Tack-Binge

I know that I am a binge eater, and I'm fairly certain that there have been days where my love for a good Irish Whiskey have placed me in a binge-drinking category... But Saturday I found myself in that oh-so-familiar position of "needing" one thing at the tack store (on sale!) and managing to also walk out with an unplanned impulse buy.

Usually I relegate those impulse purchases to the tack store equivalent of tabloid magazines and a new flavor of gum.  Which I guess would be a bag of fancy looking horsey treats, something useful but small like new bell boots or perhaps even a fun, new, delicious smelling spray for the pony's coat.

However when those "impulse" items creep past $100 or sometimes even past the cost of the initial "planned purchase,"  I think the trip get pushed into binge territory.

I was squarely in binge-land on Saturday morning.

The Boy accompanied me for an early morning trip to get myself a new helmet (Helmet Awareness Day! 20% off!).  For at least a year now, I've stared sadly at my old helmet (circa 2004) and thought to myself "ew."

It's old.  It's mildewy (I know, ew.). The lining has flattened and long since lost any comfort.  And I've taken more than a few tumbles in it.. with more than a few significant smacks to my noggin.

I've been meaning to buy a new one, but it's just never one of those things I have fun spending money on (unlike say... browbands, or new brushing boots, or dress sheets! or saddle pads!!).  Dropping serious dollars for a new helmet sorta feels like paying property taxes.

Yes, I know they are important, and yes I know they are worth it... but every time you fork over the dollars... it just sorta hurts.

I also recognize that I could save myself the grief by not indulging in absurdly expensive headgear, but I figure of all the things that I actually get my money out of... a good helmet that fits, works well and doesn't make me feel like a goober when I'm wearing it, is actually worth the investment.  Sorta like good jeans! I have no problem spending too much money on jeans because I wear them all the time.  But I digress.

My thinking was that if I had The Boy in tow, the odds of me going on an all out tack binge were reduced.  For one thing, we've been on a budget and he could remind me of that fact.
Out loud.
Repeatedly...

I also thought that his lack of interest in the store would urge me to not wander aimlessly about touching all sorts of fun new things.  I might actually head straight for what I needed and then straight for the cash register.

Finally, knowing that my helmet options would range from $40 to $650, I figured that he would have a CHANCE at not letting me get carried away. 

Sadly I was mistaken.

Turns out, he hates the budget even more than I do (uh oh.).

He was wildly entertained by the tack store and all of it's tempting goods (UH OH).

And he also decided that the only helmet that "made sense and looked decent" was on the higher end of the price spectrum (total backfire!)

I'm sure somewhere in my subconscious I knew this was a possibility, but really I was fairly shocked to find myself in a fully enabled tack binge.

I'm pretty sure I already look and rider better...

Just as I was swallowing the up-sell on the helmet I noticed a sign over by the tall boots...

"New Konig Field boots, on sale for $299.... Save over $600! limited to stock on hand..)

 OMG.

I was just thinking  about how if I want my (fabulous) Konig dress boots to last (at all). I need to get a cheaper replacement pair that I can wear every day.... but I was stuck trying to decide if I wanted a second set of Dress Boots, or a new pair of Field Boots (my current Fields are 14 years old and while they feel like slippers, they are dying a slow death).

It was like the Tack Gods heard my cry and sent me a message.

"Um, do you by chance have anything close to a ladies 9 with a ridiculously tall and moderately skinny calf?"

(the nice girl emerged with multiple boxes with varying heights and widths...)

crap.

I threw a look at The Boy hoping he would shout "THE BUDGET!" or "You're boots are fine for the season" or "NO" or even a "STOP STOP STOP."   But he didn't.
I think his response was something more like:

"That's a crazy deal, weren't you saying you needed new boots?"

I love this man.  But sometimes I worry that he indulges my vices more often than he should. Please don't mistake that for a complaint.  I am NOT complaining.  I didn't see anyone else on at the show on Sunday with their perfectly-willing-to-participate-husband perfectly decked out with a camera around his neck and chocolate/cherry coke zero shoved in his pockets.  I know how good I have it. Trust me.

But back to the tack store.  I bought the boots.  I love the boots.  I am so glad that we found the boots.

And the helmet.

boots!

It was a very productive Tack-Binge.  We'll just have to substitute a few nights out for sushi with nights in and ramen.  But I'll eat that ramen in my super-cute-couldn't-afford-not-to boots!