Update: Tuffrider Regal vs. Parlanti

You all may remember this post from a little bit ago in which I showed you two brand new pairs of boots. I showed you all the similarities and differences in that post and basically concluded that they were both awesome in their own way. But what I hadn't done was actually RIDE in them. Well friends, I have ridden in both, and thought I'd tell you about them!
I am really embarrassed that I'm showing you dirty boots. There's just been no time for boot cleaning. Plus I wanted to show you worn boots. And worn boots get dirty.
Parlantis: 
Size: 36XLH (or size 6, extra tall, extra wide)
I've ridden in them about 10 times so far. And let me tell you. They require some serious breaking in! Or maybe I need to lose some lbs... Either way, they have not yet reached comfortable status. NOT. AT. ALL. They do, however, look amazing. Here are some photos:

I think the problem is primarily my cankles... They just don't fit all that well in that tiny ankle on this boot! But they're getting better and have gotten more tolerable with every ride. Discomfort aside, these boots are gorgeous. I do like the snug fit, and the foot fits perfectly too.

Regals:
Size: 6 regular
So you pretty much just put these on and go ride.
I've ridden in them three times. That's it. And they're soft like butter and have literally ZERO break in time. None! So comfy. Like wearing slippers. Tall, leather slippers. Also, the inner panel is textured and really grippy. My very first ride in them was on Ducky and he was feeling a bit sassy. He spooked and ran sideways, but with these boots on, I just stuck like glue. GLUE!
There are some negatives to mention though. They are not as pretty. It's obvious that the leather is lower quality and the boots are just a little... well... less (for lack of a better adjective). I also find the heel and foot to be a bit loose. Perhaps a half size smaller would have been better. I wear spurs though, and that seems to snug them up. Here are some Regal shots:

My takeaway? It hasn't changed much. I still think the Parlanti's are the better show boot. I think they'll hold up longer and they are more attractive. That said, I'd much prefer to actually ride in the Regal's. They are just so comfortable, it kind of outweighs the aesthetics. Plus, they're 1/3 the price.
My first show of the season is approaching frighteningly quickly, and I'm not yet sure which boots I'll wear. I may just wear my old ones... We'll have to see!

What do you think? What do you ride in? Let me know your opinion in the comments!

Thursdays Threads

Happy Thursday! It's time for another edition of Thursday's Threads! My favorite post! Woohoo!
We'll start with my riding outfit from last night:

I kept it simple with a solid polo and tan breeches. Let's look closer!
Top: Express

This polo shirt is REALLY OLD! I also have it in navy. They're from Express and I love that they are longer than normal polo shirts. Thus, they stay tucked in. No matter the rise on  your breeches!

Belt: Gucci

I think I showed this one to you last week too. Simple, leather, classic.

Breeches: Ariat

These are older also. They don't have the Euro seat that is popular today for breeches, but for schooling at home I don't really care about that. These are very comfy, and I kind of wish I had more of them.

Boots: Parlanti

Slowly but surely getting these babies broken in! I really want to show in them at Saratoga, but some days they make my feet fall asleep... (Someone needs to lose a few lbs... <<sigh>>)
Jampy wanted to share his outfit too:
Saddle pad: Lettia baby pad
Half pad: Mae Equestrian
Saddle: Hermes Essentielle

 Bridle: Da Vinci

Ok now on to today! I met up with Vanessa this morning for our run. I've been avoiding shorts due to an unfortunate chaffing incident on my 10 miler... But this morning was pretty warm and VERY humid, so I decided to take my chances.

It's always a good idea to wear bright colors for your morning run! Those half asleep drivers need to see you!
Top: Nike

 I like these tanks. They're very light weight but not see through. Even when I sweat like a man.
Shorts: Hind

I really love the 2-in-1 shorts as I've mentioned before. The inner shorts on this particular pair is a little looser than I like, and they tend to ride up a bit, but they're not awful. Better for shorter runs though.
I won't bore you with my sneakers since you've seen them a million times by now. We'll move on to my work outfit!

Springy and flowy today! I was in the mood to wear some pink. It's kind of overcast today, so the day needs a little brightening.

Top: Max Studio

I lean more toward preppy than bohemian generally... but I love this top! It's simple, yet pretty, and works well with my loud colored pants.

Pants: Vintage Havana

Not a great shot is it? I was trying to show you the tan colored stitching on these, but I think I failed at that. You'll have to take my word that it's there! These jeans are pretty fab. They have just the right amount of stretch and the color is fun!

Shoes: Sperry Top Sider

Um... I accidentally bought more Sperry's... Rue La La was having a shoe sale. It happens. How do you NOT buy sequin covered boat shoes? Especially when they're pink, silver, AND gold? No really, how? Because clearly I need an intervention.

Arm party:
Left:

Ok so last week I said all my jewelry is fake. That's not entirely true. MOST of it is but not all. This gorgeous leather wrap bracelet was a gift from my dad and stepmom and it is the real deal straight from Hermes in NYC. I love it so much! My trusty watch was left to me in a will, so that bad boy also is real. The little bangle however is costume.

Right:

These on the other hand (literally and figuratively... I'm so punny!) are inspired designs I found on Ebay. I thought the glitter bangle was perfect with my new Sperry's!

So those are all my outfits today. What are you wearing? What's your favorite from today's assortment?

What's Up Wednesday!?

Is it weird that I'm already starting to panic that the summer is flying by? Slow down time! I really think we need to have a little chat with Momma Nature about this 10 month long winter and 2 month long summer. I'm not ok with the ratio. But thankfully, it's hot and sunny and amazing out right now!
Let's see what's been up this past week!
-Horses:
I had such a great week with the four leggeds! I had a lesson with Jampy on Thursday. We kept the jumps low since he's not all that fit. But he was great! I jumped him on my own on Sunday also, and put the fences up a little finally. I had the out of the combination at 3' and the single jumps at 2'6". This week we'll have to start jumping 3' courses. Saratoga is approaching quickly!

I ordered some new jumps finally, and I can't wait for them to arrive! I want to build the rest of my course. I think they said about 3 weeks.... Ugh. I hate waiting.
Ducky has been SO GOOD this week! He's finally really relaxing and wanting to work. He still gets a little spooky, but it's over quickly now and doesn't carry through the entire ride. Last night I even rode him in an English bridle! He's been in the western one since last year, so this is a big step! I used an elevator bit (it has long sides where the reins attach for extra leverage) because I figured it's similar to the western bit, but a little softer. Baby steps!

Rio is always perfect, so that's nothing new! Below are some photos of him being handsome, and the other boys from this week.

-Running:
Vanessa and I wound up getting our 3 miles done on Thursday. Yay us! It was a weirdly cold morning, just in the 40's. But we bundled up and got it done! We also met on Sunday for a longish run. Unfortunately, we went at the worst time. It was hot. So HOT. And humid. Ugh. We struggled, but we got five miles in! I know a lot of runners have trouble with the taper.... Not me! I'm like yeah! SHORT RUNS!!! Woohoo! But I gotta tell you, that five was way harder than my 12 last week. Thank goodness for great company! My Tuesday run couldn't happen because I needed to bring my trailer in for service before work.  I WILL RUN TWICE THIS WEEK THOUGH! I have to. My half marathon is THIS SUNDAY! That's only 4 days away. Number 6 in four days. Yikes. Let's just hope I can keep it under two and a half hours.

post run relaxing with P

-Pugs:
They live the life. Lots of sleeping, a little walking, some playing... Here they are enjoying the sunshine:

-Other Stuff
Friday I got to see my boys play some baseball! I'm a big Yankee fan and love going to the Bronx to see them play. Also the eating... I have a full list of things I need to shove in my pie hole while at The Stadium. Thankfully I have friends to share with or I'd leave there 10 lbs heavier at least. It was a chilly night, and they LOST, but still a ton of fun!

It was a family filled long weekend too! Saturday evening we celebrated my mom's birthday (it was on Thursday) with a cookout. We had a lot of fun, but I didn't think to take any photos. Sorry! Monday my dad cooked for us and some of the neighbors. Needless to say, I spent the long weekend with food in my face pretty much the entire time. Sign of a good weekend my friends!

That's what's up with me this Wednesday! What's up with you? Did you have a nice long weekend? Attend any parades or bbq's? Get your runs in? Horse shows? Tell me all about it!

Truthful Tuesday

I has the jealousy. That's my confession today. More specifically, I'm jealous of all you bloggers out there that have someone to take photos! I need to bribe someone to come take pictures while I ride one day. Honestly posting photos of my horses grazing and rolling is adorable and all... but I want some riding photos! Especially of Ducky. As I have only one. And it's blurry. And two years old.

Photo Credit to Katie Arruda from Katie Wanders

Cute though, right?!
Any of you live near me? Wanna come out and play? Please? Anyone? Bueller?

Influenster Bella Vox Box Review

Influenster picked me to test out some items in the Bella Vox Box! Though I received these items for free, opinions are all my own. This box was a fun mix of products. I like that Influenster fills their boxes with different types of products and not solely beauty items.
Wanna see what was inside?? I know you do!

Rimmel Kate Mascara

 Kate Moss teamed up with Rimmel London to create a line of beauty products. We got to try out the Scandaleyes mascara and also a lipstick. I rarely wear black mascara because my lashes are a little out of control. They look best with brown. But that said, this is a nice mascara, not clumpy, and applied nicely.

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick:

 Though my photo is dark, you'll have to trust me, this is RED. I'm not sure I can really pull of the red lipstick look, but again I like the product itself. It's not sticky, and applies nicely. I can't speak for longevity as I didn't leave it on for long.

Not Your Mother's Deja Vu-Do Style Extender:

 I like this. I like it a lot. It's a cream not a powder, so I don't feel like I'm putting dandruff in my hair. And it smells great too!

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

 Admittedly, I probably won't actually try this. My legs are rarely allowed out in the wild so I don't have much need for a self tanner. Or maybe I desperately need it for my ghost white legs? I'm not sure. Either way, not a product for me, but I'm sure for those who do worry about having tan legs without the skin cancer risk, I bet it's a great product! I am, in general, a big fan of Sally Hansen.

Ecotools Mattifying Finish Brush:

 THIS I'm excited about! I have a shortage of large brushes, so this was exactly what I need!I really like the Ecotools brushes (I've recieved them before in other boxes) and this one is no exception. It's very soft and does not yet shed everywhere like some brushes can do.

Dove Chocolate Covered Blueberries:

Obviously, I've saved the best for last. These are SO DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!! I wish the box was filled with them. No really. I'm gonna have to go buy many more bags. You might want to also. I mean, the candy and the fruit cancel each other out. So it's like you didn't even eat them, right?

What do you think of my Bella Vox Box items? Have you used any of these products? Thinking of trying them out? Let me know in the comments!