I’m polishing a pair of cheap 25-year-old Dublin paddock boots that I was never crazy about and had used just a few times before I stopped riding. I had a lesson on Saturday and dragged them out of storage. I’m looking at the leather and construction and they’re not bad little boots after all. We’ll see whether they hold up to more frequent use but I’m no longer going to talk smack about them.
What’s your “Damn, I love everything about this thing and the price was right” item?
admittedly we do not use blankets often here but we have several Baker blankets from the 1950s that we bought used in the late 1980s for $10 each… all are fully serviceable with original hardware and straps
The All-Clad non-stick pan I bought at Marshall’s Home Goods 2 weeks ago. It was 39.99 and so far I’m loving this pan. I know it’s a 2nd, but can’t find a blemish. It’s stacked with my other All-Clad pans I paid full price.
Best buys: my first horse - free and priceless for what I learned from her. Other best buy - my last horse $500 but worth oh-so-much more.
Decades ago I bought some Dansko booties to use as barn shoes.
They were horrible feeling and sat in the closet for some decades.
Cleaning closet out found them and tried them and were so good, used them for a decade, tried to buy another pair and they had discounted them.
Was sad when they finally were used up.
About 30 years ago, at the Timberland outlet store, I bought (on sale, cheap!) a pair of Gore-Tex leather hiking boots that I primarily used as paddock & riding boots. I LOVED those boots. They were totally waterproof and so comfortable to ride in, do chores, and hike. I was very sad when after (10?) years of use they finally got so worn I couldn’t wear them anymore.
I brought them back to the Timberland store to replace them with the exact same boots. But of course, they didn’t make them anymore. I was recommended another model that wasn’t nearly as good. sigh.
Also - a 100g fill Rhino turnout sheet. Tough as nails, totally waterproof, fit my Tb mare so well.
Ariat All Terraine half chaps. I have replaced the zippers, but these are my go to for riding daily (when I can ride–currently laid up until 2/1).
My 2000 F-250. I bought it around Christmas, 2008 for $7800. It has been an excellent towing vehicle with nearly zero problems, and Kelley BB says it’s worth $10K now, not that I’ll be selling it any time soon.
The other day I was rearranging my trailer tack room and looked at my grooming box/mounting block. It’s a plastic toolbox meant to double as a step stool. I bought it when I was a college freshman, so it must be about 27 years old. I’ve probably gotten my $20 worth out of it, but it looks like it will last another 27 years.
I think we have the same pair-- or I have a very similar pair-- of waterproof Timberlands. They are so versatile: from barn to hiking (even in snow) and into town with nice jeans. I still haunt ebay looking for a used pair just in case I ever need to replace them.
For me, the things that have made the most difference are the items that offered huge QOL improvements but were an enormous upfront cost – purchases that I put off purchasing for years, sometimes even decades… Why did I do that to myself?!
My Hayhut. It has made life so much easier. No more schlepping out 6x a day with hay, cleaning up dozens of little haypiles in the paddock every other day, no having to cover the roundbale every time it rains (and in the NE in the fall, it seems to rain constantly).
My Haychix Haynet for the round bale + Hayhut. I admit when I first read claims on this forum that a Hayhut + Haychix haynet eliminated 100% of hay waste I figured it was generous hyperbole. It’s not. Before the haynet, I was probably losing 1/3 of the bale to waste. It meant the paddocks got awfully soupy and you couldn’t place a roundbale in the same spot - when you’re putting out one round bale every 5 days, you would be amazed at how quickly you run out of room and how quickly hay waste adds up. I used to have to go in with a skidsteer and pull out bucketloads of wasted hay. Now, I only need to go in with the skidsteer for a quick pass once a month, if even that. The horses might waste a few flakes worth of hay, but nothing like it was before the haynet.
My expensive Kingston trailer with dressing room. I traveled for years out of a stock trailer with no dressing room. Never again! I still feel like it’s Christmas morning when I use that thing and have the luxury of pulling my saddle out of the dressing room instead of having to dig through the back of the truck.
My AA MotionLite Coat. It was expensive but the fabric is breathable and flattering.
And finally… the Rambo/Rhino rainsheets the herd is outfitted in. This was an enormous cost to swap all of the herd to them, but the quality and peace of mind I get from knowing they’re dry and warm is worth it. I was going through new blankets at the end of every season until I swapped to Rambos.
Things that I did not get my money’s worth out of were the Tredstep Donatellos and Shockehmoehle Equitus Alpha bridle. Both fell apart within fewer than a dozen uses.
Sigh. In my next life I will be a Goldman wife.
Well, hold up. That comment actually offends me, and I’ll tell you why. It’s not for the reason you think. I know your comment was tongue in cheek and no harm was meant.
You don’t need a man to get the nicer things in life. That’s some internalized misogyny talking. I saved for six years to get the trailer, and haggled it down from listing price. I don’t make six figures, I’m not married, and I won’t have kids. I don’t want women out there to think the trade off to nice things in life is having to put up with being some dude’s wife.
No offense meant and none taken, @beowulf. I should have made it clear that all this is attainable on one’s own … but in my next life, I don’t want to work that hard. Congratulations on enjoying what you earned. You deserve it, for sure.
Oh yeah. I haven’t gotten my money’s worth out of it yet, but I don’t regret a penny spent on my new-off-the-lot Hawk Gooseneck. It hauls like a dream, is horse friendly and has tons of space up front (5’ on the floor dressing room). There are very few Hawks out west, and people admire it everywhere I go. I love seeing it hooked to my old truck when I look out the window.
Gotcha! I knew you didn’t mean offense. I’d like to see that stereotype die so couldn’t let it sit which might be a flaw of mine, too. I want women everywhere to know they have worth that isn’t tied to a man and can enjoy their own things.
A first generation wow saddle seat. It’s been on all bar one of my horses with just changes of headplate, panels and flair adjustments. When I showed him pictures 10 years ago David at Wow couldn’t believe it was still in daily use even back then and it’s still going strong, a real testament to the build quality. It’s completely moulded to me now and you’ll have to prise it out of my cold dead hands before I’ll give it up!
My Aigle wellies - I walk literally thousands of miles a year in them and even did a 400 mile walking challenge wearing them as they are so damn comfortable! I get at least three years out of each pair so the cost / use ratio is fabulous too.
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