Are horse owners....................

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Toby_Zaphod

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...........................slaves to fashion?
Why do many horse owners buy equestrian clothing for working around the stables when much of it is way over priced & better, cheaper clothing can be purchased from any outdoor store?. Why do we buy skips from saddlers when we can buy thicker/stronger for a fraction of the price from a builders merchants? Is there pier pressure to ‘waste cash’ on a pink bucket rather than a black or yellow one from a builders which is stronger, will last longer & is much cheaper? Similarly, why buy a pink barrow at £60 when an identical green one will cost £40...... & then moan about how expensive it is to keep a horse & that you can’t afford to go out or buy yourself something new?

Just a few observations......
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I agree!!

I buy all of my yard wear, bar breeches as I can't get them there, from our local farm shop (TFM, for anyone local to me!). They are excellent and everything is sooo much cheaper. I've just paid £28 for a Masta full neck 110g fill stable rug when the cooler alone is something like £50 online! I also buy my winter coats from there - blouson type jacket that would be £90 in tack shop was £25 there, and still going strong 5 years after buying. Also just bought one of those long waterproof waxy jackets to ride in...£30 in TFM and about £100 in tack shop.

Same goes for buckets. They're £5.99 in my local tack shop yet I can get them for 99p in Home Bargains?!
 
Gosh, i'm not fashion concious, I usually end up buying what's the cheapest! However a lot of the time, I buy something due to convenience... my local saddler is just down the road from me, whereas a building merchant is quite a distance!

However, I now buy all things online as it works out so much cheaper (unless they are big builky items of course) and don't particularly care about colours, just the price tag - this is important for the yard. But when I go to competitions I must say I do wear "nice" things
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, such as musto, joules items etc...
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ooops!

I'd never buy something that would put me in a position to not afford the keep of my horse.
 
I know I am quite bad for that!

I think I just get carried away when in a tack shop or something or when looking through joules! Having said that my OH and I are going to cut down drastically and try and shed our credit card debt, so ebay, cheapo hardware stores here we come!!!x
 
I accept that a rider wants to look smart when they compete & much of the clothing etc they need to wear is only available at specialist outlets (tack shops). I'm talking mainly about normal everyday workwear etc around stables. i.e. a pair of cheap jeans £10, so why wear £30+ breeches to muck out in? specially when you're no going to be riding. Even if you are you can always change
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Funny you mention skips being cheaper at a builders merchant... We went into our local builders merchant and he want £14.99 for a large skip - we then went across the road (literally) to the saddlery, where a skip the same size and make cost £9.99.

I looked in the same builders merchant for a wheelbarrow, and was told it was £42.99. I then got a lovely wheelbarrow from the garden centre, bigger and better made for £35.

However, when it came to my massive barrow, the local saddler want £235 for one, whereas the local timber merchant wanted £160.

It pays to shop around, whether following fashion or not.

I spent years buying clothes from primark and local army surplus stores. They were cheap ad brilliant for what I wanted. I bought cheap boots that lasted a few months, weren't overly comfortable but did the job. My OH recently treated me to a new wardrobe, including a pair of Dubarry's and pretty much the entire Ariat range (jackets, shirts, jumpers etc). I have to say after having a pair of Dubarry's I would never go back to one of the look-a-like cheaper alternatives, there is a reason they cost more - they are well made, and I use them for everything, from riding, to working, to going down the pub. My 'branded' clothes last a hell of a lot longer than what I wore previously, fit well and are comfy.
 
No, its just that we often find ourselves in horse shops (buying feed, wormers, over-reach boots, etc), so if we need something like a bucket or some boots we'll buy them rather than make a special trip to a builders shop.
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I never buy those label horsey polo shirts and gillets etc. Most of my "yard wear" is Tesco and M & S.
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I no people that where joddies just to poo pick! personally my self i do have a few "pink items" but the rest of my stuff i usually ask family to donate at xmas and birthdays money i don,t care if its just a few quid it all helps. Last xmas my donations box bought a load of hay just glad they never wrapped them. Girls at work looked sorry for me when i told them what i got for xmas but i was totally happy as i could sleep easy knowing my shed was full and my horses were going to have full bellies.
 
I work for a well known equestrian brand of clothing....if you knew how much they pay for each garment, and sometimes how they are actually made......you'd never pay full price for them again! haha.
 
Iwear a cheap pair of jeans for chores, most of the time i end up riding in them too, along with my wellies
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I get cheap sweatshirts fom Primark and the horse is better dressed than me!
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I totally agree, at home you will never see me in a pair of breeches. I always wear primark trackies or jeans and a cheapy vest tops and fleeces.

The only time i wear expensive breeches is shows and for lessons.

Dad gets all my skips for me for about 70p from a huge store he goes to get stuff for the shops and i don't care what colours they are, wheelbarrows are green from TFM and all feed buckets are black from TFM along with anything else i need.
 
I tend to wear cheaper functionally clothes around the yard and save my branded clothing for smarter occasions (till it becomes tatty and then it gets worn on the yard).

Horse stuff is always more expensive as it is wrongly assumed that everyone with a horse has loads of money (in reality we all have none cos we have a horse!). A prime example is the stuff you put on tails to stop horses itching them- benzoate (or something like that) -expensive if bought in a horse shop or you can go the cheap way and use original listerine mouth wash which is just as good!
 
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...........................slaves to fashion?
Why do many horse owners buy equestrian clothing for working around the stables when much of it is way over priced & better, cheaper clothing can be purchased from any outdoor store?. Why do we buy skips from saddlers when we can buy thicker/stronger for a fraction of the price from a builders merchants? Is there pier pressure to ‘waste cash’ on a pink bucket rather than a black or yellow one from a builders which is stronger, will last longer & is much cheaper? Similarly, why buy a pink barrow at £60 when an identical green one will cost £40...... & then moan about how expensive it is to keep a horse & that you can’t afford to go out or buy yourself something new?

Just a few observations......
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I don't do any of those things!
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I try and keep my jods/breeches for riding - yard work etc is done in cheap combats from Matalan - got 2 pairs in the mens section last year for £2 each!!
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They are big enough to wear over the top of jods etc so are useful for shows to keep clean as well. I'm not bothered about 'fashion' for mucking out - and I never buy Joules etc unless its on the absolute bargain rail at the tack shop/show - and I mean less then a tenner!!
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I work in sales and marketing so just don't buy into the whole brand thing as far as clothes are concerned they are just not a priority.
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I do buy fairly expensive jods because I like them to be comfy and good quality (especially as I am more than a little bit large, so it's worth it to find something that fits nicely!) but I only wear them for riding. For yard work I'll wear cheap Tesco jeans or something, and tops that cost about £1 in Primark or Tesco.
 
I buy jumpers, fleeces, coats on ebay and from outdoor shops. Have normally bought jumpers for about £5 or less on ebay. Bargains.

Only treat myself to something from a horse shop about once a year! Don't see the point. the only stuff that has really come from there is my show gear.

It's so expensive and keeping a horse isn't exactly cheap at the best of times so I don't waste money on the horsey fashions. I admit, I like to look smart at the yard especially if I have a lesson, for a clinic or something so then I would have a smart pair of jods on with a nice top, but for mucking out and general yard duties I'm in the same jumpers and fleeces etc as I was 5 years ago!
 
I don't buy anything brand new or a big brand... I will get it in the sales though. Mostly stick to joddies off equestrian clearance (and the reallllyyyy cheap ones a £10 from surrey equestrian) and normally get tops from Primark.

Will prob spend more on the horsey though and her fashion
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But try not to go overboard and spend tooo much!!

I have been know to ride in my smart office clothes as well though when i can't be bothered to get changed!!
 
I'm on full livery so don't really do much yard work but if I'm with the horse then I'm in my breeches or johpurs, I go for mid range pairs that then last me on average 3 years so I can't see how thats not sensible.
I like to keep my jeans nice fo going out again not designer ones just next ones but keeping then non horsey means they stay nice for a year or two as well.
The thing with buckets is the cheaper ones are often not as soft and rubbery and they get borken and smashed so quickly then.
So theres the counter argument that cheapest isn't always best, sometime more expensive and more durable is the way to go?
 
I only have one "brand name" top for riding and it's KP which cost me under £10 from eBay
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I only wear jods and boots with gaiters for riding. If I'm only mucking out, I wear cheap jeans, hoody and muckers with legwarmers
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ETA - I only own three pairs of jods, not counting my pure white ones which I refuse to wear because I *know* they'll be filthy in no time
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Sadly...you have just described me
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I wear joules breeches and tops to ride in, have branded jackets/woolly hats etc......named wellies and long boots.

Horses have branded rugs/headcollars etc etc....

I do muck out in jeans...and branded polo tops/fleeces...

My daughter has joules tops and named jods/boots/BP......

My argument is that I spend a large amount of time dressed in this attire so I buy what I like the look of and frankly...most of the more pricey stuff has lasted me much longer than the cheaper versions. I don't really go out much so I spend very little on 'going-out gear' ....I just have horse stuff and work wear.....sad or what?

It may be a bit OTT for just hacking/schooling but I can afford it, I work hard to pay for it.

PS ...I also have pink buckets
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fwiw i've found that 99p buckets from B&Q are rubbish, the moment the weather goes cold they go brittle and break. so, i buy judiciously...!
i've got a few ski jackets from TKMaxx but tbh they aren't great for riding in, without side vents they are too tight on the hips when in the saddle, good for yard work though.
Lands End is very good for short-sleeved shirts for the yard, i get them for £9.50 in the sale, when the ones at the Saddlery are about £30.
i think most horsey people get wise to saving money where they can!
 
Im deffo not a slave to fashion despite being a dressage rider.
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In fact when im out training i feel a total frump most of the time. No make that all of the time!!
I would love some of the expensive breeches for training in, but i just can't afford them or justify the cost when i have 3 horses to keep in the lap of luxury
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I don't buy any horsey tops apart from some Joules one's in the sale.
I normally buy my yard wear tops from places like sainsbury's when they have a sale. It's a good way to get very cheap T-shirts for summer & jumpers for winter wear. I buy fleeces & things like that when the sale at Next is on & they look just as good as the pikuer one's in fit & style.
I do however have a few gillets that are horsey one's but again where on sale lol.

I don't tend to buy skips, buckets i normally pick up from the local market for a fraction of the price. My barrow was bought from an agri merchant & it's huge & brilliant when full i can't move it lol.

The only things i do spend money on really is my Horsey footwear & good horsey jackets. I hate being cold.
 
Other than jods, which are always the cheapest ones I can find, two joules tops, which were presents, and a few fleeces which either come from Primark (in the days before Primark became cool) or Tesco, all my riding clothes are things that have got too tatty to wear for anything else, including my OH's old t-shirts, normally with Dangermouse, The A-team or the Wacky Races on them and a waterproof coat I had as part of my uniform in a previous job!

I never wear jods unless I'm riding. I've been known to tunr the horses out in my pyjamas. I have a pair of hunter wellies but only because they're the ones that fit me best and my riding boots are Harry Hall leather ones - again nothing to do with the name, I just liked them and they were relatively cheap (in the sale). I certainly wouldn't buy a pink wheelbarrow or any other colour - unless it was just as well built and cheaper than a 'normal' one!

ETA - I think a big part of the horsey clothes thing is that there are a lot more shops like Countrywide around now and people make impulse purchases. Before you would go to a feed merchant who might also sell a shavings fork or a wheelbarrow, but rarely have such a wide range of clothes available. Internet sites also make it much easier to buy things that before you would have to go to your local tack shop for, where there would be a limited choice.
 
Same as you poppymoo. I don't mind paying a lot of money for musto etc as it lasts a very long time and still looks good. I have a pair of musto waterproof riding trousers that i have had for nearly 10 years, they still look like brand new and still do not leak!
 
I have a nice big field for my 4 horses so no-one ever sees me unless i meet up to go riding! in the field for poo-picking i normally wear old jeans and hunters or my old trusty timberland boots depending on the weather. I have dublin riding boots which did cost abit but then i only ride in them and expect a while out of them. I have 2 waterproof ski-ing jackets for winter and a few fleece tops from primark. My jods are from TFM (another lover!) and they are surprisingly cheap at 12 per pair. I wear them only for riding in. Most of my horses things are from ebay and my pony wears a 99p ebay bridle and a cub saddle with all accessories cost me £4o from ebay too.
I noticed in TFM they had some lovely stripey shires tops for £14, i may treat myself on payday!
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All my buckets are skips from robinsons, the rubber blue ones they where 12 for 3 and they hold alot of water, my wheely is from tfm to and my skip from robinsons
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headcollars, leadropes, grooming tools all from TFM and i have a lovely big toolbox i got from aldi to put my brushes in
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I have a few pairs of trackies that i wear for mucking out and old hoodies that have been relegated to stables wear. I only wear my jods when i'm riding or on weekends but i must admit i am partial to the odd joules/toggi/tottie etc item. I like to treat myself when i go to an agricultural show and i buy the stuff purely because i like it, not because of the names. I dont wear them just to muck out in but usually wear them on a weekend or if i'm going to a horsey event that i dont want to look a complete scruff at if i had my trackies on. I always buy a horsey make winter jacket as i find that they are warmest and easier to ride in and i tend to go for horsey make boots too. I dont spend a fortune and love a good bargain which is why i often buy stuff at ag shows where theres usually show offers. Joules do really good sales online too if you get in there quick!
As for my neds i do get a bit obsessive about having colour co-ordinated rugs and headcollars although i dont go for pink, just like them to look smart! I dont mind what make they are as long as they are good quality. I work hard so like to spend my money on them cos they deserve it!
 
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I work for a well known equestrian brand of clothing....if you knew how much they pay for each garment, and sometimes how they are actually made......you'd never pay full price for them again! haha.

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Absolutely. I never wear fashion items, I'm not a band snob, just cheap and cheerful for me, and mostly last ages too. I'm wearing a cheap 14 year old t-shirt, still looks good.
 
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