Highland Browbands -- review!

I know I'm late to the game with the whole tack bling thing. To be fair, I'm late to the party with all the fancy tack. Until recently, I only had one bridle (and a back up cheapie in case of emergency), one saddle, one girth and the bare minimum amount of saddle pads (review to come on some custom ones I had made soon, too -- who am I?). After selling some tack, and getting some upgrades, I thought that since Riley actually has a dressage saddle to wear, we should probably think about outfitting him in some swanky head wear.

I've done some poking around based on reviews many of you have posted in the blog world, but one company kept popping up that I had never heard of.. Highland Browbands.

After Rolex their social media presence took off and I started to see little ads for them everywhere. They have a nice selection of various styles of headbands (including a shallow "V", which I much prefer to the more exaggerated versions) and each item is fully customize-able with pretty, pretty crystals!

Just a handful of their colors.

Highland also makes rider accessories, jewelry to match your browband and stock pins. They hosted a demo sale of all the items they brought to Rolex and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to see what they were all about. For $25 the risk seemed marginal, so I placed my order and waited the estimated 10 days for shipping (which was also free -- they have promo codes listed under the "ambassador" tab on their site). Deals, deals, deals guys, I'm all about 'em.

I placed the order on a Tuesday and my item arrived on Thursday. For reference they are in Eugene, OR and I am in Philadelphia, PA. Each step of the transaction was met with quick emails to let me know my order was received, processed and shipped (along with a tracking #). I was astounded at the speed of shipping, and my item came beautifully wrapped in tissue paper, with a few business cards and a hand written thank you note. If there's one thing I'm really big on, it's personalized correspondence, so this little note made my day!

Even nicer in person.

I was pretty thrilled with the overall quality of the leather. It was soft and supple, and although obviously a demo model (there was a little wear on the inside from a horse's face), it was clean and otherwise perfect. I got extremely lucky that they happened to have exactly Riley's colors in their demo sale!!!

I couldn't wait to try it on Riley expect for the small fact that I don't have a dressage bridle... Womp, Womp. What better reason to head off to the local consignment tack shop and dig through their loot!? I headed off to Maryland Saddlery and poked around until I found the perfect bridle -- their selection was particularly great that day and if anyone needs a cob size dressage bridle they had soooo many lovely ones. Alas, Riley has a big head. We found a suitable bridle (with gorgeous Thinline reins -- and a fancy browband that wouldn't look great on Riley) that was in nearly perfect condition. Better yet, I had a bunch of credit at the shop so my purchase was FREE! I scooted off to the barn to play dress up. Riley was less than amused... lest you believe that I am any good at taking photos:

It's nap time, right?

You've got to be kidding me Mom.

The SO was very patient and kind with horse wrangling and Riley was less than cooperative and more or less refused to stand still/put his ears forward (despite crinkling wrappers).

Phew, so dapper.

We did get him to stand long enough to snap a few shots and get a good representation of the bridle and browband together and guys... why did I wait so long to do this? Riley looks SOOO handsome. I was a little worried about the browband overwhelming his face. I think it's a tricky balance with blaze-faces... plain faced horses really look fantastic in bling, the more the better. but I'm not so sure with horses that already have a lot going on.

Seriously, how good does he look? *don't worry, the buckle on the flash is never usually near his mouth, I just threw it on for the photos

Gentle "V' on his forehead. I like the design only barely touches the top of his blaze.

Overall, my experience with Highland Browbands was terrific. I would recommend them in a heartbeat. With prices starting at $25 for stock items and custom orders around $50, you can hardly beat the value! And, as if they weren't cool enough, they also have a small consignment section of tack/horse gear AND...

WAIT...

FOR...

IT...

Unicorn iphone cases.

I'm just going to leave that here.

You can find Highland online at:
http://www.highlandbrowbands.com/
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Product review -- Dubarry Clare Boot

I received these boots as a very generous birthday gift from the most wonderful SO of all time a few weeks before my birthday (so mid-November). I wanted to wear them a bunch and have a chance to ride in them before I gave a proper review!

Swoon

Truth be told, I have always wanted a pair of Dubarry's (I never wanted to try a pair on because I knew I'd end up loving them and they were something I'd NEVER buy for myself) but I've never liked the ones that seem to be so popular (the Galway boot) -- those tassels in the front would drive me absolutely mad.  Furthermore, if I'm going to have a boot of this quality, I want to be able to wear it on the street as well as at the barn... enter the Clare.

This boot really combines all the things Dubarry is so well known for... luxurious full grain leather, interesting details, fine craftsmanship and of course, they are completely waterproof (all the way to the top!!!). What I especially love about them is the interior leather piece that's made for (occasional riding).

Love the detailing in the back!

I've worn these nearly non-stop since I got them and they are now pretty well broken in. At first the leather (especially around the heel/ankle) is quite stiff. But as anyone knows with good quality leather goods, the break in period is necessary and worth it down the road! The right boot was always a bit stiffer than the left, and I think it's because my feet are different sizes. I was really nervous about them getting dirty and scuffed at first (this is why I can't have nice things) and I kept changing out of them at the barn and into my Hunter wellies but I realized quite quickly that these things can take a beating and keep on going. Even the grossest mud and rain is no match for these guys! A quick wipe down with a damp cloth and a little leather conditioner and they look good as new. These are definitely made for someone with a slim calf, which is actually something I struggle with a lot (boots being absurdly wide and unflattering around my lower leg) and I believe the opening is 15-15.5" at the widest point. Because they don't have zippers, going up a size is recommended (which I did, and I wear a 7.5), but they also have boot pulls sewn to help you out during the break in period!

Last week, I rode three horses (okay 2 horses and a pony) wearing them and they are delightful to ride in! It was really nice not having to switch into my paddock boots and half chaps and just throw my helmet on and go! I have very unstable ankles due to competitive gymnastics as a kid and so the additional support around my joints was welcomed. I was a little concerned about the foot bed being bulky in my stirrups, but they actually looked fine (with plenty of space on either side of the sole) and the thickness of the sole felt great to balance on (probably similar to riding in Blundstones).

Outside of the farm, I've been wearing them several times a week and I think they look pretty fetching with jeans, leggings, and even dresses! I've gotten quite a few compliments on them around the city. With winter just setting in, it's been so nice to have a quality pair of boots that are truly warm and waterproof!

The price point is pretty steep coming in ~$500, but at this point in my life my feet are not going to change much and I have come to understand that investing a few, quality things (especially leather goods) will last a lifetime. From what I can tell from wearing them almost exclusively for the last two months is that they are only going to look better with age. The best part is that they can go from daily wear (fashion), to the barn to the saddle! That's worth in my book!