Long time no post!!

I am sure no one is shedding a tear over my lack of posts. I do feel bad that I haven't been keeping up on my responses!! I have been too busy to post but have been keeping up on my favorite blogs. I have been mostly checking in via phone and it is so hard to respond to a post on my iphone.

My last few weeks have been busy!! I had the horse show with Bre then decided I am sick of having all my tack be a mess. I have paid off a few bills so I can spend some cash on getting organized. One of the things I dread most about showing in getting all my stuff packed up. Between working long hours and now school the tack room looks like a tornado after a show and takes a week to get put back in place. My plan is to keep a trunk packed and ready to go. That means I will need doubles of some things but that is fine. Two sets of brushes, two braiding kits, longe line, show cooler than stays packed etc......

It's been like Christmas with all my organizer bags arriving. Sadly I haven't had enough time to get out there and rearrange.


I picked up the purple boot bag version of this bag because I was carrying my boots around in a plastic sack. It was the cheapest bag and I liked it so much that I got myself the garment bag, helmet bag, and saddle bag. I think Josey's momma would approve of all my matching. Usually I just have a hodge podge of stuff and generally try to keep similar colors but not always.

I had a bridle bag but it only fits one bridle. Between longe lines, halters, and bridles it doesn't all fit back in the one bag. That means nothing goes back and end up a hot mess at the show. Romeo's girl got a super cool bridle back with hooks in it so I picked up one of the same. It doesn't match with rest of the set but I did get black. I actually like not having too much matching pattern and the colors all still match so my dear barn BFF won't judge me too harshly. I ended up with a purple grooming organizer. I fell in love with it because it zips up so the brushed don't fall out while packed in the tub and traveling. 

The last thing I have really needed is a helmet. I have a great lami-cell schooling helmet that I love. However, I need at least two helmets. I need one for Dickie's barn and one for Bre's barn (she is going back the end of this month). I tried carrying a helmet back and forth but always forgot it. I own an IRH velvet show helmet, and an IRH schooling helmet. They are really old though. It is suggested that you get a new helmet after five years. Riders for helmets had a lovely little article on this if you are interested: When to buy a new helmet. I have been going back and forth over which helmet to buy for over a year. A GPA is totally out of my price range but I like the look. I love my IRH dial a fit but the show worthy helmets don't have dial a fit. I do have an IRH velvet helmet so I thought there was a good chance one would fit but no tack shop here carries them. I have seen some good prices on the nicer IRH helmets on ebay but most of them were made years ago and I one recently manufactured. So I have been on stand off not sure of what I will get. Last week I went into my tack shop and decided to try on the low end Charles Owen. I tried the COs year ago and they didn't fit my head. I have a giant really round head. I tried several of the COs at the shop and they just didn't work . Then the saleslady got out a brand they just got in. It was a bit out of my price range but not too bad. I really really liked the helmet!! My head size seems to change and you can change the size of the helmet with a snap in liner. Here it is:

The brand is One K. I have been looking at them for awhile and was actually excited to see one in person. Rumor has it they are made by the same company in the same factory as Samshields. It is comfortable and I love the changeable liners. It was more money than I have ever spent on a helmet but I am really happy with it. I have a hard head to fit and these days show helmets are just expensive, no way around it. I plan on it being my Bre riding helmet. There is a much less chance of falling of her and needing a new one!! 

Bre moves back to her old barn at the end of the month. I am looking forward to feeling organized again with the help of my new totes. It will be so nice not to be spread between three tack rooms!! I have some things at Dickie's little barn, things that Bre and Romeo share at the main fancy barn, and all the stuff you don't use often back at the old barn.