Zeddy's Tack Closet

Today I'm excited to review a product from one of my all-time favorite brands:  Aztec Diamond Equestrian . You may have noticed a few of their products from photos in my previous posts, including their mesh insert fly veil that is the topic of today's post. In Southern California if it's not the flies it's the wind and dust flying around irritating The Pony's sensitive ears. I've tried several fly veils in the past. Yes, they are serviceable and help The Pony focus on her work rather than whatever is in or around her ears making her life hard. However, The Pony has mule ears that in some styles of ear bonnet make her big 'ol ears bend to fit into. Some styles where the ears fit well the front part is much too long and comes down too close over her eyes as her face below the ears is pony/cob size. Added to these fit issues, she sweats a lot year round and soaks most ear veils. Eww. When I discovered Aztec Diamond Equestrian (ADE), a British company, las...

My helmet is the most important piece of equipment I choose to wear. It gives me piece of mind, and my loved ones as well, that if I fall and bang my head in an unplanned dismount the damage will be mitigated by an ASTM/SEI approved helmet. I replace my helmets every time I fall off a horse and hit my head (has only happened once--knock on wood), or every 5 years since the specialized material in them can deteriorate over time. When the 5 year replacement clock ran out over a year ago on my previous helmet, I tried almost every helmet in stock at  Riding Warehouse  in San Luis Obispo, which is a not too far away drive for me. For my head shape and size, which is admittedly awkward, nothing fit more securely and comfortably than the  One K Defender Series Helmet  Matte. I bought my first One K Defender helmet in navy, and a second 9 months later in black for dressage and schooling. If I buy a second of anything, it for sure means I love everything about it. C...

One of my favorite things about riding is finding training and equipment solutions to our little bumps in the road. Most of the time it's a long process of incrementally improving our riding and communication with our horse. Once in a great while, however, we find a piece of equipment that makes our partners' jobs easier. One product that I discovered and have been using unconventionally is the Equifit T-Foam Curb Chain Cover. While The Pony and I love love love her Micklem bridles, the underside of the noseband does not have any padding. Since The Pony is rather sensitive on her face (many horses are), I wanted to make this part of the bridle more comfortable for her since even when adjusted correctly I didn't like the way the edges of the leather were rigid against her chin. I started searching for ways to pad the underside of the nose band. Vet wrap looked tacky, got dirty easily, and had to be replaced regularly. I also did not want to show with vet wrap on my bridl...

We are gearing up for the 2018 show season with clinics clinics clinics! Learning from specialists and from eventers is such a privilege in a clinic setting. Since late September The Pony and I have done 4 clinics so far, and plan on another dressage clinic at the end of January with Donna Weinburg at our trainer's barn. These clinics are invaluable in setting us up for success this upcoming season. Doing more homework over the winter was a major missing ingredient last year when my work schedule at a previous job did not allow for such gallivanting. Now that I have the time and the means, The Pony has quite the busy schedule and we are both having a blast. We went back to the basics and did not one but two dressage clinics with  Michael Lieberg  in the fall of last year at my eventing friend's facility. After a failed attempt to move up to Training last August The Pony and I needed more adjustability, confidence, and trust in one another. Michael quickly pointed out a...

Happy New Year! I'm terribly excited for the 2018 show season. Now that the first horse trials in Area VI are right around the corner, I'm busying myself putting together The Pony's 2018 show schedule, traveling around the state for cross country schooling, and organizing my show gear. Comfortable, functional, and easy to clean show gear is a must for me. When I began eventing a little over 2 years ago, it was a bit daunting to acquire three sets of attire and gear for each phase of competition. For around a year I wore a used jacket for shows that I got on the cheap. Once the color starting noticeably fading, I knew it was time to invest in a new show coat. Can Haz New Coat? This show coat needed replacing after the color became faded.  PC:  Marcus Greene Outdoor Photography Since the last time I bought a show coat, classy and easy to care for machine washable coats had hit the market. On a trip to  Riding Warehouse in San Luis Obispo, CA the Kerrits Co...

Happy Holidays!!! 🎄🎅 Today the discussion is going to feature one of The Pony's favorite pieces of equipment: The Rambo Micklem Competition Bridle Taking a Break on a Winter Conditioning Ride with her Rambo Micklem Competition Bridle  The Pony has very good reasons to love her chosen bridle style... When The Pony was first under saddle 4 years ago, we used a conventional bridle for nearly a year. I rode 3 to 4 times a week as my grad student schedule allowed, and The Pony was slowly learning about leg after having been a driving pony many years ago (this whole leg acceptance thing is still an ongoing process). From our first rides together she more or less accepted the bit. She's apparently always been somewhat fussy in her mouth--very similar to a green horse. Her breeder & owner told me that was usual for The Pony from her experience driving her. We were having fun, and I was riding regularly after almost a decade of sporadic riding. The Pony seemed to en...