How do you choose companies to spend your money with?

[CanteringCarrot]

I have exactly zero interest in their rugs. Mostly because I'm fine with other brands already out there. I also have quite a few Lemieux pads and two sets of boots and have noticed the quality deteriorate.

I've basically lost interest in the company.

Eskadrons new colors also feature a nice maroon and yellow (plus navy and gray). I'm not a huge Eskadron fan, but there are options aside from LeMieux out there.

 

[TPO]

I know you were being coy but t's just a weatherbeeta surely?! madness.

Horseware I'd have said?

The stable rugs and insulators look like direct copies of horseware liners and Amigo stable rugs.

The turnout rugs have the 3 belly straps like horseware and they are using the name "storm-tek" for the range when Shires have a "storm" prefix for one of their top end range.

 

[jnb]

I wonder what Horseware have to say about this? It is the most blatant copy ever (I personally wouldn't touch either brand for my cob as anything with no shoulder pleats just doesn't work for him).
They're not even any cheaper! I would imagine Horseware are taking legal action.

 

[TPO]

Horseware are certainly bigger and established enough to take on copyright infringement I would have thought?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I won't buy from companies with a bad reputation. I'm not into all this matchy matchy nonsense so I don't have numerous saddle pads in every shade of blue imaginable etc. But seeing companies rip off others puts me right off too. So I will now add LM on to the list of companies I won't buy from. Not that I ever did anyway but still! They have lost any potential future custom from me.

 

[TPO]

People commented on the LM Instagram account how like Horseware they are and calling them.out over Crafty Ponies. Funnily enough those comments are all being deleted!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Horseware I'd have said?

Yes, now you've said it! I just saw the colour and leg cut and thought Weatherbeeta. My bad!
No surprises re: the censorship. I bought a few of their saddle pads as the high wither fit my boy well, but when I am back into horses I certainly won't be buying anything from them.

 

[PurBee]

Amazon does the same thing to small amazon business sellers - amazon have bots tracking ‘popular purchases’ and they then stock similar product and under-cut a seller on their platform - who, dont forget, pays amazon generous fees anyway.
However amazon can make vastly more profit by selling it themselves.

Barsty Narstards.

Sharky business ethics..yeuch!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Amazon does the same thing to small amazon business sellers - amazon have bots tracking ‘popular purchases’ and they then stock similar product and under-cut a seller on their platform - who, dont forget, pays amazon generous fees anyway.
However amazon can make vastly more profit by selling it themselves.

Barsty Narstards.

Sharky business ethics..yeuch!

Completely agree with what you're saying, however the main (I would say only, as they're rarely the cheapest) selling point with Amazon is the immediacy of which they are able to deliver, and no other company or going direct to smaller seller will be able to compete. Economies of scale is the only thing laying in their favour.

I know so many people who resell on there, and they just buy cheap sh*te from a Chinese wholesaler and mark it up 10x and then put it on Amazon - people flock to it because they can have it same day or next day.

Hopefully there can be some comeback with Le Miuex though as it's no real skin off anyone's nose to buy from a competitor, there are those who are cheaper, those with similar designs, those with equal/better quality...

 

[southerncomfort]

My only problem with buying from small start up businesses is how do you tell them apart from scammers if their are no reviews to refer to?

I keep thinking about the woman who started a business making those full body suit things for horses. Their was a VERY long thread on here about her. She just kept changing the company name to lose the bad reviews.

So I do tend to stick with companies I know and trust, and that does include some smaller companies where I've had a word of mouth recommendation.

I've never bought a LM pad so I don't think they'll notice me boycotting them. ?

 

[McFluff]

I tend to get ideas for products that I need want from here. I then have a wee look at the company online and if it looks good I’ll buy. I like innovative products and things built to last. I keep things till they fall apart, so I need to really like them. I also tend to stick with the original version of something. I don’t like the impact of cheap copies. It isn’t sustainable, research and development costs money, as does producing products to a good standard (ideally in UK) so those companies that do it well earn my support.
My ancient grooming bag that I use for shows is falling apart, and I’m rather liking the look of those someh bags… (thankfully the one I really like is out of stock on the uk websites!).
I used to buy from horsehealth. When they were new and had a different range (I still have one of their original wool pads, which must be years old now). The new and copied products just don’t float my boat at all.

 

[Pippity]

I'm someone who has a fair amount of LeMieux, because they fit my horse and saddle well, and I've accidentally fallen hard into matchy-matchy land. I'm now looking for alternatives. Who do people recommend? I'd want saddle cloth, ears and hat silk, and ideally overreach boots.

 

[TPO]

I'm someone who has a fair amount of LeMieux, because they fit my horse and saddle well, and I've accidentally fallen hard into matchy-matchy land. I'm now looking for alternatives. Who do people recommend? I'd want saddle cloth, ears and hat silk, and ideally overreach boots.

Weatherbeeta and Woof Wear are doing matchy and I think that includes boots.

I have a weatherbeeta saddle pad and it washes up great, fits well and no rubs etc

I've looked at Woof Wear pads and they feel the same kind of quality.

 

[Pippity]

Weatherbeeta and Woof Wear are doing matchy and I think that includes boots.

I have a weatherbeeta saddle pad and it washes up great, fits well and no rubs etc

I've looked at Woof Wear pads and they feel the same kind of quality.

Weatherbeeta don't do hat silks and, sadly, Woof Wear don't fit my saddle. The wither is too high, so either the girth doesn't fit through the straps or the back of the pad rubs my horse.

I was hoping somebody would be able to recommend a small business. I'd be happier to do without one of the things I want if I was supporting a small business, rather than one of the big ones.

 

[milliepops]

you can get matchy clothes/hat silks etc from somewhere like Stockinjur, there's prob something to match most colours/makes

 

[TPO]

Kraemer? Not exactly small....

There are small makers on etsy but no idea what the quality would be like

 

[AFB]

I've never been a LM fan - I have one pad and fly veil set as I'd been waiting for a nice green for a while and then hunter came out. Personally think it's poor quality for the price and wouldn't have bought it had it not been the perfect colour.

As for their business tactics, absolutely puts me off buying anything more. The Crafty Ponies rip off is utterly ridiculous.

 

[Squeak]

Others will probably have better suggestions as I don't massively do matching but in terms of british companies that are made in England, I've always been impressed by Polypads and Nuumed.

Polypads now do some 'normal' thickness saddlecloths in close contact, dressage or GP shapes that you can customise for colours.

I've had a couple over the years of both the new and traditional saddlecloths and my oldest one is over 20 years old and still going.

Equiport is also great for being able to pick your own colours and I always think their things look smart. Again I've had some of their saddlecloths that have been very well used and even the white ones have washed up every time.

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

To be honest the company’s are letting them away with it. If they got a big copyright fine they wouldn’t be very quick to copy. I am not into Lemieux I only have two saddle pads .

 

[CanteringCarrot]

These aren't exactly "small time" but QHP, HKM, BR, HV Polo, and Imperial Riding often have pads, boots, and bandages. No idea about the ethics of any of these companies though, so would need more research. They're quite common here in Germany though.

 

[DabDab]

<whispers> but this is how capitalism works


Some years ago I used to work for a vacuum cleaner company. 90% of their vacuum cleaner range was a bagless design, and yet I didn't work for Dyson. Dyson's original IP was so badly done that everyone in the market copied the concept.

Crafty ponies have a registered design. Number 90069376450001. It doesn't look like it covers the products in the OP image but if it does then they could sue. Or they could get up in lemieux's grill all over social media, which if we're honest will probably have more of an impact.

 

[TGM]

I think the only thing we have ever bought from Lemieux was a pair of cross country boots. They fell apart extremely quickly compared to other brands we have used, so that put us off using them again.

 

[ecb89]

View this content on Instagram

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Lots of negative comments on this post

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I don't know who the commenter is but it was under the post above.. they are really clutching at straws to differentiate this product from the crafty ponies one

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Yep, just saw that on FB and many people think the product/idea is so great! ?

 

[Durhamchance]

It's twice the price too! My little girl has her heart set on a Crafty Pony, so I know which one will be getting my hard earned.

 

[TPO]

 

[ecb89]

View attachment 81376 I don't know who the commenter is but it was under the post above.. they are really clutching at straws to differentiate this product from the crafty ponies one

A collab would have been a brilliant idea. They could have still used it as ‘natural progression of their mini collection’ as they are claiming and boosted the profile of a smaller company.

 

[Patterdale]

I’m really conflicted over this. I’ve ordered the Lemieux pony and tack etc for my daughter for Christmas as I know she will absolutely love it.
When I saw all the controversy I looked at Crafty Ponies, but for me personally they’re a bit too Teddy like and cartoony. Although I know other people love how cute and teddy-like they are!
I’m sticking with the Lemieux one because I know it will make my child very happy and because it’s a bit more realistic. I would have preferred to buy from Crafty Ponies though if not for the issue I’ve just said.

So after a lot of thought and reading I’m not going to cancel the order. However - I will offset against this a pledge to never buy from Lemieux again, and I was previously a good customer.

This probably doesn’t make sense but this is the real world. I’ve been looking for exactly this for a while now, the Happy Valley ones were the nearest I’d found until these came out.

Stuffed animal horses aren’t exclusive to Crafty Ponies either - but I do agree that Lemieux haven’t behaved well, and it may backfire on them.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Read a statement from Crafty Ponies.
LeMieux seem to be responding quite aggressively to the allegation of copying

https://www.facebook.com/1461904229/posts/10220181697520281