Cob Jockey

Up until last year I only rode in tights unless I was going to a show.  Last summer I started adulting and wearing breeches to school most of the time, but I only own turquoise and purple.  Not exactly clinic colors!

They're a really pretty turquoise though.

That meant I needed to go shopping before Tuesday.  After a failed order of Pipers, I went to our only local tack store (which is still over an hour from me!) Grand Champion Tack and Saddlery in Indianapolis.  A friend from college that graduated with me works there, so I always enjoy going.  I thought I'd share what I tried on.

First up: Sarm Hippique full seats.  $349!  They were a 26 and fit everywhere but the waist.  Check out that gap!  I have no idea what type of human this is meant to fit but it's not me!

Seriously...wat.

They looked great aside from that though:


Next up: USG full seats in size 24.  I think these were $200ish?  These actually fit great, but they only had them in black.



Then I tried on some FITS full seat tights in XS, and I don't have any pictures of them because despite them having an elastic waist I could barely get them above my knees!  Again, I don't know what shape human those are meant to fit, but it's not me.  It's been my general experience that FITS waists run tighter than any other brand, even if the rest of it fits.

Finally I tried on some GhoDho breeches.  First in size 26, which again I couldn't get above my thighs, so I tried on the only other pair they had, a 30:


Those ended up being the winners.  I love them.  And I kinda want them in that dusty purple/pink/mauve too, but I restrained myself.


Never thought I'd be the kind of person to pull off shiny black fake crocodile knee patches, but here we are!



For the record - if you're keeping score - I'm 5'1/110lbs and I'm a 22 in Ariat, a 24 in Pipers and USGs, a 26 in Sarm Hippique and a 30 in GhoDho (and the biggest size they make is a 32 - WTF!).  Breeches sizing is STUPID!

This Ariat winter coat on end-of-season clearance for $36 also went home with me because...duh, $36!

Thanks for the hospitality, Grand Champion!

I've gotten a couple of new winter riding shirts lately, and I wanted to review them before it got cold so you could add them to your wishlist!  This is review 1 of 2.

A while back, I started riding in real breeches because I was finally ready to adult ride in pants with belt loops, and also because I could not say no to these colors:

Stock photo from Dover because I'm lazy.

I really should review these too...

But when your only breeches are blue and purple, you start to realize there are very few shirts out there that go with them.  Oops.  So I started hunting for a 2-3 season shirt that I could wear with both pairs, casual enough for every day but classy enough for clinics.

I immediately liked the Ariat Ladies' Gridwork 1/2 zip top at Dover, even though the stock lay-flat photo tells you literally nothing about how the thing will fit.

Stock photo from Dover

But it's $89, which is about four times as much as I've ever paid for a riding shirt, haha.  So I spent hours scouring the Internet for something I liked as much that was cheaper.  And I finally had to admit this was The One.  So I bought it, and I am SO glad I did.

This photo shows the color the truest of all the photos in this post.  The rest of the photos were taken in our kitchen with orange LED Edison bulbs.

The price may be expensive, but the cost-per-wear is going to be super low: I am going to LIVE in this shirt at least six months out of the year.  It's super warm without being stifling, as comfortable as pajamas, and I also wore it to an outdoor non-horsey party, and my husband said, "Wow, that shirt looks amazing, is that new?"  not knowing it was a riding shirt.

Comfortable riding clothes that my husband finds attractive?  Yes please!


As far as fit goes, it's flattering without being super tight.  I'm wearing an XS, and as usual, it's not really made for a petite XS with the shoulders being sliiiiiightly too wide and the sleeves sliiiiiightly too long, but it's doable.

But you know what helps with too long sleeves?


Thumbholes.  This shirt has them.

This shirt's secret weapon, though, is the "gridwork" part of the name.  It's called that because it has the same fluffy grid-like heat trapping system as my beloved Underarmour 4.0:

Took a picture of the underside because I couldn't be bothered to take it off to write this review....which should tell you how much I love this shirt.

It's not nearly as warm as my Underarmour 4.0, but it's way warmer than a shirt like this would be without the "grid".  It's not windproof, so you'll want a vest or undershirt to go with it when it gets colder.  Dover expects you to wear the below vest with it, as shown in the photo below, which I've seen in real life and was not crazy about:

Stock photo from Dover website

It works tucked or untucked, although with the world's shortest torso, I do find I have a little more material tucked into my breeches than I'd like.  Short people problems.

Shown untucked with yoga pants

Bottom line: I've got some minor short-person fit annoyances with this shirt, but that won't keep it from being tied for favorite cold-weather shirt in my closet.  I anticipate it being comfortable to wear by itself between 40-60F, and at colder temperatures with additional layering.

What: Ariat Ladies' Gridwork 1/2 Zip Top
Price: Currently $89.95, Dover Saddlery exclusive (sigh)
Sizes: XS through XL
Colors: Caponata Heather, Oatmeal Heath (Oatmeal Heather shown in this review)

Disclaimer: I bought this shirt with my own hard earned cash and was not compensated or influenced by Ariat  or Dover for this review.

Yesterday I covered the social part of my cowboy boot experiment.  Today I'll cover the actual boots, which I've worn for five months at this point.

Real cowboy boots have dirt on them that isn't cleaned before a review.

You all know I'm a huge Ariat fan.  They're reasonably priced, and they will last you a long time if you just take care of them.  It drives me crazy to read reviews and forum posts in which people lament Ariat's poor quality...but then admit to never having cleaned or conditioned their boots.  Seriously?  That's like complaining about your car's engine was poor quality because it broke down early, but you've never changed the oil!

All of these boots and half chaps are Ariat.  Tall boots are 5 years old, paddock boots are 6 years old, half chaps are 6 years old.

Anyway, I spent a lot of time researching the various options available to me, and ended up with the Ariat Probabys.  I didn't want something that screamed "just walked off the set of a Western", but I did want something classic looking and pretty.  Enter the Ariat Probaby boots - which Ariat itself describes as "fresh, with a hint of old school."


At the point these photos were taken, I have:
- Given many baths in these
- Powerwashed the roof of my trailer wearing these
- Worn them to a wedding
- Worn them to the post office, Target, Walmart and Rural King
- Driven my car in them
- Walked the dogs in them
- Worn them several times a week for five months

Things I Like:
- The stitching.  It's so pretty.  And I was so worried that abusing these boots/the subsequent cleaning would lead to discoloration of the stitching.  So far, it hasn't affected it at all.

- Related: the colors.  The inside of the boots (which are usually visible) are a dreamy light blue that's repeated in the stitching and the stars on the pull-tabs.  It's gorgeous against this leather color.


- The leather quality.  I didn't want this to be a half-baked review.  I have put these boots through the wringer the last few months, and the leather is getting broken in, but still basically looks new.  And it looks very new after a cleaning.

The uppers have not been conditioned yet, for a look look at how they fare with minimal care.

- The familiar Ariat comfort and fit.  On the outside, these are cowboy boots.  On the inside, they have the same ATS footbed as my beloved Performer IV paddock boots.  BUT, for me, they are much more comfortable for long-duration wear compared to my paddock boots, which give me shin splits due to the big heel-toe drop.  These have a very minimal heel-toe drop and don't give me shin splints.


- My all-time favorite boot repair company, NuShoe, completely redoes these the same as they do my Ariat paddock and tall boots, which effectively means you can get twice (or more) the lifespan out of the same boot for an extra $80.

- The waterproofing.  I have seriously soaked these things, even before I mink oiled them, and my feet stayed dry.  I did mink oil the feet before the wedding, because I knew it would be muddy. which is why the feet appear slightly darker than the shaft in the photos you see here.

Things I Don't Like
- The annoyingly loud sole branding.  I find it tacky and incongruous with the rest of the boot.


- The weight.  They are not as heavy as I expected, but my gait is definitely different while wearing them.  I pick my feet up just a bit higher and drag my heel in them, which is already obvious from the heel wear patterns.  I will say my paddock boots show wear in the same location.



Neutral Issues You Should Be Aware Of
- The foot stretches a lot.  My paddock boots did the same thing.  When you first get them, it won't be uncomfortable, but it will feel snug around the foot (not the toes).  The leather will gradually form to your foot shape and relax.

Bottom line: If you want an "around the barn" boot that can transition from barn to shopping to weddings, don't rule out cowboy boots.  I was initially very skeptical that I would like them, but I find myself wearing them constantly now.

What: Ariat Probaby Western Boots
Price: Currently $119.95 at Russells Western Wear
Sizes: Women's 6-11 with B (medium) and C (wide) widths available

I gotta be honest, I'm having a tough time writing this review, because everytime I look at these boots, my brain just goes "SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I have publicly documented my winter boot struggles on this blog.  I had a pair of TuffRiders that I paid $50 for that lasted two years, and I had a pair of fancier TuffRider's that basically lasted 3 weeks.

(Also, after I sent them a link to that post, TuffRider promised to send me a replacement pair, even asked for my address, and I haven't received them in five months so...yeah.  Not getting the warm fuzzies there.)

After last year, I was done with buying cheap winter boots that don't last.  I wanted to get a good pair that I loved and that would last many years, not a cheap pair that would get me by for one season before getting thrown away.

None of the surprisingly limited options really revved my engine until I was browsing foreign eBay and saw that Ariat made the Bromont Pro H2O in brown in the UK.  Oh. My. God.

GRABBY HANDS.  (Also that is a nearly invisible reflective strip glowing at the bottom, illuminated by flash).

This isn't a full product review because it's hot outside and I can't test them yet, but I wanted to get the word out about them in case anyone else wanted to get some.  Fair warning, they're on clearance (which means they're cheap) and apparently being discontinued (which means sizing options are limited).

I paid 149 GBP ($198) + 79 GBP shipping ($105) or $303 total, which is $46.95 LESS than I would have paid for the same thing in black from Smartpak.  And I wouldn't be nearly as in love with them if they were black.

Love love love love love.

(Also, thanks Brexit, these would have cost $353 a few months ago.)

Details:
- I wear a 6 slim in Ariat field boots and bought a 7 full in these to account for fluffy socks and breeches, and that was the right call.  I could even have done a 7.5, since with my absolute fluffiest deer hunting socks the foot is a bit tight.  The calf is perfect with my winter standard of Underarmour 4.0, fluffiest deer hunting socks, and Irideon winter tights.

- They are waterproof:


- All that standard Ariat stuff: nice quality leather, spur rests, ATS footbed.  I take good care of my Ariat paddock boots, and they reward me by lasting for years.  Plus when every part but the leather wears out, they can be professionally redone by NuShoe using official Ariat parts, which I have had great experience with and highly recommend.

- Not sure if I'll like that suede inside panel, but that's a standard Bromont thing and people seem to rate them highly, so I guess it'll be okay.


- They are tall, and should drop and fit nicely eventually, but they're over half my kneecap out of the box.

Here is a link to the eBay seller I bought them from: Thomas Irving Equestrian Superstore: CLEARANCE Ariat Bromont Tall Insulated H2O Riding Boot - Waxed Chocolate.  Note that if you are in the US, you have to commit to buy them, then message the seller to ask for an international shipping quote, then pay the invoice he sends you.

From the seller's website

I ordered mine on a Friday, and they arrived before I got home from Vegas the following Friday, so shipping and turnaround was super fast for an international order.

Okay, anyone else going to be buying a pair of these?  Like I said - LOVE!!

If anyone is looking for a review of the Ariat Contours, here it is: I am in love with them.

They should be the same color as the boots...

Love their slim silhouette compared to the Dublins.

I've been riding in them for two weeks now, and I have to say, I'm never going back to a cheap and/or non-leather half-chap ever again.  This is definitely the highest-quality leather item I own now.  It's so soft and supple, but at the same time, it's very thick; they really feel like a premium item.  They give me fantastic grip on the saddle without making me feel like I'm stuck, and certainly they give me more than the rubbed-off suede did on the Dublins.

They're also quite stiff and tight (though not stiff up to your standards, Kelly!).  I had read that you want them to be so tight you can barely zip them in the beginning, and boy did I do that right.  That's how I found out my right calf is still much bigger than my left after my accident in 2007.  When I finally got them on the first few times, it felt like the circulation was being cut off to my right calf.  Now that they've had some time to break in, though, they're much less painful, and I can already tell they're going to mold to my leg perfectly.

If I had to complain about something, it would be the plastic zipper.  It's big and heavy-duty, but I can already tell that I will be replacing it with a metal one at some point.  That's okay with me: just like my paddock boots, good leather will last a lifetime with good care, and the repair is worth the investment.

I'm glad I only had to pay $49 for them, but I like them enough that I would have paid the $170 if I had to.  I highly recommend them!

(Disclaimer: I am in no way being paid by, or affiliated with, Nu-Shoe, aside from being a very satisfied customer.)

• Request a free kit from http://www.nushoe.com.
• Fill out the service order form and tear off the part with your unique number on it.
• Place the form and the (generally clean) boots into the provided bag, then seal it.
• ****Protip: make sure the boots are dry when you put them in, or else they may be harboring new life by the time they get to California.
• And wait.  And wait.  And if you’re me, obsessively check the “Order Status” page on Nu Shoe’s website, where they will actually give you timely and detailed information about the status of your boots.