Review: Taylored Tack Simple Hackamore Headstall

Bear with me...as with just about everything I do, there's usually a "why" for it...and an accompanying story.

Funny enough, I have a minimalist of a pony, especially when it comes to tack. It's taken me a while to realize this, but the less stuff on her face, the happier she is. Too much material, especially around/behind her ears, makes her sweat, which in turns makes her itch. End result of that is she then tries to over-enthusiastically remove the paint from whatever surface she is tied next to (vehicle, horse trailer, railing) by virtue of her itching and scrubbing her face against said surface.

My trailer ended up with more than one scratch in the paint from her rubbing before I was able to remove her headstall. (Powder coating being rubbed by metal buckles does not end well.)

The other thing I struggle with is that she doesn't have a whole lot of surface area on her face. "Pea head" is the term used on more than one occasion. And as lovely as all of my halter-bridle combos are, they don't work as well in conjunction with an s-hack when there is limited space available. The struggle I ran into was that in order to get the s-hack high enough on her nose, the chin strap would end up cross right on top of the underside of the halter noseband, which meant it wasn't engaging with her chin the way it should. (Translation: Less brakes and slower pony response time than I like.) Also, her ground manners are less than stellar in flat halters. (Read: "Let me run right through you during a trot-out.")

(Interestingly enough, if you look at a bunch of my ride photos, I used the Zilco equivalent of this set-up and never had a problem with space...it was only when I stopped using Zilco and switched to beta that I noticed this, so obviously the proportions of the Zilco halters are different.)

I've also used the add-on headstall over a rope halter idea. Her ground manners are much better when I have to lead with that, but I'll be honest: I don't love the look of the s-hack with a rope halter. Call me shallow, but..."If you can't ride fast, ride pretty." (Or just blame my show background.)

To me, this is just "too much stuff" crammed
on her pretty little face.

I've used the standard western headstall set-up (browband, throatlatch) with the s-hack before and it has worked well, but it was still more than what I really needed -- browband and two crownpieces behind the ears.

I really liked the look of the clean-line, simple headstalls, so that's what I ended up getting:

The Taylored Tack Simple Hackamore Headstall

Mimi's is, of course, purple.

I haven't had the chance to test it super-thoroughly (as compared to 25/50-mile rides/long training rides with the other set-ups) but the advantage of riding a horse for as long as I have her is I know when something works for her. And so far, I think this is working.

It's definitely been warm enough to generate the itchy, sweat pony effect, and the fact she's not throwing her head into my arms to "get this off me, now" is a good sign. It's also plenty secure, I was able to make all the adjustments needed, and as with all things Taylored Tack, the workmanship is gorgeous. I love how clean-line of a look it is, and it really sets off her pretty little head.

As far as leading/halter underneath...Mimi leads just fine from the s-hack. She yields to pressure from the noseband and chinstrap, and if need be, I do carry a small rope halter in my pack for ER purposes.

This will definitely be a set-up I revisit in the future for any additional pea-headed horses.

Now I'm itching to add a custom TT breastcollar to Mimi's tack collection, since I've never actually found a breastcollar to date that I've been completely satisfied with how it has fit her...

warm weather warriors

It's summer here. It's been summer since April. But now it's really summer, which typically means oh-dark-thirty wake-ups to get in a semi-decent ride before your brains gets baked out of your head.

even Tevis crew needs heat conditioning

But that's just kind of a factor of Arizona life. I won't say I love it...but I'm used to it. And I object to the idea of shoveling myself out of 5' snow drifts even more than I object to convection-oven summers.

And I get Tevis heat conditioning just by existing, and doing things like doing my short-distance errands without air conditioning. (Seriously. I drive a Suburban. Sometimes the drive time is shorter than interior vehicle cool-down time, which makes running the a/c pointless.)

"Mom, I'm sleeeepy."

Yesterday, I had to make an impromptu barn visit to drop off my monthly board check. It was a busy work day, so I waited until the evening hours after dinner to make the trek down there. Yes, it was hot...but darn it, if I'm going to drive half an hour each way, I'm sure going to get more out of my trip than just sticking an envelope on a cork board. So along came the saddle.

I also needed a live-model photo demonstration for a boot-fitting concept as well, and it just so happens the pony is an excellent hoof model.

By the time I got down to the barn (fighting rush-hour evening traffic, yay) and took the photos I was after, the sun was hanging lower in the sky, a nice breeze was blowing...in fact, it really wasn't too bad out. 103* without direct sunlight is much more pleasant than 103* with full, blazing sun.

ride off into the sunset...

However, I don't know how some endurance riders ride in shorts. It was hot and I was lazy, which meant I stayed in my running-shorts-t-shirt attire all day, including down to the barn. I figured I wouldn't ride for long, and I have a full sheepskin on my saddle...it would be fine. It was fine...but not comfortable. For one, I felt weird without my tights. Two, that sheepskin isn't as soft and fluffy on bare legs as it is with a fabric layer between skin and sheep.

I spared y'all any photos of my dayglow-white legs, but suffice to say, I'll be sticking with my ridiculous tights.

"Oh, look, activity next door."

My little warm-weather night-owl pony was downright sassy. She really does prefer warm weather, and she hates early mornings even more than I do. She'd been snoozing all day long, so by the time evening rolled around, she was ready to party.

I'd barely swung my leg over the saddle before she was striding off. Ummm, excuse me??? Standing still to mount is one of my cardinal rules of horse behavior, and last I checked, that hasn't changed for the past, oh, 16 years. Ahem. 20 years old and still testing the limits...

shadow chasing

While we just did arena work, she was in very cheerful form, lapping the arena with her perfect 7-8mph endurance horse trot. A couple of times, I tried to slow her down into a Western pleasure jog, and she was having none of it. Nice to know I took my perfectly trained show horse and turned her into a perfectly trained endurance horse.

for warm weather survival, add e'lytes

And I finally tested the Purina Electro-Ease paste. Response? Meh. I think I prefer being able to mix my own custom doses with powder and whatever base I choose. The paste sticks to itself really well, but it doesn't squeeze out of the tube very quickly or easily (fast syringe work is the key to the pony), and because it sticks to itself in a big glob so well, she was able to just spit it out onto the ground. 

Plus, the taste is very, very concentrated. Yes, minty flavored, but once the flavor and coating wore off, the saltiness was very strong. I was able to syringe enough into Mimi on round two, after knowing what to expect from the consistency, that she got enough to thoroughly taste test. Her reaction? Initially, okay, since she loves mint. But the saltiness lingered so much that I had to rinse out her mouth before she was willing to take a bite of apple afterwards.

So, overall, probably won't be adding this to my e'lyte regimen. Jury is still out on the powder form...that one isn't as strong and mixes well in liquid bases.

Pony says, "No thank you for making me your guinea pig. Pick on someone else next time."

my collection of riding tights

Dear Ashley, We are out of space in your drawer. You do not
need to add to your collection. Sincerely, Your Tights

Completely shameless confession: I love riding tights. Even before I got into distance riding, I had several pairs of tights with funky-patterned side stripes I would use for schooling and riding lessons. As evidenced by the above, once I got into distance riding, my fashion sense took on very much of a "no holds barred color explosion" type of flavor. I also wear them for more than just riding: I'll wear them under sweats in the winter when I need an extra layer, or as a more comfortable alternative to jeans on days I'm just hanging around the house.

I've gotten my tights from a variety of sources and I really like them all for different reasons. At the very least, having multiple brands allows me to rotate through them -- very handy at the Prescott ride when day one's tights rubbed on the inside of my knee, so I switched to a different type on day two.

I also tend to hold on to my tights for a very long time, reluctantly disposing of them only after they've reached the point where I might as well just go ride in my underwear, they've gotten so see-through.

tights from Evelyn the Tights Lady

The two pairs of denim-looking tights are my newest acquisition from Evelyn, bought at the AERC Convention in February. One pair are solid lycra with a denim print, and the other are a heavier, more cotton-woven type of material with the look and a tiny bit of a feel of denim. The lycra ones are nice and cool for the summer. The denim ones are a perfect fall/spring weight and very comfortable. The solid purple cotton and "fireworks factory explosion" ones are several years old now, and the patterned ones have been through a number of rides and holding up well. The solid purple ones are a cotton blend of some kind, which is nice and lightweight for summer.

I finally got to meet Evelyn in person at the Convention and paw through the racks of wonderful, wild, outrageous patterns. I thought bringing home the denim ones was a rather conservative move on my part...but Evelyn's promised to look for some wild orange fabrics for me as well. :)

Love these...Evelyn is definitely one of my go-to sources on tights.

Tropical Riders
EnduraCool on left; PrixTec on right

I'm kind of on the fence about the Tropical Riders. The brown pair on the left are wonderful. They're the "EnduraCool" model, I believe. I picked them up a number of years ago...probably 6 or 7?...on sale at one of my local tack stores. As you can see from the rather interesting color variegation on them, I've worn them a lot. The lower leg is still the original color, from always being covered by half chaps, and the upper waist area is the same way from always being covered with a shirt. But the middle part...welcome to the "Arizona sun effect." They've also got a couple of small holes...but they're so comfortable and great for the summer that I refuse to give them up until they're in shreds.

The orange ones on the right, I'm not too sure about. They're the "PrixTec" variety. I know one thing for sure: I don't like the full-seat. It's not even the grip in the saddle part -- nice, but unnecessary, as it turns out -- but I don't like how much extra weight and lack of breathability the extra material adds, and it makes them fit a little funky. I'm not wild about the fact the cotton material seems to be pilling around the lower leg and ankle area after only a few wears/washes.

Will get another pair of the "EnduraCool" variety if I can ever find another pair on sale again.

Irideon Issentials

The most boring tights I own...but I can't get rid of them. They wear like iron. The black pair on the right are at least 7 or 8 years old and don't even have a hole in them. (And they've seen a lot of miles.) The grey pair aren't much newer, at least 5 or 6 years old. They have a couple of tiny holes on the side of one knee. They're made of some kind of microfiber polyester, so have fantastic grip. They're acceptable all year round, but can get a little hot in the summer. They do have a funky outer seam that I have to watch for -- if it gets placed under my half chaps the wrong way, it'll press right into my shins and do some interesting pressure things. Black goes with everything, so I can wear my more colorful and interesting shirts with these.

Kerrits Klassic Performance

I'm pretty sure these are the "Klassic Performance" variety. These are another pair that have seen a lot of miles and have the wear to prove it, but I don't have the heart to chuck them quite yet. The bottoms of them are permanently stained from when I was breaking in my new black half chaps and sumemr sweat + new suede = dye leak. There are a couple of holes in them. The thigh area is starting to stretch out and get a little threadbare. But they're some of the coolest summer tights I have and are still super-comfortable. The only problem with these is the tan color. From a distance, ride photos have a bit of a "Lady Godiva" effect. Hmmm.

Crazy Legs tights

The two wild prints on the left are solid lycra.. The side-stripe ones are lycra stripes with some kind of tech-performance solid fabric. This is my other go-to source for something other than off-the-rack, tack-store tights. The ones on the right are my newest pair, and the print is some funky shimmery snakeskin-effect type of fabric...very wild. (And enough orange in it to go with my whole orange color scheme.) Also been very happy with these so far as well

Not pictured: Winter riding tights, because they've been put away in my closet until next winter. One pair are Crazy Legs, the other Irideon Wind Pro. Like the Crazy Legs. The Wind Pro, I use more as winter sweats than for actual riding, because they're bootcut, which, as it turns out, I don't care all that much for in the saddle, especially when paired with half chaps. I love the Wind Pro material, though, and will probably look for another pair next winter in a more fitted style.

What I love about all of these tights and their manufacturers: They're made in the US. Yes, even the Irideon and Kerrits. That makes me extremely happy that something I buy and get so much wear out of ties in so strongly with my efforts to get as much of what I buy as possible made in the US. And I really like supporting the small businesses like Evelyn and Crazy Legs: hard-working people and personal friends who are innovative and quality-driven.

I'It appears that I'm out of drawer space now...but that doesn't stop me from keeping one eye open for any good deals I might stumble across along the way. Because there's always room for more tights.

Review: Crazy Legs Tights

I have another favorite source for my riding tights.

Last year, I started buying my tights from Crazy Legs Tights. Owner/designer Diane Stevens is an endurance rider, so she knows exactly what makes for good tights for distance riding.

I got my first pairs last fall and wrote about my initial impressions here. I still stand by that early review: the craftsmanship is excellent, with superb attention to details like making sure seams are as smooth as possible, and gripper elastic around the ankles that actually grips.

I got another pair just before the Fire Mountain ride, specifically designed as more of a winter-weight tight. Living in Arizona, I don't have much call for "true" winter riding tights. Riding at a distance pace, there is enough body heat generated that thick, fleece-lined riding tights will turn into a toaster oven in short order. But there are enough times where thin lycra just won't cut it, no matter if you're wearing half chaps and multiple layers on top.

Enter creative Diane and her array of custom options. After brainstorming back and forth a few times, she offered up a new performance fabric she had found: a matte lycra top with a brushed lining...not thick enough to be called fleece, but definitely more substantial than standard tights material.

They were exactly what I was looking for.

showing off the latest pair of Crazy Legs

And how's this for attention to detail? She even lined the printed lycra side stripe with a slightly lighter weight version of the same performance material, both to insulate the thin lycra as well as keep the tights the same thickness all around.

I'd been really happy with how my previous pairs had been holding up to the casual use I'd been giving them...but there's nothing like an actual ride to put them to the test. 30 miles in Ridgecrest, all three gaits, and they were awesome. The weight of the performance fabric was perfect, and even as it warmed up in the middle of the day, I didn't feel the need to change at the lunch hold and I never got overheated, even doing the death march slog up some of the afternoon climbs.

Of the four pairs I have, my favorites are the matte black lycra with the orange floral side stripe.

Also put to use at Fire Mtn: Friday's pre-ride

The two pairs of printed lycra are super-comfy and super-lightweight...they will be excellent for AZ summers. The fabric itself is a little slick in the saddle, but I do ride in a full sheepskin and with half chaps, so that tends to minimize the slippage effect.

Those are the tights. Let's talk about getting them. As mentioned, owner/designer Diane Stevens offers up a ton of custom options. If you can imagine it, she is usually able to try her hand at making it. Knee patches, no knee patches. Padding wherever. Different widths of side stripes. Custom sizing.

And a plethora of fabric options. There are options listed on the website, but if you either check Crazy Legs' Facebook page or contact Diane directly, she will probably have even more choices to offer. (I've got my eye on one of the really funky patterned fabrics she recently put up as my next pair.)

It always makes me happy to support a small business, especially one that offers a product I like so much!

So, in short, I love my Crazy Legs Tights! If you've got some pairs of tights that are starting to look tired, start the 2013 ride season off with a new pair of Crazy Legs! (And tell Diane I sent you.)

a tights review; part one

L-R: Black with 'Sunrise' Racing Stripe; 'Paisley';
'Orange Tie-Dye'

Part One of a product review: The Initial Impression. Part two will come when I actually ride in them.

Crazy Legs Tights is run by owner-operator-designer Diane Stevens, a fellow endurance rider.

I got them in the mail today; I've already got one pair on. So far, I'm really, really impressed with them. The attention to detail is superb with smooth, even stitching and no bothersome seams. I like the wide elastic waistband -- I've been sitting in them and no problems with the waistband rolling. The ankles have gripper elastic on the inside, which is an awesome little detail to keep them from riding up. The leg length is more than sufficient -- plenty of fabric to keep my ankles covered all the way down to my feet.

The fabric options are endless -- I had a hard time pinning down my final selections. I'm so pleased with the choices I made; they're absolutely gorgeous. And I will definitely be noticed going down the trail. :)

Part Two of the review will come after I actually climb in the saddle and ride in them, but just based on how I already feel about them, I'm sure they'll be awesome!

Renegade Hoof Boots, Oct 2012

Disclaimer: I work for Renegade Hoof Boots as of January 2012. My original review of Renegades was written in August 2008 and can be found here. Everything I wrote then still stands today. Four years later, I'm offering some updated tidbits and feedback garnered from putting thousands of miles in with these boots, as well as a few "things I've learned" both in using the boots for an extended period of time as well as working for the company.

Moving well for 19: Despite her fused hocks, Mimi still moves
well. Letting her go barefoot and booting to ride has allowed her
to stay sound. An easy-to-use, worry-free boot means booting
for just about every ride is no big deal.

I personally started using Renegades five years ago: "sometime" in the summer of 2007, after watching Dad use them for about a year (and waiting for him to wear through enough boots that I could snag a pair of the worn ones to test out).

IIRC, I think I tested them for about a month or so, then ordered my own pair...the same week as the upcoming ride I intended to use them at.

Blind faith, sheer stupidity, or desperation?

Nah...more like a way-too-intimate understanding of all the things that can go wrong using boots, and a rather fatalistic "How much worse could it be?" perspective, based on using and losing boots for the past four years of Mimi being barefoot.

I was a paranoid bundle of nerves at that ride, prone to either  calling to Dad or leaning over to check whether my boots were still on every time we:
-Went up a hill
-Went down a hill
-Went through rocks
-Went through sand
-Cantered
-Power-trotted

which meant I was doing a boot check every 5-10 minutes. Probably good we were doing the LD. But I finished the ride very impressed...and doing a 50-miler 3 months later with absolutely no problems sealed the deal.

In the course of five years, I've had very few problems with the boots. The few issues I've had have been related to user error, and with a better understanding of the mechanics of the boot and better trimming, I've had absolutely no problems for the last two-and-half years.

It's taken a bit of experimenting, but I've finally found Mimi's ideal sizes and I'm really happy with how they're fitting her.

In no particular order, things I love about the Renegades:

- The design on the heel captivator and the way it moves with the horse means no rubbing or interference: the horse's pasterns are allowed to flex and move comfortably. I've not encountered any kind of rubbing or pressure spots, even with riding in all the sand around here, plus some wet, rainy rides.

- The tread design provides great traction (excellent peace of mind for the times I ride the paved streets around the barn). As mentioned, I've done several rides that have involved wet stuff falling from the sky. Not all of them were in the fast-draining desert, either. One involved slick, slimy mud, wet leaves, narrow, technical trail, and an uphill climb. On that particular occasion, I credit the boots for keeping a minor slip from turning into a major wipeout.

- I also feel that the tread design is such that it provides excellent protection over rocks and rough terrain. Mimi is very surefooted and doesn't take "ouchy" steps in her boots.

www.renegadehoofboots.com

- The colors! Maybe that makes me a shallow airhead...but I've always said if I can't ride fast, I gotta ride pretty. I'm particularly attached to the orange: It's bright, it's visible, and it's instantly recognizable. The copper is also very pretty (matches surprisingly well with a multitude of colors), and black is always a classic for a reason.

- Still super easy to apply and remove. I can boot my pony in two minutes. Removing them is even faster.

- Made in the USA. Support small business, independence, and entrepreneurial minds. Buying within the US supports a local economy as well as our national economy. Every part of the Renegade is made and assembled here in the USA. Doing so enables the company to provide closely-monitored quality control, catch and resolve any potential problems very quickly, provide local jobs, and give fast, reliable service. 

To address some of the previously-mentioned potential 'cons':

- "The velcro is the weak spot" It was: until the material was updated as of the spring of 2012. The hook-and-loop (Velcro) material is much stronger and grippier, and has been holding up well to mud, water, and sand.

- "Attaching to the saddle is more difficult" This can still be true...factory recommendation is to not leave them clipped off to the saddle, as the bouncing can stress the cables. Instead, check out the boot bags that SnugPax has made specifically to fit the Renegades. The bags easily attach to the saddle, and unless your boots are huge and take up the whole bag, I can fit a boot + stuff like horse snacks and e'lyte syringes in there as well.

- "Cost" No, at first blush, they're not the least expensive option out there. But sit down for a moment and price out all of the other options out there, both shoes and other boots. How often will you have to bring a farrier out? Do you do your own trimming, or do you have to bring a trimmer out? How frequently? Are there any other add-ons to contribute to the base price? Can you replace parts if they break or wear out? What do they cost? Renegades are $169/pair. Each part is individually replaceable.

Four years later, I am even more excited about these boots. I can't even begin to describe how thrilled I am to be working for the company, doing something I love, being able to share the passion I have for these boots, and I'm eagerly looking forward to things to come!

If you're curious, or would like to discuss boots with me, leave a comment or email me at ashley@renegadehoofboots.com. 

We

LOVE

Our

Renegades

!!!

The Hardest Part of Shopping...

...is knowing where to go.

Part of the fun of endurance for me is all the stuff that it can entail.  My motto is, "If you can't ride fast, ride pretty."

I think this picture makes my point:

Note all the coordinating purple and gold and wild tights (from Evelyn).

Although my shopping is down to pretty much a bare minimum now (not much I actually need anymore), I still end up picking up to occasional replacement piece...stuff does wear out over time.

But it's really hard to decide where to shop.  I've had the pleasure of having very, very positive encounters with all of the endurance vendors I've ever done business with.  I'd go back to every single one of them...and many of them, I have.  You can see the "Recommended Gear and Vendors" tab at the top of the page for a more detailed write-up of some of my favorites.

But yesterday, Action Rider Tack got a double thumbs-up from me.  I love browsing their webpage...they tend to stock stuff no one else does, and I'm pretty much insatiably curious about what's out there, even if it's stuff I don't use or need.

After about an hour of browsing, I finally placed my order (proper sharpener for my loop hoof knife, if anyone's curious).  Less than an hour after placing it, I received a notification that my package was shipping out, along with a fabulous, creative customer service email from the ladies at ART, thanking me for my order.

Now that's fast turnaround!  Definitely impressed me, and I'm sure I'll be placing future orders there.  

I have to spread out where I order things, since I like/am friends with quite a few of the vendors out there.  It helps when a specific product is only carried by one vendor.  

But I love good customer service.  I've been raised in a small-business environment where I've watched my parents go out of their way to provide their clients excellent customer service in both the carpet cleaning business and memory art business.  During high school/college, I working in a shipping/mailbox center that emphasized cheerful, helpful customer service.  That has continued to be the case now in working at Renegade.  

So I've pretty much had a lifetime of providing customer service or seeing what good customer service looks like (and bad...I'm looking at you, ASU and Gateway CC...good customer service obviously isn't part of the college make-up), so when I'm on the receiving end of it, it feels really good to know that plenty of other people out there also care.