Gemmie is Glamorous Thanks to Karen

A while back I sent a message to fellow blogger Karen, of Trails to Lead Old Cowboys Home Again, asking about her brow bands. She makes gorgeous beaded brow bands and I always loved the designs she showed on her website.

She responded quickly that she was happy to make one and asked what I had in mind. I am not a crafty DIY type person and so I drew a blank at first. I thought about it a bit and responded back that I would love something that included a dog paw print, having just lost Bones. Karen already knew I loved red and black and after asking a few other questions, she got to work making a masterpiece.

My new bridle showed up at last and I was asked to measure the length of the brow band so she would know what size to make it. I promptly either forgot to take a measuring tape to the barn with me or forgot to use it once there on multiple occasions, so I eventually just called the Distance Depot and asked them what length it was on the Arab sized bridle I just purchased.

With the information in hand, she quickly finished the piece and mailed it out to me. With the intricacy involved, it would have taken me a year to even figure out how to do the design let alone execute it and here it was in my hands in a really short time. I was so excited to rip open the box!!

When at last I opened it up I was speechless. It was gorgeous. Far prettier than anything I could have thought up. She not only incorporated the paw print, but did it inside a heart. The gold accents glittered in the sun and the geometric and symmetrical design was flawless.

She also included a bridle charm in Gem's colors.

It took a bit if fiddling to get it on the bridle mainly because I didn't pay enough attention to how it all worked when I gave Karen the measurements. She made it exactly as I described except what I described wasn't accurate.

Finally, this weekend I got it all put together and on her and there are not enough adjectives to describe it.

It suits her so perfectly. The colors are lovely. The design is symmetric beauty. The paw prints are a reminder of my other beloved 4 legged family memebers. She looks like the princess she knows she is.

I can't thank Karen enough for this and will treasure it.

The Pad That Will Not Dry

Grungy. That was the state of my Thin Line Endurance wool saddle pad. I got it this time last year, put tons of conditioning miles and two 50s on it and had never washed it. Ugh.

With same heavy rides on the schedule and an endurance ride coming up, I thought it was time to wash the swamp monster out of it. Wednesday night, after Wyatt went to bed, I sat on the side of the bath tub and hand washed the wool pad.

It came surprisingly clean and looked just about new again and that was with no detergent. Just my hands and luke warm water. At the end I wished I had used some detergent because the thing smelled awful, but I didn't have any fancy detergent and the website clearly stated that using anything but what they recommended would void the warranty.

The pad also now weighted about 100 pounds. I gently rolled it up and smushed it with my hands to get water out and then hung it up in the bathroom. The weather was not nice then end of last week, so putting it outside was not an option.

Friday night, I checked on it and it was still wet. Dripping wet to be exact. Crap. I couldn't ride in it like that the next day, which turned out to not be a problem since the pace was cancelled anyway. Saturday was the first sunny day all week and so I put it out on the front porch rail to dry.

Saturday night it was less drippy, but still wet.

Sunday morning I went to the barn to ride and used an old cotton pad which didn't fit the best, but since I was doing just arena work and not hitting the trails it wasn't such a big deal. We worked on canter and trot and I even put down some ground poles which eventually turned into a small jump. Gem worked hard in the deep, soft sandy footing.

Sunday night, the pad was still damp. No longer dripping, but definitely still wet.

What the hell pad? Why won't you just dry!

I posted my frustration to AERC FB and some suggested I tumble dry it without the air on or spin it in the washer. I'm not fond of those ideas. I can just picture my pad being spun to pieces and it was too pricey for my to tempt fate like that.

Instead, I put it on the railing of the stairs and put a fan on high in front of it. If it is still wet when I get home, I may just throw it in the fire place. Maybe that will dry it out!

 

My Head Found Its Soul Mate

Monday evening I ran out of work to get Wyatt and make it to the tack shop in town before it closed at 6 pm. Tack shopping with a 3 year old is no laughing matter. It was a good thing that the shop had a resident friendly dog to keep Wyatt company as I tried on helmets or else who knows what I would have been forced to purchase. Well....actually....maybe he should have put his stinky fingers on a nice riding shirt or dressage saddle or summer riding boots...I need to teach that kid a thing or two about keeping his hands to himself. Sorry honey, but Wyatt put a small scratch in it so I was forced to buy this wonderful piece of tack. Nothing I could do!

After doing some research online, I had narrowed it down to the Ovation Extreme and the Tipperary Sportage as helmets in my price range. Thankfully, this shop had both so that I could try them on and see which fit my head right.

My old helmet was a Troxel and it never fit me. The tack shop in WI was extremely useless and you couldn't beg for help in fitting any piece of tack or clothing. I don't think the employees even knew what a horse was. They also only stocked Troxel and so I just grabbed one I liked, shoved it on my head and went with it.

It was always slightly too big, sat like a mushroom and would rotate from side to side, but man was it comfortable! It was like I didn't even have it on which technically is about how well it would have worked in a major accident anyway.

This shop was a whole different experience. They measured my head, asked what I was looking for and let me try on things as many times as possible while also trying to convince me that the vice like grip these had against my head was actually the way a helmet should fit. Apparently, when you move the front of the helmet up and down, your eyebrows should move with it or it isn't tight enough.

We began with the Tipperary Sportage. This helmet comes in a static size: no dial a fit like my Troxel had. There are two sizes of pads you can add to the back (a thick and a thin. Heads up to the company - add a medium one too) to adjust the fit, but that is about all the adjusting you can do. Features I wasn't really fond of from the get go included: the static fit - what if I chopped all my hair off or wanted to shove it under the helmet or where a liner in the winter; the lack of a liner - can't wash the grunge out of it, and it really did feel pretty tight. Features that I liked from the start included: the low cut back of the helmet for better coverage for the back of my head, the massive vents, and it didn't rock from side to side on my head.

The shop lady seemed to think it was a perfect fit and likes this helmet as a nice everyday helmet. The safety ratings are good as well. It also come in black which is sufficient for me.

Next up was the Ovation Extreme. This was a two toned brown and black low profile helmet. She shoved it on my head and I had flashbacks to my Troxel. Then she turned the dial in the back and there was that new vice grip feeling I had missed. I actually really loved this helmet. It had the adjustable dial in the back so I could snug it up and have it fit no matter if I decided to go with a pony tail or long hair or chop it all off. It had a cool max removable liner claiming to keep you 5 degrees cooler which is a big deal here in the summer. The lower profile was nice for my small face and it was comfortable. I found myself missing the added security of the lower back from the Tipperary, but in general I liked this helmet a lot.

Except it didn't fit.

My head is apparently oval in shape where the helmet sits. This is why the Troxel, a very round helmet, always rocked side to side regardless of how tight I made it front to back. The Ovation is also a round helmet and when it was properly snugged so that my eyebrows moved with the helmet, I could still get a whole finger between the sides of my head and the helmet. Not good. Darn.

They also had a few IRH helmets and one even came in a "long oval" shape (yeah that doesn't make me feel awkwardly shaped at all) that fit well but I didn't really like the helmet much and it already felt hot and heavy and I was just standing inside a store.

So it was back to the Tipperary. I tried it on again. And again. And again. Eventually I reconciled with my oval shaped head and then looked past the minor cons I had (although I still think any helmet without a liner is just ridicuouls and shouldn't even exist) and decided to purchase this one before my child knocked everything useless off the shelves.

And then I saw it. The Samshield Shawdow Matte helmet in all its glory. The sales lady saw my glance and reached a hand out. She grabbed my size and offered it over to me. She remarked about all the customization options as I slid it over my long oval shaped head.

My head breathed a sigh of relief. I saw stars. I heard angels singing.

Ok...that is an exaggeration, but holy crap was that thing amazing. Light on my head, a perfect fit without feeling overly tight, lovely features and above all I could add red highlights!!! I was already picturing myself crossing the finish line at my first 100 with this baby on my head when I heard her say the worst words ever..."$430".

Ah...crap :( I don't have $430.

The lovely Samshield went back in its box and I grabbed my lowly Tipperary and walked to the register like a child pulled away from the candy store.

Truth is, even if I did have $430 to spend on a horse item, a helmet is so very low on my list of priorities that it isn't even registering. The big ticket item that I do actually need right now is a second pad for Gem when we do the two days in April so she will have a dry, clean pad for the second day. That is $300.  That is way more important than upselling myself with a helmet. So for now, the soul mate to my head will have to remain on the shelf until such a time that I win the lottery, remarry a sugar daddy or someone famous dies and randomly wills me all their cash.

Reviews: Endurance Caged Stirrups and Garmin 310xt

First, the stirrups:

For the last year and a half I have been using the black, plastic EZ Ride stirrups that a lot of endurance riders use. I have been wanting cages though, so when these popped up on Facebook (in many colors and in a western version too) for only $50 I thought why not? I had some money left over from the sale of my Fusion Jogging Boots that wasn't book marked for the new boots anyway. They came quickly and Monday was the first time I tried them out.

Before purchasing I researched the aluminum versus plastic stirrup debates and came away with this: plastic will become a million sharp shards piercing the horse's lungs and killing them and aluminum with flatten trapping our foot and dragging you to your doom if your horse should fall and land on its side with you aboard. It really seemed 50/50 on who liked which best. I decided to take the chance on these aluminum stirrups.

They are well made and probably weigh 1 lb each, so heavier than the plastic ones but really not heavy. I am not close to a weight division line, so adding some weight to my tack isn't a big deal to me, but if you hover between two divisions you may want to consider the added weight. The cages themselves are a thick material and hold their shape really well.

I like the cut of these versus the classic western shaped ones and they sat on my leathers facing forward without any convincing. The foot bed is 5" with a thinner but denser foam than the EZ ride ones. I was worried that my feet would start burning and go numb like in my regular irons, but I think the denser foam prevented this. The foam is just glued on and I have a ton of materials and super awesome contact cement at work to make orthotics, so I could easily change out the foam if need be down the road. Overall they were really comfortable and I didn't notice much of a difference from my EZ ones. If you are looking to spruce up your tack colors or want cages, for $50 I think they are a good buy. I'd recommend the seller too since she got them to me quickly and without hassle.

Second, the Garmin 310xt:
The Garmin Forerunner 410 has been on my wrist for most of my rides and runs for the last 4 years and I really liked it. The only reason for upgrading was the 8 hour battery life. It shut down on me at the last 50 mile ride with a few miles left to go and that was with shutting it down at the holds. I had plenty of time to spare and it was on a loop I had done twice already on that ride so I knew exactly how far I was from camp without it, but had it been on a new loop or close to running over time I really would have needed it. The 310xt has a 20 hour life.

Dusty got me the Garmin 310xt for my birthday and I took it out on a ride wearing it on my left wrist and the Forerunner on my right. I also used the new one during the Equathon on very familiar trails and on Monday on the new trails. I have to say that I really like it.

In general, the fit is much like the Forerunner. The band is much softer and more flexible, but the face is larger.

It is easy to read and will show up to 4 different data points at one time. I have mine set for the current time, ride time, distance and average speed for that lap. It can show any number of things from current elevation, elevation gain or loss, heart rate if used with a monitor, overall speed/pace, current speed/pace, and a host of others. Lots of options.

The thing I like the best though is the lack of the stupid touch bezel to control it. It actually has buttons! Turing it on/off, starting it, pausing, stopping and resetting all occurs through buttons instead of attempting to use your fingertip around the bezel and scrolling endlessly through options.

It grabs the gps signal faster and maintains it better versus the Forerunner as well. When I wore them both the 310xt was much closer to the real life measured distance than the Forerunner. I think some of that has to do with elevation as well. It doesn't have an altimeter which gives the best elevation readings (you have to jump up in series for that and get a super large watch for big bucks) but it records more accurately and therefor loses less trail distance.

What don't I like about it? Two things:

1.) It uses a heart rate monitor, but even though I told it I wasn't using one and supposedly turned it off, when I came across a runner who was wearing one it picked up his data. It was very odd downloading my data to see a random heart rate reading. I  have been told that I can't fully turn this feature off.

2) The Forerunner defaults to just being a watch when it is on but not connected to satellites for a work out. The 310xt does not. I miss using the watch feature when wearing it which is why I set the 4th data point to the time of day. It takes up space that could be better used for something cool like elevation data or left open to allow the other points to be larger.

So all in all the two buys have worked out so far. If you are looking into getting a wrist GPS for riding, the 310xt provides a lot of good features and has a great battery life for the price point.

What To Do During Competitions?

The biggest question on my mind right now isn't "Can Gem complete 50 mile e-rides barefoot" but "Should she?"

I think the answer is NO.

She has performed very well barefoot and I plan to continue to do all my conditioning bare and if I do a LD I would most likely do that bare too. She can do it and she can do it well. I just don't think I want to ask her to do another 50 miles barefoot.

I talked at length to the new farrier about my options. He is not a barefoot trimmer and is very much pro steel. In his opinion, it is more cost effective and no less stressful to Gem to throw steel shoes with nails on her prior to a ride and remove them right after. I didn't 100% agree with that and asked him a bunch of questions about the nail holes, change in strain on her ligaments, weight etc... He stayed firm in his belief that given the rock hardness of her hoof walls and sole that she could easily withstand steel shoes nailed on a day or two prior to a ride and then removed once we got home. Since I only do 2-3 rides in the year this wouldn't be an issue. If I was doing a whole lot more or riding closer together he would just keep shoes on her throughout the season and remove them once I was done.

This route is being held in the "in case every thing else out there fails" category. I just don't want to poke nail holes in her lovely feet just yet.

That leaves with me with a few options:

1. Strap on boots
2. Glue on boots
3. Glue on shoes

Her foot shape doesn't fit boots. I've tried the Renegade/Viper and Easy Care lines and her heels are too high with too vertical a hoof angle to work in either even when her feet were in their prime. I could certainly file her feet down to make them match but that would put so much strain on her ligaments that I would more likely end up with a very lame horse that was retired from e-rides altogether. While the glue would help keep the glue on ones in place, her toe wouldn't seat well into the boot and that wouldn't be preferable. Plus Easy Care lists their glue ons at $104 a piece! Holy crap that's a lot of money for a one time deal. Renegade shows $15 which is more reasonable.

That leaves me with glue on shoes and I have been researching options. After looking at various options I have decided to give the Easy Care Sport shoe a try. I want a shoe that doesn't cover the frog and their other lines all do. Technically the shoe can be left in place just like a steel one for the entire cycle, but can't be re used do to the glue residue. I'd slap them on her a day or two before the ride and remove them when we returned home. I'm not looking forward to the $41 a piece price tag nor the hassle of removing all that glue from her hoof afterward, but I think for now it is my best option.

I asked FD (Farrier Dude) if she would need to have them placed a certain period of time prior to a ride to allow her to adjust to wearing them and he didn't think so. I think I would like to put them on and get some conditioning in them to see how she moves before toeing the starting line and ruining my entire ride.

On one hand I don't want to waste $165 on a set of shoes to ride around the grassy barn. Seems stupid to me. Since they last an entire cycle (supposedly) I could potentially place them on her a month prior to the ride and use them to condition that last month, but if they weaken or start to loosen in that time then I would need to very quickly remove these ones, sand down the glue residue, order new ones and get them placed. Too stressful before a first ride in them.

What I think I may do....

I have a RnT planned for early May on my favorite local trails. The hubby and I will be doing the 30 miler. The trails are mostly single track through the woods with roots, some gravel road, creek crossings and clay. Since I wont have a lot invested in the ride (no camping, less expensive entry fee, minimal gas, no extra food) I may order my first set 2-3 week prior to this ride. That will give me time to get them on her and test them out before hand so that if they are really messing her up I can rip them off and still go to the ride. If they stay on this gives me a great chance to test them out to see how she moves with them on since I am extremely familiar with how she moves on this terrain with them off.

I have a set of 4 boots I don't currently use at all because they were too wide for her hoof and rubbed her. They are the Fusion Jogging Boots which I really like in theory, but just don't fit her. If I sell those I could pay for the shoes for this ride.

This just might work....

Saddle Pads...Oh Me Oh My

You know the saying about only asking for advice when you already know the answer, but wish you didn't? It is one of my favorites and I think it pretty much applies to this post. I would honestly like opinions though, so please share your thoughts at the end!

I've been riding Gem in the Advantage saddle with a Reinsman Tacky Too pad for the last year. It came with the demo saddle and worked great, so I bought it.  It is light weight, thin and worked through many miles of conditioning and both the 25 LD and 50 endurance rides we did in 2014. The only problem I have with it is that it is too short for the length of the saddle. It never causes an issue, but I don't think it is ideal for your saddle to hang off the back of the pad. Plus it is some indeterminate number of years old and the felt feels bottomed out in some high use places.


Reinsman Tacky Too Pad

Flash forward to Christmas and my parents noted that I shared a page on FB to win a Professionals Choice Air Ride. I knew nothing about the pad and did no research, but figured if I won the thing I could at least resell it. Well, in true mom fashion she figured I would never win it and bought me one for Christmas. I was really, really hoping it would work to avoid returning a wonderful gift, but unfortunately the thing was 3"of thick, hard wool batting and when I put it on her short back it went past her hips and over her butt. That definitely wouldn't work as it would either cause massive irritation or push the saddle forward with every step she took. So I apologized to mum and returned it.

Prior to returning it, I measured the length and noted that it was 30". Yep, my mare has a very short back. Unfortunately, that meant that the new Tacky Too pad pictured above, also 30", would be way too long on her. Darn.

Ok...I'm nearly getting to the point...just one more piece of background information to share.

On Saturday, I tacked up as usual and found it odd that the Advantage seemed tilted slightly forward. Almost like it was a little too wide. Last time I rode was 2 weeks ago and it looked near perfect on her and had the most even sweat pattern possible.  I rode and she moved out like usual, but at the end I wasn't all that happy with the sweat pattern. Now, she wasn't particularly sweaty anyway (odd in itself given the exertion and the other horses were covered in it) but the sweat pattern was only present under the front 2/3rds of the saddle with the back 1/3rd being completely dry. In the last year I have never seen this pattern on her before. Hmmm...

Last night I went to the barn and measured my saddle and the current pad. The pad measures 22" across the spine and the saddle 24". The pad is 2" shorter than my saddle. Looking at her back, the way this pad fits and the way the 30" fit, I believe a 26" pad would be perfect but could go up to 28" in a pinch. That would rest just in front of her hips.

I came back home and began a several hour internet search on saddle pad options. I knew a few facts:

1. I wanted something shimmable so that I can add to the front to tilt the saddle back a bit if it has somehow gotten too wide in the last 2 weeks.
2. Has to be at least 24" at bare minimum, no more than 28"
3. She absolutely hated the Toklat Coolback pad
4. Pure wool (on both sides without any other material) doesn't work for her either

With all those in mind, I drove the hubby absolutely insane with potential candidates as he tried to focus on yet another post-Apocalypse movie (which was actually pretty good for the genre) and tune me out.

In the end I decided on this beauty:

Thin Line Sheepskin Endurance Pad

Why this one?

It fit pretty much everything I wanted. It is shimmable at the front, middle or rear or any combination you decide to spend money buying. The underside is 100% merino wool while the top is their high tech material. Thin Line is known for great shock absorption while maintaining a close contact feel and light weight. Plus they claim it is non slip. Oh! It has a 30 day money back return policy.

The only downside is that it comes in at 25" which just barely makes the cut off. They also failed to mention on the website the actual thickness of the pad. Her Advantage generally works better with a thinner pad, so we will see.

Dusty talked me out of buying the shims for the front like I wanted. I'm not 100% sure why I didn't anyway since it was free shipping due to the pad and only $23 for the pair. I think he really doesn't believe the pad will work for her, so the less investment the better. He also thinks I'm a little nutty for trying to re-invent the wheel after only one ride where it seemed a little off.

Ok......given all of that......

My next 50 is in 4 weeks. My plan is to do one last 20 mile ride this weekend, then a 6-10 mile ride the following and let her rest after that.

The pad has shipped and should hopefully arrive prior to my 20.

This is where I need advice.

Do I try the pad on her during the 20 miles with the risk that it won't work out and I won't get my miles in? When I tried to Coolback it was so bad that she refused to move and just kept trying to bite at it to remove it while glaring at my stupidity. This ended the ride very quickly with me hand walking her back several miles.

Do I wait and hold off until the following weekend's shorter and less critical ride? But then I worry that it won't be a good enough test of whether the pad will work or not.

Then the bigger question:

If I do try it out on either of the next two weekends (or I guess both if it goes well), do I tempt fate to use it during the 50?

I know the general rule is nothing new on race day, so if I don't try it out at all I would never throw it on her for the 50, but is a 20 mile ride enough of a test? Is a 10 mile ride? Where do you draw the line?

My current thought is this: if it comes in time for the weekend give it a try. In the past, when things don't work out on her it is pretty obvious from the start, so if I'm a few miles in I can always turn around and walk her out and change out for the current pad and go again.

If it produces a comfortable ride for us both with a nice sweat pattern, try it again the following weekend.

I think I would still lean towards starting the 50 in the Reinsman just to be safe, but then if she is showing anything weird in the sweat pattern or is sore at all I can toss the Thin Line on her and potentially be able to finish.

I just don't know!!!



My Love/Hate Affair With Tack

High quality, durable riding equipment is my Achilles heel. I love it. I skimp on my wardrobe, as my last post definitely pointed out, but love to pamper Gem with great tack. I adore my new saddle, so there isn't much to monkey with there and at this point I'm not even thinking about tempting fate on that. Finding a saddle that fit Gem was so insanely difficult, I was near the point of breaking her to drive instead. Now that I have the Advantage I am finally at peace with that.

Having purchased the used demo saddle instead of a new one, I had some money to play around with. The Fusion Jogging boots, new red mohair cinch and red sheepskin seat cover were acquired and have been working out great.  She looks fantastic in her new get up.

I also purchased a wool saddle pad and it finally arrived this week. The quality is amazing. Thick and luxurious with no seam on the underside and pockets on top for shims if needed. I was drooling over the ability to ride in something so soft and couldn't wait to get out on it.

(Side note: I currently use a Reinsman Tacky Too pad and it is a great utility pad. No frills or fluff, but also no pain. The only issue is that it is slightly too short for the saddle and the back of the saddle sits off the pad a smidge)

Hard to see, but the back of the saddle sits off the pad a bit

Tuesday night I headed out, but forgot the new pad. It was a good thing too because that ride was amazing. She was calm and cool beyond her normal spooks at logs, branches and big rocks. No hissy fits and no rushing. The sun was beginning to set, the heat of the day was easing up and we got a great work out in. Gem trotted and cantered up the hills and in the back hay field without going crazy and we enjoyed each other until the sun went down. It was very humid out and she worked up a good sweat. I left the barn feeling so content and happy with all things and that is exactly why I have a horse in the first place.

Thursday came with the opportunity to head back to the barn and this time I remembered to grab the new pad. I was running low on daylight with W staying up later (until close to 7 pm now) and the sun giving up on us earlier, but I could get a little bit in. She wasn't too pleased to see me so soon.

I'm eating...come back later

Seriously....leave me alone!

I tacked her up and fell in love with the pad. It fit the outline of the saddle perfectly and she looks sooo darn pretty in it.

Very classy with her nice bay coloring and  the brown/black saddle. I swung my leg over and really could feel the difference in the saddle. It felt way more cushioned and I hoped Gem could feel the difference too.

I wanted to get in a lot of down hill work since in the past that has always been my tack nemesis. We headed up to her pasture then down the long hill to the hay field and down the hay field to the woods. Through the woods, back to the hay field and on up. We trotted or cantered the majority of it. I was really enjoying the feel of the new pad and Gem was moving out well in the beginning. Coming up the hay field at the end she started really acting funny. Almost like she used to in her old saddles where she just didn't move out quite as freely and was holding back. I looked down and then immediately jumped off her.

The pad is squeegeeing out the back

 Well, poop.

The saddle has slid a little forward although not nearly as bad as in the past with other saddles, but the bigger problem was the pad creeping out the back under the saddle.

I was disappointed to say the least. There are no loos/girth savers on the pad and I tightened the girth like always. It wasn't loose when I took it off. I shot off a quick email to Katee at Advantage saddles asking her for suggestions. I really don't know what to do to fix it. Anyone with a wool pad and experiences like this?

I don't know if she would take it back. I only rode 12 minutes, but with horses everything gets dirty after only a millisecond on them. It is washable and I plan to wash it if I return it or have to sell it.

Since this isn't working I will need to be on the search for a new pad. Any suggestions? Anyone want to buy this one?

Blog Hop: Equestrian Wardrobe

I love blog hops and now Equestrian At Heart has taken over, so I am looking forward to some new topics. Go ahead and shoot over to her site and get acquainted with her too :)

She posts:

I want to know about what you ride in and why? Show us your Equestrian Fashion choices and tell us why you wear them!

I scavenged what pictures I could off my phone to show off my lovely wardrobe. I dislike shopping, so I rarely ever go and most of my riding apparel is either scrounged up from my regular closet or was a gift. But here goes:

I grew up riding miles and miles of trails in the summer with my Aunt and Uncle. I wore whatever was comfortable and I believe that ended up being cotton breeches and a t shirt. I wore knee high black rubber riding boots (stylish - I know!) to prevent ticks as well as for those afternoons when we inevitably ended up in the creek. A helmet was also mandatory.

As I got older and branched out on my own I basically just stuck with that except I exchanged the rubber boots for Ariat riding shoes. They no longer make them anymore and I still have mine in good working condition after many miles and 5 years of use, but have switched footgear options out.

Endurance is all about color and comfort and so I go with anything that matches Gem's red and black and is comfortable. Currently my set up includes a brown Troxel Sierra helmet which is always, always on my head. I never ride without it although I do run with Gem without it on. It is comfortable enough and I honestly doubt any helmet is really very cooling, but it works. It is not flattering to my head/face shape one bit, but until it is ready to be replaced I'm sticking with it.

Moving on down my shirt is generally whatever t-shirt I have at hand and don't mind getting stained with Gem grime. On conditioning rides I don't care the color or the make. In the winter I am usually wearing at least 3 layers - t shirt, long sleeve shirt, fleece vest. Up north in the arctic I would ride to -5 Fahrenheit and so would usually also add a fleece coat to the mix.

For actual endurance rides, I must match and I have my favorite Irideon red and black t shirt that is some awesome tech fabric. It is cool, comfortable and lightweight. Unfortunately, it is also no longer available. When it comes time to retire it (or if I ever have time to venture into multi day rides) I won't be buying actual riding shirts, but instead will gravitate to running/hiking gear. It holds up well and is very comfortable. The only issue with tech material is that it smells. Quickly and permanently.

Moving farther down the line:  I keep my cotton breeches for conditioning. I think they are Tuff Rider brand with suede knee patches and used to be beige. Now they are a mixture of beige, brown, black and green. They are 5 years old as well and are starting to disintegrate. Little runs by the knee patches have turned into big holes. They are ok for conditioning, but I rode 15 miles in them once and nearly cried from the chafing.

My mostest favoritest piece of clothing used to be my Irideon Issentials tights in black with a small red pin stripe. They were amazingly comfortable, didn't chafe at all anywhere and matched! But then I had a bit of a problem at Biltmore and they were ruined. (Actually in the TMI category they weren't really ruined at Biltmore, just sort of gross, but then they got left in the laundry pile outside the laundry room by the hubs and the dog came by and ate out the crotch so they had to be pitched) I can still buy the Issentials, but they don't have the red and black anymore. I don't really need them until October, so I am weighing my options.

The whole get up was so nice, comfy and pretty. Please ignore chubby Gemmie. This was over a year ago.

And last, but not least I use Just Chaps neoprene mesh half chaps. I have a review on the blog here somewhere. They are comfortable, but seem flimsy and after not that many rides they are already showing signs of wear. I doubt I would shell out $75 for them again. My original half chaps are pictured above - Ovation leather and suede and they have lasted many years and many miles. I think they cost like $35 too. The knee patches are pulling off the rest of the chap, but I think I can find someone to restitch it for me. I will go back to these in the future.

Shoe wise I began in ariats of some sort. They are tennis shoe style and again no longer available. They are pretty comfy, but after awhile I ditched them for my Brooks Glycerin running shoes and won't go back. The Brooks are just plain comfy and are nice when I get off to run some miles.

Irideone tights, Just Chaps, Brooks running shoes

And that's just about it. I always wear my Garmin (when I remember it) and if I am out for a long time or it is particularly hot out I will throw my Camelbak on as well for hydration. Nothing fancy, but it is all comfortable and works well.

A Few Odds and Ends

After much effort (too much effort if I'm being honest) on my part, I finally got the Advantage saddle woman to order and mail out the full sheepskin saddle cover and mohair girth. They are both a delicious dark, yet bright red and she looks fantastic in her get up. The girth is about 2" shorter and fits her well. Hopefully that will stop the rubbing during longer rides.

I've been drooling over sheepskin seats for a while now and I will say it was comfy. I like that it is made specifically for this saddle, so it fits like a glove. It did what it was supposed to do: make the seat fit just a bit snugger. My butt was completely spoiled by the WISE saddle though and now nothing will ever compare to the comfort I had in it, but this makes this saddle that much nicer.

I still need to get her to mail out the sheepskin saddle pad. I swear I love my Advantage saddle and would recommend them to anyone, but don't anticipate getting it quickly unless you plan to harass her for it. It has been since December and I even cut corners by just buying and keeping the demo. Once I get the saddle pad, I will have everything I ordered from her.

Gem is looking like a "real" endurance horse now with her boots, matching red gear and how insanely fit she is. I don't think she has ever looked this good. We are just having the best summer together this year. All the hard work we have both put in over the last 4.5 years has really started to pay off. I couldn't be happier with her.

Fusion Horse Jogging Boots: The Facts

Warning!!! This post may be very dry and boring. There is a method to my madness though. I have received my order for Gem's new foot gear and I have tried in vain to write up the experience I had with them out on the trail, but without explaining what the boots are and why I chose them the story of the use makes no sense. If I add all that information in one post, it gets bogged down and absurdly long. So...on my 4th attempt to write this post I am giving you all the gory details up front. Tomorrow will be about the actual use with pictures, so feel free to wait until then to read. Otherwise, hang on tight and be prepared to fall asleep!

Gemmie needs hoof protection for the rides down here and yet I was slow to pull the trigger. For starters her hoof shape doesn't really match well with either the Renegade/Viper or Easy lines. For seconds: the boots make no sense to me. I am going to briefly step up on my pedestal here:

I love her being barefoot and I am a big proponent that the less we monkey with the better. If you need shoes or boots or whatever that is fine and a personal choice. Who knows? I may someday put shoes back on her or have a horse that needs them.  But....I am very proud of her incredibly tough hooves and ability to crunch over rocky terrain without an issue. When you go putting a super rigid, thick hunk of plastic all around your horse's hooves you are no longer riding anything anywhere near barefoot and quit claiming you do! The plastic boots completely take away any natural function of the hoof, do not stimulate the hoof at all and are basically just a temporary way to shoe your horse minus the nails. So when people who boot for every single ride they ever take look down on those who shoe, I want to poke my eyes out with my pencil. You are doing the same thing!

Ok....back down now.

So...I was hesitant to purchase boots. I finally ruled out both versions due to trying them and the fit being suboptimal given her hoof structure. My last resort was glue on shoes, but man what a pain in the butt they seem to be. The gluing on seems like only half the battle since getting them off is even more annoying. I would do it if I had to, but I fervently hoped I wouldn't.

In a last ditch hail mary attempt to find something I could live with I googled one final time. And found the Fusion Jogging boot. This boot is completely different in every way, shape (well...maybe not shape it is still going on the same hoof) and form. And I was thrilled.

How is this so different??

FLEXIBILITY!

The whole entire concept of this boot is to allow the hoof to still function as if barefoot while providing some protection from rocks and some shock absorption. The entire boot is so flexible you can (supposedly) roll it into a ball. Nothing rigid, nothing static. As the hoof hits the ground, the heels are allowed to expand, the ground comes into contact with the hoof sole thus providing stimulation and then glory of all things...the boot flexes in the toe to allow the break over to occur at any time and along any point of the hoof. No more forced break over points where the boot is trimmed down.

Think about it like this:

You hurt yourself in the foot and are put into a stiff soled boot (or if you can't picture that think of walking in wooden soled shoes). You lose all proprioception with the ground. The sole of the shoe/boot is rigid and therefore when you step on a rock or root the entire thing must tilt around it putting more stresses on your ankle joint. But you also lose any sharpness from rocks or roots etc...

But walk around in your tennis shoes and while you can now still feel all the lumps and bumps, you are still able to get some support while the entire shoe flexes and bends along with the terrain.

That is what these do. The sole is rubber and concave like a hoof and therefore when you step on a rock it will still put pressure into the sole of the hoof thus creating stimulus for growth and function, but the sharpness and potential for a bruise is limited. The hoof can move and break over at any region thus allowing the whole extremity to function normally.

I was sold.

They are made in Norway and the website has some fantastic graphs and pictures and the physics behind fulcrums and strains and stresses along tendons to prove the point. I will let you check it out here if interested. It is really worth a look and even the most skeptical should come away from all the information scratching their heads a little bit. They are used a lot as everyday turnout boots, trail riding, and I see plenty of pictures of jumping and dressage.

There are some other great features including how easy it is supposed to be to put them on (unlike other boots that either require a mallet or large rock to force it on or playing with cables and wires and pulleys) and they are completely machine washable. Throw them in the washer and dryer and they come out good as new.

There are three models and I was confused as to the purpose of each. From what I could gather the Ultras were first (I think) and then improved on in the Performance with a sturdier upper material and stronger tread. Then the Ultimates came out with different uppers and lost the straps for just Velcro closer, but kept the same sole as the Performance.

I really wanted the Ultras because they are red and black, but given the high mileage and terrain the Performance were recommended. They also suggest the dampening pads to increase the life of the boot.

They come in sizes per length of hoof and after measuring Gem like 20 times I got size 12 all around. The only hiccup was the fact that her rear feet are so narrow. The company was concerned that she was too narrow and the boots would spin. So I ordered 2 pairs of size 12 Performance boots and hoped for the best, but entered into it a little worried about those hind feet of hers.

There are a few things I am concerned about:

1) Durability. The plastic boots are pretty darn durable. The other companies claim upwards of 500+ miles out of a boot. And that makes sense. It is a rigid plastic so you'd have to go pretty hard on pretty rough terrain to wear that down. But this is rubber. A specially formulated tough rubber, but rubber nonetheless. I asked the company this and they came back with 300-600 miles depending on terrain. Since I am only planning on using these to get her used to them and then for the longer races we do, I think I am ok with this. If I can't get at least 400 miles out of them, they won't be worth the price tag.

2) Stickability. Yup, that's now a word :) Everyone who uses boots loses boots. Its a given. The question is how often, in what terrain and what happens to the boot when you lose it? I like the way it attaches because in my mind if it does come off it is coming off in one unit. There isn't anything for it to get stuck on her leg and flop around freaking her.

That's about it. I know I am losing some things by going with these versus the normal plastic boots such as complete protection. The rubber, flexible sole allows pressure to still occur which is the entire point, but that still allows pressure to occur which may be harmful in the end at 50+ miles. We will just have to wait and see.

The company sent me the boots and gave me the ability to ride in them on two 1 hour long trail rides with a full money back guarantee if they don't work out.

How I Saved the Hubby $1300 By Going to a Ride

This is how my mind works. Scary, I know.

I had three big ticket items on my wish list pre-Biltmore. A S-hackamore,  boots of some sort, and my new Advantage saddle.

The S-Hackamore costs roughly $200 for the set up I wanted. Part one begins with my last ride with S when I tried one on Gem and couldn't make it fit for the life of me. It was huge on her. But there was a smaller version available on line as well and my heart was still set on getting the bit out of Gem's mouth.

But after this ride, I threw that idea out the window. Some claim a hackamore has more stopping power than a snaffle, but given her mind set of galloping the entire thing I would not be comfortable or feel safe without that bit. So given the size issue and the training issues, the hackamore idea has been tossed out the window. Maybe we will revisit it later on down the road, but why fix something that isn't really broken?

-$200


Boots for Gemmie have been on my brain for the last year. Up north she didn't need them, but there are enough rocky and gravel roads during rides down here that I think they would be a benefit. I still want her bare out in pasture and for all conditioning rides, so shoes are not an option. Anyway....  Renengades were my favorite and they cost roughly $400 for a complete set. EZ boot gloves or epics were a close second. Having no idea how to choose I put out a plea on Facebook for anyone going to Biltmore who would be willing to swing by my camp and look at Gem. A wonderful lady (who rides Mustangs by the way :) stopped by Friday night and brought along both Renegades and Easyboot gloves. Long story short....they don't fit. At all. The shape of her hoof does not match the shape of the boot and even using her wide boots her toe does not reach the end of the boot. Her feet are too vertical. I probably could shove her foot into the boot and hope they stay on, but I am not shelling out that much money just to lose them on the trail.

- $400

Advantage saddle. So this requires an entire post on its own. But....the end of the story is why re invent the wheel? The demo saddle that I have been riding in for the last 7 months has performed beautifully, so why not just buy it and scrap the new saddle idea?

- $700

See...doing endurance is not expensive. In fact it saves you money!!!

:)

Biltmore 25 Mile LD Ride 7/12/14: Gear

I'm pretty sure this will be my last post on the subject. Maybe. Unless I can think up something else. Here is what we used this weekend and some notes:

New Items:

None of these were truly brand new for a ride, but were new to this distance.

Advantage saddle, Reinsman wool saddle pad and mohair girth: performed very well. Equal sweat pattern all around and no sore spots to prodding. Saddle stayed put even at the faster pace and with hills. My right knee was a little touchy out of the saddle at both the hold and the end, but I think this will go away with lengthening the stirrup a bit. She had no girth galls or rubs, but the vet noted a slight twitch when she rubbed the area at the end. She made note of it in a FYI fashion. I will keep an eye on it. I'm loving the saddle and can't wait until I someday get my own.

Just Chaps Half Chaps: comfortable and not overly hot. They stayed put without twisting around like my leather ones started to do near the end. No wear noted at the end of the ride, so maybe they will stand the test of time after all.

EZ UP Saddle Caddy: Oh, the color is a god awful Pepto-Bismol pink. But it held my saddle and stuff just fine. The hubby wheeled it back to camp at the end for me and it pulled just fine. It still tends to want to collapse on itself. There is one bar at the very front the is needed for balance once it is at rest, but it doesn't stay when in motion. It is serviceable and I will continue to use now that I own it, but would not buy it again. I think the more expensive ones may pull a little easier.

E-Lytes: She didn't eat, so any powder form on her food is useless. I was very glad I thought ahead and grabbed the applesauce and syringe. She tanked up which is either because a) she is awesome like that or b) the elytes made her thirsty. I'm not willing to experiment with none at a ride to check which is true. I like giving her the supplement because I know it is easy on her stomach and it gives her more than just sodium and potassium. It is loaded with good things, so I think I will stick to it and make sure I have something to mix it in for the hold.

Camelbak: It workd in regards to hydration. I was able to drink the entire ride and while it was a bit warm towards the end, it was so nice to drink throughout. I wasn't dehydrated. it didn't bounce at all and even with 2L of water and some stuff stashed in the back, it wasn't overly heavy. But...it chafed the left side of y neck badly. The hubby suggested I get one made for running, but I just got this one and would like to monkey with it a bit. I think wrapping the straps in fleece may help a good bit.

Old Items That Continue To Work:

Halter/Bridle Combo

French Link Full Cheek Snaffle Bit: questionable with regards to the beginning of the ride, but I doubt anything would work that well when she gets that worked up. She didn't bolt and take off on me so it did keep her in check to a degree

Irideon riding tights

Brooks running shoes

Bare hooves

All in all most things worked out really well. I'm not planning on making any major changes to anything at this time.

Items to Purchase Prior To Next Ride:

Buckets. Lots of buckets for sponge water at the hold.

Large sponges

That's about it!!

Biltmore Gear Preparation

Being a member of ridecamp (email based endurance forum) and the endurance pages on Facebook, I am aware that there are cultural differences in the various regions. Each ride has its own flavor and the amount of excess amenities is dependent on the hard work of the ride manager, but overall each region has its own baseline. In the MW it was fairly basic. Water for horses was available in camp and at some point on the trail. Usually there was a potluck one night for dinner. The rides I went to had the vet in area right smack in the middle of camp. I don't know if it was a real, hard and fast rule or just the culture, but nobody put anything in the vet area. Your camp was just a short walk away and so you would come off the trail, ditch tack and present the horse and then wander to your trailer to stuff your face and allow your horse to binge and nap until it was time to go back out. It worked out super well especially for those without a crew.

I was concerned about how things flowed down here and so I picked S's brain while we rode together last. I am very glad I did!

There is one major differences that I was very happy to know of now and not when I showed up.

• Vet in is a hefty walk from camp and everyone sets up tents and tables and saddle stands and all their gear at a prime spot at the vet in area and only return to the camp at the end.

Good to know since I have neither a tent nor a saddle stand nor am I prepared for this at all.

S has all those things and so the plan is to dump it al into the back of one of our trucks and head over to get a spot. She will set up her tent and allow me to stash what little gear I have under it. My main concern is my saddle and pad. I can make do with placing my groom gear and such on the ground. I have two hay bags I can stuff full for Gem at the hold and four buckets to use for water and grain. But I don't want to put my saddle and pad on the ground in fear that it may break or get hay on it or something.

I slightly panicked, but then did some research and found a great wooden saddle caddy someone made. I begged the hubby to make me one and he said he would, but I knew it wouldn't be in time. Our garage is still full of boxes so he wouldn't even have a work area to build it in. I went online and found numerous sadly racks and caddys and the such. Most were very expensive or incredibly cheap and I didn't want to spend a fortune or waste my money on a stand that looked like it would break. Eventually I found what I was looking for that would serve the purpose.

And then, because I am an advertisers dream, I noticed that if I spent just a tad bit more money I could get free shipping. Never mind that the thing was already costing me oversized surcharges and that I was only paying $10 for shipping. If I spent just $8 more I could get free shipping. Whoever came up with that whole thing is a genius, by the way. I get caught by it every single time.

I looked around the website for anything I could convince myself and the hubby was essential and found another item to add to the cart. Of course it was way more than $8, so instead of saving $2 I spent a crap ton more. I told you, that person is a genius.

I came home last Thursday to find this on my doorstep :)

 

 

 

The top box is my add on item: a trailer jack. T had a flat the first day I rode with her and she used an item similar to this. It allows you to change a flat on your trailer without unhooking it or taking the horses out. All you do is drive the good tire up on it and it lifts the bad tire enough to allow it to  be changed. She had a fancier model, but this will work just fine.

 

 

W trying to figure out how he can play with it

 

The bottom box had my saddle caddy/rack thing. Its not as nice as the pictures made it out to be, but is anything ever? It will serve its purpose.



Front view

Can I play with this, Mom?





Side view

 

The wheels turn well enough. The top bar is to hold the saddle and pad. I will shove my grooming supplies and anything else I might need in the basket. The pink color is god awful. If I find the time between now and Friday morning, I may be tempted to paint it red and black instead.

 

It folds up for storage and is ok to push. It tends to want to collapse on itself for no reason, but maybe that will go away once it is loaded down. I will write a review on it once I get back from using it.

 

 

Other than that I think I am pretty close to being good to go. I need to figure out my electrolytes for Gemmie. I have a plan half formulated. She is getting her massage Thursday. Apparently there will be a farrier, horse massage therapist and human massage therapist on site. I was tempted to use the onsite one for Gem, but I don't want her done right before in case she is sore and I know after I've done my half marathons I was too sore to want anyone touching me.

 



Just Chaps Review

The new Just Chaps neoprene mesh half chaps arrived quicker than I thought with free shipping. Yay! I was really worried the size wouldn't work. I always seem to measure in the calf for one size and in length for another. But I chose to go with a small and hoped it worked.

I got to test them out on Sunday on a shorter than planned trail ride. The material is very soft and super light weight. I was worried that they would be too long especially since my other pair were made so that the outer rim was longer versus the inside. These are the same length all around. But I needn't have worried because they fit just fine for the length.

What I should have done was wear one of the old ones on one leg and the new ones on the other so that I could compare how they felt while I rode. I didn't think of that until I was half way down the trail though. Oh well.

Initial impressions were that they are very soft, light and flexible. The elastic at the bottom that goes over the shoe is the perfect length to fit over my running shoes without being too taut or loose, so that is a big bonus. The shoe end is a little narrow making the stretch over the running shoe a bit tight, but I found that with my old ones as well. They just aren't made to go over the bulk of a running shoe with the laces and all. It did fit though and I was able to button up the bottom as well, so it wasn't an issue. I really like the extra Velcro strap at the top. It allows you to make it slightly more custom fitting since you can make the calf tighter or a little looser depending on how you set the strap. Plus it has the logo on it which is kind of nice. I am really bummed they only are black. It blends too well with my riding tights, but that is a completely cosmetic and useless observation in the end. Other things to note: the zipper moved smoothly, but is plastic. While that is lighter weight, it also isn't the best material. I like metal zippers better. Also, the fake suede inner calf patch is very small and incredibly thin. Not sure what the actual point of it is.

 

 

They did feel pretty tight over all. I think this was a combination of freshly washed riding tights and the fact that they are brand new versus my old ones which have been around since 2009 and are very stretched out. During the ride, my left foot kept falling asleep and I kept feeling something bunched up behind my left knee. I checked and it wasn't the rim of the chap, but was my riding tight which has never happened before. So either I didn't pull them down enough or something with the chap and the tights wasn't working out so hot. Or it could have been that my stirrups for some reason felt short and my leg felt jammed up. I wont say they are causing an issue until it has happened more than once.

 

I was expecting some super refreshingly cool breeze on my calf during the ride since they are mesh and that was the big selling feature. I didn't. They weren't any hotter than my all leather ones, but I don't really think they were any cooler either. This is where wearing one type on each leg would have helped to compare how sweaty and hot my legs were at the end of the ride.

 

At the end of the day, I'm giving these chaps a B+. They were comfortable and light weight and fit really well in length and width. They clasped shut over the running shoe which isn't something all chaps can do. I wasn't noticing any cooling effects, so minus points for that claim.

 

But...overall I am concerned that they won't hold up all that well. They just seem kind of....flimsy for being endurance gear. My Ovation leather half chaps have been on every ride I have ever taken (arena work, jumping, trails, endurance rides, hunter paces etc...) since 2009 and the only wear is to the stitching on the inner calf patch. I highly doubt these will last even half that long, but we will see. Neoprene is pretty tough material, but I'm not super convinced. Time will tell if they were worth the $75 or not. My Ovation ones were $35 in 2009.

 



 



I'm In trouble...

Have I mentioned that I hate malls and shopping? I do. I can't remember the last non baby shopping trip I made. Most of my clothes have been either a Christmas or birthday gift which is great.
What I do love is presents. Shiny, bright presents. Just seeing a box at my door when I get home puts a massive, little girl on Christmas morning style grin on my face. Just ask the hubs. I ravenously tear into packages even when I know it just contains mundane things like supplements. I don't care. If it is a box I must open it. Now.

I recently stumbled upon a website:

www.tackoftheday.com

This site posts two items every day that are relatively super cheap. Usually it is in only one size or an odd color. Mostly these are all out of season or over stocked. All highly discounted.
I've been checking it every few days. It is addicting. Really truly addicting. I really want to snag some winter blankets cheap on there and saw a nice offer today, but it only was available is size 84". Gemmie is a 70 or 72 and Pete is 80. Darn.

But as I shopped online I remembered that I needed new chaps. Mine are horribly falling apart. I can't complain though. I bought them my 3rd year of medical school, so that would be in early winter of 2008. 6 years of pretty hard use out of leather (well suede and kinda sorta leather) non brand name half chaps that cost me somewhere around $30-40. Not too shabby. They are still semi serviceable so they will continue to be used for most conditioning rides to save my new ones.

I've actually done a little research on half chaps. Most people seem to really like the Ariat Terrains but 1) they've been discontinued for a better (read more expensive) newer model and 2) when I tried them on back in 08 they didn't fit. One size was super loose but correct length and the next size was fitted to the calf but too short.

I ran into Just Chaps at the AERC convention and really liked the feel of them. They are a neoprene mesh which should be nice and cool in the summer and prevent rubs. I checked online and there are models I really like. One is the mesh and the other is called an endurance model and is all solid neoprene. Being who I am and attracted to shiny things I immediately gravitated towards the all neoprene because they came in red and black. But then I saw the company is in the UK and international shipping is expensive. Only one place in the states carries them and they only have the black (or awful bright blue) mesh ones. So mesh I got. I'm in between sizes still so I got a small because I just can't believe I could possibly be an extra small.

The red and black solid neoprene version. Aren't they drool worthy?

Showing the mesh. Boring black :(

Since I already had one item in my cart and saw that it was free shipping, I looked around online a bit. I've been wanting a better way to organize my trailer. The tack area is small and so far I've just been using a large black muck bucket to hold all my things. I've been wanting a bag to hang on the inside wall of the door to organize fly spray, Belly balm, brushes etc...to get it off the floor.
I saw this beauty and added it to the cart. I think I may end up needing to return it though. It needs to be secured with screws to the vertical surface. My trailer is aluminum and I doubt there are any support beams in the door. I will wait til it gets here but I'm not super comfy drilling into the trailer door.

The hubs wasn't too pleased with my splurging but actually really needed the chaps as mine are disintegrating. Fingers crossed they actually fit when they arrive.

Posted with Blogsy

Camelbak Review

A hot, muddy, bug filled 15 mile conditioning ride is a perfect trial for any new equipment. While I forgot a lot of things, I did remember to fill and wear my new Camelbak on Sunday for the ride. I filled it mostly all the way up (mostly because I got bored waiting for it to fill) and used the two side pockets but not the larger back storage area. I wore it the entire ride without taking it off until the very end. 

Initial Impressions:

• It was a little heavier than I expected. Not heavy by any means, but with the water being all down at the bottom, it made it seem somehow off balance carrying it. Once I put it on though I didn't notice anything and it settled nicely onto my hips.
• It was really easy to adjust all the straps to fit my waist, shoulders and chest. Each strap could be done with one hand making adjustments on horseback simple.
• The shoulder straps pulled up onto my neck even with the chest strap loosened.
• The two side pockets were roomy and easy to reach. The back one I left empty and would have had no way to get into it without removing the pack.
• The hose was way too long and hung down past my hips when mounted.

Mounting up with it on was just as normal. In fact I actually forgot I was wearing it and just jumped on up. I was a little worried it wouldn't sit right on horseback or would hit me funny when I posted since it isn't made for riding a horse. I don't know if it was because it was made for cycling or what, but it fit just perfectly. Even posting it stayed put and didn't rub.

The drinking hose was way long and came over my right shoulder. Not only did it flop around, but it also required me to hold it with my hand to drink. Not terribly annoying, but more effort than I wanted out of it. There was a little loop on the sternum strap to the left (not sure what it was meant for) and so I ended up taking the hose and running it loosely from the right shoulder to the loop on the left sternum strap. This allowed me to easily drink with no effort and kept it out of the way. The only downside to this set up was that I had to unhook it to take the pack off, but that's not such a big deal.

I stashed my cell phone in the left pocket and my truck keys in the right. There was plenty of room for additional items in both if I had anything to put in there. I did grab my phone a couple of times to check time and grab a picture (which I never took) and it was easy to do even one handed as Gem trotted along.

15 miles later I untacked Gem and took off the pack. I had no rubbing or chafing on my neck from it at all. It was very comfortable and let no marks. I had taken small sips from about the half way point on and when S offered me a bottle of water I wasn't thirsty at all.

End Impressions:

• Nice and light weight. I forgot I even had it on for the majority of the time.
• My neck didn't chafe at all where the shoulder straps were which was great. I had been worried about this.
• Easy to drink from once I rigged up the hose as above
• No bouncing!! With the water bladder being placed around the waist it created a nice comfortable snug fit and no bouncing.
• It was a little hot, but any pack will be hotter than not wearing one. This has padding down either side of the spine allowing for some airflow. I wasn't a sweaty mess and compared to the other pack I wear frequently (W's hiking backpack) it was much cooler.
• The side pcokets were easy to get into and out of and had plenty of room. Probably wouldn't fit a ton of things, but enough for a snack for Gem and I going down the trail plus phone/camera and ride card.
• My shoulders/neck were sore that night and the next day.

I did end up with a massive migraine that night. I think it was due to a few different things. One was the huge tree branch I smacked with my head. It was hard enough to make a noise and snap my neck back a bit.

I am overall very pleased with the pack. I like the side pockets for easy access to small things and having the ability to place nonessentials in the larger main compartment for use when I get off to run or at vet checks is great. I did end up with that migraine and sore shoulders, but I am going to attribute it mainly to the tree branch and also to my bad habit of riding with my shoulders up by my ears which also causes headaches and soreness. If it happens again I will need to re-evaluate.

My only concern with the pack is inherent to any water pack. I took small sips through the entire second half of the ride. I wasn't thirsty and so I figured I was hydrated appropriately. This was not the case and I ended up fairly dehydrated at the end. I blame this on those small sips I took throughout. Basically it gave enough water to shut down the thirst response, but not enough to maintain proper hydration. In the future I will need to make sure I am taking actual drinks and not just small sips. It will take some time to figure out the proper rate of water consumption for me, but I probably only drank 1/4 at most during those 15 miles in the heat and humidity and I think doubling that would have prevented some of the headache that ensued that night.

Also, for the longer events, I think having a spare bladder would be perfect. That way all I would have to do is switch my empty one for a full one at checks instead of waiting to fill up 2 L. Something to add to the wish list.