Equestrian Holiday Gifts and Stocking Stuffers

1. Personally Preppy monograms

Example of the black gloss helmet monogram from the Personally Preppy website

They make vinyl monograms and heat transfers for just about anything and everything you can think of. From head (helmets) to toe (boots) they have tons of styles, colors, and sizes to choose from. In addition to monograms they also sell jewelry, accessories, and home goods. I'll be stocking up on the heat transfers for my breeches ($5.99 for 1" glitter monogram), a vinyl monogram for my helmet ($8.25 for 2" black glossy), and monograms for my horse boots ($12 for a 1" pair) just to get started. They also sell a Personally Preppy baseball hat that is adorable (on sale for $16). You can fill up on stocking stuffers through their website or order a gift card and let your giftee pick the monograms out themselves.

2. C4 Belts- $30-$34

My newest C4 belt color combo, mint and gold chrome

I am seriously addicted to C4 belts; I have 5 classic belts and just ordered my first skinny belt. You purchase the rubberized belt and buckle separately so you can mix and match allowing for hundreds of color possibilities. C4 also donates 10% of each purchase to selected charities on their website. The thing I love most is that the buckles are interchangeable within their styles so I can swap out any buckle and place it on the same size belt of a different color, almost doubling my belt inventory.  My classic stock includes hot pink/hot pink, lavender/lavender, grey belt/silver chrome buckle, orange belt/turquoise buckle, mint belt/gold chrome buckle. My skinny belt is black with a black chrome buckle for work. These make great gifts or stocking stuffers and come in little plastic boxes for easy wrapping and storage.

3. Riding Sport Uptown Breech ($80)

Riding Sport Uptown breech in charcoal

My new favorite schooling breech is the Riding Sport Uptown Breech from Dover Saddlery. They look and fit great, people always compliment me on them and are shocked that they are under $100. They hold up very well, are super comfortable, and are very flattering. They feature a modern euro seat and soft flexi-cuff leg openings so no more discomfort from hook and loop closures. They come in charcoal and black with silver brushed details.

4. Ogilvy Jump Baby Pad- Starting at $37

Demo of the Jump Baby Pad with charcoal binding and turquoise piping

I just purchased my Ogilvy baby pad after loving my half pad for an entire year. This baby pad is wayyy more substantial than a normal baby pad. It actually seems to be the thickness of a normal rectangle pad to me. I wanted my baby pad to coordinate with my half pad so I ordered a white body with charcoal piping then upgraded to turquoise piping ($7 for single piping), a diamond monogram on the left side in turquoise ($12), and the Ogilvy logo in turquoise and grey on the right side ($10). I really love how it came out and will probably end up using it as my show pad it's so nice. If you want the Ogilvy logo embroidered on your pad you have to email in your order and they contact you back for the details. The Ogilvy sales team made it so easy and was a breeze to order the pad this way and it came out exactly how I wanted it and arrived quickly. The pad is also anti-microbial, anti-fungal, has an ergonomic shape, and it dries quickly. What's better than that?!


5. Ariat Heritage Contour Zip Field Boot ($290)

Ariat Hertiage Field Boot, available in back or brown

I just got a pair of these a few weeks ago for schooling and I'm in love with them. The elastic panel ensures a snug fit without causing me to lose all feeling in my foot. Gone are the days of "if you can't feel your feet than they fit right" and having leg cramps since the blood flow is interrupted by yet-to-be broken in tall boots. The elastic panel that runs the length of the boot allows for a slimmer, more flattering ankle and the leather quality is better than the last model of the boot. There is also a dress boot version coming out this spring that I can't wait to see.

That's all for now, hope Santa brings everything you wish for!

Be sure to follow me on instagram @rocky092

A Weekend Vist to Legacy Farm

I finally had some time to drive down to Philly for a lesson and visit some friends at Legacy Farm. I took horseback riding lessons there while I was in optometry school, they have amazing instruction and very high quality lesson horses. 

After my lesson I was able to hang around and take some pictures of Emily & Zander and Brianna & Bentley. Both pairs are very photogenic and it was hard to even take any bad pictures of them.

Emily always practices adjustability and responsiveness, Zander loves to gallop and we were all shocked at just how quickly he can move.

And here is his airborne!

Bentley is just gleaming in this picture, this shot is one of my favorites from today.

Thanks to Emily and Brianna for some great action shots of their lovely boys!

If I Only Had a Horse: Spring 2015 Equestrian Wish List

The nice warmer spring weather makes me dread spending all day in the office with nothing to do until my license comes through. Because of this I've spent more hours than I'd like to admit browsing Facebook, Pinterest, and flipping through countless magazines. It was the same old, same old day in and day out until I received the new elite catalog from Dover Saddlery in the mail over the weekend. It really hit home with me how much I've been missing horseback riding while I'm "working"/wedding planning. 

Anyway, the arrival of my Dover catalog resulted in the busting out of my highlighter and going through page by page until it had almost run dry with all of the items I'd buy if I was purchasing a new horse. New clothes for me, new clothes for him, updating any tack that was borderline or worn out. This then lead to hours spent perusing the SmartPak website among other retailers to see if anything new and exciting had come out since I'd been shopping for horse stuff last summer.

So my borderline compulsive tendency to plan ahead an make lists has led me here. My spring 2015 equestrian wish list. A compilation of tack, clothing, and accessories I would want if I were purchasing a new horse, which, until the wedding is paid for and house is purchased, is only a fantasy for now. It's not a full comprehensive list, just a couple of things that would start me out on my new adventure.


1. The Tailored Sportsman Ice Fil Shirt in Tiffany ($65) 

IceFil fabric technology combined with mesh inserts under the arms help to make sure you stay comfortable and protected from the sun this summer. Finally I might not feel like I'm dying of heat stroke every time I ride in the summer.

2. The Tailored Sportsman Trophy Hunter- Front Zip in Purple Passion ($185.95)

I'm a Tailored's girl through and through. 99% of the breeches I buy are from them so I may be a little biased when I say these are the best. a unique purple hue to break up the monotony of beige, black, and grey doesn't hurt either.

P.S. These breech would look great with my new C4 belt that has a grey strap and chrome buckle. I'm addicted to these interchangeable belts (I've bought 4 in the last year) and they donate a portion of the sales to a charity of your choice. Win!

The rest of my clothes and human accessories are mostly up to date so the next portion will be for my hypothetical 4 legged friend.

3-7. The Clothes Horse Custom Rain Sheet ($293)and Dress Sheet ($382) 

I've heard nothing but positive reviews about the quality of The Clothes Horse blankets and while they are a big expense the will last for years and years. I would probably travel to the actual shop since its not too far from home, but SmartPak also sells them through their website. The Clothes Horse website also has a virtual blanket and stall drape generator so you can try out all of the color combinations other their blankets. This feature is absolutely amazing in my book and I could get lost for hours in their website testing out all of their options.

 

For stable clothing I would go for Baker's stable sheet ($122.95) and blanket ($215.95). Classic and never out of style.

For turnout I'd go with SmartPak Ultimate Turnout Blanket ($179.95-199.95 depending of fill)-10-year indestructible guarantee. Need I say more...

8. Ogilvy Equestrian Jump Baby Pad ($37)

Another great website with a customization generator is the new and redesigned Ogilvy Equestrian site. While we're still waiting on the new hunter line, I would stock up on custom baby pads to match my Ogilvy jumper half pad. Some great features are the wither relief design (so there's virtually no more slipping or bunching) and that the pads are anti-microbial and anti-fungal. That's a big win-win in my book.

9. Harwich Padded Fancy Stitch Bridle by SmartPak ($159.95) and matching standing martingale ($79.95)

This bridle has some great reviews and I'd be really interested in trying it out. With a price point under $200 people say it's nice enough for showing and holds up pretty well. I love how the headstall is designed to relieve some of the pressure on the horses poll and the matching raised, fancy stitched reins put on the finishing touches.

 

10. Eskadron® Flexisoft® Air Easy Open Front Boots and Ankle Boots ($147.95 & $107.95)

These boots supposedly keep a horses legs cooler than most other boots and I'd be interested in trying them myself. They look streamlined and modern, a matching pair in black would sure look nice.

11. Beval Ltd Triple Stitched Halter ($140) and Shipping Halter ($175) with matching lead ($69.95)

Beval  always has high quality products and I've owned their halters in the past. I love them and wouldn't hesitate to buy them again. The best time to purchase would be during their annual sale in February (my birthday weekend usually, YAY!) where most items are 20% off.

Photo from Beval Saddlery

Photo from Beval Saddlery

12. McGuinn Tack Trunk (starting at $1030 approx $1200 with added options)

This is my one splurge item. These trunk are gorgeous, made in the USA, and durable. They have so many options and can truly customize it for you. The only downside is that they are quite heavy, even when empty. For me this is just another excuse to hit the gym harder.

Photo from McGuinn

There's always more I could add too my wish list, and I'm sure I even forgot something necessary but this is where I'll start when the time comes for a new horse.

Until next time!

All photos are from SmartPak.com unless otherwise noted

Great Weekend for a Horseback Riding Lesson and Some Much Needed Barn Time

This weekend the weather was gorgeous and on top of that I even had some time to go horseback riding and take a lesson at one of my favorite barns, Legacy Farm in Telford, PA.

I started riding at Legacy Farm during my second year of optometry school, taking lessons on the weekends and eventually half leasing a horse once I had more time after taking boards. Their riding program is awesome and they have such nice and suitable horses for every level.

I was so happy to be able to stop by and spend time with everyone and was able to take some cute pictures of their four legged friends.

Enjoy!

Be sure to follow me on instagram @rocky092 for more equestrian and horse related posts

Some Equestrian Horse Show Photography

A while back my friend Michelle and I took a trip to Saugerties, NY to go a Hits on the Hudson horse show to visit some friends. While there we were able to take some pictures of the action at the horse show, and while they're not new, they're as close as I'm able to get to a horse while on rotations.

These were taken over a year ago so please forgive me if I don't remember each name of the pairs listed below.

Emily and Zander

Emily and Kampieon

Mclain Ward

Sara and Palancar

Emily and Kampeion

Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks

Be sure to check out her facebook page here for the rest of the collection as well as some other really great pictures.

Enjoy!

Emily and Zander