what's with all the bling ???

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JLD

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I was at Hickstead today and couldn't believe how much bling was in the shops ! Everything had either diamante or patent bits on it. I get matchy matchy ish although can't bring myself to buy anything other than brown, it looks great on other horses but does it have to glitter too ? Even my 5 yr old daughter thought it was too much. Was looking for a velvet covered hat - even some of them sneaked a bit on. Some of the kids jumping in the mini class could have been seen in space !! Am I old and grumpy and should I just stay at home ? Maybe I need a pretty little mare rather than a grumpy gelding to bling up to.see the light !
 
JLD said:
I was at Hickstead today and couldn't believe how much bling was in the shops ! Everything had either diamante or patent bits on it. I get matchy matchy ish although can't bring myself to buy anything other than brown, it looks great on other horses but does it have to glitter too ? Even my 5 yr old daughter thought it was too much. Was looking for a velvet covered hat - even some of them sneaked a bit on. Some of the kids jumping in the mini class could have been seen in space !! Am I old and grumpy and should I just stay at home ? Maybe I need a pretty little mare rather than a grumpy gelding to bling up to.see the light !
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I think I am old and grumpy too as I find everything way too glittery these days. My kids, however, firmly disagree!
 
Now't wrong with bling. Fashions come and go, and I am the owner of a nice blingy browband for both my ponies (both geldings!) Why? Because I think they are pretty- no other reason! Always used to annoy me at PC when they made such a big deal about having plain tack, yet seemed oblivious to the terrible riding/pony management... priorities! I see nothing wrong with bling, each to their own.
 
I cannot be doing with it either, but as long as they don't make it compulsory................each to their own. And I agree with Nn - the phrase is gilding the lily!!!
 
Fashion , fun , harmless, why not seems the obvious retort ... When I was a kid it was black tack and hideous multi coloured cross country kit ... Now it's blong , if I could just come up with the next decades fashion I could make a fortune ... Fashion is there in every element of our lives and it's purely choice to opt in or out...
 
I can cope with a blingy browband, but that's my lot. A single row of diamante on a browband looks better to me than the horrid plastic two colour zig-zag browbands I knew in my youth! My pet hate is 'droopy' browbands.
 
I like my English tack plain, but then I am a hunter and bling does not go down well on the hunting field. I wouldn't dream of doing the blingy thing with English tack, I don't like it but I am a GOW. :D

But, I ride Western and Gaited, my plainest bridles have silver buckles and embossed leather, or braiding, with western show and parade tack bling is de rigeur. :)

Each to their own, a bit of bling is dstracting to the eye but it does no harm really, and if I sold tack I would be up there with everyone else selling the sparkle :)
 
Hackneylass2, I am with you on the droopy browbands, again, being a traditionalist AND a GOW I don't think they flatter a head at all. Still, not my horse, not my business.

Come to think of it though, my bridles are either one ear or braided with silver studs on the browbands so I am in no position to criticise ;)
 
Come on victor meldrews ;) I think everyone should have a bit of sparkle in their horsey lives!!

You can see my browband bling in the Avatar my daughter has one for her pony in a sparkly blue!

However I also love the plain leather and so like to mix it up depending on how i feel and what Im doing

What I can't bear is people judging and making those snide comments when you are out I just think how horrid are you!! And it makes me want to bling up and put hearts on the clip etc even more ;p
 
Less is more when it comes to bling... I quite like it on a browband, but it's a fine line between tasteful and tacky!

Can't stand when you see people with absolutely everything shiny, glittery or sparkly - on horse AND rider. It makes me wonder if they really are going for that 'look' or if they are trying to distract you from something else...

Each to his own.
 
I love it on the right horse/pony, why the devil not, its just a bit of fun. Wouldn't have it on my own horse though as I think it would look a bit daft on his big hairy cob head.
 
I have a sparkly curved browband which I think looks rather nice. And I am seriously tempted to get some matchy matchy. Sorry, I have been overcome by the bling brigade !
 
hackneylass2 said:
My pet hate is 'droopy' browbands.
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I don't understand these, either. I think it's fun to see some sparkle and bling and, if it's not hurting the horse, why not. (I don't have any bling, but there's a secret part of me that would like to be a showjumper with lots of Animo and sparkles :D) But every time I see a picture of a horse with a droopy browband, I can't work it out as I think they ruin the horse's lovely head. Just presume I'm missing something somewhere! But, as I say, each to their own as long as they and the horse is happy.
 
I'm afraid I have succumbed to bling brow bands. Matchy Matchy appeals to the OCD side of my nature and I've always tried to have everything for my horses coordinated even before Matchy Matchy was invented. I don't like to go too OTT though and draw the line at sparkly saddlecloths and anything in pink!

Years ago I used to go to Norton Heath quite regularly and you could hear all the brass clips and d rings and stuff clinking and rattling as the competitors jumped. I remember one guy commenting that it looked like they'd emptied their jewellery boxes and attached it to their tack LOL

What was the name of that company that used to sell those hideous matching rugs, saddle cloths and cross country colours combos years ago! All garish, non-complimentary colour schemes.
 
Oh, I'm partial to a bit of bling myself, but I like a nicely made bit of plain tack too. Each to his own I'd say.......
 
Not that much bling on the horses, but the riders are pretty colourful :) Cheers up a show ring no end :D

Caledon%20show071.jpg
 
All of my guys have bling browbands. My mare has a very dainty daisy diamante pattern and looks beautiful in it. One of my geldings has a red, white and blue droopy browband which he carries off lovely and my other gelding has like a red,white,blue entwined browband which looks lovely on him.

I had a royal blue poly pad with yellow binding made up which I thought looked the bees knees and then I rode out in it for the first time yesterday and got called Leeds United scum.

You can't please everyone but was ever so unimpressed about that!
 
OldNag said:
I think I am old and grumpy too as I find everything way too glittery these days. My kids, however, firmly disagree!
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Heheee... finally!! Other people who dislike it, now I can say 'yah boo' to certain friends knowing its not only me!
 
I bloomin' love bling & Matchy matchy is my heaven. I love my 'bum freezer' show jumping jacket too 😝
As long as it isn't being stapled directly to the horse then what harm is it doing. It doesn't have to be overdone & look crass but IMO it's fun, modern & looks nice.
Why does it sometimes feel like the horse world is so fuddy duddy & boring?
I say Vive la difference, embrace change, live & live....
 
Ah but in my case I was riding horse with bling for his owner in dressage and I'm male. Not sure I was sending the right message. Managed to negotiate a deal with owner, me and horse make top 10 in the regionals and the bling goes. We managed ninth but the bling didn't go. No longer ride the horse so not a problem anymore :(
 
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