“They love U.S.-made equestrian products in Europe,” Paul says adding that it’s a status symbol over there, “because they know how well these things are made.”

And that’s only one of the many reasons Saddlers Row recently launched a new Buy-American program in its store, which offers customers a $50 bonus gift card for every $500 spent on American-Made products.

Saddlers Row owner Frances Bowers, said that in addition to the high-quality craftsmanship of products made exclusively in the U.S., she wants Saddlers Row to play its part in the growing Buy American movement aimed at getting the national economy back on its feet.

“No one is going to do this for us, so we’ve got to get serious and do it ourselves,” Frances says. “Buying American products is not just a token gesture. When you purchase products made in America, you put American people back to work.”

Because of the economic downturn, Paul Trieber says he recently had to lay off more than 20 people from Walsh Harness & Saddlery, which has been in business since 1914 and is located in Brookfield, WI. Telling employees who were like family members that he couldn’t afford to keep them on was a very difficult thing, but he maintains a contagious sort of optimism that they’ll be hired back soon.

Despite the temptations to look overseas for cheaper materials and labor, Paul continues to purchase all of his raw materials from U.S. companies. He buys his leather, for example, from companies like Wickett & Craig and Hermann Oaks, which itself started in 1881 in St. Louis, Mo. to supply the wagon trains of settlers traveling west along the Lewis & Clark trails.

“You just can’t find leather anywhere in the world like you can right here in the United States,” Paul says. “Our cattle are ranged for the most part out in the open up north and out west, which means they grow a nice, thick hide to protect them from the elements. That in turn means you can make a very strong halter, one that will stand up to anything unlike those made from thinner leather – from cattle grown in more temperate climates – which are just too stretchy to do the job.”

Almost everything done in the Walsh factory is done by hand. Employees, many of whom have been with Walsh for more than 20 years, sit behind sewing machines that were part of the original Walsh workshop and are almost 90 years old themselves.

“We do everything the old fashioned way,” Paul says, “and you can’t find a modern sewing machine that comes close to the quality and efficiency of these.”
Walsh’s production manager, Dave, has been with the company for 29 years and is one of the last leather cutters left in the U.S. Dave knows so much about leather, he can lick a hide to determine its oil content.

“There’s a big, big difference between leather that’s tanned in a country like India or tanned in a country like America,” Dave explains.

“We buy hides that are tanned in vegetable matter whereas hides tanned in India are often soaked in…” he clears his throat, “things that make them smell bad. I can smell a halter made in India a mile away.”

It takes 16 hours to make one Walsh halter from beginning to end. The leather is cut by hand. The hardware is attached by hand. The padding, the stitching, and the oiling are done by hand. Even the packaging and mailing is done by a living, breathing person.

As he walks us through his factory, which reminds one of an old-fashioned workshop on a large scale, Paul picks up odds and ends along the way and reminds us of their origins. From sheepskin to brass buckles to spool upon spool of white, cotton thread…

“All of it grown, spun, molded and raised right here in our own backyard.”

For more information about Walsh products carried by Saddlers Row or for more information about our Buy American campaign, visit our online store at www.saddlersrow.com or tack shop in person at 20066 N. Rand Rd., Palatine, Il.

Exactly the same thing as last year. And the year before that. And the year before that…

It’s not as if riding apparel has changed much in the last several hundred years, but this “classic” designation doesn’t help parents of the under 12-set who must re-outfit their growing equestrians year after year. It leans, at times, towards the expensive.

One of Saddlers Row’s expert outfitters, Megan Allardice, is a professional rider with her own show wardrobe to maintain, but she says there are several respectable ways to cut apparel costs without sacrificing quality, good looks or safety.

First, make a list of what your young rider needs from head to foot:
1. ASTM/SEI approved helmet
2. Hair Net for girls
3. Two show shirts – one white and one colored – with an optional monogrammed collar or a pin (CoolMax makes a nice shirt that’s easy care)
4. Hunt Jacket in a conservative color
5. Gloves (if extra grip on the reins is required or if your trainer advises)
6. Jodhpurs with elastic at the bottom
7. Belt (of the same color as boots)
8. Jod Garters (of the same color as boots)
9. Paddock Boots (zipper or lace)
10. Socks

Megan points out that besides the helmet (which should be properly fitted in the store, of a style appropriate for showing and of the highest quality affordable), every item on the list can be tailored to a child-friendly budget.

“We have synthetic leather paddock boots – Millstone and Exselle for instance — which look and feel very similar to real leather but which cost much less,” Megan says. “I think it’s a wise choice for a child who participates schooling or introductory level showing and who will outgrow the boots by the end of the season.”

Megan points out that Saddlers Row also carries high quality yet economical jodhpurs, show shirts, and hunt coats, which she recommends and sells on a regular basis, as well as a wide range of gloves and belts.

As for the socks? With properly fitted jodhpurs and garters, no one will see them…

Happy showing! A great fit and a classic look can be achieved at an economical price, so let the experts help send you out in style.

Saddle maintenance can mean many things – cleaning and conditioning are two major components. There are other ways of maintaining a saddle, though, such as replacing worn billets, seats, or flaps, and replacing stitching that has come loose before it progresses to a much larger (and harder to repair) hole. All of these can be replaced easily by a saddler at a cost much smaller than the eventual replacement of the saddle. By taking care of these minor issues you may spend a little, but the ability to keep your saddle instead of buying a new one is a much larger saving in the long run.

Saddlers Row just happens to have a Master Saddler on staff full-time. His name is Michael Dainton, and has just recently joined us here in the Chicago area (we did have a previous saddler but she is no longer with our store). Michael is truly a Master at working with saddles and other leather tack, and can repair or replace many things that you would previously not consider fixable, as well as provide some saddle tree alterations and saddle reflocking. The best way to find out is to either call him here at the store (888-710-7171 is the toll-free number) or contact him through email (service@saddlersrow.com or mastersaddler@saddlersrow.com) and ask. If you are too far away to visit us in person, we will gladly accept a shipped-in item for Michael to alter or repair.

So next time you go out to the barn and tack up your horse, give your saddle a quick once-over and make sure that it doesn’t need any minor maintenance that you could save you major money in the future.

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A turnout blanket or rug is worn by a horse when it is out in a field or pasture. It is designed to allow maximum movement for the horse, while providing maxiumum protection from the elements. Turnout blankets are constructed of two layers of material, one or both of which is usually nylon or a nylon-blend material, and some type of fiberfill to provide insulation against cold. Most are coated to repel water, and many turnout blankets and sheets are now Teflon® coated. The fabric repels water, but is still breathable enough to allow air and moisture to escape from the sheet/blanket. The standard for waterproof and breathability is 3000mm.

Turnout blankets come in different thickness and weights. ‘Lightweight’, ‘medium weight’, and ‘heavyweight’ are common designations — these terms are referring to the fill inside of the blanket and have nothing to do with the actual physical weight of the blanket. A horse blanket’s weight, or warmth, is determined by the amount of fill in the blanket and is measured in grams of synthetic insulation per square meter: the higher the grams, the more fill per meter, and the warmer the horse. A heavyweight blanket often contains between 300 grams and 420 grams of fill, a medium weight blanket can range from 180 grams to 200 grams of fill, and a lightweight blanket will contain less than 200 grams of fill. A blanket with no fill at all is generally considered a sheet, and not a blanket.

Like a turnout blanket, a turnout sheet is worn by a horse when it is out in a field or pasture. Turnout sheets are sturdy enough to handle the wear and tear of life outside, and they are designed to hold up to the roughest of play. They also need to be waterproof for turnout in the elements. They can contain fleece lining at the withers to prevent excess rubbing and wearing away of fur at what is a common pressure point beneath a blanket, but otherwise typically are not constructed with any significant lining or fill.

Turnout-style blankets and sheets are typically roomier than contoured stable blankets, and have shoulder gussets, or pleats, added to give the horse extra mobility while running around outside. Many times they will come with a higher-cut neck style than regular stable sheets and blankets for added protection from water and wind, and some heavier winter blankets either come with a built-in neck cover, or can be accessorized with a detachable neck cover, for even more protection.

Turnout sheets are designed for spring, fall, and mild winter weather; for serious weather conditions, a turnout blanket with a good layer of fiberfill for warmth would be more appropriate.

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Choosing the appropriate sheet or blanket for your equine companion is a lot more than just picking out a nice color combination. Where the horse will be wearing the blanket, in what temperatures, and how active he or she will be in the blanket are all important factors in the decision. We’ve made it halfway through the basic styles; our next installment we will cover the function and features of stable sheets and blankets. Check back soon!

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When the cold winter weather hits, many horse owners automatically bring out the horse blankets. However, a horse’s normal winter coat is much more insulating than a blanket, and unless the horse’s coat has been clipped due to heavy physical exertion (or due to a winter show schedule), the horse is living outside without a windbreak, or the horse has been moved to a colder climate during winter months, it will many times be warmer with no blanket at all.

The horse’s longer winter coat helps to trap the body heat against the skin. Aside from the obvious fact that the winter coat is thicker than the summer coat, during cold weather tiny muscles in the skin raise these longer coat hairs away from the body, creating tiny air pockets that hold in body heat and heighten the insulating effect of the fur. Flattening this ‘fluffed-up’ coat by adding the weight of layers of light blankets, or even one heavy one, can actually make the horse colder by restricting this insulating effect. This is why it is sometimes more beneficial to the horse to do nothing at all, rather than blanketing in order to make ourselves “feel better”, like we are doing something to help the horse.

If a horse is not body clipped and not accustomed to being blanketed regularly, it can put the horse at risk for negative health effects. If a horse becomes overheated under a horse blanket, it will begin to sweat. The dampness trapped beneath the blanket causes the horse to become chilled when exposed to a cooler temperature, which then increases the risk of pneumonia or other respiratory infections. This is why it is bad to wait until the temperatures turn really cold and then suddenly start blanketing. Along a similar vein, if a horse must be blanketed due to cooler temperatures during the night and early morning make sure that someone will be there to take the blanket off when temperatures rise later in the day or else the horse will overheat, which could put the horse at risk for getting sick when the air cools off again in the evening.

If you do choose to use a horse blanket, making sure that the blanket fits the horse properly is important. A blanket that is too tight will irritate the skin and put the horse at risk of developing abrasions and sores, especially around the shoulders and withers. A blanket that is too large can slide around or slip down under the horse’s belly. Not only will that result in the loss of almost all the blanket’s insulating ability, if the horse gets its legs tangled in the blanket or the blanket straps, it can be seriously injured.

Every horse should have its own blanket, not only because horses come in many shapes and sizes but also because shared horse blankets can spread skin problems such as girth itch, ringworm, and other fungal infections. Even if no horses in the stable have known skin problems, fungal spores can cling to blankets and potentially be spread to other horses. Regularly washing blankets with a specialized blanket wash can help ensure that your horse’s skin will stay healthy. If washing your horse blankets at home is not an option we also offer blanket washing and repair services for our customers.

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As you can see, there’s a lot more to think about than you probably realized when it comes to choosing whether or not to blanket your horse. Assuming that you’ve decided that blanketing is a necessity for you equine partner, your next step will be deciding what type of blanket to give your friend – sheet or blanket? And turnout or stable sheet/blanket? These will be the questions that we will address in our next installment, where we will cover the basic differences in the types and styles of horse blankets. Check back soon!

Blanket laundering prices are $15 for sheets (this is a ONE LAYER sheet ONLY!! Turn out sheets with two layers or other multi-layer sheets count as “blankets,” even if they are technically considered “turn out sheets” or whatnot) and $18 for blankets. Blankets are machine washed in large capacity front-load washers and are air-dried hanging on racks with fans aimed to speed the process along a bit. We can also waterproof your turn out sheets and turn out blankets (sorry, we cannot waterproof your stable sheet!) for an additional $18.

Along with laundering we also offer blanket repair services. Holes can be sewn or patched, straps can be repaired or replaced if necessary (best efforts are made to match the appearance of all blanket parts), and buckles can also be replaced, so don’t despair if your horse has done some damage! Prices vary based on the type or amount of work done on the blanket. Serious repair efforts take some time, so the length of your blanket’s stay with us may be increased a little bit, as well. Turn-around time for blankets in for wash/repair has typically been 10-14 days, although that can vary based on time of year and amount of staffing that we have allocated to the blankets.

*As a side note: If you bring in an item for repair is MUST be laundered, also! We cannot patch a hole or replace a strap on a dirty blanket as it would ruin our machinery and then we would not be able to fix anyone else’s blankets.*

Blankets are returned to you clean and folded, each in a clear plastic zip-up case for easy storage and identification when it is time to get them out and use them again.

We accept blanket drop offs seven days a week, so get anything that might be in need of washing or repair in to us soon, so that you can be prepared for any sudden drops in temperature – Fall is almost here! Until next time…