Happy Birthday, baby girl!

My sweet baby girl is 20!!!

Okay, so her birthday was actually last Sunday, but I lose horsey mommy points for being off gallivanting at a ride on the exact day...with another horse...the nerve!

I have a hard time believing this pony is actually 20 years old...she does not act her age most of the time. (Crunchy hocks notwithstanding.)

She was in quite a happy mood this morning and obliged me with several rounds of "The Many Faces of Mimi."

itchy face!

trying to figure out her reflection

she does not do self-portraits
(or she thinks my orange phone case is for her)

And a bonus for me: New half chaps! My old ones are just about dead and can only be taped/repaired in so many ways before they just won't work. They're also getting a bit too big and baggy on me, so I've been having some challenges with them rotating around on my leg.

These are from Just Chaps, the fringed suede style. Super comfy, and the elasticized back means they have some good stretch on the size, allowing me to get a smaller sizer that's short enough for my lower legs. Yay, no chaps bunching around my ankles or jamming under my knees.

And I love the flippy western fringe! Didn't know if the flopping would drive me nuts, but I figure that it never bothered me with my full Western show chaps back when I was showing, so these would probably be okay...and sure enough, once I'm in the saddle, I never even notice.

never too far removed from my show-ring
background

Dear Ariat

Stop making really spiffy things that I love and then discontinuing them, only to replace them with a higher-dollar substitute I don't like as well.

The most obvious case-in-point of this would be the ever-popular Terrain Half Chaps. By the time I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and get a pair, they were all sold out and discontinued in the size I would need (which is Small Short, preferably...Small might work). The replacement, the Volant XT, is double the price and I don't like the look of them nearly as well as the original Terrain half chaps. Spanish topline? For endurance? Are you kidding me?

I've also got a pair of these Ariat Duma sneaker/Terrain things that I really like. Too bad they're about 6 or 7 years old now and I'm forced to limit the amount that I use them, lest they wear out, since they don't make them anymore. They're really similar to the original Terrain boot, only lighter weight and really ventilated.

Anyone want to help me petition to bring back the shoes and the Terrain half chaps?

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.)

*crickets*

I know, I know. It's that quiet around here of late.

I'd admit that I'm kind of a horrible, inconsistent blogger. But y'all knew that anyway.

I've been a combination of busy and not-busy. Busy with things like work, and the holidays. Not so busy with things like actually riding my horse.

And truth be told, I can only make endless circles in the arena sound exciting so many times. So this weekend, we took a walk around the neighborhood. I think the pony enjoys seeing me hoof it next to her sometimes versus toting my butt around all the time.

The neighbors across the street had a new addition to the front of their property: Goats!

The Pony Who Stares At Goats

Mimi would like a goat. Her best friend at one of the boarding stables was Trixie the pygmy goat. Trixie would, when she was allowed out of her pen, hang out in Mimi's stall and shared the pony's hay.

Four-legged weed whacker

Then we came back to the barn and ate grass next to the driveway for about .5 seconds. (It's non-existent in the pasture right now, so I'm paranoid about her level of exposure to too much green stuff. )

Fortunately my work life is keeping me busy. There's some days I scratch my head and wonder how in the world I got so lucky as to be one of those people who actually gets their dream job?! Seriously, I love what I do. I enjoy talking with people, especially hearing their stories about their horses.

Two weekends ago, I went up to the McDowell ride. My purpose there was two-fold: Friday, I was working, available as a Renegade representative for anyone who had questions or needed help. Saturday, I was volunteering as one of the in-timers, the same job I did at the ride last year.

It was so awesome to be a part of the endurance community again. My goal for this upcoming year is to attend all of the in-state rides that I can as a company rep. Until I'm actually competing again, this will serve as second-best, and it's still keeping me involved and social.

Saturday morning ride start. 75s out on trail, waiting for the
50s to start checking in.
(One perk of not riding: I was up at 5:30 instead of the 3:30
wakeup I would have gotten had I been riding and had to
get ready.)

Color-coordinated. And cold.

The ride went really well, as far as I could tell. The weather was perfect. It was downright cold up until about 11 in the morning, at least for me sitting at the timing table. Around 2:00, the clouds blew out and it warmed up enough to where I was comfortable in a t-shirt...which meant I was sufficiently re-heated to be able to handle the oncoming cool evening.

The last of the 75s were in at 11, which was awesome. I barely had time to break out the hot water, ramen noodles, and cocoa.

Despite what the photo shows, it's actually a
lovely matte cocoa color. I added the custom
Renegade orange racing stripes.

And my one impulse buy at the ride was actually useful: new helmet. I looked at my old one and realized it was about two years past its "best by" date (which is approximately 5 years past the date of manufacture). That's not ideal...

Of all the things out there to purchase, this is one of the more justifiable ones. I've yet to test it out -- it's so pretty and I don't want to mess it up! -- but it's the same as what I already have, the Tipperary Sportage 8500...just about 6 years newer and a different color.

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!

A long post with a lot to cover

As mentioned earlier, Yay, I got to ride out today!!!

Pre-trailer loading snack time

We had a really nice ride...in typical Memorial Day fashion, the weather gave us a brief reprieve...it was only in the 80s today, and just a light breeze.  Perfect riding weather.  The trails were shockingly uncrowded.  I really expected more people to be out enjoying the weather, but maybe people actually traveled out of town this weekend?

Trail buddies for the day: Kenda & Spirit (chestnut);
Chris (Barn Owner) & Tuudy (grey)

Spirit is a big, experienced goofball that walks out at 5mph (*is jealous*) so he was in the lead the whole time.  Tuudy is young and green, so we sandwiched her.  Tuudy was also testing out a pair of Mimi's Renegades on her hind hooves...first time trail test.  Even though I was really confident in how the boots would would stay on after seeing her work in them, it gave me a chance to keep an eye on them and watch how Tuudy did in them.  

Before, bare in the rear, she was pretty tentative on downhills, weighing her front end and protecting her bare back feet.  Today, she planted those rear hooves, tucked her haunches under her, and flew down the hills.  Very cool to see such a difference.

Rear-guard pony and surprisingly happy about it today

I was really tickled with how Mimi did today.  She's been somewhat...strong of late when we've gone out, giving me a bit of an attitude about slowing down, pushing her limits with the s-hack, and she was disturbingly strong against it a couple weeks ago riding around the neighborhood.

Enter remedial training:

Myler Eggbutt MB27PB

This is a Myler Eggbutt MB27PB mouthpiece.  It's a Level 2-3 mouthpiece, I picked it up about a month ago on a crazy-good deal, and have been playing around with it in the arena ever since.  I won't go so far as to call in a miracle bit...nothing will ever make Mimi love a bit...but she goes surprisingly well in it.  The port is low enough it doesn't interfere with her palate, and for the first time ever, she's actually light in the face.

The upper level bit is also making her extremely conscious of what I'm doing with my hands, and it's forcing me to ride lighter, to rely on seat and legs first, then the bit.  Maybe there's a correlation between my lightness and her lightness?

Whatever the case may be...I had BRAKES on the trail again today.  All it took was a couple of light finger taps on one side or the other when she'd start rushing, and she'd back off.  The real test will be speed work, but we kept it pretty much to a walk today.  (Except for a few times she snuck in a bit of a trot.)  But we did a ton of up and down hills and gullies, and she did really well.  No head tossing, no fussing, and minimal pulling weird faces when we'd stop.

Happy Pony

So now I'm convinced there is something to the Myler levels and the fact that giving an advanced horse who understands and respects cues and signals a more advanced bit is a good thing.  (Bit dealers across the country just sent up a rousing cheer...)

And then these got put to the test:

Don't judge my bathroom unless you wanna come clean it

They're the new Tropical Rider tights I got..."PrixTec" variety, in Mango.  They're also the first pair of full-seat tights I've ever gotten or worn.  I really liked the grip and security of the full seat.  I got the microsuede patches versus deer or sheepskin...I don't know if it makes much of a difference or not.  I wasn't as wild about the fact that the full seat isn't quite as cool and breathable.  But that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it means extra stickiness in the saddle.  But it wasn't so sticky that I felt like it interfered with my posting or ability to get out of the saddle.  Also, the full seat means the mango color doesn't end up giving the "pumpkin butt" effect.

Photo from barn buddy Angela who was hiking with us

As much as I love pictures, I rarely get ones of myself riding, unless it's at an event.  Since pics are a great visual feedback of what you're doing wrong, this is both a good and bad thing.  Looking at the above...*cringe*  

Could I be any more unbalanced?  Scrunching my left side, but weighing my right?  Wonder if that's related to spending more time on the computer?  I don't know what my right arm is doing, flailing off to the side like that.  I alternate between riding one-handed and two.  I know two-handed is more balanced and effective, but sometimes I like to switch it up...sometimes it's laziness, sometimes it's the need to fish something out of the saddle pack or grab my camera.

But riding posture aside...I love my orange tights!  And they color-coordinate nicely with all my Renegade shirts.

Appropriate Shirt is Appropriate

I found the best shirt today.  It's one of those hi-tech, synthetic, "supposed to keep you cool" moisture-wicking fabrics from Under Armour's HeatGear line.  And it's one that isn't cut to fit skin-tight.  I like to be comfortable when I ride, thank you.  Having grown up in the desert, I'm a firm believer in the cooling power of cotton...but I'll give this one a try.

The writing on the back was what sold me.

(By the way, do you know how hard it is to take a picture of yourself in a mirror and have the writing not be backwards?  This is the first mirror reflecting onto a side mirror.)

Most sports gear with any kind of slogan on it is usually geared towards a specific sport...none of which are endurance-applicable.  I finally found one that is.

And if the miracle fabric really does do what it's supposed to do and keep my cooler, this might just be a good ride shirt, since my belief in the power of cotton does not extend to what happens when you get caught in a rainstorm.  (Which has happened to me at rides far more frequently than I'd prefer.)

Synthetic = Much better idea than cotton for getting soaked when it's cold.  When it's hot is another story.  You're talking about the girl that deliberately dunks her head in her pony's water bucket (that long, thick hair holds a lot of water) and has been known to dump a bucket on herself before hitting the trail in an effort to stay cool in the summer.

Yes, I've heard about cooling vests.  I own one.  It doesn't work anymore, dries out in about 20 minutes, then becomes another heat-trapping layer.  Very disappointed.

This One's For the Girls

Warning: Somewhat delicate, feminine subject matter at hand.  To whit: Sports bras and the things they're designed to contain.  If you're of a delicate nature or have no need of such discussion,  please feel free to skip this post.  It may get a bit TMI at times:)


To those that are still reading...here's a topic that's near and dear to my heart.

*pause for really bad pun*  (There's a reason I shouldn't write posts past 7:00 at night.  And yet, I still do.  Besides, I'm waiting for laundry to finish, and it's either blog or watch "South Park."  I shouldn't admit "South Park" is on in the background.)

I'm rather...well-endowed...in the feminine assets area.  5'4", long legs for my height, short torso...but 34D up top.

The majority of my riding wardrobe has been really easy to find.  Not had a problem with riding tights rubbing, I can comfortably ride in just about any shirt, and shoes have been a success.  But finding effective sports bras has been something of a challenge.

Y'know the old saying about having the choice of cheap, correct, and fast, but you can only pick two?  Sports bras are something like that.  Cheap, effective, and easy to find.

In my experience, "effective" has been about the only qualification I can hope for, with "easy to find" being a distant second.  And I've long since resigned myself to paying out the nose for what I do find.  But it's one of those things that's non-negotiable.  Trying to ride in a sports bra that doesn't work?  Isn't. Going. To. Happen.

One of my favorite brands of sports bras is Moving Comfort.  Manufacturer recommendations are to replace bras every year.  I...don't do that.  Yeah, they're less effective after three or four years...but when I pay $50+ for one, I'm going to make sure I get my money's worth.  I also don't pay attention to the instructions of "don't stick them in the dryer."

You can buy directly from Moving Comfort, but they're also stocked by places like REI.  I've gotten quite a few of mine from Title Nine, because of their very generous return policy (one year, no questions) that I've never actually had to use.  T9 stocks the Moving Comfort bras, listed under their own creative names for them.  (I included the MC name in parenthesis when applicable.)

I've had good luck with (given them my star rating):

- the 3-Reasons Support Bra (MC: Fiona) ****
- a cotton version of the Tech Athena ****
- the 2-in-1 Full-Support (MC: Maia)  (love, love, love this one; probably my current favorite) *****
- a front-closure version of the Hallelujah ***
- the Super Lace ***
- the newest addition: MC Phoebe (amazingly found this one on clearance at a sporting goods store and surprisingly effective) ****

I've got a couple others in my drawer from T9, but I don't use them for riding.

I've got my eye on:
- the Trade-Up
- the 7 Wonders
- the Last Resort (a good name for it...I know several people that have been happy with this one, but I'm keeping it as my last resort)

Not a super in-depth review, but this is a topic that is really personal in that what works for one person may not work for the next.  My advice is either buy them in-person where you can try them on (jumping jacks in the dressing room is a good acid test for posting) or buy them from a place with a good return policy.

ETA: So I completely forgot to add my new favorite source for shopping: amazon.com.  Yeah.  Seriously.  For up to half off.  So check amazon first.

More Arena Schooling

Today, we took a step back and worked on slow, quiet arena work.  With a bit.  "Horrors!" says Mimi.  I found one of my Myler bits that does fit her properly -- a Western Dee Ring snaffle with Triple Mullen Barrel mouthpiece.  Of all the bits I own, she's the least fussy in this one, so that's what we'll use.

Today, I spent the entire session with her at a walk and slow trot, and we put the emphasis on her carrying herself naturally collected and not leaning on the bit.  Today went much better than Friday.  I do know what I'm doing, at least to some degree.  All of the books and magazine articles have sunk it somewhat.  And it's amazing what happens when you slow down and just work through one thing at a time.

Well, mostly one thing.  I'm a firm believer in the principle of "what the rider is doing has a direct correlation on what the horse does."  So you can work all you want on one particular aspect of the horse, but if what they're doing is as a result of something you're doing, you might not get very far.

For example: Like I mentioned, today's task was to get Mimi to stop leaning on the bit and work on her self-carriage.  That's going going to happen unless I make sure that my hands are light, and I'm not leaning forward and clamping down on her.  I tend to be a very forward rider, so I consciously focused on using my core, keeping my shoulder back, and not clamping with my legs or grabbing at the reins, especialyl when she tried to speed up.

Equus had a great article this month on the use of snaffle bits, and it reiterated a few things I always manage to forget.  Use gentle pressure to hold the reins until the horse gives.  You're not going to get a horse that's soft in the face by pulling them into position -- which was how I was always taught to "collect" a horse.  So now, I'm going back and attempting to re-teach Mimi the principle that it's up to her to hold the bit and carry it, or she's going to be less comfortable.

She is getting it.  Baby steps, but she's getting there.  Today, there were times were I got half a loop around the arena where she was carrying herself well, wasn't leaning on the bit, and had some semblance of self-collection going.  We'll take it.  :)

I'm still going to stick with bit in the arena/s-hack on trail.  In the arena, she can soften and be light in the face because she's focused on me and what needs doing.  Out on trail, she just wants to "get on with it" so much that she tunes out the light bit cues, and I have to get much stronger with it than I prefer.  Much more responsive to a hackamore out on trail.  My hope is I can get her in the habit of going along in a more self-collected manner in arena work, and once she figures out how much easier that is, it'll be easier to get that from her consistently out on trail.

What I do like about arena schooling in the bit is that she is very light, and it forces me to concentrate of keeping soft hands and not pulling her around.  Soft, steady hands...tighten from the fingers to pick up the slack, then loosen when she relaxes.  Big change from "take up on the reins and hold her head in place...wrestle her nose to her chest if you have to."

But...it was all I knew at the time. 

I'm just thankful that horses are creatures of immense forgiveness, and that I have a chance to do it right this time.  Horses are the truest example of second chances, and it not being too late to try to make something right. 

A few other random notes from the weekend:

- Lining the Grffin's short boots with moleskin on the seam area made a huge difference -- no rubbing or ruffled hairs at all.  Easy fix, and moleskin tends to stay on for a few weeks at a time.

- Knee socks or half chaps.  Don't do both.  I figured this one out last fall after Man Against Horse...too many layers of fabric and too-short of stirrups caused a major pressure point on my shin.  Dropping the stirrups helped.  So did switching to ankle-high socks under half chaps.  But for this time of year, and for arena schooling, tall knee socks work very well in lieu of half chaps.  Cotton breathes.  Suede doesn't.

- A cheap fix to inject new life into a pair of six- or seven-year-old Terrains: Insoles!  My beloved Terrains were making a slow migration to the trash can, but I wasn't quite ready to resign myself to throwing away one of my favorite pairs of shoes.  A trip to Walgreens, and $9 later, I have my shoes back again.  :)  Tried them while riding this morning, and they felt great!  They're still the most comfortable shoes I own for riding, even if they're not the absolute best for hiking.  Tread's a little worn. 

- Still fiddling with my saddle bag setup and finding the balance between "carrying everything I need" and the "streamlined, not-a-pack-pony" look.  At the moment, I'm favoring using the Snugpax cantle bag all the time.  Of the two rear bags, it bounces the least.  I love the clean lines of not having anything up front, especially for arena schooling, but I know from past experience that never works come ride-time.  If I have to reach around to the cantle bag for anything -- water, snacks, electrolytes, chapstick -- it won't happen.  But the pommel pack is also very easy to take off/put back on, so I suspect that's what I'll end up doing for longer training rides/competitions.  (Plus side, using both packs meants I don't have to carry my Camelbak.)