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Friday, January 4, 2013

Living Through a Cold Snap - Tack Whore Edition

Yesterday was my day off from the barn. Usually I just go out and ride anyways, but given that the high was like 19f and I've been putting off housework for... well, does anyone not put off housework? I think that's par for being alive.

I decided to oblige my husband and sort through the mountain of horse stuff in the garage. It's much more structured and reduced, with a mighty heap going off for consignment today. Hubs probably doesn't need to know that I brought ALL the horse stuff in the house because the garage was cold, but we'll survive. ;)

The good news is that I started playing with a bridle I sort of forgot about. I mean, I knew I had it, but I didn't like it as much as Cuna's other two bridles, so I put it away and told myself it was crap. When I pulled it out yesterday, I realized that it really isn't crap. I spent some time cleaning and conditioning it again, then played with bits.

Rocking the d ring
Here's a picture of it the first day Cuna wore it (at our old barn). It's an Ovation with a padded monocrown, crank cavesson, and completely removable flash. It's horse size, but the reins are a little short and flash is a little long.

In fairness to the Ovation folks, Cuna has a teeny muzzle and super long neck, so his proportions probably aren't what they were planning for.


Whyyyy must pelham connectors be a wretched color?


When I was playing with it last time around, I was planning to use it with my fancy new bit, the happy mouth mullen pelham.

Conventional wisdom is that using a curb chain with a flash or figure 8 is unadvisable because you have two straps trying to go in the same small area of real estate under the horse's chin.

That, coupled with the fact that Cuna really doesn't need a flash, convinced me to pull it off and go with this setup.


Show jumping clean
We competed in it last year, but once I got my beloved fancy stitched hunter bridle for a song, this one retired to my garage.

Until yesterday.

I am compiling a hearty bit collection, and I had a couple I wanted to play with*. Plus a super secret new toy came in the mail that needs its' own photoshoot.

Plus our focus on the jumpers means that I want to mix things up and look like total b@d@sses.

The high today is 21f (miserable), but I am super psyched for barn time. I know I'm totally tack motivated, but there are other things. What guys you excited to go to the barn when it's too cold to be alive?



*As an O'Connor conventionalist, Steph thinks this habit of mine is incredibly annoying. Like... why play with new bits when what you have is working perfectly? My answer: OMG BITS!!! TOYS!!!! PIKTUREZZZZ!!!!!


PS Thanks to all the contest entrants!! I will be updating soon.

12 comments:

  1. what hubs doesn't know won't hurt him!

    I need to go through all my horse stuff in the basement. I have a lovely heated water bucket that is apparently illegal to use in my town - how lame is that? But there's no sense in keeping it if it will never be used.

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  2. I'm with you. I HATE the cold.

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  3. Oohhh! I like it - especially the buckles at the bit. Only thing that motivates me when it's cold out is thinking about how much I hate sweating in the summer. I can deal with getting cold but once my toes are frozen, I'm done. Stay warm!

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  4. I too love to play with bits. They're a lot of fun and there are so many of them!

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  5. Boo cold, yay bits. I love bis and need more... but I only have one bridle right now. Once I pay off some debt, I'm going to hunt for a nice used figure 8 bridle that I can play "fancy jumper pony" with and swap bits to my hearts content. Plus I might need a hunter schooling bridle... hmmm!

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  6. I love bits!! I love reading about all the different kinds there are and what they're for/what they do.
    I also love reading your blog! Can't wait to really explore it. ;)
    ~A new follower

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  7. I feel ya! I love organizing and ranging my tack :)

    Hope it warms up some for you- toooooo cold!

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  8. I kind of gave up experimenting with bits now, but I still have a fair collection of types. Everytime I switch to a different bit, my horses say, "no," so I listen to them.

    Need to do a full out tack sort myself, but I think I need to clean the house first....which means probably that neither will be done in a hurry. *G*

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  9. I guess i'm a bit of an odd one, since I absolutely love the winter. 23F is my ideal temperature, but I do admit that I hate having to shed layers when I'm riding, only to bundle back up when I'm done. As for motivation? Knowing my horse has a blanket on and therefore requires minimal cleaning is enough for me (although romping through snowy fields is also tempting).

    Love that bridle, especially with the pelham - very smart looking.

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  10. I saw somewhere..I blog, I know that, if a BIT BOX. It was GLORIOUS. I was like...NEEEED ITTT. this po st reminded me.

    Hey, it IS my bday soon. Whats a $200 stained wooden box just for bits god for? Storing all of my bits. SO many.

    Yay tack whoring.

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  11. Where I live, it is currently -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) so I would love the temperature you're having right now! When it's this cold, it's hard to get to the barn but I'm motivated by seeing my baby (and knowing ill take a nice long bath when I get home!).

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  12. I love finding things you forget you had! Such fun!

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