For Mucking Stalls With Style and a Smile

While the rest of the world was on the couch yesterday, soaking up the Superbowl, I was happily out in the barn, mucking stalls with style and a smile. AND with dry, warm feet!

This was thanks to d.a.v., a company that makes the coolest waterproof footwear I've ever seen, hands down, and a grin-making T-shirt to go with them. I received my order from them last Friday, and immediately put both items  to use.

In fact, the boots hardly left my feet all weekend. Not only did they prove themselves up to the task of wading out into muddy pens, they also kept my feet cozy, worked very well for riding the horse that needed some schooling, and cleaned up fast with nothing more than spritzing from a hose. They went from barn to feedstore/grocery store and back, and when in public, brought forth lots of oohs and aahs from fellow 'manure movers of America.' (As in, 'WHERE did you get THOSE?!?') A big part of the comfort factor, I think, is the built-in arch support--something my standard rubber "muck-about" boots do not have.

I just recently became aware of d.a.v., and now you know about them, too. Their products--slogan for which is 'high fashion for wet days'--are designed, marketed, and distributed by StyleWest in Oxnard, California. Find d.a.v. here, with further links to dealers, specific boot styles, and more.

Signing off now, as it's a.m. chore time here in northern Idaho--meaning it's time to be mucking fabulous once again!

The Real Horse Lives of Generation Y

I had a good reason to be asking my 30-ish and under blog readers for details about their horse lives.

Those in this age group (about 10 to 32 years of age in 2010) are the members of Generation Y, or the Millennial Generation. Of the four generations with people now considered active in the horse world (Gen Y, Gen X, Baby Boomers, Silent Generation), Gen Y happens to be the youngest--with the longest stretch of potential lifetime horse activity out in front of it.

Gen Y members range from pre-teens (a well-documented period of  horse-crazy yearnings), to all of today's teenagers, to the majority of college students, and up to the youngest of today's 30-somethings.

And just why DO I have a particular interest in the real horse lives of this generation?

Because Gen Y stands poised, basically, to inherit the earth. On the basis of size alone, its influence is guaranteed to be profound. That influence will become the prevailing one as time goes by, in all areas of our culture. Horse culture included.

This is because with 96.6 million members in the U.S. population, Gen Y has overtaken the Baby Boom group as the largest generation in American history (72 of an original 80 million Boomers remain alive.)

In some corners of the horse world, there is, I think, a tendency to write off Gen Y as a non-customer for all things horse. Popular sentiment: that Gen Y'ers are "too busy with computers to care about having horses." The companion belief to this presumption is that "today's young people don't want to work, don't know how, and aren't likely to take on the work of supporting a horse."

Hmm. Go have a read of the comments to my start-up post. Those beliefs pretty much get washed away. You will read such statements as these:

"I live to be around horses."

"All my spare money goes to my horse."

"I work to ride."

"I work my butt off to have my horse."

"I've been horse-crazy all my life."

"Horses are my only expensive habit."

"Horses are my escape and my savior."

Feel free, please,  to add more to the discussion.

Photo by Alana Harrison for Horse&Rider.  

If You Are 30 Or Under (OK to Fudge a Little)...

...I would like to learn some of the particulars about your horse life. Anything at all that you'd like to talk about, from what you do with horses (or wish you could), to how you afford it, to whether you show or otherwise compete, and how, to???

As I was just mentioning elsewhere today, I have had the experience of being a teen, 20- and 30-something horseperson--but that personal experience also took place decades ago, when the world was a different place. And since I can't arrive instantly back at your age, to experience things as you do TODAY, I'm going right to the source for (I hope) some enlightenment.

February '10 Issue of H&R Is Off the Press

The February 2010 issue of Horse & Rider is off the press and in the mail, and this is your synopsis of its content, straight from the editor's desk!

If you are among the large percentage of our readers who are 40 and over, you'll want to be sure to read the article about how to keep riding at any age. It's just loaded with advice and great resources.

This issue includes a chapter adaptation from "Rookie Reiner," a new book, and it's on the subject of how to find and buy a reining horse for your entry to the sport.

You'll also find a neat piece on labor-saving products for barn and farm, designed to make your chores easier.

The wrong-way training article was contributed by Bob Avila, always a reader favorite. You also get a photo how-to on Western pleasure in this issue, plus Clinton Anderson's secret for making sure a horse stays broke, a new segment of the "5-Minute Makeover" department, and plenty more.

Can't wait to hear what you think!

Meanwhile, the March issue is off to the printer, and we're furiously at work on the April issue. Hard to believe we've already made magazines for the first quarter of 2010, but fun to know (behind the scenes) what other great stuff we have coming up for readers.

Enjoy....

Denver Market: Fabulous Cowgirl-Glam Eyewear

If I had a PERSONAL favorite from all the thousands of incredible items at the Denver Market, it was the cowgirl-themed sunglasses from Reata Ranch Eyewear.

They come in many styles--only two shown here--ranging from silver concho to turquoise nugget to found-image vintage cowgirl, and more. Each pair is hand-decorated.

Gotta make a point of showing you the vintage cowgirl motif, because it picks up on a style that, as I've been saying, is a current designer favorite. (Great for me, because I'm now of an age where I AM a vintage cowgirl, haha...but also great for me because it's a look I've fancied for some time on my own.)

These sunglasses are one way to protect your eyes while blinding 'em with cowgirl bling! 

Denver Market: Trends in Western Boots, Part 2

Ariat was among the boot/apparel makers showing its lines at the Denver Market, and our Equine Network gang got a personalized tour of what their designers have been busy creating.

Many of Ariat's styles caught my eye, including the new Ranchbaby that comes in three colors--brown bomber (Style #10005911--distressed leather with blue stitching on the tops), black deertan (Style #10005912), and brown rebel (Style #10005913, dark brown tops with lighter-colored  stitching).

This promises to be a terrific all-around boot at a great price point ($99.95). It features a full-grain leather foot and suede shaft, 8" tops, plus ProCrepe Light sole and Duratread heel for longer wear. The wide, square toe puts in squarely in style, too. And don't let the term "crepe" fool you, because these are crepe-soled boots you CAN safely ride in, thanks to the boot technology that Ariat is famous for. As a matter of fact, this boot is designed to be a performance riding boot as well as a comfy walk-about boot.

Along with its multiple lines of short, pull-0n styles (Ranchbaby, Probaby, Fatbaby, Rodeobaby, Gembaby), Ariat also makes a host of other Western (and English) footwear. Check them out here.

Denver Market: 'Fashion Tack' is Big

Once upon a time, horse tack was divided, basically, between work/everyday, and silver-adorned show tack.

Now, horse tack has a level  of fashionability to it as well, where it's possible to coordinate all kinds of colors and motifs (same ones seen in boots) into a full statement of personal expression. From peace signs to purple crystals, from animal prints and tattoo stamping to colored exotic leathers and biker-chic or more, any fashion theme you might want to go with can probably be supported.

Think of it as tack for personal use, for matching up a drill team, for getting decked out for a mounted shooting event, or...whatever suits your fancy.

Many people think of Mayatex as an affordable source for solid saddle pads in many hues. However, this display of PATTERNED pads was evidence of a trend that I picked up on from various fronts--that of Hispanic-inspired design that also expresses color schemes that promise to be strong.

Note  the combo of turquoise/black (seen in boots, and other apparel), soothing blue tones, a bricky shade of red that can work with black OR browns, a from-nature shade of green, plus less-dark shades of brown than have been popular in recent seasons.

Pink, and various shades of rose and coordinates are still very strong, thanks in no small part to the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" campaign supported by Wrangler. However, as Wrangler launches its new "National Patriot" program just announced at the Denver Market, expect to see a new emphasis on interpretations of red, white and blue.

Denver Market: Trends in Western Boots, Part 1

 Since I hardly own any footwear that isn't some kind of a Western boot, I was real keen on attending showings of the boot designs being offered by various bootmakers. I'll show you some examples of boot styles/trends you can expect to see soon at the retail level.

Nocona Boots style LD8903 is part of their Ladies Exotic collection. Note the cross motif in the stitching pattern of the 13" upper, plus the shade of red used in the upper, plus square toe, plus a muted tone of brown that Nocona calls 'mink' for the boot shaft--all stood out to me as hot design trends. The shafts are smooth ostrich (an exotic leather that's much more durable than you might think). These boots are going to match jewelry motifs and clothing colors also ready to hit the market, and with their non-clunky soles and ultra-current square toes, are a style you can wear in the show ring as well as for dress boots. They're set to retail for about $239. http://www.nocona.com/.

The black and turquoise boots are Tony Lama style VF3022. They are part of the 100% Vaquero Collection. Note the buckstitching on the 12" tops, and the lacing at the toe: these are retro-inspired design details that will be in stores soon. Note that this boot has a NARROW square toe, not a boxed square toe; this gives it a great silhouette for wearing with skirts, cropped pants, leggings, or narrow, tucked-in jeans. And, the black/turquoise color combo is a Western classic that's easy to coordinate around. Retail on these will be about $190. http://www.tonylama.com/.

The made-for-cute-comfort pair with the 8' red tops is Justin Boots style L9967 from the Justin Gypsy Cowgirl collection. They have chocolate ostrich print vamps, perforated saddle vamps, and a new square toe. The outsole is black rubber, and the insole has Justin's J-Flex comfort support system. The shortie tops harken back to cowgirl styles of the 1940s, and you'll be seeing that as inspiration for some other areas of fashion and decor.  Set to retail at about $80. http://www.justinboots.com/.

Thoughts & Photos from the Denver Market

Per info from the sponsoring Western English Sales Association (WESA), the annual January Denver Market "is the single largest trade show for Western apparel and accessories, tack, leather goods, animal health products, English apparel and equipment, and equestrian-related home decor, gifts and jewelry."

For anyone who attends this event, as I did last week and weekend, the statement above ceases to be hyperbole, and becomes a matter of fact. The Denver Market really does have to be experienced to be believed. And there's truly no way for one person to take it ALL in in just a couple of days.

It's why companies like The Equine Network, of which H&R is a part, send delegations whenever possible. So much to see, so many to network with, so much to take in and process, that one representative just isn't enough. Several other Equine Network colleagues attended as well, the better for us to take more in.

A few highlights, as captured on the fly between appointments, receptions, style shows, and planned introductions (not to mention a WHOLE lotta lookin' at what you'll be seeing in stores by spring and by next fall):

* You are very likely to rub elbows with horse-world celebrities once your credentials (seller, buyer, media, for example) get you past the front door and into the labyrinth of booths and showrooms. In one snapshot, there's world champion trainer Bob Avila (brown shirt/natural-tone hat, next to his gesturing wife, Dana), at a meet-and-greet table in the Farnam booth; in another snapshot, I managed to interrupt the conversation that clinician/RFD-TV star Julie Goodnight (Western hat/blue shirt) is having at the Circle Y booth.

* The show is so vast that you must prepare to do a LOT of walking, all day long. Veterans bring briefcases and fold-up shopping carts on wheels. The briefcases are for doing business, the fold-up carts are for everything from hand-out literature (you end up with pounds of it) to the personal goodies you may find and buy from vendors who offer sample sales or cash-and-carry.

* It is VERY cool--as you might rightly expect!--to be privy to styles and trends just as they're being revealed to store buyers and to the media. I'll be giving you guys a separate report/post on some of that. Stay tuned!

 

Introducing G'petto

I'm home now from the Denver Market, and as promised, will be blogging further about that.

But before I get to that, I must show you who was here waiting for me at the ranch when I finally made it home from the airport--our new Schipperke, G'petto. What a beautiful little guy!

It took him a week to get here from Elaine Lane and daughter Michelle's Spindrift Schipperkes in Southern California, traveling first via professional dog handler to the Seattle area, then via Mr. Ed's drive there and back on Friday. Long trip(s) for all, but wow, well worth it.

I hadn't even gotten my coat off from my own long trip when G'P came right to me to introduce himself. He is 2 1/2 and a very confident, friendly, well-trained dog. We got matched up via the horsepeople grapevine--always a good place to start when needing a referral on many matters!