Monday, July 24, 2017

Zoëbird Meets Tack Ho: Phase One

One thing about going from an OTTB to a draftie cross: nothing you own will fit. None of it. I've been sitting over here like "i'll always have my saddle pads", but guess what? Those gorgeous Ogilvy non-slip anti-microbial, contour-cut, tastefully-chosen beauties slip like a bitch on my round, witherless lil mare.
but she's cute!

Oops.

But hey, at least that means Z-bird is wearing a saddle, right?
saddles delicious!

Well yes. It does mean that. Of course, nothing I own will fit her except maybe the western saddle. But that seems like a lot of leather to lug around when it is a millionty-five degrees, so we haven't pulled it out yet.

I talked a local friend (auntie Crystal) into making a run to consignment with me and we resurfaced with saddles to try. I refuse to shell out $$$$ for a saddle for a four year old who's going to grow and change. We did find one that fit nicely inside the budget and yay! It's an all-purposey one, which I prefer for baby shenanigans.
Breastplate originally purchased for Izzy. Is magic. Fits.
Bits and bridles are a trip and a half. Zozo isn't that big of a horse, in terms of height. Hell, her girth is nearly a foot shorter than Courage's. Buuuuut. Her big smooshy face is not ever going in a cob bridle or (gasp! pearl clutch!) any of my browbands.

A moment of silence for the pretties.

A moment of raucous applause for shopping.

Of course,  "shopping for what" has been kinda the kicker here. Apparently "Zoëbird size" isn't really off-the-rack anything.
a flash of future Zoebird!
Auntie Crystal used to have a big mare, so we cobbled together a frankenbridle out of parts. It's a mishmash of three different brands and sizes, but it looks respectable. Of course, then I got all excited like MUST USE GIANT ASS PADDED BRIDLE WITH BLING BLING and we tried that on:
or not
So uh. That's a no on giant padded. It takes her pretty lil face and makes it look coarse. THE HORROR. I kind think Zo is going to just stay a custom/franken girl in the bridle department.

 You may also have noticed Ms. Zoëbird rocking a full set of boots. They are basically the one thing from Courage that still fits. Sort of. I'm deciding what I like on her and what I don't, but I would be remiss if I didn't share the video of her first time in hind boots:


We are supposed to get this shitshow on the road here pretty quick, so hopefully the girth and bit I ordered show up before my trainer has any real expectations. Or whatever. "Millionty-five" is the forecast for the indefinite future, so Ms. Zoëbird's training is not going to be overly strenuous.

38 comments:

  1. Awww, that's a cute face. I know 100% what you mean about "none of this tack works and now I have to get ALL new stuff" - I basically went the reverse direction of what you did. Now it's all cob sized things. Although... she is starting to grow out of her girth!

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    1. Haha yeah the girth and saddle sizes will very likely change.

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  2. You're making me grateful that I keep accidentally buying horses who fit into eachother's tack and clothes. Zoe, however, appears 175% worth it. Plus shopping.

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  3. Welcome to my life! I have some sort of Percheron/Percheron-cross gelding. He is wide, but doesn't have the oversized head length wise. Frankenbridle is oversize crown, standard size cheekstraps and just ignoring the cavesson right now, where oversize fits width, but requires hole punching to get right spot. I had a custom sized hackamore noseband made for him because nothing was going to fit off the rack. It is slightly ridiculous the amount of $$$ I have in tack for a horse that is exclusively a trail horse. He was Karen's (Hampton) step child for awhile when she got him going under saddle for me - I think there are some pictures of him on her blog from 2011 - Where Hampton was already so tall, my horse looked like a super fat pony instead just shy of 17hh.

    So glad you're having fun with your beautiful girl!

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    1. I do have a random giant hackmore I should pull out. Maybe it will finally fit something!!

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  4. I remember that from back when I first got the pony I'd been wanting. No way was any of my horse stuff going to fit her. Zoebird may have a unique sized head but it's gorgeous and perfect for her. Her little muzzle is just so dainty!

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  5. Let's be real here. You'd be super bummed if you couldn't buy her all new things.
    She's so cute, and looks like she's pretty accepting of all the new things!

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    1. Haha yeah. I've never had a horse fit into the previous horse's things and I've never been disappointed by that fact.

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  6. Haha hind legs!! Love the video - a super trot she has!

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    1. Yeah she moves realllll nice. I'm excited to develop her canter and really see what I have there. :-)

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  7. Hahahahhaa the boot walk! My mare does that still. She's been wearing boots for over a year. Zoe is seriously so cute I just want to smoosh her face!

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    1. Courage did it every.single.day. ;-) I think she'll be over it in under a week, but it sure was funny.

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  8. LAWLZ the video, "MAHM, I'M BROKEN HALP!"

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  9. Her first time in hind boots is Henry's LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY in hind boots.

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  10. Saddle fitring canbe difficult with wider horses. I love duett saddles. They are decent quality for the price. My baddies always need franken bridles too.

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    1. At this point, she fits in pretty normal saddles. ;-) I'm not holding my breath for the future.

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  11. At least you were able to quickly unload the things that didn't fit to pay for new things that will 😋 dibs if you ever start selling ogilvy dressage pads? 😂

    She has a very kissable nose. And the boot walk never gets old... Haha.

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  12. also a bonus pretty much every colour will look good on her!

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  13. aww while i'm legit sad that you have to part with your carefully curated collection of tack, it couldn't be for a better reason :)

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  14. Haha, the back boot dance - I've seen that one a time or 2.
    Zoe is adorable &, not gonna lie, I love your tack ho/shopping posts & the modeling afterwards!

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    1. We definitely have to work on her modeling skills. She has big shoes go to fill.

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  15. Yay Shopping! However, don't give up on your existing pads. Draft crosses usually keep growing until they are 8. Gentry was mutton withered when I bought him at 6, and popped his wither at age 7! Easily adjustable saddles are your friends. I love my Dresch Dressage saddle for that reason, among others.

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    1. Good to know!! I know they're slow maturing and I'm in no rush. :-)

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  16. Yay shopping. Shopping is so fun. (Other than saddle shopping).

    I'm torn between wanting my next horse to have a giant head so I can buy new stuff, and wanting a cob sized head so the micklem I got for a killer deal will still fit.

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    1. ;-) Killer deal just means you can make a profit when you flip it.

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  17. Well.... I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SALE............. :D

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  18. Yes, but WHEN IS PHASE TWO?!

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