Color-Coordinated

Note: This is day 14 of my 30-day blogging challenge. What the heck is a 30-day blogging challenge? Read about it here.

Snoopy goes with everything.

Get Our Free Weekly Enewsletter About Horses

When it comes to most pricey horse gear and riding apparel, my favorite color is whatever is on clearance. At some point in my early days of horse ownership, I imagined that I was on the road to one day owning my own barn, which would of course have to have stall drapes for show stabling and various other important things that would have to be in my barn’s official colors.

I never did decide what those colors would be, though, and also, I joined horse-ownership reality. Like anyone else, I have my color preferences and all things equal, I’ll pick my favorite of what’s available. But if the ugly mustard yellow one of whatever I need is marked down 50 percent, then mustard yellow is my color of choice. This is probably how I’ve ended up with so many pairs of navy blue breeches over the years, even though I really don’t like navy blue. Apparently no one else my size does, either, because they’re always on clearance.

There are exceptions, of course. I have a lot of purple stuff. I think it started when I received a purple clipper case from my barn secret Santa one year. Later, I needed a bridle bag and had the choice between some boring color and purple, so I went with the latter. I once bought a pair of sparkly purple bell boots (on sale!) because their very existence amused me so much. My horse doesn’t need bell boots at all, much less ones that make him look like a pretty pretty princess. But someday I might need them, and when that day comes, I know I’m going to be happy to dig them up. Also, I bought them shortly after the 2010 World Equestrian Games where I saw the legendary Totilas do his victory gallop in a pair of metallic gold bell boots, and I won’t pretend that didn’t inspire me a bit.

You can’t argue with results.

But I’ve never paid more for a purple item when another color was available for less.

Riding is an expensive sport, so it makes sense to buy the cheapest thing, no matter the color. On the other hand, riding is an expensive sport, so if you’re going to participate in it at all, you should get the maximum enjoyment possible out of it. If it makes you happy to have everything in Superman colors, I’m for it.

What do you think? Tell me more in the comments.

Back to The Near Side

Leslie Potter is Sr. Associate Web Editor of HorseChannel.com. Follow her on Twitter: @LeslieInLex.

10 years ago

Leslie Potter

Leslie Potter is a graduate of William Woods University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Science with a concentration in saddle seat riding and a minor in Journalism/Mass Communications. She is currently a writer and photographer in Lexington, Ky.Potter worked as a barn manager and riding instructor and was a freelance reporter and photographer for the Horsemen's Yankee Pedlar and Saddle Horse Report before moving to Lexington to join Horse Illustrated as Web Editor from 2008 to 2019. Her current equestrian pursuits include being a grown-up lesson kid at an eventing barn and trail riding with her senior Morgan gelding, Snoopy.

Next 7 Excellent Horse-Inspired Tunes »

Previous « Trail Riding Travels

View Comments

:-) says:
January 15, 2015 at 5:47 am
Like when buying your first horse color shouldn't be a choice. If you can find a calm horse that is perfect for you color doesn't matter.
So when you see stuff on a sale rack either pick the color that is what you like if it's available or go with a color you don't like if it's something you really need,but don't have the money to buy a full price item.
If you really want to buy stuff color coordinated then it'd be best to save up to buy those things.. even if you have to wait for years to get the stuff.