Best/ Worst Tack/ Clothing Purchases

[Fence.Hopper]

Inspired by the thread in Dressage and the thread from 2012 in Hunter/ Jumper - What are your favorite recent (or not so recent) purchases? Any purchases that were overrated/ didn’t hold up?

Favorite: FreeRide breeches! I really wasn’t sold on them, but they are so affordable and comfortable while still holding up to the straight up abuse I put them through. I now have 5-6 pairs in all the colors and yet I lust over the new purple/ plum color. Sunshirts - any brand really. I just appreciate the “built” in protection.

Overrated: Ariat boots My country/ muck boots are completely blown out (only in one boot though, so not replacing those yet). For nearly $400 I really expect more than a year or two. MagRestore - noticed no difference.

[NaturallyHappy]

LaMundial paddock boots. They’ve gone up in price (like everything else) but they are very comfortable and fit right out of the box. I’ve worn them every day for nearly a year and they show no signs of wear yet. The heels aren’t even wearing and I have them on nearly all day.

[blondewithchrome]

Purchase that has most surprised me of late: the Roekel mesh gloves. I was a skeptic. I wore them all 2022 summer. Significantly cooler than expected! Have since bought another pair. Will buy over and over again.

[Paint_Party]

Best: Irideon pull-on winter tights. I think they’re called Thermasoft. Warm yet not too thick. Stretchy and long. Once I put them on, they’re on all day. Comfy for hiking and dog walking. Nice enough to wear in town. I have every color!

Worst: Cheap leather spur straps, of any brand. I’ve made that mistake twice, and never again. It’s like trying to weave strips of cardboard onto my spurs. Which leads to…

Another Best Buy: Nunn Finer rubber English spur straps. Easy to get onto my danged spurs and they take abuse. And only $20!

[LCDR]

Best:

Tailored Sportsman Royal Hunter breeches - the kind they don’t make any more, non-stretchy and dry clean only. I know my correct size and keep an eye out on ebay for them. Just checked my closet and I have 12 tan and 5 white, some still with tags. I think I’m good for life, but I still keep buying and hoarding them.

My 40 year old Stubben Siegfried saddle, with more repairs and re-flockings than I can count. Fits me the best of the 12 saddles I have accumulated, and I only wish it fit all my horses.

Worst:

Any pre-tied stock tie. There is just something that feels right about tying my own, and getting the pin in the right place without stabbing a finger.

Just about every saddle I have bought sight unseen on ebay, and there have been a lot of them. The only winner was a Frank Baines Reflex dressage saddle, recently passed on to a niece as her first dressage saddle.

[2DogsFarm]

Best:
Stubben A/P Portos model.
Bought on sale from Dover in 1985 for $600.
I sold a fur coat to get it.
My first saddle, fit everything I rode or owned for 25yrs.
Did.Not.Fit. my WB - he of Mt. Withers
Replaced with a semi-custom Stubben Maestoso.
Portos donated to a theraputic riding program.
After sitting unused in my barn for over 10yrs, an application of saddle soap, followed by Black Rock conditioner had it looking like a well-cared for saddle.

Worst:
Fluffy genuine sheepskin shaped pad.
Bought at a used tack sale.
TOO fluffy
My saddle perched on it
It became a cat bed in the barn.

[kaya842]

Im surprised you like the Irideons so much! I bought their WindPro model since they were on sale when the Kerrits I normally buy were not, and the fit was just awful. Those would be on my list of worsts!

Not sure on bests just yet - I’m hoping my CO Kylo will be one (just got it the other day the jury is out on the fit) and the Fager bit (baucher lozenge) I got on sale for $45 will be another (hasn’t arrived yet!). At least, both are on the leaderboard for best deals of the year.

[NoSuchPerson]

@2DogsFarm

Stubben A/P Portos model.
Bought on sale from Dover in 1985 for $600.
I sold a fur coat to get it.

I bought that same saddle in 1979 for $500. Not on sale. I taught riding lessons all summer for the county parks & rec department to save enough to pay for it.

I gave it away to a 4-H kid in the late 90s when I had to finally admit that my middle-aged rear end was not well served by a 16-inch saddle. I loved that saddle.

[Paint_Party]

@kaya842

Im surprised you like the Irideons so much!

I tried numerous other styles in Irideon, thinking I’d found a new brand to love. But none of them fit me. At. All. The only ones that fit me are the Thermasoft.

[Paint_Party]

@2DogsFarm

It became a cat bed in the barn.

Ugh. That’s how I feel about some of the western pads I’ve bought. They’ve become dog beds.

I’m at the point where I need more dogs.

[Rumorhasit93]

Oh I love this!

Love: - war bridle (bridle-less bit)

• Acavallo gel grab boots (seriously, amazing. Will never go back)
• Stübben mane/tail detangler. Smells AMAZING.

[SolarFlare]

I love my Annie Jay Equestrian breeches. I bought the high-rise full seats for my show pair, then during the recent sale bought a pair of knee patch mid rise. The fabric is so soft and comfortable, they aren’t low rise (I’m long in the waist and get crotch wedgie from low rise breeches), and they look good. I’m really happy I took the chance on trying them!

[WNT]

I got a pair of men’s Irideon WindPro breeches forever ago, and those pants have been my go to for probably 14 years. Working, riding, skiing, hiking, absolutely everything in the cold. They’re nearing their last legs, I’ll be sad when they go.

[NeedsAdvil]

BEST:
-May Babes Equestrian breeches. Built in underwear, super comfortable and flattering!
-Not an equestrian brand, but I LOVE the Lululemon Perfect Crew t-shirts for riding! They are long enough to wear untucked with leggings and still cover my booty, but short enough that you can tuck them in without looking like you are wearing a diaper.
-Dr. Cook’s bridle. A friend gave me one she wasn’t using and my horse and I both love it

WORST:
-I bought a pair of Ariat paddock boots that are just not great. They weren’t the most expensive ones, but also not the cheapest and I expected them to be a little nicer/more durable for the price.
-SSG Hybrid gloves in brown. I have been wearing this style of gloves for many years but this year they seem to have changed the leather and they are not nearly as nice as they used to be. I even bought a second pair thinking maybe the one pair was a fluke. The string is already coming loose on them after about 3-4 easy rides.

[Skip_s_Rider]

BEST:
County Innovation saddle - fits me perfectly and is really secure. Was custom for my horse.
Irideon fleece tights (circa 15 years ago) - so warm and fit me really well. I still have four pairs, two of which have seen better days.

WORST:
Irideon fleece tights (circa 4-5 years ago) - really thin, not very stretchy, did not fit me at all, sent them back.
Gatsby reins - bought many years ago as a new horse owner. They were thin and cardboard-like.

[hillary_again]

Best: an Equestic device (https://www.equestic.com/). My horse had a serious injury a year after I got her. One problem that you have in rehab is that constant feeling that things are NQR. This device has helped me through all of that. A year later, I am still loving that I can monitor rhythm, etc. and can get past those nagging thoughts. I don’t know why more people don’t use this device.

Worst: one of those thick felt halfpads. Never helped and rubbed my horse’s hair off on her back. Threw it out, eventually.

[Tha_Ridge]

Best: Struck breeches. Worth every penny. Also, Helite air vest. Deployed it twice at one show (oops?!) And felt like I landed on a mattress. I was an air vest skeptic for years

Worst: Parlanti paddock boots. They weren’t cheap and are quite simply the most uncomfortable boots I’ve ever worn.

[NaturallyHappy]

Parlanti paddock boots were part of the reason I bought customs😀. They were awful!!!

[vxf111]

Best- Piper mesh show coat for dressage. This coat is so stretchy and cool and comfortable.

Worst- Piper mesh show cost for dressage. It only comes in black. There appears to be no hunter version. The non mesh Piper show costs fit differently. Why hook me on something and then give me no way to buy multiples?

[Tha_Ridge]

I’m so glad to hear it’s not just me! They are languishing somewhere in the back of my closet and were replaced with Ariat Kendall Pros, which are plenty nice.