I live in the Virginia hunt country and my horses live here with me. It’s a lot of work keeping them here but I wouldn’t have it any other way. “Madison” is my newest addition which is a big deal for me as I keep my horses forever.  My others are Sega who is 24 and retired and Alfie who is 17 and starting to slow down, so Madda is the youngster at only 7. I bought her last year after a long search and we started showing this year in the 3 foot Adult Hunters.  We have ventured a few times to the big shows and will eventually get there – she’s so smart and loves her job – she improves every time out.  My Blog Horse Country Chic is for riders and non-riders alike and we delve into the lifestyle of the Virginia Horse Country.   Riding clothes and riding fashion are topics from time-to-time and I often find riding related clothing that non-riders can wear and enjoy.  But as a competitive hunter rider, I love to stay up on the trends but tend to be a creature of habit and rely on the “classics”. 

Steubben Maxi-Grip Stirrups

I found these stirrups on Amazon and absolutely love them. They have a slight angle to them and I have foot problems so the angle helps me a lot.  They are not too heavy or too light (somewhere in between) and are classic enough for the Virginia hunters.  I don’t see too many people using these so this is a well-kept secret. I would not use anything else and I ride in them every day.

Ariat Clothing

I’m such of fan of Ariat.  I wear their boots to show in (Monaco’s), their breeches, and I adore their casual clothing from their Sun Shirts to their Down Vests. The quality and fit are perfect, the price point is great and the style – well, let’s say my closet is full of Ariat.  I wear this stuff almost every day.

Tucci Marilyn Paddock Boots

I discovered Tucci a few years ago.  Their boots are so Italian! Beautiful design, leather, comfortable and long-wearing but of course, expensive (but worth it). These are almost too beautiful to ride in or wear but you can literally wear them all day long.  Comfort is key too!  They come in black and brown and I’d love to own a pair of black ones one day.  They make matching half chaps that go with these but I have not splurged on those quite yet.

Needlepoint Belts

I have an entire collection of these stitched through the years, some horsey, some not, but I wear one of these when I horse show and often when I ride.  You can’t have too many of these and no one will have one exactly like yours.  Every equestrian needs a needlepoint belt!

String Gloves

Except in the depth of winter and at horse shows, I wear string gloves to ride in every day.  It must be a throw-back from my fox hunting days.  I just can’t stand to ride without them. They are cool in summer but warm enough in most of winter. I go through a pair of these every 18 months.  They are comfortable, breath, give you some protection and they look good too! Win, win.