Harness Hydra and the Expo Loot

Harness Hydra

Hey Hootie – check out the title of this post. We have a new name for your band.

I’d been teasing DH about how many saddles and horses I intended to buy at the Expo.  Despite not finding a used jump saddle, I still walked away with more loot than I anticipated. Here’s the final list, give or take a couple bags of mini doughnuts:

• Two 46″ pony sized harnesses. Nice solid leather in nearly new condition. Spotted (decorated with steel nubbins) and headstalls lined with red. These were a good deal at the 4-H used tack sale. Complete except for driving reins.
• 3 used snaffle bits. (Also at the 4-H sale) Another dead-end attempt to find a bit to fit Banderas. Sold as a set, I was convinced the half cheek snaffle was small enough. Lesson: take tape measure next time. Way too big. Sigh. I’m going to have to start buying new horses to fit all this Noah’s Ark of bit sizes. I guess an easier solution would be to sell the bits?
• The name of a good carriage shop in Iowa with lots of pony sized bits. I should have purchased a few different sizes. Now I’ll order on-line at www.iowavalleycarriage.com
• Book: The Essential Guide to Carriage Driving.
  
• Book: Drive Smartly, Drive Safely. A safety booklet published by the American Carriage Association.
• Book: Horseplay, a novel by Judi Reene Singer. She’s a new to me. Looks funny.
• A casual western straw hat for me to wear around the bonfire. (okay, getting a little slap happy with purchases by this time)
• An Aussie style oilskin hat for DH (this was actually on the shopping list)
• A collapsible metal workbench for the tractor shed. DH was pretty excited about this and the inventor, a home grown guy from South Dakota, did a great demonstration and sales pitch. The Lee Unlimited Power Bench.

Expo talk to wrap up tomorrow with “Cutest of the Expo”. We didn’t make it to the rodeo, so this unfortunately doesn’t involve anyone with a lariat & Wranglers. Think long fuzzy ears instead.

Tags: harness, Hootie and the Blowfish, horse, Minnesota Horse Expo, MN Horse Expo, shopping