it's fine). It's long but has the zipper up the back so I can open it up while I ride and it doesn't poof which is great as a short waisted person. I wear it near daily in the winter, it can't be beat.

Best in tack:

• Beval Heritage bridle. A classic, super pretty and becomes buttery soft with oil and time.
• Beval LTD halter. They last FOREVER. The first one I ever got my old pony lasted for a decade with zero cleaning or oiling or care before it finally broke and died in an irreparable way.
• Custom curvon wool quarter sheet. I don't know why, it is just one of my all time favorite pieces of horse clothing/tack. Looks great, works great. I think the one I have is at least 12 years old, still chugging along, maybe one or two small holes. This one may be due a serious case of "ooo pretty" lol

Worst in all:

• Tredstep tall boots. Ankle eaters. Literally could not even walk a course without them eating my ankles. They rode fine and looked nice but I had to take them off immediately upon dismounting. Never again.

That's really it as a standout for me, I can't think of any item I have hated more than those damn Tredstep tall boots.

[16_Hands]

“HR Farm breeches - I want to love these. They are flattering, inexpensive, come in nice colors, and sticky. Unfortunately they are so sticky that they stick to my saddle better than they stick to my butt. Just to clarify, my butt is prominent enough that I should not be worrying about sliding breeches.” I’m surprised you don’t like them. I bought two more pair after I bought one and loved the fit. They’re soft, don’t ride down that I can see, and keep me in the saddle, not that this would be a problem with my super smooth pony. For the price, I’d buy a couple more pairs.

[Victorious]

For the glasses sliding down-my son uses “Nerdwax” for his glasses while playing hockey and let me tell ya’…that boy sweats!! Maybe give it a try?
And I feel like I’ve maybe commented already on this thread but since I’m here again, I have to list my faves and not-faves

Faves- I have a thick Triple-Crown cooler from 1995 that continues to be the first one I pick in the winter. I really wish custom-cooler makers would use that thick boiled- wool these days. It would wick like nobodies business and is super duper durable.
Still love Edgewood bridles but I have to give a shoutout to 5 Star! I don’t know if they still exist but anyone who sees one on consignment should snatch it up immediately.
Horse education hybrid halter-the best training aid for young ones, hands down. The leather is very high quality and it looks so nice on with the benefit of the rope knots.Love love love this halter.
Equiderma flyspray for the bomber season-only thing that I believe keeps the bombers away(in the midwest)
Silver sox for scratches. They work.
Rambo blankets-the standard by which I measure all blankets. Just suck it up and pay for the whole kit and it will last forever. I’m still using original Rambos from the 90’s.
KK bits-high quality and the horses like them
Tribute feed- they all are doing so well, great high quality product

Hates-
Piper breeches-could be body-type issues, I don’t know, but the fit and make are just off.
Sun shirts of any kind-they do not keep me cooler at all. Even with chilly names like ice-fill or whatever! I so badly want to love them, but I can’t help but feel like I’m wearing cling wrap to a sauna.

I guess I have more loves than hates! Thats a good thing these days-lol! I’ve enjoyed this thread a lot!!

[Lexibrooke1]

BEST

Ariat Heritage Field boots
I’ve had mine for about 10 years now, and while they’re certainly worn looking, they have held up great and are still so comfortable. I always recommend Ariat boots

Kerrits Tights
I’ve tried cheaper tights but always go back to Kerrits. They’re so comfortable and last wash after wash. I can get away with wearing kid’s sizes, which I think are even more comfy than the women’s. I like that some come with pockets too.

Compositi Stirrup Irons
I bought these a few years ago and now I despise metal irons. They’re a nice lightweight plastic so they don’t bang against the horse if i ride without stirrups for a bit. They’re also easier to clean and, though it may be trivial, more aesthetically pleasing to me (I got the black irons with purple tread).

Noble Equestrian Peddies
These are what boot socks should be. A padded foot with a thin stretchy calf. Its easy to tuck breeches into these. Not bulky in my boots at all but have enough padding to keep me from getting heel blisters. They come in so many fun colors too.

WORST

Riding Sport Tights
I was hoping these would be comparing to Kerrits but god they’re awful IMO. They’re that thick old-fashioned cotton that don’t breathe at all. The fit for me was super weird, the waist was too baggy but the legs were okay. I don’t like the sticky ankle cuffs, they bunch up in my boots. The silicone knee patches and pockets were nice, but I couldn’t stand to wear these honestly.

Heritage Leather Show Gloves
I loved these for a while, I’ve always ridden in Heritage gloves. I had these just for shows, and during one show it rained particularly bad. These gloves fell completely apart. Like, in shreds, because of the rain. It was very bizarre but won’t be spending money on these again.

[BatCoach]

I’ll play!

BEST

• BoT anything. even if the ceramic heat reflecto stuff doesn’t work, the products are insanely well made. Their polos are so long wearing and come in a long size which is perfect for my big guy. Their bell boots are huge and the velcro is strong and the saddle pad is super sturdy. I’ve had it for 4 years and aside from some fading, it still looks much better than other brands.

-Keratex - it actually works

• Lemiuex pads. Color, wither cut and wash-ability

-Dover wellesey breeches and Melange tights. I was pleasantly surprised by Dover’s own brand of riding breeches and rights. They are MILES ahead of the riding sport crap and fit really well. The Melange tights are the perfect mix of breathable, while still being thick enough to hide the jiggly bits.

• neue schule turtle top bits. Worth the $$$ for my low palate, thick tounged boy.

-Cashel fly mask - cute, durable and stays on.

-Eqyss Premier shampoo. - hands down the best, smells great, rinses clean and makes the horse SO shiny

• HAAS brushes - nothing else will ever be in my grooming kit

WORST

• Centaur anything. I shouldn’t be too surprised since this is a really cheap brand, but weirdly stiff bell boots with crap velcro the ripped off in like 2 weeks. Saddle pad that tore and started to decay after a few washes. I avoid this brand like the plague.

-Lemiuex Polos. This kills me since I’m a matchy-matchy queen, but the quality is lacking here. Super narrow, too stretchy and will start to pull away from the velcro. Really wish these were made of a better fleece for the price

• Pyrahnna fly spray - too harsh for my sensitive guy - burns his coat

-Gallop shampoo. straight up did nothing. cheap-o mane & tail was better than this very overpriced shampoo.

-Farnam fly masks. I’ve tried 2 different sizes and they just don’t fit my horse. The mesh for the ears is too delicate and rips all the time.

-Ovation breeches. they just do not fit me well and the quality is always ~meh~

-Kerrits tights - I really wanted to like the Flex Tight II but the ‘sticky’ patch started to peel off after a few uses. The ice-cool breeches were WAY too thin for may taste, and woudl snag constantly.

[Allusion]

Okay I have more…

[B]BEST

Pivo Pod[/B] - the best $200 I’ve ever spent. I wasn’t expecting much from a $200 “robotic camera” since my Soloshot 3 was over $1000, but it works. If anyone’s on the fence about it, join the Pivo Horse Rider’s Group on Facebook and check out the reviews for yourself.

Equilibrium Stretch and Flex Wraps - super lightweight, breathable wraps that look great and do the job.

Nunn Finer Reins - super flexible and comfy to ride with. Love them! But - they may not last as long as less comfy reins…

PS of Sweden Saddle Pads - expensive as heck, but worth the price… they’re super well made, don’t move under the saddle, the colours are vibrant, and they just look fabulous.

WORST

I may catch flack for this, but… PSoS Polo Wraps - I find them to be SUPER bulky and super long, I can never get them to lay right or look nice. Super frustrating because they match my pads…

[foursocks]

Best:

My Voltaire Stuttgart saddle was the only one I tried where I didn’t get jumped out of the tack on my jumper. He moves amazingly well in it and it fits us both. I LOVE it, and their customer service has been spot on.

The Back on Track/Thinline Contender II pads are the only ones I use anymore. I wish they came in more than two colors, but I have a stack for at home and shows and who needs pads with colors, anyway? This model is the only thing my horse needs with his saddle and my life is so much easier because of it!

Veredus boots; I have a few different models but the Carbon Gel Ventos are my faves. I adore these boots, and use them every day. They wear better than any other brand AND do a great job protecting my horse from bonking himself.

The Schockemöhle Equitas bridle is my new love, along with the Durasoft rubber-lined reins. Better leather than the PS of Sweden, in my experience, and this model fits my blocky-headed guy beautifully. He’s not particularly sensitive (I could probably ride him in a rope), but he gets a very itchy nose in a figure 8 and most flash bridles; the Equitas causes a lot less itchiness.

I love my Pikeur breeches and jackets for showing, and TS Trophy Hunters are good schooling breeches, although they stretch out too much and too quickly after a few months. I used to ride in the Sierra Tuffrider breeches but they stopped making them; those things lasted for YEARS without looking any different and fit me really well. Sigh.

I also love the Compositi wide bed stirrups, although I got a pair of the Tech Athena Jumper Plus stirrups and you will have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands. They will give you a big bruise on the side of your foot if you drop them to do no stirrup work, but they are super stable, like the Compositi, and I never lose my stirrup, unlike the Compositi.

Central KY Tack and Leather turnout halters are another favorite. They last and last and last. For a few extra bucks they will slap a plate on there. My horses don’t go out in their halters, but they hang on the gate in all of the weathers and only wear out after either a couple of years, or someone decides to take the halters into the field and play with/eat/stomp on them. I like Quillins best for show halters (and I love their rolled collars for dogs), but Central KY Tack is the place to go for everyday halters.

Worst:

Tredstep and Ariat boots. Ugh. I wore Ariats for years and then they started falling apart more rapidly. The last ones I tried were just the Barnyard Gore H2O paddock boots and they lasted maybe half a year. Tredsteps fell apart immediately. I have a hate.

None of the Tredstep clothing fits me, either, now that I think about it. I tried on the Nero and Symphony breeches a few years ago and looked like an idiot. Baggy in some places, too lose in others.

Any of the non-Rambo Horsewear clothing. I got a couple of Amigo sheets that ripped in the stall, overnight. WTF. I’ve tried a few other things, like coolers, and just: yuck.

[173north]

My best purchase of the year so far has been the three-pack of TuffRider baby pads for $30 - I actually liked them so much I went back and bought another pack, so I now have half a dozen. Barn pads / barn laundry have been off limits since April due to covid, so I had to stock up on pads that would be easy to wash at home. They don’t slip, they’re VERY thin and light, they look nice, and they wash up great so far.

My second best buy has been a pair of clip-on cotton roping reins for hacking my jumper. My trainer has had a pair for years that I loved, so I finally grabbed a pair for my flat bridle. They were super cheap, they’re nice and soft if I want to skip gloves, no cleaning required and they have this subtle elasticity/give to them that makes the contact very pleasant and soft.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

Best - RJ Victory and Harmony jackets
Plugz xl ear plugs for my hores’s giant ears
got cheaper tan USG breeches for smaller shows- fit great for the price - usually wear ts or pikure - similar sizing
Kaval neck gators
BOT stuff
Berris bits (buy from overseas seller online half the price)
Parlanti paddock boots and tall boots -
thinline half pads- all kinds

Worst – I’ll bet back to ya on that

[tikihorse2]

Best:

Rambo blankets and sheets, although I’m sort of afraid to post this as winter’s coming up. crosses fingers Every single one is going on I-don’t-know how many years and are in great shape! Just a few little tears that have needed mending.

Vetrolin shine spray. Smells good, works great at detangling, even seems to repel the bugs a little. I buy it in the big bottles and stock up whenever I see a sale.

Horseshoer’s Secret Concentrate hoof supplement. We had some wet weather a few years ago and my horse had problems with his feet. This got him back on track.

MSM. Cheap, works.

Effol Hoof Ointment. It stays on better than liquid hoof dressings and is easier to apply. One jar lasts a long time. It works just as well as any.

Keratex Hardener. The best if you need something that really does the job. Expensive and stinky, but works!

Tomorrow Dry Cow remedy or whatever it is. My guy had thrush once and this cleared it up. (Are you sensing a pattern here? I’m fanatic about keeping his feet in good shape since he recovered from thrush.)

Epona Tiger’s Tongue grooming sponge. I just got this. It is SO GOOD at getting that crud and grunge off a grey horse! And my boy loves it! He puts his head down so I can use it on his face and ears. Plus, it was cheap, so when it wears out, it won’t be super expensive to replace.

Worst:

Any blanket that wasn’t a Rambo. Some of them shredded on Day One. My horse is hard on his clothes.

Poly Pads. I had a trainer who insisted on these. However, they threw my saddle fit off-- it bridged terribly with them and slid all over, despite their claim of being non-slip. My horse is much happier with just about any other pad.

Sore-No-More. Not really worst; it just didn’t seem to do much.

Thrush Buster. It didn’t seem to do much but get all over the place.

Corona Ointment. Just use Vaseline.

Nicker Makers, the Original. My horse says these are disgusting and only fit for pigs, if that.

[freddo.frog]

Best:

Rambo dry rug - love love love it. I’d been eyeing it off for years until I finally bought one, don’t know why I waited. Super effective for drying off quickly after a ride or bath.

Rambo turnouts - great fit and last years, since having them everything else has been disappointing in comparison.

Pikeur breeches - again last for years, fit well, flattering. My oldest are 8 years old and still going strong.

Back on Track poll guard - Mr sensitive loves it, so much softer in his poll and even holds his ears different with it on (no more pinned ears!)

Worst:

Le Mieux base layer - I want to love it, I really do, I have the matching saddle blanket and ear bonnet and they’re stunning. But the fabric has pilled and looks awful all down one side after only a handful of rides. They did replace it for me, but I haven’t yet worn the replacement to see what happens there.

Actually, also the Le Mieux polo - its fabric has started to look funny too, again after like 5 rides. Yet my no name polo from 5+ years ago is still perfect…

Zilco turnout combo - after only a couple of months my horse ripped all the buckles off the neck part. Stitched them back on, a week later they’re off again - the fabric has pulled through, not my stitching. Very glad I got it cheap off a friend.

[danacat]

Best: Antares Evolution saddle and Shoofly leggings.

Worst: Mountain Horse tall winter riding boots – bought years ago; maybe they are better now. But the pair I have are clunky = foot box is like box – a stiff rectangular box; uncomfortable, unwearable, Frankensteinish. Waste of $$$.