Big waste of money?

[walktrot]

@lenapesadie

my ex husband

Went to a small group discussion session last night with our now retired vet. He was in practice for 50 years. Someone asked him about women vs. men in the horse world. He said don’t bother with the men until they are 40. Apparently they are useless until then.

Trainer John Lyons had a terrific discussion board on his website. Whenever someone started carrying on about their husband the advice they got was to use the same training you use with your horse. Start from scratch at the very beginning breaking everything down into small steps. Don’t go to fast, they will get confused.

I’ve always been single. I quit looking when I was listening to comments about broads and Medicare. Why cramp your lifestyle? I have way more time to spend with my horse. He’s paid for regardless. It doesn’t cost any more to hang out with him daily vs. the weekend warriors.

[Longview]

Something very similar happened to a friend of mine when she purchased a custom Stübben.

[beowulf]

We’re going to have to start a LeMieux Saddle Pad Aficionados Club. I have a ton of different saddle pads. Yet I use the same couple every day — the sheepskin lined LeMieux pads. I just love that they actually have contoured withers and the pad STAYS up in the saddle channel while I ride. I love the little straps at the top of the wither area too — they buckle to the D ring and ensure the saddle pad does not move.

I’ve said it before but I liked my first one so much, that after five years of daily use I saved and got several more over the years. They are expensive outright, but worth the investment.

[beowulf]

Me also!! The saddle is beautiful and worth the money but did not come even close to fitting my horse. I blame the rep, not the saddle brand — although Stubben HQ did absolutely nothing to resolve the issue.

[seabreeze]

Same here. I bought the Stubben custom made for my horse just a year before I got her (because it worked for me and, hey, custom made for her, right?). Just replaced it with an entirely different saddle in not even close to the same tree size/shape, and the horse is SO much happier.

I love the Stubben products, but I have zero faith in their reps (from more than this experience), and their Stubben NA customer service stinks (again, from multiple experiences).

[Displaced_Yankee]

@StormyDay

I have a plethora of soaking boots; none of which I use, because I use gallon size baggies and this one giant boot that I swear was made in 1812

My barn has a standing request with our vet to take any used IV bags (saline mostly, no hard stuff) for our foot soaks. Way way way more durable than your standard plastic baggie.

[lenapesadie]

@beowulf

I just love that they actually have contoured withers and the pad STAYS up in the saddle channel while I ride. I love the little straps at the top of the wither area too — they buckle to the D ring

They are amazing. I have three and won’t use anything else. The D ring attachment system is so much better than the ones that attach to the billet straps. Be warned that some (maybe all?) of the all purpose cuts have the billet attachments. Steer clear. A friend bought me a chili pepper red pad in all purpose cut with the billet attachment. Beautiful color but that strap kills it for me

[pony_baloney]

I have only the one pad, a lavender dressage pad. It’s so tempting to buy more because of all the gorgeous colors but the good/bad thing is that I need the smaller sized one, which is hard to find. Although my pony doesn’t really have withers to speak of, other pads with slight contouring would press down on them anyway. Le Mieux stays in place, dries quickly, doesn’t stink and is just so well designed, even down to the billet straps by the girth.

Another big waste of money, IMO, are the beautiful but heavy wooden tack trunks. Sure, they’re nice but in most barn environments end up looking a wreck. And a huge chore to move them. The Rubbermaid type ones, any brand, especially with wheels are the best.

ps: I really really want a small sage green LM pad; it would look great on my chestnut and white paint pony. Trying to be a minimalist and horseowner is SO HARD!!

[SillyHorse]

@PNWSunnyDay

The first thing off the top of my head are special socks for riding. I’m not impressed with a $20+ pair of knee-high socks with a horsey logo.

If your boots have zippers, you don’t need knee socks. If your boots are pull-on (I have both), Hanes knee socks are great. Four pairs for $10 at Target. https://www.target.com/p/hanes-premium-4-pack-women-s-comfort-soft-lightweight-knee-high-socks/-/A-54605710?preselect=54589077#lnk=sametab

[lenapesadie]

@TheJenners

Oh I see I got one and think they do an okay job

Maybe my horses’ feet were super hard at the time I tried them? I was just wanting to touch up between professional visits, but it seemed like they did nothing! I even bought a second one thinking maybe first was a lemon. Nope. I couldn’t rasp a burr off the mini’s hoof lol

I have a mini sized regular rasp. It’s smaller than the ones my farrier uses. I like it a lot. Easy to use w one hand and gets things done w minimal effort.

Exs: they suck.

[Texarkana]

@beowulf

Me also!! The saddle is beautiful and worth the money but did not come even close to fitting my horse. I blame the rep, not the saddle brand — although Stubben HQ did absolutely nothing to resolve the issue.

I know reps and custom/semi-custom fittings have become standard. But I’m still very leery of dropping that kind of money because I’ve known some of these “reps” and they had zero qualifications to be doing their job. It’s disturbing to me that it’s become an expectation to drop several thousand dollars under the guidance of someone whose only qualification is having a lot of friends in high places.

[TheJenners]

@lenapesadie

Exs: they suck.

They certainly can. I had a long term relationship in college that got ugly when it went south, and then my first marriage same thing and I still think that guy is a dick. My second exDH is actually a good guy, we were friends before we dated (and I knew we should have never married but he proposed three times and saying “no” is a special kind of blech feeling…), and now we are back to being friends so he is the exception. He pulled some shenanigans during the divorce but nothing extreme and not really even a blip compared to what I see in my job now - the level of some peoples’ petty, even if not criminal, is pretty impressive.

[lenapesadie]

You’re doing good. I’m friendly with exactly zero exs. Either I’m picking buttheads to begin with or I’m just mean lol.

I got a dear friend that divorced her husband because he committed murder (an excellent reason to divorce in my book). Her ex pulled all manner of dirty shenanigans during the divorce. It was a good thing he was being held without bond (charged with capital (or is it capitol?) murder). I doubt my friend would have survived if he had been released.

[demidq]

Re: Stubben Reps- I am not sure if this is the case all over North America, but the 2 Stubben “saddle fitters” of my acquaintance are useless. They had 5 days training by Stubben and I know far more than either. Their customers have Not Been Happy, especially with anything custom.

[TheJenners]

@demidq

They had 5 days training by Stubben

Well clearly that makes them professionals?

[Texarkana]

For some tack companies, the rep seems to be the equine equivalent of a “pharma girl” stereotype.

[lenapesadie]

@demidq

They had 5 days training

Clearly, they are now experts.

Saddle fitting is almost non existent here. We got a Custom rep and a Schleese rep. I’ve tossed around the idea of trying to get some kind of saddle fitting training myself. One, I think it would be fascinating and maybe I could then find a dressage saddle that half fits my horse and two, I might could turn it into a side hustle as evidently I’d have precisely no competition lol

[StormyDay]

@demidq

Re: Stubben Reps- I am not sure if this is the case all over North America, but the 2 Stubben “saddle fitters” of my acquaintance are useless. They had 5 days training by Stubben and I know far more than either. Their customers have Not Been Happy, especially with anything custom.

I had a terrible experience with a Stubben rep. So bad it turned me completely off of the brand. I won’t even buy used saddles of theirs now.
I’m not the only one; it’s common knowledge how bad their reps are.

If your company can’t even correctly train the saddle fitters, why would I trust the people who make the saddles? What corners are you cutting?

[demidq]

It is a pity, Stubben used to have a great reputation. They must be aware that this way of selling is hurting their brand.

[fourfillies]

FWIW Smartpak mini sized nylon breakaway halters fit my evil mini burritos great. I discovered this after buying about 25 other brands (mostly mini specific) that didn’t.