Most disappointing products/purchases

[kiwichick]

Back on track under bandage pads (note - I do not have the ‘no-bow’ variety)
they have actually bought me to tears. They bunch up, I get bunched up bits everywhere. In fact there are so many bunches, that im sure the pressure points from them outweigh any good the ceramic does. I keep meaning to replace them but forget about them until I need them again.

Im dissapointed ina pair of falcon jeffries rubber reins I bought recently too. They were sooo expensive, and they felt perfect in the shop, however I find riding in them, the pimple bits seem to trap moisture and make them more slippy than any other rein ive got, most of which were 1/20th of the price too. Its not even summer here, so its not liek its excessive sweat.

[IPEsq]

@kiwichick definitely replace those with the no bows. They are nice. But my horse eats them…because he can’t have nice things. My cat loves to sleep on the chewed ones though!

[Scribbler]

Thinking about this, it’s mostly stuff I’ve cheaped out on and it didn’t last. Greenhawk full seat breeches that shredded right through the fake suede in a year (two pairs did this). A $25 leather halter that ripped too easily.

Just go ahead and get the Pikeurs and the Walsh!

I don’t do a lot of mail order because it’d not so convenient to Canada so I don’t have the problem of something arriving not as I imagined.

[Texarkana]

Total Saddle Fit girth. So many people proclaimed it as a miracle girth. I have nothing against the product in general, but my horse hated it so much she went stark raving mad.

[BK6756]

@hairystockings

Tredstep tall boots. Worst tall boots I’ve ever owned. They ate the back of my ankles if I tried to walk in them at all, I couldn’t even walk a course without getting blisters.

It’s interesting so many people hate their Tredsteps. I love the slim look and fit of mine, but ankle gel sock are an absolute MUST when I wear them, so I get where y’all are coming from.

[2DogsFarm]

A Petty Hate, but the cotton leads I got many years ago (Dover? Stateline?).

I was blinded by the fact they came in a combo of all 3 of “my” colors & gobsmacked when they arrived very flimsy & about 2’ ( slight exaggeration :rolleyes:) long!
I used the damned things, cursing steadily, & finally broke down & re-ordered some in a single color.

These came with the opposite problem - I swear they are near longeline length :eek:
So uber-long I have been forced to use my long-forgotten skill of wrapping them (like they arrive) so they are a usable length. Most coiled is the lead for my 34" mini - probably 3/4 of its length wrapped back on itself. :mad:

[drafting_dots]

@goodmorning

Leather halfers for daily use. Some may find this strange, but I do not condition halters regularly enough to stay outside in the New England weather for daily turnout (mine may stay out days on end if weather permits). Even the Walsh halters get too dry. I’d much rather order a new crown piece every spring & use a nylon breakaway halter. Showing/trailering/shipping, all get the pretty leather halters that are kept inside the tack room or trailer.

I always plug these halters (I swear I don’t work for them) but the Royal King brand leather halters are great for turnout situations. They’re only about $20, single ply so would break like a breakaway halter, and mine sits out on the fence year round for 12 hrs/day and basically on a shed row stall the rest of the time. I condition it maybe 3x a year and so far they seem to last a little over a year each. I’m conditioning the 2nd one a little bit better but even if I don’t, it’s not a big investment! For some reason I just can’t get over how much I hate nylon halters.

[ecileh]

SMBs. I have a set that slides down no mater how tight the velcro (yes, they’re the correct size). I’d forgotten about that, but was recently reminded and am now just tempted to throw them away!

Piper Breeches. I had one pair that I liked how they fit while riding, but hated to wear them out of the saddle because I kept having to yank them up–way too long in the rise. Recently tried another pair in my size and couldn’t even get the waist closed–they fit like they were two or three sizes smaller. Never again!

Weatherbeeta blankets. Newer ones–I had one I bought in the late 90s that wore like iron (still in use as a back up blanket!), but everything since about 2005 is garbage, IMO, and they’ve changed the cut so they don’t even fit correctly anymore.

[RugBug]

I’ll chime in that I was also super disappointed in the SmartPak Piper breeches. I tried like 8 pairs and they were all awful. Terrible fit, wouldn’t stay up. I so wanted to like them because I love the color options, but even that couldn’t sway me into keeping the misery that is Piper breeches.

[c0608524]

@Scribbler

Thinking about this, it’s mostly stuff I’ve cheaped out on and it didn’t last. Greenhawk full seat breeches that shredded right through the fake suede in a year (two pairs did this). A $25 leather halter that ripped too easily.

Just go ahead and get the Pikeurs and the Walsh!

I don’t do a lot of mail order because it’d not so convenient to Canada so I don’t have the problem of something arriving not as I imagined.

I will say I’m pleasantly surprised with how much I like my elation Chelsea breeches. I wouldn’t pay full price for them, but at half off I don’t mind the quality vs the on-sale price point.

I will say I’m happy I didn’t buy the grooming gloves everyone raves about. I tried a pair from a barn mate and my TB HATES them. And he enjoys a hard curry!

[mad.equestrian]

Back on Track splint boots. I never really got the chance to see any positive result because they were such cheap quality that they fell apart in a month. Riding use only and and maybe an hour pre/post ride. So disappointing.

FITS breeches. Let me say that I LOVE my FITS breeches but the stitching in the crotch came loose in FOUR pairs in under a year. This is unacceptable for the cost.

Equifits open fronts. Mind you, I haven’t tried the D-Teqs but the Exp2’s had such an awkward fit/design that I would never buy from a company that released such a product. I also almost bought a pair of exp3 fetlock boots but the velcro wouldn’t fasten correctly. Overpriced, inconsistent, poor, “its a fad” product in my opinion.

SmartPak pipers and I was so relieved to see so many others say so as well. I wanted to love them so badly. I’ve seen plenty of women who look amazing in them and I adore the color options. The pair I received felt like thick, constricting cotton that sagged below my butt crack WITH a belt.

Pretty much anything Noel Asmar. Ok, once again, let me start by saying I love my sun shirt/baselayers but everything is sooooo OVERPRICED for the POOR quality. I will only buy their stuff on sale for under $40 because I don’t feel like theyre worth anything more.

[Jackie_Cochran]

The products I was most disappointed with were the Wintec regular and the Wintec wide GP saddles.

I thought, when I bought them, that I had found a solution of fitting the horses I ride (lesson horses.) Then I tried changing the gullet plate, and I had to have my husband help me. Spending over 20 minutes wrestling with the saddle to change the gullet was a giant pain, and then they did not fit the horses I ride very well (especially those with WIDE backs which was a huge disappointment with the Wintec Wide.)

The worst part of the Wintec Wide was that it was so very thick under my knees. I felt like I was doing splits instead of riding a horse. I just could not get my leg on a horse with a wide, flat back when I rode in the Wintec Wide. Plus they were so slippery it was harder to keep my seat in the correct place.

At least both my Wintecs sold pretty quickly on consignment.

[shmon]

Stubben calfskin stirrup leathers and Beval lined calfskin leathers! Why can’t I find a nice pair of easily adjustable, soft leathers for my calfskin saddle?!

The Bevals were SO thick they were impossible to adjust. So I got the former to replace them - they are beautiful, easy to adjust, and soft - but the leather is already flaking off the leathers, and they are so narrow and floppy that my stirrups don’t stay run up.

[IPEsq]

@shmon try the CWD leathers. I prefer Childeric, but they are thicker and hard to adjust. Also tried Voltaire but were so easy to move I almost lost my stirrup off the bar on a demo saddle. Finally got some CWD ones, and while they aren’t going to last as long as the Childerics, I think they are a good compromise.

@c0608524 I believe those gloves are going to have a softer curry option if they aren’t out already. Probably more targeted to the small animal market, but maybe something to consider? They are definitely easier to use in spring shedding season or for bathing than some alternatives. That said, my horse has yet to meet any type of curry that he doesn’t like. But I tried them with my cat who cannot stand being brushed (but needs to be), and I was surprised that she was tolerant of them (the regular ones).

[kch7238]

I thought it was just me that disliked the Piper breeches! I have worn size 30 breeches forever. Ordered a pair of 30 pipers, too small. I lost 15 lbs, so dug them out of the closet triumphantly. Still could not get them on. WTH? Other brands I have no problem with fit.

[Pohney]

I’ll add on to the Pipers train. Nope. I got SO excited about the pocket size and location with my first pair, and bought 3-4 more before realizing that the longevity wasn’t there (and the fit was weird, but I just figured that was me - turns out Ariats, Pikeurs, and Grand Prixs all fit just fine, so…)

I’ll also second the Beval nylon lined calfskin leathers. Prestige leathers are still my go-to, but the Toulouse were far, far better than Beval and at a much more palatable price.

[Heinz_57]

I like my Smartpak Piper breeches quite a lot - and would be happy to adopt more, if any of you haters want to be rid of them in my size! :lol:

I have been frankly disappointed in all my Back on Track purchases. For all the glowing reviews and ‘miracle product’ touts, I saw zero difference. And I tried several products over several horses in several years. I really wanted to see results, too.

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[Texarkana]

@ecileh

Weatherbeeta blankets. Newer ones–I had one I bought in the late 90s that wore like iron (still in use as a back up blanket!), but everything since about 2005 is garbage, IMO, and they’ve changed the cut so they don’t even fit correctly anymore.

Oh man, this one too! Although I hated the ones in the late 90s/early 00s, too. They NEVER fit any of my horses properly.

Along the same lines, Schneiders Tack blankets are always a huge disappointment. I repeatedly get suckered into purchasing them because of price + diversity in offerings (the have a wide variety of products in all sizes from mini to draft). But I would say at least 50% of the blankets I’ve purchased from them had some major quality control issue right out of the box. Broken hardware, sewing and assembly mistakes, missized/misshapen, lack of waterproofing… It’s a shame because they are the one place that reliably carries blankets in donkey sizes that won’t break the bank, but I repeatedly re-learn the lesson that I’m better off spending a little more and skipping the run around with customer service.

[SuzieQNutter]

Kez rugs. We used them for years but in the end I could not stomach the crap clips used on the leg straps. Even with care and using wd40 like sprays on them, they would get to the point of not opening.

I bought some online at nearly half the price. The clips are 3 times the size and thickness. I smile each time I go to undo them.

Kerrits riding tights which I admit I bought 2nd hand, but I was told they were only worn a few times. Very quickly the material looked like it had been slashed with a knife.

I can’t remember the brand but some leather boots I bought once that after wearing 6 times looked like they had been worn for 6 years.

Cetrigen as far as I can tell after 5 hours it attracts the flies to wounds.

[CalmingTea]

1. Smartpak breeches , agree with all of the above. Such hard poky uncomfortable material!

2. TC senior. Had our 7yo working hard keeper on hay plus Timothy pellets plus ABC supplements and he looked amazing. Switched to TC senior and within a months turned from black to brown, coat dull, looks truly awful! And his teeth turned brown