Help! Ideas for keeping three growing girls in riding gear?

[King_s_Ransom]

When it rains it pours. I have an embarrassment of riches in granddaughters since my youngest son got married last weekend. I now have three horse-crazy granddaughters, ages 6-11. They all want lessons, they wall want to do Pony Club and they all grow faster than you can blink.

Two of the girls are not really my responsibility financially, but it’s very bad form to give gifts to only one girl … that’s not going to happen. The third one (age 11) is a foster child that my youngest son and his wife have taken on as her legal guardians. It’s a family situation and there’s no $$ to cover her expenses, so I am offering to pay her way on lessons and Pony Club. She really really needs it, a great kid who has seen way too much and built really thick walls around herself to shut out the pain. Parker slipped right through the bricks and mortar, though, and I saw the first real smiles on her face last week that I have ever seen in knowing her for six months.

So – where do you go for riding boots that will only fit for 3 or 4 months, breeches that are outgrown long before they are worn out … and when you have beautiful riding boots that no longer fit, where do you go to pass them along to someone else going through the same thing?

This is all new to me – I need some guidance and ideas! Thanks!

[In1]

Find the closest tack/clothing consignment store- you will be buying/sellling quite a bit through there. Also - Pony Club is a great source for outgrown clothes. Make it known that you have more size 12 jodhpurs than you need but would love some 14s…etc. Ask if you can send a e-mail through the club (or region) list serve.

[groomette]

Also Facebook has buy/sell/trade groups. One that I’m a member of is called Just Ponies - Kids and Pony Equiptment and Clothes https://www.facebook.com/groups/334456799902157/

[oldernewbie]

I don’t know where you live, but we are about to enter horse flea market season around these parts (SW Ohio). Starting in December, you can find at least one a month - and there are lots of kids’ clothes and other necessaries for young riders. Watch Craigs List or FB for announcements.

Always lots of good buys!

And bless you for treating all three girls so kindly!

[flashwhitelock]

where are you located. Most of the pony clubs pass clothes around but the dc’s usually need to know that you need the clothes since often, they are the ones that are contacted. The regional PC board also usually has clothes for sale but also is a great place to put a clothes needed ad for free.

[rustbreeches]

Yep, secondhand riding stores and word of mouth. Good on you for being such a wonderful grandmother!

I know it seems like a losing battle, but try and keep the boots especially in good condition so they have some resale potential

[rustbreeches]

Oh, and zulily.com has really good deals on riding apparel sometimes. If you aren’t a member, I recommend joining!

[GoForAGallop]

Although they do need “real” breeches for shows/PC stuff, there’s no reason that they can’t ride in $10 cotton yoga pants vs. $45 Kerrits cotton tights at home.

Are they far enough apart in ages that boots can just make their way down the line? (Sometimes no fun for the kid at the end, but what are you gonna do?)

Seconding/thirding the suggestion to hop on Facebook for the groups. Some excellent deals there. Same with eBay.

At one point Mountain Horse made a pair of field boots with swappable insoles, that could go from one size to the next size up…helps get an extra year out of them.

[Chall]

Rubber full dress boats?

[clanter]

when my kids were growing up I believe we would have been in finical ruin with the Hitching Post in Middletown KY

They had (at least then) an exchange or trade-in program as for kids riding clothing

http://www.hitchingposttack.com/about.html

…but three kids means three horses

[joiedevie99]

Keep them all in paddock boots and garders as long as you can. Tall boots get much more difficult/expensive.

Check out Horseloverz. They have a BOGO sale and a dollar days sale going on right now - good way to get cheap stuff. Since they’ll outgrow it fast, there is less worry about quality.

[lcw579]

Definitely check with the pony club the kids are joining. Our pony club has an Outgrown Shop that is well stocked through donations. But the parents also pass stuff along to other children in the club.

[spacytracy]

That just ponies fb page is great. I’ve purchased and sold on there and it’s a busy page.

[King_s_Ransom]

I requested to join the FB page, waiting for approval.

[Pennylane]

There are some great inexpensive paddock boots and half chaps to be had. . . Ovation makes $25 children’s half chaps, and both Dublin and Tuffrider make $30 (ish) synthetic paddock boots. The Dublins hold up just fine for growing children. I don’t have any direct experience with the TuffRiders.

It is so nice of you to help them! They are luck to have a grandmother like you!

[I_wear_horse_hair]

I have found that you really don’t have to buy as often as you think with kids that age. Riding tights can be bought 1-2 sizes larger and my 10 year old daughter routinely gets a least 2 years out of those. I PROMISE they don’t look too big at first because they are so stretchy.

When she first started I bought TuffRider because it was cheaper, but now that she is riding quite seriously I mostly buy Kerrits tights. I get them on sale and even after 2 years of hard wear they would be fine to pass on to others! I have found great deals on those in last season’s colors. I have also started buying Ariat paddock boots instead of TuffRider. They seem to last forever and they have the removable insole that helps you get extra time. She has been in her currant pair for 2 years as well!

I VERY rarely pay full price for any of her stuff, just scour sales, Zulilly, Just Ponies Facebook site, online clearance/tent sales. One of our local tack shops sends a 20% off one item on your birthday which can be helpful on those things that don’t go on sale so you might see if stores in your area would do that.

I think it’s wonderful you are doing this!!

[LauraKY]

What sizes do they wear? I don’t have anything (all adult cast offs) but I’ll bet that some other COTHers do have items. Could we have a swap page on the Giveaway Forum? We could all list what we have and what we need. Or maybe a sticky at the top of Off Course?

[jacksmom]

kids breeches - http://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/CHILDBREECH/CAKB.htm

great deals always

[nashfad]

boots, etc

I have several pair of breeches and jods and a pair of size 6 field boots here for sale. All in good condition. Boots are $24 and pants are $12 each. I can make pics if yu want. If they were mine I’d give them to you but they belong to a client The pants are size 8 - 12

[King_s_Ransom]

I think the idea of a swap / giveaway on the Forum would be fantastic! I know there are already classifieds, but if CoTH would consider opening a swap / giveaway section for kid’s clothes (since those the ones that get swapped around so much) that would be fantastic!

Lexi has already outgrown her riding boots that I gave her last spring. Since she is only six, (and I don’t recall the size of the boots right now), there is currently no one smaller than her to inherit them in our Pony Club. I would love to put them on a swap to give away since others have already been kind enough to offer things for us.

The older girls can probably hand-down to each other and eventually to Lexi, too, (won’t that be fun for Lexi to always wear hand-me-downs? no! note to self: always remember to get her something nice that is brand new now and then!).

nashfad – can you send me a photo of the boots? That is Sophia’s size! I will check on the pants sizes, too.

Thanks! – I do think the swap forum would be fantastic.