Shopping List!

Their first ride together.  He is such a good,  honest fella.

One of the other really fun parts of getting a new animal is all the fun new things you need to buy for them!!!  Some of you are far more versed in this subject than I.  I am not inherently a shopper.  But I do love all things tack store.  I'm also not a great bargain shopper because I like to touch and feel all the things before my money disappears.  And usually you can get the best deals on the interwebs which lacks all the touches and feels.  I don't like my money disappearing but I am also one to spend more money on something I know will last and is exactly what I need then on a bunch of things that cost less that I may or may  not actually use.  One reason I love to shop at Rolex is ALL the touches and feels!  They have 10 of everything, all brands, sizes and styles.  So I get to spend hours upon hours getting completely lost in all the things.  Another reason I go on Thursday.  It's like having the biggest most amazing tack store all to yourself for an entire day.  Friday and Saturday are far too busy and I get distracted so those are the days you spend pretending to buy Dubarry's and getting drunk on champagne in the Dubarry tent.  It helps if you have rich friends that will drink enough champagne they will actually by something.  Then the champagne just flows!

Anyways I got lost in a day dream about Rolex for a minute there.  BTW the annual Mecca trip is in T-8 weeks!  Right now we have some things that will hold us over until we can get everything we need.  An old bridle of Steady's, the saddle we use on Lilly.  We may have to run out and buy a bit and girth at the most.  But we are likely to have enough things lying around we can piece together enough tack to get our ride on.  But ultimately we will need all the things.

Bridle
Saddle
Girth
Bits
Boots
Blankets/sheets


Most of these are fun things to look at and purchase and it's nice to be in a place that money really is not an issue and we could go out to Dover and get it all.  But who doesn't like a good deal?  And then there is figuring out sizes, hello draft horse size legs.  Research on what is the best.  And let's not even get into saddle fitting. Yuck, that is the only thing I find dreadful when it comes to shopping for new things.

Anyone out there got any tips on the best sites to check out?

I don't think I will buy a bridle until I find a saddle.  Much easier to find a bridle the fits and matches then the other way around.  Same with a girth.  So it looks like we have to start with the worst part first and find a saddle.  I will check out how Elaina's current saddle fits him and go from there.  That saddle will ultimately be passed on to Macy and Lilly.  Elaina is growing out of it.

Blankets I am pretty much sold on Schneider's.  Steady has had his Medium weight blanket from them for 5 years now and it is still in near perfect condition besides dirty.  We will just need to measure for a blanket.

The other fun thing is boots.  We need to decide what kind we need.  Chances are he will end up with a pair of Majik Equipe XC boots. 

Fun Fun Fun!