Product Review: Custom Yacht Braid Lead by Sunset Halters

It's been awhile since I've done a product review post. I really missed sharing about neat equine related things that I get to try out. I was contacted by Sunset Halters last month that I won a raffle for a custom 12ft yacht braid lead rope. This news was definitely a nice way to start off the new year.

The ordering process was easy and hassle-free; the hardest part was picking out what colors I wanted for the lead and decorative knot. Less than a week after sending in my order details, I got a USPS tracking number and my product arrived within one week...Talk about a quick turnaround, wow.  

So pretty in purple and black <3

The lead rope did not come with a snap (it's an additional cost for snaps) but it was an easy fix- I just attached an extra snap that I salvaged from an old frayed lead rope and it was good to go. I was impressed by the neat splicing work and the decorative knot gives it that extra customized detail. The 9/16" width definitely gives the lead a heavier feel compared to regular lead ropes and lends a nice weight in the hand. Nothing better than a functional piece of tack that also looks and feels good. 

Nice little details like the embossed sun stamped on the popper.

The 12ft length is very generous and will make it easy to tie pretty much anywhere at the barn or from the trailer. The length isn't too unwieldy to to store in a saddle bag yet it is long enough that if Quest needed a refresher while on the trails, I can hop off and do groundwork safely. 

The website mentions that the material is abrasion, rot, mildew, snag and fade resistant so time will tell how the the lead rope holds up to frequent use at the barn. 

So far though I'm pleased with the quality of product that I received and am impressed with amazingly fast turnaround time from order to delivery. The price will run you about $40 plus shipping. If you're looking for a good quality yacht rope product, be sure to check out Sunset Halters. 

Time Flies

I can't believe we're already midway through January, where has the time gone? 

The holiday season finished on a very quiet note. With having a infant under 5yo and the height of the newest variant, we ended up deciding to pass on large traditional family gatherings and various get-togethers that we had originally planned. It was a little sad since there are a quite a few people in our families who never met baby boy and he's already 14 months old now. 

C started to walk 100% independently about a month ago and he has been unstoppable since. He decided one night that he was tired of holding onto things for support and suddenly he was off on his own...and didn't stop again for 30 minutes. It been such a joy seeing him really grow into his own- he enjoys engaging with new people with his bright smiles, is just a little bit naughty, and definitely has a mind of his own.  

Quest and I are doing very well. We have done a few trail rides and mareface has been sassy and ready to go every time. Equestrian goals for 2022 are simple:

1. Getting Quest used to random human shenanigans as I want to introduce C to leadline riding in the warmer months so I'll be pulling out some of our old desensitizing toys and trying some games to get her used to all the wacky things I can think of. Mareface has always been rock-solid steady in the arena (to the point of being bored and half-asleep) so I honestly don't expect anything to really happen but better safe than sorry. 
2. Take Quest off property for some fun trail rides. Since I sold my trailer last year, I haven't been able to really do much new trail exploring and I'm itching to do it again. Fortunately I have connected with friends willing to let me catch a trailer ride with them so hopefully the stars align for an adventure soon. 
3. And if things fall into my lap, I'd love to do a catch ride or two in CTR or endurance but that is on the way back burner due to limited budget and PTO priorities. 

Other than that, anything extra that we manage to accomplish in the year to come would be a nice cherry on top. Hope you all had a great start to 2022 so far!