Ah, Black Friday (and Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday). I have a major love/hate relationship with this whole thing. On one hand, omg consumerism at it’s worst. On the other hand, DISCOUNTS ON HORSE STUFF. I must say though, you would never, under any circumstances, catch me in an actual store on Black Friday weekend.
Luckily this is 2017, and we live in the glorious age of online shopping, which means I can do it all completely alone and in my pajamas. My favorite circumstances for any activity!
The hard part is resisting all the stuff I WANT. Because I always want stuff. If there’s one talent I have in life, it’s lusting after expensive horse things. Alas this is always a pretty tight time of year for me financially, with the holidays and then all the membership renewals, Henry’s big annual vet visit in January, truck and trailer registration stuff, moving Presto down here soon, etc etc etc. I do tend to keep at least a little bit tucked away for the occasion though, plus I try to get the majority of my Christmas shopping done all at once. Not to mention that a lot of these sales are a good opportunity to stock up on basic necessity items at a nice discount.
Out of those 183 sales that made it onto my list, I clicked on all of them. Every single one. Gotta verify, ya know? So I looked at a lot of websites and a lot of fun horse stuff. Yet it took me all the way til Saturday to actually BUY anything… a fact that I’m not sure whether or not I should be proud of, or sad about. I did a lot of cart loading and a lot of daydreaming, but I just couldn’t bite the bullet until then. And what was this magical, fantastical item that finally pushed me over the brink?
Yeah. Soap. People soap, at that. Because when Michelle and I were in Bruges a few months ago, I bought the most awesome soap at a little apothecary. It smelled so great and was just lovely to use every day. Now I’m on a really big “fancy soap” kick. And of course the SO also discovered and fell in love with my fancy soap, so now it’s gone. When I was perusing the artisan soaps at KJ Creations and saw “Trail Ride: Pine Needle/Tea tree” I was like OMG YES I WOULD LOVE TO SMELL LIKE AN ENCHANTED FOREST! And at 35% off, why not add a few more to the cart? Chamomile/Lavender/Orange? Hell yeah. Vanilla/Lavender/Patchouli? Who wouldn’t!
After that it was a slippery slope (bad pun fully intended).
I was digging the 35% off at KJ creations so naturally I tossed in some homemade Yum Yum Muffins for Henry (I love that the giant size bag of them is called the “Spoiled” size because boy is that ever accurate), and a yellow and blue hand-dyed Unicorn lead rope. Because unicorn. Also because cross country colors. Also because 35% off. Also because I’m clearly 12 years old. But KJ, a fellow Texan, is awesome and it was a good “small business” purchase that I didn’t feel guilty about.
After that I wandered over to the USEA site to see if any of their already-on-sale stuff qualified for the additional Black Friday discount. It did, which meant that this Ariat vest found a new home at my house for a steal of a deal. It matches my Ego7 boots! No regrets on that purchase either, because I’m obviously a big fan of USEA (side note: if you get US Eventing magazine, I’ve got two articles in the breeding issue!).
Then while I was scrolling through facebook I saw that Equestrians Against Normalcy finally released the first run of their game, and who the hell can even say no to THAT? I did restrain myself with only one Jump Off pack, though. For now. This one wasn’t actually a Black Friday related purchase since there was no special sale or anything, but I was like meh I’m already on fire from everything else, might as well buy this game too.
Then I came across the Kavalkade Ivy bridle, which I looooooooooooove but Henry does not need another bridle. Still, it was on sale for like $70 with rubber reins, so it seemed almost criminal to not buy one. I, in my ever infinite logic, was like “I know, I’ll buy one for Presto!” even though it’ll be at least another year before he really wears a bridle. Alas, they were out of cob size in brown, which took the wind out of my sails just enough for me to realize that buying a bridle for a horse that isn’t even a year old yet is kind of the definition of dumb. So I did the only logical thing I could think of and bought him the Kavalkade Ivy HALTER instead. It was so cheap. I have no regrets here either since I’ve been looking for a nice leather halter for him for a while anyway. And it’s kind of a dual purpose item, because when he inevitably breaks it, as baby horses are wont to do, I can use all the pieces to beat some manners into him.
I’m kidding.
Probably.
Either way, it will be reserved as his “in public” halter, and he’ll have to grow into it because the smallest size was cob. It’s cute, that’s all that matters.
I rounded out my path of Black Friday destruction with a big dose of practicality at Riding Warehouse. Partly because they’re my faves, but also because Henry is out of salt-on-a-rope, which to him is basically the end of the world. I threw a few of those in the cart, and the big ass 6lb bag of German Horse Muffins (see earlier note about spoiled), and the cool new cover-up pants with the Riding Warehouse logo. 
I also tossed in their cheap navy waterproof quarter sheet, because no matter how hard I tried (and I tried several times) I just couldn’t make myself pull the trigger on the Back on Track at any point over the weekend. Probably because it’s still hot here and I just couldn’t stop questioning whether or not I would actually use it enough to be worth it. So for now, $37 quarter sheet it is. Henry won’t care anyway, he’s got so many cookies coming. I also tossed in a few things for my blogger Secret Santa too, but those are top secret.
And now that all the Black Friday craziness is over, it’s Giving Tuesday! It’s always hard to pick which charities get the last bit of cash that’s left, but mine is earmarked for the USEA Foundation (link to my official facebook fundraiser – the Bill Gates Foundation will match donations (up to $1000) to nonprofits via official FB fundraisers today!) and Thoroughbred Charities of America.
Time for everyone else to fess up – what all did you buy this weekend? And/or what organizations are you supporting today (feel free to pimp them below)?
breedrideevent.com 
I bought a $26 half pad at a local shop and stocked up on hay nets, some detangler and blogger SS items at riding warehouse. Oh and mailed back the saddle I had on trial that I desperately wanted to keep, but too poor. I didn’t go further into debt, so I guess that’s a win.
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Under armour had half off, so I got a nice light puffer jacket and a hat, which I returned. My head is shaped too weird, and also I wasn’t digging the soccer mom vibe. I tried to save my cash for a car, which didn’t end up working out, so now I just have a really happy bank account for once in my college life. Might be time to light it on fire and sign up for another horse show.
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The hat I returned, jacket I kept. Post was unclear. It’s a tuesday. Help.
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Funny – I bought fancy soap, too. Also because my hubby steals it. Ugh.
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Why do they steal our nice soap? I don’t get it.
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I bought $278 worth of stall mats? Exciting, right? Plus hay and straw. I’m an exciting black friday shopper. And I needed to go to the store and visit the hay guy for those purchases. I also bought something for my blogger secret santa. So much I wanted to buy, but never actually managed to buy any of it.
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I am proud to say, I didn’t buy a SINGLE THING. Although, to be fair, it’s not as fun to shop when you don’t have a horse to buy stuff for, hah. And little mare really doesn’t need anything — she’s a basic girl.
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I mean, there’s always SOAP! 😉
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Yeah my only purchase the whole weekend was some winter socks and a fleece ear warmer at the farm supply store Friday 😂 #tackhofail
In my defense, I impulse bought another saddle earlier this month and have several big trips coming up, so I was trying to be responsible. Soooooo boring, I know.
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I was thinking of buying ALL THE THINGS but I actually surprisingly restrained myself. I only got some breeches and ear muffs for my helmet. It feels….sad lol. But after Amber’s injection I couldn’t buy tooooo much lol. I’m also hoping there will be equal/bigger sales for Christmas. I TRIED to buy that freaking Cambox helmet cam but couldn’t for the life of me find United States of America on their country drop down menu. Even my sister and brother-in-law used translating and searched for FIFTEEN minutes. I was THIS CLOSE to putting in card information because it was only about $235 and we KNOW Dover is never having a sale on that thing. That was probably my biggest Black Friday disappointment. Here’s to hoping it can be my Christmas present to myself lol. Plus, I’m hoping RW will start carrying the new Majyk Equipe smalls for a Christmas sale! I was expressly disappointed that Majyk Equipe didn’t have the boots on sale for Black Friday OR Cyber Monday. At least Christmas isn’t too far away lol
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Ah, you should have just emailed or messaged Cambox, they’re usually pretty responsive!
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I got a response back after messaging them today….omg there’s a North American website. I feel the dumb right now LOL It’s okay. There’s Christmas sale, and if not then on the website it’s still 270 which is fine lol.
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I knocked out all my non-horse related Christmas shopping this weekend. Which I call a huge win! And then despite putting about 273927 items in various carts this weekend, I restrained myself to only a new set of Majyk Equipe boots from Riding Warehouse. I just couldn’t resist that deal.
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I did, however, spend the entire weekend clicking on every one of the links you posted trying to find a nice brown, raised, fancy stitched figure 8 bridle. I found 2 that were acceptable, but not enough of a discount to make me pull the trigger.
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Lund is about to launch a kickstarter with different “gifts” for certain pledge amounts (which amount to a discount from the regular price). I know the bridles are in there.
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I’m so freakin excited I got $160 paddock boots for $30. But that’s all. Too many family birthdays happening back-to-back right now to have any other personal spending fun! Love the unicorn leads. I want that. and the vest. (grabbyhandswhydidntIbuymorethings).
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The unicorn leads were only $13!
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Yarn. Too much yarn. Some on etsy, as well as a necklace for my sis from a seller on there (I always feel better when I shop on etsy). And some fancy clothes and shoes to try because my sister is getting martued before christmas and I have nothing to wear…
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Look at all these people and their restraint!
Hahahahahah that stops here.
BOT Quarter Sheet? Check. Browband? Check. Two bonnets? Check. Three pairs of breeches? Yup. Boots? Those too. Saddle pads? Hey, why not. Secret Santa? Better include her.
My poor, poor mailman…
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FINALLY, A FUN ONE!
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SAME! Riding Warehouse got all my money. Buckets, gloves, hay nets, white bright shampoo, the giant ball and cover, boots for me, random crap I can’t even remember plus my secret santa some stuff…oh, and a TV because my mom drug me through Walmart and I wasn’t coming out without a reward for that. And a ton of Christmas shopping. I have no money now.
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I also got a lot of Christmas shopping done, plus some new full seat winter breeches from RW, a new crop in my XC colors, and some non-horse-related winter boots. But let’s be honest, they’re going to make it out to the barn eventually. I also looked for a 5-point breastplate but didn’t see any deals that made me pull the trigger.
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My husband isn’t going to read this, right?? Hahaha! He did say I should buy my own Christmas gifts….
I did almost all the gift shopping for the children and the husband, too, but I definitely got a little crazy on horse stuff. A hay net thing, new breeches, and SS gifts from RW, an event watch from BoB, two saddle pads from Dover, a new browband from DJD, new bonnets from ITBF, and a bridle charm and t-shirt from My Barn Child. I’m with Holly. My UPS driver might see me every single night this week! ;-P
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I mean, none of it was THAT expensive, so it doesn’t really count right?
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Exactly and everything was on sale! And I didn’t pay anything to ship any of it!!
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I’ve pretty much stopped asking for horse-related things for Christmas from the family – even if I send them very specific links they never buy it since they don’t understand 1. what it actually is and 2. why I should have it. So I have to buy myself horsie items! To be fair I didn’t get EVERYTHING I wanted, but I certainly didn’t need 2 new pairs of breeches (I’m trying the ovation aqua X that you recommended cuz the color is gorgeous), a bareback pad that I’ve been eyeing for weeks, and I sprung for the BoT quarter sheet, but everything else was pretty much on the essentials list. Horse gear goes on sale so rarely that I also stocked up on treats, flyspray, riding gloves and I threw a relatively inexpensive bit 1 size smaller than what my horse currently wears b/c I randomly decided that its too big for him now.
Fortunately SO is really good about getting me horse stuff if I show him exactly what I want, so when I checked the mail yesterday and saw the Blackjack refinery package I know its the new browband (or Crown as he likes to call them) that I have wanted forever. Thats love folks.You buy your wife’s horse a ridiculously bejeweled horse tiara because you know its what she wants.
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I came so close to buying another pair of Aqua-X breeches! It’s not fun being practical sometimes.
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I gave RW all my money for Christmas presents including my secret Santa. Then a couple things and KJ. The halter sooo would have been mine if it came in brown. But black isn’t for me.
Fancy soap for the win!
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OMG that halter… Where did you buy it and is it still on sale???
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Equizone. They still have it, but it’s no longer on sale.
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I totally went nuts at Exceptional Equestrian, bought Mini Britches and books for my kid, shirts for me, then went to Spanish Oaks Tack and got a new Kerrits rain jacket, crop and dressage whip (because you cant have too many of those). I also got some new breeches of various flavors, I needed those right? I did save some because I was at a horse show, so I blew my money on that…
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I was sadly well behaved(because I’m too broke to go on a spending spree) I brought a set of thinline rear shims, 2 pairs of used fits
full seat breeches(only $50 each!) And I bought hubby a refurbished Xbox 360 for his b-day on the 11th since he fried the one my brother gave to our son lol
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I swear I felt like Leo throwing money off the yacht this weekend. There were SO many things I wanted to buy and I literally put thousands of dollars worth of goods in carts but ultimately settled for a new medium and lite turnouts for the little red head, and finally sprung for the BoT sheet for silly Willy after months of almost buying it but backing out. then I snagged the last ogilvy baby pad in hunter green and a sweatshirt from Gray & Co. plus a few things locally. The one thing I’m kicking myself for not going ahead and buying was the custom whip it was almost in the cart until I got overwhelmed with what length to get lol so it didn’t make the cut. I also almost got a thinline to go under the new saddle but since the new saddle isn’t here and I’m not entirely sure I’d use it, it didn’t make the cut either. Now here’s to hoping for a few Christmas sales to get those few things I should have just gone ahead and bought 😁
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That’s a pretty good haul!
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I’ll be sporting some RW swag, couldn’t beat the price on their T-shirts and decided to try their zip-up fleece, then I splurged on the Kerrits horseshoe fleece from them as well. Adams had the Kerrits jacket on sale I’ve been eyeing since I discovered my horse has left permanent slobber stains on my winter jacket (side note: why would mountain horse ever think light grey was a good choice for sleeves?) so I picked one of those up along with a new set of mdc s flex irons because who managed to lose her irons in the cross country move? This girl…
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I bought a total fit saddle girth in brown for new saddle (RW 25 percent off natch so was a steal, hope we like it!) along with some rock salt for Remus and a HW padded jacket for me. They came today and I love the girth and the jacket both. Oh and a pair of Tuffrider cord breeches that were on sale in black for schooling (I already have gray and since they are my most comfy ones, why not). I also bought a pair of Ariat clogs (in brown) and at Foster and Smith I bought the dogs new flea collars but scored my fifty dollar gift cert. 🙂 I could have bought a lot more but couldn’t commit. I would have bought the bridle you found if it had been in cob size in stock. SHEESH. I haven’t bought one thing for other people for Xmas. ALL ME ALL THE TIME LOL
I may also have ordered a shit ton from Kohls as well FOR ME SIGH. LOL. (Another jacket, jeans etc.) HA Oh and new dog beds for the dogs. SOMEBODY STOP ME 🙂
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Maybe that company with the bridles will restock and will have another sale again at some point. I found them at a couple US and UK shops but they were a lot pricier.
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I bought a new pair of barn work boots since mine are literally falling apart at the seams – Ariat TerrainPro H20s, finally justified with the 25% off. Then a second RW order because I needed a gift for the barn gift exchange, and then of course *had* to make it to $50 in my cart to get free shipping…so a bunch of odds and ends like clearance socks, tack sponges, leather cleaner…I don’t even remember what else I put in there.
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I got a pair of micklem reins, a new bit, a fly mask, a rope halter, and a bot knife. And most excitingly, a full set of the ME Infinity stadium boots! So excited for those.
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I did okay. Back on Track saddle pad and hock boots, Kastel merino 1/4 zip that I basically have not taken off, Kastel regular sunshirt, and some realllllly crappy $5 gloves that will at least be good winter barn gloves. I am happy with it all, but having a little bit of a financial hangover.
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I purchased some Peach colour Gelato Breeches from peter Williams Riding Aparrel here in Australia. I also purchased a saddle.
see how i said the saddle second, that was how i sold it to my partner lol
mel x
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Boots. Please send help. I need it.
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I love those leadropes (I am also twelve and have been for years)!
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