Thursday's Threads: shut up I needed them.

Happy outfit day! It snowed here overnight, but fortunately not very much. Maybe an inch if that even. But it's been pretty chilly with highs in the mid twenties (roughly -3 for you celcius types) so the theme today is warmth. I'll start with the riding outfit since that's why you're all really here.

I know what you're all thinking... Yes, more boots. But I have an excuse for this one! This should have been a Truthful Tuesday but I forgot about it (probably to save myself the emotional distress). One of the very cold days recently, I went to zip up my brown Ariat Bromonts. I have the full calf size, cause you know, I have big legs. Well. Apparently, the full calf isn't all that full! As I was pulling on the zipper, it came right off in my hand. So obviously, I needed new winter riding boots. I picked these, and they are amazing in every way. I'll talk more about them when we get to them though. (Also, they were on sale, and I had coupon, and they were way cheaper than retail, so stop judging me so hard!)

Helmet: One K defender snakeskin

Hey, look who remembered to snap a helmet photo! Helmet is looking dirty though, huh?

Top: Herd of Zebras

Kelly over at Hunky Hanoverian did a review on Herd of Zebras recently. I'm guessing she took advantage of the coupon code I used too, as my stuff arrived right around the same time I saw her post on Instagram. Anyway, I had gotten this fluffy wonder using the coupon (which was a good one, I think 20 percent? I can't remember for sure). It is the warmest top I've probably ever owned. I had zero intentions of wearing it to the barn, because good luck getting hair and what not out of that fuzz. But I figured it was cold enough that I would have a coat on the entire time and that worked out as I'd expected.

Belt: Sandy Duftler

I posted the other day that there were Sandy Duftler belts super cheap on Ebay, which you probably saw if you follow Amateur at Large on Facebook. I took full advantage of the good deals, and this is one of the belts I got. It's metallic black and silver, though on my computer screen it's not quite looking that way. I really like it!

Breeches:

These are the RJ Classic Gulf Breeches. I have mixed feelings on them. They totally fall down when I'm not riding. But they're nice to ride in. And I got them super cheap awhile back. I also like that they're not super tight and clingy. Though that may contribute to the falling down issue.

Boots: Tredstep Legacy

Ok first things first, that's faux fur, so don't be upset by the furry lining! So I'm not actually a huge fan of lace up boots. They just seem super busy to me. BUT, the nice thing about laces is that these boots can expand as much as I need them to, so that's a nice feature for my extra full sized calves. After the zipper debacle, I figured I needed all the help I could get. Also, I couldn't find the full calf size on sale anywhere, so I hoped this would allow me to fit into a regular calf. And it did! They were a tiny bit slippery feeling, and the soles are a bit thicker (probably should have lengthened my stirrups a half hole for these), but overall they were really comfy to ride in. No rubbing or digging in anywhere, which is impressive for a new pair of boots. I'll probably put a little Guter Sitz on them next time I ride in them. But most importantly, they were SUPER warm. My toes never froze during my ride last night, and it was only 21 degrees. I also really like that they come up higher in the front than the back. The height was perfect behind my knee, and the front comes up over it a bit for some extra warmth on my knee caps. Much appreciated. That might not happen for you if you're very tall, but I'm actually pretty long from foot to knee (for a short girl) so I think they would definitely work for tall riders too. I got mine on sale over at Stateline for under $300 and I think they're for sure worth the price, assuming they hold up. I don't think I'll ride in them all that often, just when it's very cold. They also come in brown, but they seem to be more expensive, and don't have the fur lining. Those do have thinsulate line though, so I imagine they're equally warm.

Phew! Sorry, I went off on a bit of a tangent there didn't I? Clearly, I'm excited about being warm. Anyway... on to today's outfit which feels sort of out for a hack in Ireland.

I should have just worn breeches, than I wouldn't have to change later...

Sweater: Ariat
Vest: Eddie Bauer

My sweater, which you can only see the sleeves really, is one of the washable Merino sweaters from Ariat. I'm a big fan of these, I have a few different ones. But how fun is this tweed looking vest?! I had popped into the Eddie Bauer outlet to replace my black down jacket (it finally died this weekend after a solid five years of barn abuse) and saw this vest and a matching jacket in the clearance section. 40% off the sale price! yes please! It's actually just a nylon type material printed to look tweed, so it's fine to wear in the elements.

Belt: Ralph Lauren

I've had this upside down kimberwick type belt for AGES. It has an easier to maneuver buckle on the other side, but I do love the bridle type hardware on the side in the photo.

Pants: Kut from the Kloth

I thought khaki's were better than jeans for this outfit. But next time I should totally just wear breeches.

Boots: Ovation

I was never all that into country boots (sorry, I know lots of you love them). But then I saw these and I THOUGHT they were brown with green canvas. Turns out it's more of a gray color. That was a little bit of bummer. But the exciting thing is my heated insoles fit in these. I have these rechargeable heated insoles that are amazing in almost every way, but they make most of my boots too tight because they're pretty thick. They are perfect in these though, so next winter I'll finally get to use them for outdoor activities.

Arm Party!
Lefty:

In keeping with the horsey theme, lefty is donning a leather bracelet with a horse head buckle. Looks like a race horse maybe? I'm not sure on the brand. I got this one second hand awhile back.

Righty:

That cute hunt scene bracelet is from Luca and Danni, and I thought it was SO perfect with today's outfit! The other two are from Swanky Saddle. I have a rein bracelet from there too that goes nicely, but I seem to have misplaced it... Hopefully it turns up soon!

 So that's it for today! Do you have a favorite pair of winter boots? Ever used heated insoles? Let's whine about being cold together in the comments!

What's up Wednesday

It was a relatively quiet week over here. My stepmom was around, so I only rode Wednesday and Friday last week (but I got him back full time after that). It was nice to have a little break and spend some extra time with the boys at home. We've been spending a lot of quality time with the shedding blade.

So SHINY!

Eros seems to be doing well. He's still not 100% but I think we're making progress. I really miss jumping, but I'm so grateful to at least be able to do some cantering now. He's happy too, much less sassy since that apparently seems more like real work to him.

Saturday evening I got to do something out of the norm, and went to watch our semi local minor league hockey team play. Many moons ago, CT actually had one professional sports team. It was a hockey team named the Hartford Whalers. They were bought and moved to one of the Carolinas decades ago, and all we're left with are minor league teams. But we are very nostalgic for those days. Our minor league team is called the Wolfpack but there was a brief time they changed their name to The Whale to try and drum up old interest I guess? I dunno. Anyway, my point is, I got to see the old Whale mascot because it was alumni night. Nice they dug him out from the depths of the storage closet.

The Whale Mascot!

The regular Wolfpack mascot

Hockey is really fun to watch live because it's super fast paced. And also the fighting:

There was only one real brawl at the game, and it was pretty early on. But it was a good one, and right in front of us! Very exciting. Also, it was funny, my very best friend since childhood happened to be at the game too! It was surprising because neither of us regularly attends these games, and we both happened to be there. I saw her post a photo on Facebook and was like, hey! I'm here too!

Other than the norm (grooming, riding) the rest of the weekend was spent trying to make a dent in Mt Laundry and of course snuggling the animals.

I did finally ride in the DeNiro's though, and you guys, I'm in love. They were as comfy out of the box as the Regals are, but like a thousand times more stylish and better quality (hopefully). I was happy to find that I already had Mane Jane spur straps that match pretty closely too.

I've only ridden in them once so far, but I think I'll probably be wearing these pretty often (when it's not precipitating anyway). So I should be able to let you all know about durability in a few months. I won't say they're my favorites because nothing can top these:

But maybe they'll be second favorites. If and when my Parlanti's die, I'll probably get a plain black pair of these for show boots. Depending on how they look broken in. They're very soft, so I'm not sure they'll look crisp enough for the show ring. Time will tell on that.

In other news, I think I may actually end up going to Europe to find a new mount. I need to renew the old passport, but hopefully that won't take too long to arrive. There is a jumper I'm VERY interested in over there. The agent that found Rio for me is representing him, but I kind of doubt he will still be available by the time I can leave the country. If it's meant to be it will though.

Did you have a good weekend? Get lots of horsey time in? Do some showing or lessons?

Truthful Tuesday

It's been a minute since I've confessed anything truly embarrassing to you guys. So I have a funny one today. Remember when I got to ride Big Brad recently outside? Well...
The mounting block in the outdoor ring there isn't all that tall. Bradley is pretty huge. (Close to 18 hands in fact.) There are two troubles with mounting a tall horse when you, yourself, are not tall. First is the obvious. You're not tall. But you know what else is true of not tall riders? Their stirrups are also not long. Thus, you have stubby legs that need to reach up to high stirrups.
Well. I climb myself up on that block and go to put my foot in the stirrup. I can't reach. I'm not sure if my breeches were too tight, or if I've lost all flexibility? Or I'm just too fat to bend my leg enough? I dunno. But I am not reaching that stirrup. I also know Bradley is going to walk off, so I gotta be sure I'm going if I manage to get a toe in there.
FINALLY I manage to get my toe in the stirrup. Just barely. And I grab a chunk of mane and hoist myself up there. Or that was the plan anyway. As I'm hauling my winter-sized bum up onto that brontosaurus, the chunk of mane I grabbed CAME OUT OF HIS NECK. I did manage to climb aboard, but with a handful of loose mane stuck to my fingers. Poor Bradley. Thankfully I didn't leave an actual hole in his mane, but it is a bit thinner down there at the base. I'm gonna need to use a grab strap just to get on him next time. How embarrassing. Note to self: lose weight and go back to yoga!

Has this ever happened to you? Or am I alone in this one?

Thursday's Threads: In Memory of Karl Lagerfeld

Most of you are probably like who the hell is Karl Lagerfeld? And that's understandable. KL was an icon in the fashion world having acted as creative director for both Chanel and Fendi. He's collaborated with numerous other high fashion brands as well. He never actually retired, having continued designing basically right up until his death on Tuesday. He was also a weirdly devoted cat owner to a kitty named Choupette. The cat has his own staff who will be taking care of him, which won't be difficult for them given the cat was willed something like 2 million dollars. Yeah Karl was a weird dude. He was also kind of a dick. I've had this Karl Lagerfeld outfit in the works for awhile, but kind of put it on the back burner after he said some stupid stuff when the Me Too movement was happening. But now that he's passed, I figured it was time.
Now a classy individual would probably dress head to toe in Fendi or Chanel to remember Karl. But I'm not that classy. Nor do I own a single thing from either brand. At least nothing that's authentic... (I do have a knock off Fendi belt! Don't tell Karl.) Without further ado, here is my homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld:

Karl always wore black and white, so I did too for him today. Are you surprised I just plastered his face all over me? Yeah, I didn't think you would be. I actually have Karl face pants too, but they were a bit.... well, I couldn't get them on. Will have to save them for the summer when I drop this winter fluffiness. (Hopefully.) I have a few other KL items anyway, so there will be a second homage to Karl at some point.

Cardigan: Express
T-shirt: Karl Lagerfeld

Yep, Karl's own brand produced that shirt with his likeness all over it. So modest.

Belt: Mane Jane
Buckle: Karl Lagerfeld

Lolz. There he is again. I like that the buckle works with my Mane Jane belts so he can go with anything!

Jeans: True Religion

When my Karl face pants weren't fitting, I decided these black jeans with the heavy white stitching were probably an even better match for the theme. So all worked out fine.

Shoes: Vans

Nope that's not your typical houndstooth. That's karl's profile tiled all over these shoes! This whole outfit just cracks me up. Sorry, not sorry. Feel free to laugh along with me.

Wristlet: Unbranded

I stumbled across this wristlet years ago on Ebay from a sketchy Chinese seller. So it's not branded, but it's hilarious. Obviously, I needed to own it. That's Karl's face complete with his trademark aviators and pony tail.

Arm Party!
Lefty:

I don't own any Karl faced jewerly, nor anything from his brands, so I just went with this bit bracelet since the colors follow the rest of the outfit.

Righty:

I figured I should wear my fanciest bracelet stack since that's the closest thing I have to a high fashion arm party. Plus they're my current favorites.

Rest in Peace Karl. Please stop torturing models in the afterlife.

Ok... now that's we're done with Karl, I have a riding outfit to share too!

Winter clothes are just so flattering aren't they? Whatever, warm and comfy is all I care about.

Baseball hat:  Horseware

Ok, obviously, I didn't ride in a baseball hat (protect your noggins, YO!), but I just got this in my subscription box I get from Stateline and it's my new favorite thing. It has a light in it! AND it came with extra batteries. That's probably the best part. (If you're looking for an equestrian subscription box to try and you're not into the pricey ones like Noelle Floyd or Cavalli Club, check out Stateline's Heart to Horse box. It's usually pretty great, though now and then I get a dud, and it's around $34.) And if you're wondering, I rode in the black One K again.

Sweatshirt: Circuit Style

This isn't the warmest of sweatshirts, but it's super comfy. I layered it with a vest and puffy coat so it was just fine. I love the "Weird Horse Girl" nameplate on the front. I wish they had one that said Crazy Horse Lady. That's my about me on Facebook.

Belt: C4

I declared on Instagram awhile back that I would wear my F-bomb belt whenever the weather was crap this winter. And it was snowing and icing last night when I went to the barn, so here it is again!

Breeches: Horseware

I think the corduroy breeches are warmer than the fleece lined ones I have, so I've been wearing them the most this winter. They are marked down to around $45 dollars, so I had gotten two more pair a little bit ago. Wish they came in more colors, (they come in brown and tan only) but at least they fit with my barn color scheme!

Socks: Dreamers and Schemers

My Fbomb socks were the old style, but Dreamers and Schemers has them back on the site in the new sock style so I grabbed a new pair. Best time to wear them is with the belt, right?


Boots: Regals

Sorry guys, I know you want to see the fun boots. But none of my fun boots are traipsing through ice and snow. Not happening.

Well, that's it for today! Any favorites? Did you know who Karl Lagerfeld was?

What's Up Wednesday

This weekend was actually pretty busy. And it was busy with RIDING HORSES! Can you imagine?! What a treat for me!
My first stop Saturday was to see my old buddy Bradley. You remember him right? My friend's brontosaurus horse that I love so much? Said friend was away for the weekend, so I got to have Big Brad all to myself the whole weekend! The best part was that I was able to coordinate with a very old friend so we could ride together. It was pretty chilly, so we were stuck indoors, but it was a ton of fun.

Bradley's mom has been doing her flat homework,  and it really showed. Bradley was much more willing to accept contact and come round through his back up into the bit. That's HUGE for him. The canter was still a little tough, but the indoor is pretty small, and he is quite large. I was happy with what I got. AND I got to jump that little X you see a few times. I know it's tiny, but it's been so long since I've jumped, it was just right for chicken little (me).
After hanging with Big Brad and friends, I stopped home to feed the old boys lunch and let the pups out. Caught Rio having a snooze:

Then it was off to flat my favorite red head.

He was a good boy as per the norm. I spent a little extra time afterwards grooming since he's shedding. Such a handsome chub he is!

I've been putting the back on track quick wraps on him before and after I ride lately. I'm not sure if they're helping or not, but I figure they can't hurt. He's been feeling better though, so whatever the reason, I'm happy for it.

Then I headed home to work on the elderly shedders at home. Seriously, so much hair coming off those guys! I think they're looking pretty good too... all things considered.

Rio

Rio

Jamp

Jamp

And then I was exhausted and wanted to crawl into a hole for the night, but I had a few errands that needed running. After those, I did finally snuggle up with the pups before bed time.

Sunday was another busy day. I'm not ashamed to admit, I was SORE that morning! Packaging up Big Brad took a lot more of me than lightly flatting little Eros. I was debating how to schedule the day, as I had a brunch to attend at 11. I was thinking about riding Bradley in the morning, but then I found out his barn doesn't open until 10. So that wasn't going to work. I probably should have done Eros in the morning, but instead I did some chores around the house.
One of my book club friends, Ashley (also, sister to Bradley's mom!), hosts a Galentine's brunch every February, and this year it was this past Sunday. It was so lovely to catch up with the ladies over mimosas and a delicious meal.

Ashley blogs about party ideas, and as her friends, we get to experience the ideas first hand. You can check out her party plans over at The Well Dressed Table. This weekend's party isn't up there yet, but you can see last year's, as well as birthday parties and some other events.

After brunching I ran home to change, let the pups out, and feed lunch to Rio and Jamp. Then it was off to do all the riding! I started with Bradley. Since it was later in the day and the sun was out, I was able to ride outside. He was much happier, but I was much more tired, so it wasn't a very long ride. We had fun though, and he was wonderful.

It was late by the time I got to Eros. Almost everyone was gone, but they aren't very particular about when we ride as long as we close up properly when we're done. So that was nice! I took my time tacking up since he was fed at 4. (It was only about 4:20 when I was tacking up.) He had a nice grooming and wore the back on track wraps until it was time to work. They clear all the jumps out of the ring every Sunday so they can give it a really good drag Tuesday morning. I had the whole empty arena to myself, and it was lovely! Eros was a good boy as usual, though he has been a bit spooky at the one end. I blame it on the wind noises whistling over there. It's funny though, he never pulls that stuff with my step mom. He just seems to know who to be careful with. Smart boy.

Dis end scary.

By the time I got home, it was dinner time for Rio and Jamp. I fed them and gave them a quick groom in their stalls while they ate.

It was nice being super busy with ponies this weekend. I've missed that! I mean, the laundry is suffering but whatever. Totally worth it!
My step mom rode Eros yesterday, which worked out nicely because it was my dad's birthday. That freed me up to meet them out for dinner. I get him tonight though, and I'm excited to ride.
Did you guys have a nice weekend? Lots of horsey things happening? Laundry? Fill me in down in the comments!