Putting certain items on 'for the look'

mandwhy

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Same as touchstone, I couldn't be bothered putting unnecessary stuff on!

I like matchy matchy, I can't think why anyone would deliberately buy stuff that doesn't match! I buy stuff in navy blue, just because it is usually obtainable. The result I think looks smart!

I am thinking of getting a breastplate for extra holding on purposes! I also think they look good and can see why someone might use one for 'breaking up' the front end. I don't think they do any harm like various bits and nosebands and things.

My horses mane does get caught in just about everything though!
 

Trinity Fox

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I do think people use tack just because they think it looks good or because it is fashionable , I am nowhere near organised enough to be matchy matchy or so I thought and don't go in for all that.

I was given a picture of myself when I was about six years old on my first pony a racy little Dartmoor I loved him, and to my horror I think I may be one of the leading pioneers of matchy I have red plaited reins and a matching red velvet browband.:eek: I can actually remember thinking I was pretty flash.

Did have to ask my mum why on earth she let me out on a horse with my hat perched rather jauntily on the back of my head and no strap it must have been worse than useless I can tell from the picture I think I am looking pretty slick, oh dear :eek:
 

lucindakay

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my grandfather use to call it 'Horse Furniture', he was from a showing/hunting/polo family so minimal 'furniture' was best, i also agree that having less on the horse draws your attention to the horse, but each to their own.
i do use a breastplate admittedly because it looks good but also because all saddle slide back and also i have been reschooling a ex-racehorse and he can be unpredictable so i use it as a neck strap*smack on the hand* i agree they break-up the front end quite nicely.
i am just not a fan of sparkly and garish colours but i am from a strict pony club and the brightest colors i've been allowed to use are my x-co colors and they're green, blue and white but i wouldn't have it anyother way

though each to there own
 
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Rosiejazzandpia

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Honestly cant understand why some people waste a lot of money. I do think that matchy things look nice and that sometimes people do like to color coodinate, do it myself. What I cant stand is people buying things that they have no idea what they do. Somebody on my yard bought pony a running martingale because she said they looked professional and like she was going hunting! :(
 

zoelouisem

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My daughter has numnah jacket with her and ponies names, they were birthday/xmas pressie but shes 8. Pony also wears tendon boots and back boots this is because when jumping on grass pony has to wear studs or she slips (she was even worse with no shoes on) i really didnt want to stud her prefered her with no shoes on but when you see a pony and little girl laying on the floor its scary. Shes also wears a stud guard when wearing studs.
But as the pony is not strong she goes in a fat rubber snaffle. Ive actually had comments on her unfashionable bit but im not putting anything stronger on a kids pony when she has a lovely soft mouth and daughter can XC in that bit!!
But im sure people look at her and think why an earth has she got boots stud gaurd ect. but i dont really care what other people think its right for them.
 

Countrychic

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Honestly cant understand why some people waste a lot of money. I do think that matchy things look nice and that sometimes people do like to color coodinate, do it myself. What I cant stand is people buying things that they have no idea what they do. Somebody on my yard bought pony a running martingale because she said they looked professional and like she was going hunting! :(

See, I don't get why this would bother you? Tim stock dale says running martingales are like seat belts. He puts them on everything just in case. It's not harming the horse and if it makes the girl happy what's the problem? Horsey people love to put each other down.
 

zoelouisem

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See, I don't get why this would bother you? Tim stock dale says running martingales are like seat belts. He puts them on everything just in case. It's not harming the horse and if it makes the girl happy what's the problem? Horsey people love to put each other down.

Totally agree on both points, i see no problems with running martingales they dont take affect till actually needed and TBH i dont actually think they do that much anyway, they also make very good neck straps.
 

Elsiecat

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Totally agree on both points, i see no problems with running martingales they dont take affect till actually needed and TBH i dont actually think they do that much anyway, they also make very good neck straps.

Same.
My mare came with a running martingale.
Reared a few times on the ground when I first got her (before I'd ridden her in my ownership.) Decided to ride her with the martingale on.
Have done ever since. It's well fitting and will only ever come into action if she did try to rear up. I love the neck strap for when we're steaming along too :eek:

The martingale makes me more confident, and in turn makes her more confident. It makes riding more pleasurable for us both.
 
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xspiralx

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I just don't see why it matters and I think the horsey world would be a lot more pleasant if people spent less time judging and bitching about each other.

Even things like grackles, breastplates, running martingales etc - as long as they are fitted correctly it doesn't matter if they are 'necessary' or not - they won't do any harm to a horse who doesn't need it as they will only come into play if the horse resists.
 

Enfys

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Lol.... I am the opposite. I had a TB gelding who shook his head from the flies in the summer so I bought him a smart black ear bonnet which solved the problem. :eek:

Less is more as far as I am concerned, but I really couldn't give two hoots what other people chose to put on themselves or their horses.

Coblover, when I ride in summer my horses wear those little crochet type ear covers to keep the dreaded deer flies out, they really do appreciate them. I never bother to justify to anyone what my horses wear, can't be bothered. Nobody cares around here anyway, you should see some of the saddlepads and blingified tack people use. Gamers like a LOT of sparkle and shine. :D


http://www.google.ca/search?q=image...www.twobartraining.com%2Ftrainer.html;275;335

Stock photo from here: http://www.google.ca/search?q=image...x.com%2Fblog%2Ftag%2Fbarrel-racing%2F;357;500

Barrel-Racer-357x500.jpg
 
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Charlie Bucket

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I'm 20 and have mine/horsies name on my jacket...............had the same jacket since I was 13 though :p

Have to admit I can't stand it now, just can't afford a new jacket :(
 

JennyNZ

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Since the Olympics Ardashir (<====) has been hounding me for some "ears". Have finally given in and he has a nice black pair, with gold trim. :D

I still have no idea what they are supposed to do, but they look really cool. :cool:
 

Boysy

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*holds hand up* I am a matchy matchy addict..........but ponies wear saddles and snaffle bridles and that's it, well if they are lucky they get their saddles on so I can match their saddle cloths to their bandages.....and if they are really lucky they get nose bands on their bridles - LOL!
 

ZondaR

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My horse is dark bay. His saddle and bridle are black because black is nicer on him than brown. The bit is gold and all buckles on the bridle are gold. The rings on his running martingale are gold as are all the buckles on it. Stirrup irons are black. I think the black and gold look gorgeous on him. He has a brow band with his name stamped on. I would not use a saddle cloth that is in a colour that looks bad and I have a jacket with his name on it.

It sounds a lot tackier than it looks as the gold items are all very small. He does not have any unnecessary tack
 

NinjaPony

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My connemara has matchy-matchy sets, a bling browband, I want to buy him some ears, he has union jack overreach boots and next on my list is a patent bridle. And I don't give a stuff if people think it looks pretentious, he's my special boy, gorgeous and clearly the next Valegro ;) and I like him to look smart, when I can be bothered with the faff anyway :p
We can also do traditional for showing, but why not have a bit of fun.
 

LollyDolly

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A lady on my yard has the safest, hairiest and fattest cob ever and yet she still insists on riding him in a breastplate because it looks good.

When she goes out for her monthly 10-minute hack on him she has him all dressed up like he's about to go out for a day's competing at Burghley :D :D
 

JFTDWS

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I'm 20 and have mine/horsies name on my jacket...............had the same jacket since I was 13 though :p

Hehe, I got one when I was 16/17 and still wear it now, because, well it would be silly not to as it's still in one piece! I also have a saddle cloth with J's name on from when I was 12 and two with Fergs/J's names from a couple of years ago. Fergs also hacks in a 5 point and normally wears a half pad too. Shoot me, I want a secure neckstrap and he needs the half pad to adjust the fit of his saddle (fits perfectly with one).

I also love a bit of matchy matchy, especially if someone's photo-ing for me. It smartens the rough mountain pony up a bit and makes him look less like a deer pony and more like a riding one!

I don't like "fashion" tack though (bitting/nosebands etc) and think human names on saddle cloths is a bit pretentious. I think kids with pony names on clothes, saddle cloths etc are cute.

Mind you, it's all very subjective - I hate the kids pink saddles, coloured leather tack etc, but I really like endurance bridles in bright colours. How is that logical??
 

Beentheredonethat

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Family near me bought a posh new lorry, painted mainly in lilac. They rolled up at local rc, climbed out in their brand new fleeces which matched the lorry, complete with names embroidered on the back. We watched them as they carefully posed for maximum effect then dropped the ramp and unloaded both horses clad from head to toe in matching rugs, headcollars, bandages, etc. Cue everyone on the showground p*****g themselves laughing! You just couldn't make it up!
 

Irishbabygirl

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I use an unnecessary breast plate because I like the emergency handle - so shoot me!
My matchy matchy is brown, not sure I own anything remotely colourful for my horses apart from a bit of hi-viz! Oh, and their matching blue and red checked turnouts! Lol!
 

marmalade76

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I don't get the maga matchy matchy (where even the rider's clothes match the bandages & saddle cloth) for just a schooling session or lesson, but each to their own. I don't like garish colours on horses (about as bright as I get is the old fashioned Whitney day rug), but again, each to their own. Most of the time when I ride, I don't even bother to get most of the mud off (what's the point, only to ride in mud and then put 'oss back in field through a muddy gateway?) let alone bother with bandages, etc, and what I look like (usually sport the dragged through a hedge look!) But I do like to be matchy for comps, etc, but my matchy tastes are black, brown and a little white and dead sheep here and there.

However, like JFTD, I don't like fashion tack, ie, bits, nosebands and other gadgets used because they look good or so and so famous rider uses them.
 

Spring Feather

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Even things like grackles, breastplates, running martingales etc - as long as they are fitted correctly it doesn't matter if they are 'necessary' or not - they won't do any harm to a horse who doesn't need it as they will only come into play if the horse resists.

This ^^^

I'm a total minimalist. All my horses go in gentle bits and most wear no noseband, while some have cavessons. Only one of my horses wears a running martingale, none of my others wear anything else. If I were so inclined and liked to put on extra gadgetry then I could but it wouldn't make any difference to how my horses go. They're all well schooled and work nicely with their no nosebands or cavessons but I have no issue at all with others putting whatever they like on their horses as long as it's fitted properly and doesn't affect the horses going.
 

Onyxia

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I just don't see why it matters and I think the horsey world would be a lot more pleasant if people spent less time judging and bitching about each other.

Even things like grackles, breastplates, running martingales etc - as long as they are fitted correctly it doesn't matter if they are 'necessary' or not - they won't do any harm to a horse who doesn't need it as they will only come into play if the horse resists.
^ Agree.
Why do we as a sport put so much energy into slating hat others are up to?
It is madness....

I use an unnecessary breast plate because I like the emergency handle - so shoot me!
Same here.
If things go t*t's up I like to have somewhere to grab that wont hurt the horse.
Having a neck strap has saved me from a couple of nasty falls out hacking in the past when horse has spooked.


My matchy matchy is brown, not sure I own anything remotely colourful for my horses apart from a bit of hi-viz! Oh, and their matching blue and red checked turnouts! Lol!
I quite like matchy matchy :eek:



Less is more for me,not for any lofty objections to tack choices but quite simply because the more kit you use the more you have to clean :eek:
 

lme

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I really don't care what anyone else puts on their horse as long as it isn't hurting them. some people clearly love the matchy stuff & it can look great. We saw a girl SJ on a dapple grey - her jacket lining, hat, the horses boots, fly veil & saddle pad were all sky blue & it looked really eye catching. Our mare wears a half pad @ certain times of the year, because she changes shape, bandages for flat work (on trainer's recommendation) & prolite XC boots for jumping (because she's a wuss and gets upset if she hits a pole & it hurts). She has completely different bridles / bits for jumping & on the flat because that's what works best for her. Always wears a breastplate for jumping / hacking (to give daughter something other than the reins to grab in an emergency). Some people would view it as too much tack but tbh , she's happy & it works for her so I don't care.
 
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