I Don't Needs It, But I Wants It

A few weeks back my fiancé's grandma asked us to make a Christmas list.  We went through this last year (I asked for riding socks, gift cards to Dover, and weights).  I wound up with socks, and a gift card to dover.  I was on my own as far as the weights were concerned, since apparently I should just be using various sized soup cans for that.  ;)  Anyways - the thought burrowed into my brain, and I decided it would be a smart idea *eyes rolling* for me to create a wish list at Smartpak.  Mind you - most of these things wouldn't be for anyone to buy me, but more things for me to buy myself (I don't expect anyone to subsidize my ridiculous horsey spending habits, but if they want to buy me some new socks - AWESOME!).

Anyways, I have quite a few things on the list now, but I figured I'd share my top 5, just for funsies  :)

1.  Smartpak Boot Bag-Navy w/ silver trim and white piping.  Rings in at a reasonable $59.95 (until you consider the fact that it's a bag to hold your boots).  This I sort of need, as my boots just linger in our guest room (which also happens to be where I store my clothes).  It'd be nice for my boots to have a home.  A home lined with fleece to keep the dust bunnies away.  :)  Also - it comes monogrammed!  All I'd have to worry about was to have my initials "EMD" or "EMS" for when I change my name (and oh yes, I'll be changing my name).  

 2.  The Herm Sprenger Dynamic RS Aurigan Eggbut Style Bit - yikes, what a mouthful!  Pun not intended.  ;)  This beauty comes in at a whopping $163.95, but according to 45 reviewers on Smartpak it's worth every penny.  What do I like about it?  I like the salivation-inducing aurigan material.  I want Gavin to chew more, and with that, I want more drool.  It's weird that horse people obsess about the drool, but I wants it!  I like the idea of a D-ring, or an eggbut.  I've been in a loose ring snaffle for as long as I can remember (currently in a loose-ring french link).  They've served me alright, and yes, I have heard the saying "if it's not broke don't fix it", but from what I've read D-rings (or eggbuts) tend to be steadier in the horse's mouth, not pinch the corners, and give a little more steering control.  All of these things combined sound like a good thing for Gav.  Steady bit that makes him drool like a pavlovian dog that won't pinch him and makes him more movable?  Sign me up!

3.  Socks!  Because I need more horsey socks!  These socks are on Smartpaks website for $15.95 and you get two pairs.  Typically horsey socks are over 12 bucks for one pair.  This is like two for the price of one.  Woohoo!

4.  Lister Star Clippers for a meager $269.95 (chhhyyaaa-right).  Last year was the first year I clipped Gav for the winter.  It was just a trace clip, but I was soooo glad I did it.  My only regret was that I wish I had clipped more of him.  I hate.  Let me emphasize HATE cooling out a horse for an hour after you ride.  And I'm pretty freaking sure they don't care for it either.  Nothing would be worse than washing my hair and running around in the 20 degree February night, which is what I imagine it must feel like to Gavin to be covered in sweat.  Not only that, but the sweat just sits there in all that fur.  Sure, some of it gets curried out, but some of it has got to stick - and that has got to itch.  I will be trace clipping Gavin again, but this time with more gusto (higher up on the neck and body).  My clippers did the job last year, but it'd be nice for it to not take 4 hours.  These got good reviews.  I would've gone with the Oster, but people talk about how they're made for large hands.  I have the hands of a fat, stubby child - so that wouldn't work well for me.

  5.  The Tipperary Eventer Vest in navy.  Breaking the bank at $259.95.  People are probably laughing under their breath right now looking at this.  Mostly because I've never jumped in my life, not counting cross-rails.  I'm a chicken, and I'll admit it.  But I also want to jump Gavin!  And to do that, I know that I need to set myself up for success.  Part of that success is feeling confident and secure, and thus enters this vest.  I think it would help me feel prepared, and may also help me if and when I do fall.  

So yeh… grandma, grandpa - if you could hook me up with this ridiculously expensive Christmas list, I'd be ever so grateful.  Otherwise, I'll just be buying the socks - and looking at pictures of everything else while fantasizing about a nicely clipped, drooling horse, jumping (safely) over a log with his rider wearing sparkling clean boots.  :)