A Great Riding Read – Catch Rider by Author Jennifer Lyne

CatchRiderCover I admit it, I’m an older rider (cough cough), but I love to read anything about horses, especially books intended for young adults. It must satisfy some longing for a younger self, or maybe I never grew up inside, or maybe I’m just reaching mid-life crisis. Catch Rider, by Jennifer Lyne, is a wonderful read! I’m only partially through it, but I can’t put it down, even though I HAVE to because my family does require attention now and then.

I’m posting this before I finish my read because Ms. Lyne, a fellow Chappaqua resident, will be signing her book tomorrow at the great Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival located in Bell Middle School right in town. Any fans, new readers or parents of horse-crazy kids will want to stop by and meet her as well as pick up a copy of her book.

Not only will this support our wonderful festival, but Ms. Lyne has decided to generously donate all her proceeds from the festival to Everytown for Gun Safety – in honor of the victims of our most recent tragedy in Oregon. Thank you Ms. Lyne. I will be buying several copies

I’m going to use the publisher’s description of Catch Rider, as I’m not done reading it yet!! I will, however, get right to it when the kids go down tonight. Watch out A Circuit 😉

Catch Rider is published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt

Synopsis

Sidney Criser, 14, pursues her dream of becoming a catch rider–a show rider who can ride anything–despite her poor background and ferocious competition from more privileged girls. Set in Virginia, Catch Rider is an authentic behind the scenes portrayal of a show barn and the elite, demanding world of equitation.  Catch Rider is not a horse book; it’s a book about horse people. 

xo

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Tack and Tweed’s Holiday Gift Guide for Winter 2014

Tack and Tweed Holiday Gift Guide Cover
Tack and Tweed Holiday Gift Guide Winter, 2014

Wondering what to get your horsey loved ones? We have some ideas to help you out!!!

We feature some of our favorite brands, as well as some new ones, most of which can be purchased online simply by clicking the link in the guide. For items sold by Ride Bedford, please give Courtney a call – she will personally help you with anything you need and will be sure to give you the best product at the best value.

By the way our very own Tack and Tweed limited edition cell phone covers designed by Beatrice Bulteau and made in France, may be purchased here, or by emailing me directly (Lisa@TackandTweed.com)!

Tack and Tweed Holiday Gift Guide 2014

Happy Holiday Shopping!!!

xo

lb

 

 

Don’t Ride Blind! Warby Parker has your eyes covered in sun and shade.

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Many of you have heard of the eye-wear brand Warby Parker, but if you have not, I invite you to check them out. A company with a conscience, the founders began with the problem of not being able to afford quality eye glasses:

Every idea starts with a problem. Ours was simple: glasses are too expensive. We were students when one of us lost his glasses on a backpacking trip. The cost of replacing them was so high that he spent the first semester of grad school without them, squinting and complaining. (We don’t recommend this.) ….Where were the options?

It turns out there was a simple explanation. The eyewear industry is dominated by a single company that has been able to keep prices artificially high while reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options.

We started Warby Parker to create an alternative.

By circumventing traditional channels , designing glasses in-house, and engaging with customers directly, we’re able to provide higher-quality, better-looking prescription eyewear at a fraction of the going price….Almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses, which means that 15% of the world’s population cannot effectively learn or work. To help address this problem, Warby Parker partners with non-profits like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need.”

Pretty cool, right? They have some pretty fun frames, my personal favorite is the Laurel in Tea Rose Fade at $95 (for single-vision, $295 for progressives). You can use your web cam and try them on virtually from the comfort of your home. For many styles, you can order a sample pair to be sent directly to you for a test wear. These would look adorably preppy for a schooling ride, and then stylish when reading the latest Georgina Bloomberg novel, watching the Real Housewives with friends, or simply going out for a drink and being able to actually read the cocktail menu. If they fall off and get trampled by your equine buddy (let’s hope this doesn’t happen), you won’t need sell your first born to replace them.

My style suggestion:

Laurel in Tea Rose $95
Laurel in Tea Rose $95

 

They also have may wonderful sun shade options. In fact, they just launched a new line, called “Ghostly”, which is stylish and can be worn in the ring and out. Perfect for a man or a woman; one part Tom Cruise and one part Audrey Hepburn. I don’t have a final price on the Ghostly line, but their other shades go from $95 non-prescription to $350 progressives. Not bad, considering a pair of designer shades can go up to $500 w/o a prescription.

We’re all excited for the launch of the Ghostly, although how fun would it have been to have launched them on Halloween (hmmm…maybe too cliche). Anyway, try them out and give someone who can’t afford to purchase their own, the opportunity to have clear vision. It’s all about the shades. 😉 They can be purchased at http://www.WarbyParker.com.

xo

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And the winner of the gorgeous Asmar Equestrian scarf is….

Laura from EquineParadigm.com! Congrats and enjoy the wonderful scarf!

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xo

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Tomorrow I’ll be announcing the winner of the Asmar Equestrian scarf from Septembers’ giveaway!

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I’m so excited to see who is going to win the gorgeous Asmar Equestrian infinity scarf tomorrow (just in time for the cooler weather!) Check back in tomorrow evening to see if you’ve won!

October’s giveaway will also be announced!

Xo
Lb

Backpacks for the Barn

There are some really fun new backpacks this fall for students, but what about for the rider (and those of us <cough> beyond our school years)? Riders carry bulky items like helmets, and we need our hands free to fuss with bridles, so I’ve been searching for a backpack that useful in the barn, but can be worn after riding and doesn’t make me look like I’m about to hike the Appalachian trail.

If you don’t mind a little dust on some butter soft Italian leather, it’s reasonably priced at $320. I believe I found the perfect backpack. Brand new this fall season, the Asmar Equestrian’s Firenze Backpack is gorgeous. It was specifically designed for the rider in mind, so it can hold your helmet and riding accessories, yet is so beautiful, it can go to a restaurant or to town after your hack, and I won’t look like a mutton dressed in tween’s clothing. Measuring 15″ x 11″ x 3.5″, you will have plenty of room for your wallet, keys, makeup bag and polo wraps ;). No wonder they’re my go-to equestrian brand this year.

 

 

For those of you willing to spend a little more, Prada makes a fun backpack, which is made from their Tessuto easily washable nylon.  At $920 (for the camo print), it’s pricey, but should last a long time. Measures 14″ x 14.5″ x 6″. It’s light and strong and should be able to carry most of a rider’s needs. It comes in other colors like pink and red.

Again, with the higher end, Gucci has a nice canvas backpack, however, I’m not convinced it’s perfect for a barn setting, maybe for the girl that has a full time groom and a trust fund $1200….you be the judge:

Another fun option is Tory Burch. At $195, you won’t break the bank. Her camouflage canvas logo backpack is roomy, and cute – getting a camo theme here, right?

Marc, by Marc Jacobs has a cute one that’s not as expensive at $198:

Okay, I haven’t forgotten the boys. Many backpacks are gender neutral, and men typically aren’t as picky about what they carry on their backs, but for the discerning man with a little dinero to burn, I love these:

 

 

Report from the American Gold Cup

I had a lovely morning at the American Gold Cup at the pristine Old Salem Farm in Westchester County, NY. I arrived when the booths were just setting up, so I was able to catch some serious jumping before hitting boutique row for some shopping. Great performances from Brianne Goutal to Todd Minikus to Georgina Bloomberg; it was truly wonderful.

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Okay, on to the fashion!

There were so many stand out products, that it was difficult to edit, but here are some of my favorites:

I love, love, love DerDau, and at this show, I got to meet the wonderful Mr. Der. He introduced me to HIS favorite boots (at least for today) and they are truly a piece of art. Completely hand made out of beautiful ostrich and alligator skins, these were beauties. Western in style, Mr. Der assured me he can adapt them for a more English preference, if desired. He’ll put in zippers or change the heel, color or skins. Price on these babies is around $4500, so you better break out the visa black. Other styles and skin combinations are easier on the pocket book, but wow, amazing.

 

They have a fun line of men’s ties, I bought my husband this one:

If you haven’t heard of B+ (that’s “B Positive”), you will! It all began 7 years ago when founder Deb Gorman’s husband successfully underwent a stem cell transplant, changing his blood type from A+ to B+! Their first B+ necklace, a simple silver charm on a leather cord, reminded family and friends to BE POSITIVE. Along with Sari Seewald, they have created a line of beautiful, wearable jewelry lovingly named after influences and places they remember in their lives, like “Annie’s Cove”, “Dakota Sky” and “Moonstone”. I purchased a really cute charm bracelet with their signature B+ charm, a sterling silver stirrup and a pretty blue stone. It can worn casual or dressy. Check out their line here.

 

I want to shout out to Hunt Limited – they have a beautiful boutique filled with all the latest trends, styles and must-haves. They offer something for the rider to wear after show, and for the non-rider to wear TO the show. I was greeted by Gretchen and Ginny who showed me their favorites:

 

Currently, they sell to only the horsey set who follow the A Circuit, however, they are currently working on their website/facebook page so they can sell their wears online to the masses!

There were so many more, here were some other highlights:

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I urge ANYONE who loves horses or equine fashion, to take the trip to beautiful Old Salem, NY for the festivities. They continue every day until Sunday evening, September the 14th.

I’ll be back Saturday – I have so much more to cover!

xo

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Best Breeches By Far – Review of Asmar Equestrian’s Signature Knee Patch Breeches

I’ve only been riding for 4 years now, but I’ve tried just about every breech out there, and loved none. Each pair had their limitations. I heard about the equestrian riding apparel company Asmar Equestrian from one of my favorite sites DappeledGrey.com. I was in love with the brand at first glance. Soft colors, warm and quality materials, I wanted everything on the site. Alas, they are rather expensive, so I had to wait. Finally, Asmar had a sale, including my size in their Signature Knee Patch Breech. Still not cheap at $152.00, I took the plunge and bought a pair.

I love them. The nylon/spandex material is comfortable, breathable and still holds up to hours in the saddle. They are the only breeches which aren’t too low in the waist or too high; like baby bear they were “just right”.  I love that they can be dressed up or down.They looked great with a simple t-shirt and amazing with a show jacket. I also love the fact that the bottom of the legs are comfortable. I have other breeches that irritate my calf because of velcro, or because the bottom elastics are too tight. Before I had these breeches, I tended to wear mostly the pull up riding tights; I can finally wear a belt and have roomy pockets for my phone.

While you are looking at their breeches, check out their amazing Boyfriend Sweater. Cashmere (oh joy) and comfy, with reinforced contrasting elbow patches, I would wear this sweater every day when the fall chill starts to blow. Some sweater colors (like my favorite grey) are also on sale, so perhaps for my anniversary, my husband will surprise me – psst: size large please (I like my sweaters over-sized and cozy). I’m so excited that Asmar has a new blog called “Horses and Lipstick”; right up my alley! I look forward to reading their posts.

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I know these breeches are a pretty penny, but trust me, invest in one great pair and you won’t have to shop for any others for a long time. It’s time to donate my other breeches :).

xo

lb

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