It's (Still) Only Money

3/12/2015

I have been really good about not buying anything recently. I've quit buying books for my Kindle (I have at least ten lined up that I haven't read yet anyway), songs for my iPod, and junk for the horses. I had a few vet bills that needed to be taken care of and we're still trying to save enough for our trip to Portugal this summer.

Izzy's vet bill is now almost entirely paid for, and for the most part, so is our trip. All of a sudden, I started seeing tack things that I needed. It's not like I let myself go crazy (those who know me in real life are rolling their eyes as they know I never let myself go crazy), but I did allow myself to purchase a couple of things last week.

The Riding Warehouse just makes everything so darn cheap and easy. That company beats even Smartpak for customer service, ease of shipping, and speed of delivery. I almost always get my order the very next day.

I've been using my rope halter that has rings for reins when I lunge Izzy, which is an entirely different post that will be coming soon. I know I've written about this before, but I like every halter to have its own lead rope. Since I hadn't been using that halter at all, I took its lead rope and put it on Izzy's rope halter (which is relatively new).

Now that I am again using the halter with rings for lunging, I knew I needed a new lead rope that could stay on the halter permanently. I put Speedy's old royal blue lead rope on the lunging halter, and then I ordered a new one (in navy) for Speedy.

I've mentioned before that I only use lead ropes made from yacht rope and clinician style rope halters. Riding Warehouse has a great selection of both. So now I am $40 poorer than I was last week. I couldn't just buy a lead rope, could I? I also tossed in that new pair of bell boots for Izzy!

Left to right: Speedy's Tekna halter with halter plate and purple lead rope; Speedy's rope halter with the new navy lead rope; Izzy's Tekna halter with halter plate and teal lead rope; Izzy's purple rope halter with black lead rope, and my black riding halter with rein rings with a royal blue lead rope.

I think my halter and lead rope collection is complete. Not pictured is a spare rope halter and matching lead rope that hang in my trailer and a "just in case" Rambo halter with a poly lead rope that are hanging in the tack room. I think I might drag those halters out and ...

11 Comments

Austen link

3/12/2015 11:58:08 pm

How are you liking those Tekna halters? I was looking at getting the padded version...

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/13/2015 02:50:27 pm

I LOVE my Tekna halters. They are the best halters that I have ever used. And in case you were wondering, these are the padded version. I don't think there is a non-padded version.

The halters look as good as the day that I bought them. They clean up super quickly, and have held up really well. When I give them a quick dunk in a bucket followed by a swipe with a towel, they look brand new.

I also added the name plates, which was easy enough to do with a drill bit. My husband did it for me, but it only took a minute. The leather punch didn't work so well.

It's funny that you should mention this at all because when I was at the vet the other day, Dr. Tolley actually said, "this is a really nice halter." Dr. Tolley has never commented on my tack before. But it's true; these are really nice halters.

The sizing is pretty generous as well. Speedy wears the cob, but it's on the second hole from the top. Sydney and Izzy both wore the brown halter which is the horse size, and it fits their giant heads just fine. In fact, both of them wore it set to the second hole from the top. The horse size will fit most large horses easily.

Austen link

3/14/2015 02:45:26 am

Good to know!! Guinness needs a new everyday halter, and I hate how the nylon ones rub him. Even the padded ones can be ultra rough! If they run large, Guinness probably a cob size. He's a cob in pretty much everything.

Lauren link

3/13/2015 12:26:21 am

That's a great halter collection!

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/13/2015 02:52:25 pm

That wasn't my intention, but each horse needs a flat halter and a rope halter. I hate to change lead ropes around so that means each horse needs a lead rope for each halter. All of a sudden I have halters and lead ropes everywhere. :0)

Stampy and the Brain link

3/13/2015 01:07:26 am

Thanks again for turning me onto Riding Warehouse, had a great first experience with them. They are already trying to tempt me by putting Dublin boots on clearance and I would love a second pair so I can have a barn pair and a non-barn pair!

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/13/2015 02:54:08 pm

Thank YOU for the $10! My $27 lead rope only cost $17. Oh wait ... maybe it was just that the bell boots were "free." :0)

They do have great sales, that's for sure!

Sarah link

3/13/2015 12:09:44 pm

Riding Warehouse is awesome!

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/13/2015 02:54:37 pm

They definitely are that! :0)

emma link

3/13/2015 12:47:51 pm

that's quite the collection!

Bakersfield Dressage link

3/13/2015 02:56:31 pm

It wasn't intentional, and I am sure that many people have me beat. And truly, I use all of those halter all of the time. I use rope halters when I need to remind someone to behave and the Tekna halters when all is going well. Two horses simply create a LOT of stuff. :0)

About the
Writer & Rider

I am a lifetime rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
Welcome to my dressage journey.

Photo by Lori Ovanessian

Email Karen

About Speedy G

Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently schooling Third Level in preparation for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

August 2018

About Izzy

Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are schooling the dressage basics. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.

March 2019

Bakersfield Dressage approved!

National Awards

USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013

State Awards

CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018

Ruby Rider Award, 2018

2019 Show Season

Show Rating
(***) CDS/USDF/USEF
(*) CDS
(s) Schooling
(c) Clinic
(t) Ride-a-Test Clinic
(Q) Must Qualify

2019 Pending …

5/11-12/19 - Cavaletti Clinic (c)
5/26/19 - TMC (*)
6/15-16/19 - El Sueno (***)
6/22-23/19 - SCEC (***)
6/23/19 - TMC (*)
7/13-14/19 - El Sueno (***)
7/28/19 - TMC (*)
8/10/19 - RAAC (Q) (***)
8/25/19 - TMC (*)
10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

2019 Completed …

Qualifying Scores for 2019

Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Scores
Third Level Scores:
Score 1:
Score 2:
Score 3:

CDS Championship Third Level Scores:
Score 1:
Score 2:
Score 3:
Score 4:
Score 5:

Working Towards:

CDS Sapphire Rider Award
Third Level:
Third Level:
Fourth Level:
Fourth Level:

USDF Bronze Medal
First Level - 70.179%
First Level - 72.600%
Second Level - 62.879%
Second Level - 61.970%
Third Level -
Third Level -