What I got, what I want and then there is what really ends up happening.

First what I got.  So with my first call from the school for 3 days of substituting I figured what better way to celebrate going back to work after nearly a decade then to spend all the money (and a bit extra) before I even get it?!  Great logic, right?  My husband has become a patient man over the years to my ways.  So yesterday I got to experience that extreme joy when you see "the box" on your doorstep that some of you, not going to mention any names SB, get to experience on a very regular basis.  My daughter and I share the same obsession and we tore open the box like Christmas morning and rummaged through all the goodies.  This can all be blamed on Sabrina at WeanieEventer.  She posted about the sale at Horze(my husband gets a kick out of their name choice).  50% off of everything and free shipping?!!  How can a girl pass that up.  I am by no means a tack whore nor a brand slave.  I am more of an affordable, functional yet not a piece of crap kinda gal.  I had never purchased anything from this company nor seen their items first hand but I figured for the prices it was worth the gamble and they had free return shipping too!  Here is what we found when we opened the box.
Horze sporty tall boots  I only paid $50 for them.  Oh and a boot bag came free with the purchase of a pair of boots!!  I have never owned one of those and now I can feel all cool and stuff.  I am an everyday tall boot and breeches kinda girl.  Don't know why, I just like it that way.  Probably has most to do with growing up in a Hunter/Jumper barn.  That is what we did.  I am most comfortable riding that way.  My tall boots have paid the price for it.  They are in much rougher shape because of it.  I just had them repaired and I would like them to last at least another year.  These will be my schooling at home/barn boots.  They are perfect with a fluffy pair of winter socks or even two just the way I wanted them, YAY for not freezing toes in the winter!!!Ones I won't be concerned if I go from Steady's back to mucking stalls to tromping through mud which happens on a daily basis around here.  They are synthetic and not super fancy boots but they are cute enough and they will do just what I wanted them to do.
French Link Pelham  I only paid $20.47.  Now that I know Steady goes well in a pelham I figured it was time I got my own and returned the borrowed one.
Venice Breastplate/running martingale I paid $40.97.  I liked this version because first off it is black.  It is hard to find black tack in an item you actually like in the USA.  Black is much more common in Europe but everyone is brown folk here.  So I snatched this up because it was the style I wanted with the martingale attachment that just easily clips on and off and it was black, WIN!  What I noticed and you will if you spend any time on this site is that their descriptions are lacking.  I was afraid that was because their quality and makes were lacking.  In receiving the items I realized that no, they just need to hire someone new to write their descriptions.  The Breastplate was much nicer than the description gave credit for.  It is a nice supple leather(not the best ever but nice and soft) and it was padded on the part that goes over the neck and the whole piece that goes on the chest and between the front legs and attaches to the girth(sorry don't know the technical names) and has a few inches of elastic at the top on both sides for a comfortable fit.  I have yet to put it on Steady but I am really happy with the quality and appearance and for $40, that's a great price!
Horze Stirrup Leathers  I paid $22.50 in brown.  These are for my daughter.  Though I need some she needs them more.  If I showed you the ones she is riding in that are probably 20 years old you would all surely drag me to the center of town and stone me to death.  They were real bad and I rode in them when I was not much bigger than her, yikes!  They are nice soft and and reinforced and light years better than what she was using.
The rest of the items were small miscellaneous items like, two slow feeder hay nets $6.47 each, a 3 blanket rack $7.97, 5 winch snaps $.82 each am I the only one that uses these things for everything?  I never have enough, 3 bridle racks $3.00 each.  All a steal of a bargain and good quality!

Just like Christmas!

I want to do a quick review on my winter blanket I purchased last year.  It seems some are shopping for/purchasing winter blankets now and I have LOVED Steady's from Schneider Saddlery we have the medium weight royal blue.  It looks brand new and though we did have a mild winter and Steady is easier on blankets than some it is still very well made and crazy affordable and kept him dry and cozy last winter.  They are offering %50 off of neck cover with the purchase of a blanket right now too!  Wish that was going on when I bought mine last year.  I will be purchasing the neck cover soon.

What I want:  The great news is that Steady is now happily sound!  There were no complications with the metal in the hoof thing.  I attempted to have my first ride on him on Saturday but he just didn't feel right yet.  The Vet said 2 weeks and that was about 4 days early but I thought I would try.  The ride only last 20 minutes before I could see he was NOT happy and I just let him be.  I will be back out there today(hopefully).  He appears to be moving better so I think we should be in the clear and now if he gets pissy I will push him through it.  But what I really want is for him to have not had the last month and a half off because of issue after issue when we shoulda, coulda, woulda been out there hitting it.  Getting ready to have a fabulous October.  I want to be riding Novice in CAF Horse Trials in a week and a half not volunteering(though volunteering is great fun and I think essential to being being a well rounded Eventer) but we are just now getting back to work.  I cannot complain too much, I set some lofty goals that I thought they might have been high yet achievable and I have met all but one of them.  The one I am lacking is ending the season at a Novice schooling show.  If I can get our butts in gear that can still happen, just not when and where I had wanted to. I am now shooting for the Novice derby at CAF in November.  I have been lacking that get up and go since it feels as if the season has ended before it began but I have challenged myself and Amy over at Moose on the Loose who is feeling quite the same way I am right now, to meet me there in Nov.  Come on Steady (and Moose!) let's get this!!!

There is also some possible really fun and exciting stuff for me(sorry Steady you are going to have to sit this one out) in the next few days.  But I will post about that after it actually happens, but I am SO excited, it is something I have always wanted to do!