Hair Cut & Boots

A Hair Cut
​Izzy's mane and tail drive me completely batty in the summer. No matter what I do - and I have tried a LOT of things, he rubs both out by the end of the summer. Sometimes he rubs so hard that he creates open wounds on his tail dock, forehead, withers, and shoulders. Last summer I got so frustrated by the itching that I roached his mane. And suddenly, he stopped itching.

pre-roaching

Just as we left for Croatia in early June, I stared wistfully as Izzy's perfectly grown out mane. It was the right length for braiding, and it looked silky and smooth. The day I came back, the first thing I noticed was that the bottom third had been rubbed out, and the rest was looking very ratty. I didn't even hesitate; I grabbed my clippers and cut the rest off. That was Wednesday. Since then, there have been no additional signs of rubbing. I hate braiding anyway, and if sporting a mohawk makes him more comfortable, then it is a win-win for us both.

Also pre-roaching.

Boots
​A year and a half ago, I bought new tall boots with the intention of wearing them as soon as my current boots suffered a fatal blowout. I waited a month and then another month and then another month. Those darned boots just would not wear out. In total, I wore them every day for almost three years. Last week, Izzy stepped a bit too close and clipped me in the heel. Off peeled my boot's sole. I can't say I am too disappointed as I got an extra year out of them.

I'd say that was a fatal blow out.

​I've been wearing ​TuffRider Ladies' Belmont Dress Boots for quite a few years now. They're extremely comfortable out of the box, and while the price has steadily risen over the past decade, they're still very affordable at around $250. This last pair, which I did toss in the trash, had already had the zippers replaced, so it didn't seem worth it to get them resoled. If I get two years out of them, I feel it's money well spent. I wore them for three years.

New boots!

When I first put the new pair on last week, I was very surprised at how squishy they felt on the inside. And when I did my first ride in them, I swear I rode better. The footbed was so soft and comfortable that it felt like my horse had developed some extra suspension since the last time I had ridden him. After having several weeks off, maybe he did develop some added suspension in his stride! Either way, my feet were quite happy.

New boots for me, a new haircut for Izzy ... We're ready for summer riding.