Unlike previous years, Connor didn't get a whole lot for Christmas this year. There will always be things I want for him, but there's just not much that he
needs right now. It feels good to be at that point - after six years of collecting horse stuff :-D. Let's not look at what it cost to get there, eh?
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| Too cold to ride (and you know I'll ride down into the low 20's so that tells you just HOW cold!) but he got stuffed with treats, got his feet picked and got all bundled up! |
He did get in on my Secret Santa present with a stocking of Mrs. Pastures, which I gave to him on Christmas night along with some carrots and an apple. It was the first time
ever that I've been home to see him on Christmas!
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| The Shires Stormcheeta we won in the Dover contest last year. It's so heavy at 400g he can usually only wear it a few days a year - except we'll barely break 20F for at least the next week so he may be in it for a while! |
He also got four new Himalayan salt licks as a result of me cleaning out our cabinets and finding a pack of them that my husband got as a gift last Christmas. They're people food but I don't see why they won't work for horses - they are literally just salt - so Connor wins!
Finally, I got another work spiff, and decided to buy him a Back on Track Dressage pad and the Back on Track nylon quarter sheet. I've never bought him any BoT before (although I've had the glove liners for myself) and I'm a little skeptical about it, but hey. Best case, maybe it shortens his absurdly long warmup a bit, and worst case he gets the nicest saddle pad of his life and an upgraded exercise sheet from his Dover fleece one.
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| This, but navy. |
I love my BOT mesh sheet, I'm neutral to the no bows (they work great, but they're extremely difficult to apply), and hate the saddle pad. It rubbed Mikey and Penn, and was absurdly difficult to clean. I did notice a looseness in Mikey's back to start though.
ReplyDeleteI am totally jealous of the quarter sheet! I hemmed and hawed for a long time about what quarter sheet I wanted- the BOT one or the shades of blue rambo whitney blanket. I got the blue one and not the BOT. I wish I could have had both!
That's good to know about the saddle pads! I did hear they were absurdly difficult to clean. Maybe they'll just be a winter thing when he has no hair and is always clean (thanks blankets).
DeleteThat shades of blue blanket is gorgeous though! It will be interesting to see how this one is, it looks so insubstantial, but I know it won't be. Very curious to get them and experiment.
I’m impressed that you spaced out all of Connor’s needs over 6 years! I’m impressed with your restraint, LOL
ReplyDeleteLol, restraint is my middle name! Hahaha.
DeleteI agree with the above comment about the saddle pad - I wasn't impressed with it at all. I haven't used it in a couple of years and it won't work with my new saddle so I really should sell it. But that means I have to clean it... so it will continue to sit in my garage for a while longer.
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting. Luckily it's Smartpak so I'll be able to return it regardless. I did see that the brown at least has a very different/shinier underside than the old black and white ones, so maybe the navy will be the same? Very curious!
DeleteI'm curious to see if either product brings down the warmup time since I've got the same issue with my cobby boy. :)
ReplyDeleteI strongly suspect that it won't, since I think that's just the way Connor is, but it will be a nice surprise if it does! I'll definitely update when I get it and it's warm enough to ride again (...never?)
DeleteHopefully the back on track items work for you; I really like my pads and haven't had a problem washing the one I've had the longest. My OTTBs (both the older one and the 4 year old) really seem to feel the benefits, but my warmblood cross doesn't have many obvious changes unless she's sore. Excited to hear if it impacts Connor's warm up!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely follow up!
DeleteAww, Christmas visits to the barn are so special! There are a few BOT pads at the barn that get tossed in the wash with everything else. No clue if they really work, but they seem like a nice thick, good quality pad at a minimum.
ReplyDeleteThat's kinda what I'm thinking, nice pad at a minimum bought with money I wasn't expecting. Can't go wrong, even if it's not magikal.
DeleteHUGE believer of BoT over here (people and otherwise) He'll probably love the pad! Be sure to acclimate him to the sheet before he wears it full time otherwise he will be very sore.
ReplyDeleteI remember you liking it! I've heard that on the sheet but this is the exercise sheet so he'll be wearing it max 1 hour. Does that still apply?
DeleteIt always makes me happy when you splurge on things. I'll definitely need a quarter sheet review. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou are going to hate my 2018 resolution then :D :D :D (I am totally going to do a review as soon as I get it and it's above 20F!)
DeleteI love my BoT rugs and have good things about both the pad and the exercise sheet! Hopefully they help with his warm up!
ReplyDeleteGood to know, I hope so too!
DeleteI hope the BoT stuff helps Connor and his long warmup some! BoT has made a *huge* difference for Charmer. The mesh sheet is a Godsend, and he loves his saddle pads and quick wraps. He likes his BoT stuff so much, that I want some for me now!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! Keep the success stories coming, they make me feel like I didn't just throw away $200, lol.
DeleteI'm actually feeling the same way about tack. Lots of things that I'd like but not much I feel like I really need. I did get a few things this year like the BoT mesh sheet and some riding clothes for myself but not much for Katai.
ReplyDeleteFun!!
ReplyDelete