Best and Worst Tack/Clothing Purchases

[caradino]

Best:

Ariat Olympia Breeches. SO worth the price! They fit me absolutely perfectly. If I was richer I’d have these in every color.
Tredstep Giotto Paddock Boots. Super comfy, very nice looking, and perfect fit.
Horze Turnout Sheet. For $50 this thing is AMAZING!
Smartpak Padded Leather Nameplate Bracelet. SO SO pretty and nicely priced.

Meh:

Elite Half Chaps. Lovely fit, soft leather, nice design, but after a few rides the dye wore completely off where my stirrup leathers run across my leg and over the foot where my spur straps go. I still wear them daily because, hey, they’re just for schooling anyway!

No outright terrible purchases this year.

[Bogie]

Best purchases:

Mickmar short shank bit. My horse LOVES the roller
Wintec Pro Jump (old style) – fits my horse and is surprisingly well balanced for a $300 saddle (like it better than some saddles that cost $3K+)
Sprenger Bow Balance stirrups. Never thought I’d spend so much for irons but they’ve cured the problems with my old knees.
Wahl cordless clippers - i have the small ones. They are durable, don’t get hot and I use them to clip horses, dogs and cats.
Mattes shimmable pad - So convenient to adjust saddle fit
No Knot Hair Net - Silly to get excited about a hair net but these are great and they last forever. I’ve hunted three seasons with one so far and it’s still going strong.
Passier Lederbalsam - It is the only conditioner that I use on my tack.

Worst purchases:

Stubben EZ-control bit - haven’t found a horse that likes it
Dr. Cook’s Bitless bridle – Also haven’t found a horse that likes it although I have a horse that I ride in a side pull, so am not against bitless bridles. I’ve bought two of these bridles over the years thinking that I might have a horse that would like them and still no dice.

[Dramapony_misty]

Oh this IS fun!

Best:
MH Richmond field boots- bought them on sale 7 years ago, abuse them (walking through wet grass and mud to fetch my horse, bathing and hosing down after rides, not cleaning/conditioning regularly), and they STILL shine up nice for the show ring!
Centaur turnouts- I bought the cheap 600D ones 5 years ago and aside from a few little rips that have been stitched up, they are going strong. I just spray them with a coat of 3M waterproofing spray after I wash them and put them away for the season.
Neidersuss Symphonie off of ebay- got it for a great deal. It kills me that it doesn’t fit my new horse

Worst:
No-name PVC galloping boots…I should have known.
Ariat Heritage field boots- bought them after oogling my friend’s 10 year old ones and mine came in looking, and feeling like crap. They really cheapened their quality over the past several years!
Equine Couture Breeches- just garbage. Bad fit, bad quality, just BAD!

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=Dramapony_misty;6891340]

Equine Couture Breeches- just garbage. Bad fit, bad quality, just BAD![/QUOTE]

I just bought 5 Equine Couture sporty type shirts. The sizing was all over the place. Everyone fit very differently, sometimes a smaller size fitting larger than a larger size or two of the same size were complete different. I sent four back. I had been eyeing these shirts for a long time and was so excited. I will probably never buy clothing from them again. They really need to standarize their sizing.

When they came in, it reminded me that I won an Equine Couture shirt at a show that by all measures should’ve fit me. It was a large and had a super funky fit so I gave it away. It was sooooo uncomfortable. Seems to be an issue with them.

[hequestrian]

Best:
FITS Performax Breeches- was super skeptical but these are my favorite schooling breeches now. Wish they weren’t so pricy buy I’d rather have a pair of these then 2 pairs of another brand.

Ariat Bromont Winter Boot- so warm! Incredibly comfy. Unfortunately there aren’t many size configuration options so mine are just a bit too tall and haven’t dropped much due to the material but I actually prefer these over my regular tall boots because they have such a great fit at my ankles.

Mattes Half Pad- admittedly I bought mine used but I love it. Worth every penny and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a new one.

Aramas Stockholm Bridle- beautiful soft leather and for under $300 you can get a beautiful bridle WITH reins. I love this bridle just as much as my edgewood products.

CO AYR8 Helmet- nice and cool for a helmet. Cleans up nicely and fits great.

Worst:
Fleeceworks half pad- waste of money. Too thin, gets lumpy or flat/ worn much quicker than other brands.

Ariat Heritage Breech- so terrible. Not for people with a butt. These breeches are also sooo low rise. Waste of money.

Eskadron Ankle Boots- these slide around and rub. They also haven’t worn as well as I’d like and after minimal use look ragged.

Good thread!

[rmh_rider]

HATE:
Kerrits Flex tight Full Seat

They are ok for winter, but no way will I wear these in spring, summer or fall. Too hot.

The fabric I am not a fan of. Inside where the patches and full seat material is, there are tiny bumps inside. Wow do they rub. Can’t stand the low rise either.

LOVE:
Tropical Rider Enduracools - BEST tight ever.

[HJStyleReport]

Best- nothing new here but I love my GPA Speed Air, TS Trophy hunter breeches, Grand Prix tech lite coat and the Alessandro Albanese pullover show shirt in cotton and in the shiny spandex-y fabric. Also love the EIS shirts.

Worst- honestly, whenever I try something that is really inexpensive or a “knock off” of the above items I’m usually dissapointed. I ended up hating the Smartpak Bradley breeches. Not a fan of Ariat anything, mostly because nothing ever fits me properly.

Pikeur- These go into the worst category because the fabric has started to pucker in a weird way that looks lumpy all over the seat area. I’ve seen other people with this problem too. Way too expensive for that to happen!!

[Graceful]

I’m a lurker but I like my new Waldhausen open front boots enough that I want to share them with the world. The price is amazing and they’re great quality. They do run extremely small, however - I have a 14.2 pony with average, not unusually thick legs and the horse size fits him perfectly. I’m not sure that they’d work for anything larger than an average hony. But if they fit your animal, I think they’re definitely worth it, and SmartPak’s return policy makes it easy enough to try if you’re on the fence.

[mojo7777]

Best: Seamsright contoured square pad. You have to pay for it, but it’s worth it. Beautiful fit, fabric and construction. Wish I could afford a few more.

[ElisLove]

Love:

TS breeches. Only have one pair, but even when I gained some weight they some how managed to still fit nicely. They are a bit too big on me now since I’ve lost 25 pounds though haha. Super nice feeling material!! So comfy.

Happymouth Eggbutt Straightbar. My horse LOVES this bit.

Deniro field boots. Only worn them a few times as they are show only boots, but they look great and didn’t take much to break in. Love the square toe.

Hate:

My new leather horse boots. Bought them from a local leather guy here (caltack) and they do NOT stay in place. They always twist around!!

Still waiting to see:
Just bought an Animo Show Jacket for the first time ever. It was $928, but on sale for $371!!! I bought it slightly small as I still have 15 more pounds to lose so it’s a bit of a gamble if I don’t lose weight in the right places. It doesn’t look too bad now except for a small bit of pulling at the buttons, but it feels a touch tight in places so hopefully the 15 or so pounds I have yet to lose will have it fit perfect.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/60402_10151539142255132_1171805797_n.jpg

[Right_on_Target]

Best:
*ECP half pads - better than Mattes and cheaper
*FITS Beka breeches- love them, very durable and fit well
*SmartPak bridles

Worst:
*Equi-Ping- releases tied horse with very low pressure. Used with a horse tied to a trailer and it released the minute the horse put a small amount of pressure against it.

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=Right on Target;6892237]

Worst:
*Equi-Ping- releases tied horse with very low pressure. Used with a horse tied to a trailer and it released the minute the horse put a small amount of pressure against it.[/QUOTE]

I had one unping sitting on the couch in my house!

[caradino]

[QUOTE=Graceful;6892023]
I’m a lurker but I like my new Waldhausen open front boots enough that I want to share them with the world. The price is amazing and they’re great quality. They do run extremely small, however - I have a 14.2 pony with average, not unusually thick legs and the horse size fits him perfectly. I’m not sure that they’d work for anything larger than an average hony. But if they fit your animal, I think they’re definitely worth it, and SmartPak’s return policy makes it easy enough to try if you’re on the fence.[/QUOTE]

I might have to get these!! I ride a 14.1 pony and it is SO HARD to find boots that come in cob sizes that aren’t super expensive! He is going in a set of T-Boots now in the S/M size but they were a gift, and there is NO way I’m spending that much on a new set when they die!

[SidesaddleRider]

Best:

1. My Tad Coffin saddle. I love, love, love that thing! I have 2 horses that will throw a downright hissy fit (humped backs, pinned ears, etc) if I try to ride them in my other saddle - which they went fine in, and it fit them, for YEARS before I got my TC!
2. The Rambo Newmarket heavy cooler. It is so warm, fit fabulously, and wicks moisture so well.
3. Triple Crown custom scrim sheets. Beautiful design, and they wear very well.
4. A good selection of old English-made vintage (like 1920s-50s) flared breeches. They were all Savile Row custom (for someone!), beautifully designed, superior fabrics, wear amazingly well, and are so comfortable and flattering!
5. Toklat Medallion high profile super quilt pad. It fits all the saddles (long/forward flaps, wider panels) that much higher priced pads just don’t fit correctly.
6. Thinline pads - never leave home without one!
7. The cheap fleece-lined Dover Pro Sport boots. Easy to use, and they last.

Worst:

1. Most jointed happy mouth bits. They don’t last long at the joint, where it gets cracked and sharp.
2. Smartpak blankets/sheets. They all seem to be very narrow through the shoulders, and rub the horses.

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=SidesaddleRider;6893049]
A good selection of old English-made vintage (like 1920s-50s) flared breeches. They were all Savile Row custom (for someone!), beautifully designed, superior fabrics, wear amazingly well, and are so comfortable and flattering![/QUOTE]

Would love to see a picture of these.

[belgianWBLuver]

I’ll second that - send us some pics

I ride in a hot climate and would love to find a pair of the old school flaired breeches. I think they look absolutely chic not to mention the comfort!!!
I may have to just eat it and find an old McCalls pattern and sew them for myself :lol:

[SidesaddleRider]

[QUOTE=Dewey;6893087]
Would love to see a picture of these.[/QUOTE]

If you go here, the bottom three pics on the right are me wearing a pair.

I have various weights (light to heavy), in multiple colors (canary, brown, black, rust…) and they are so much better than the modern skin-tight breeches! Sure, they are baggy when standing around (no stretch material), but fit great when riding.

[SidesaddleRider]

[QUOTE=belgianWBLuver;6893093]
I ride in a hot climate and would love to find a pair of the old school flaired breeches. I think they look absolutely chic not to mention the comfort!!!
I may have to just eat it and find an old McCalls pattern and sew them for myself :lol:[/QUOTE]

Check eBay. That is where I have gotten a bunch of mine. Search for “vintage breeches”, “vintage jodphurs”, “vintage jodhpurs”, or “vintage riding pants”. Most of them I have purchased for under $20.

[belgianWBLuver]

[QUOTE=SidesaddleRider;6893151]
Check eBay. That is where I have gotten a bunch of mine. Search for “vintage breeches”, “vintage jodphurs”, “vintage jodhpurs”, or “vintage riding pants”. Most of them I have purchased for under $20. :D[/QUOTE]

Merci! Oh and btw that last pic of you jumping with the flared beige breech just looks fab. Wow, I really am going to make a pair of these now!!
Vendors must know how popular they are because except for kids sizes, the vintage ones (currently) are a little pricey on ebay and etsy !

[Sweet_Thing_Eventing]

Fun Thread!

Love/Best:

Ariat Bromont Winter Boots - LOVE, have had them 2 winters and wear them everyday for chores and riding, just love

Centaur Wool Dress Sheet/Cooler - picked it up when Smartpak had it on sale right after Christmas, so glad I did and it came in my colors

ThinLine Pad - I just got their very simple cut one with no fleece or anything, love it! True believer, even my coach ordered one after borrowing mine

Smartpak’s Harwich Dressage Bridle - beautiful, very soft, so glad I got it instead of a higher priced one

Worst/Don’t Love:

Smartpak’s small diamond square pad - poor quality, thin and too small for my taste

Never really been happy with anything from Dover’s International Rider brand

Roma’s knockoff open fronts - I know a lot of people love them, mine might have been a bad pair but they lasted less then 3 months of light use. Ended up getting Eskadrons to replace them.

I am sure I have more, just can’t think of any right now