What is Southern Thread?

What is Southern Thread you ask?

"From the live music pouring from the 6th street clubs and taverns to the hints of roadside BBQ in the late night breeze. Southern Thread embodies the attitude and soul of the Austin experience and that experience is buried in the stitches and seams of every piece we make."                                               

                                                                                                      - sothread.com

Southern Thread is brought to you by the same makers of Cinch and Cruel Girl with a more fashion forward edge for both men and women. SoThread, as it is commonly referred to, gives you western flair with an urban appeal. The trendiness of Southern Thread is rooted in the feel of live music whether in Austin, Texas or your own back yard. It's clothing you can wear anywhere anytime. 

Let us know what you think of the Men's Southern Thread apparel & Women's Southern Thread apparel.

Fitting your Horse's Blanket

This post is part two of an earlier post talking about how to properly measure for a horse blanket. It was written by Christine Barakat from an old Equus Magazine. I felt that it would help everyone to understand more on how blankets should properly fit.

Blanket Fitting Spot Checks

When your new blanket arrives, it's important to immediately perform some spot-checks to make sure the garment's cut suits your horse's body type. Thereafter, you'll want to repeat these spot check periodically to ensure that changes in your horse's weight and/or fitness have not altered the way his blanket fits.

Even a properly sized blanket can bind or rub a horse, so you'll always want to be alert for bald patches, white hair, sensitivity and other signs of trouble. If you discover a problem, a professional blanket seamstress may be able to make the necessary adjustments to a blanket, or you may need to invest in a new one that is more appropriate for your horse's physique.

1. Run your hand up and over the withers. If the blankets neck hole is the appropriate size and shape, your hand will slide easily through. Also, unless the blanket is designed to leave the wither uncovered, make sure the front edge of the blanket sits well forward of the withers, extending at least three inches over the mane hair.

2. Slide your hand under the blanket at the shoulders. If it fits well, there will be enough space for your hand to slide easily. Very active horses may rub hair off of their shoulders despite a good fit; in those cases, adding a layer of fleece or stretchy horse "undergarments" is a good idea.

3. Next scrutinize the shape of the blanket's neck hole: You'll want the lower edge to rest where the horse's neck merges into his chest. To test this area of fit, use a carrot to encourage your horse to lower his head. A properly fitting blanket will allow him to reach for the carrot without pinching or restraining.

4. Check the fit of the belly straps by sliding your hand between them and the horse. A few inches of clearance will reduce the chances of rubbing, but more than five inches of play in the straps poses the risk of dangerous entanglement. Fortunately, nearly all belly straps are adjustable.

5. Rear leg straps are notorious irritants, particularly after they become soiled with manure. Fit isn't as much an issue here as the way the straps are buckled: To keep them from rubbing the tender skin inside a horse's legs, buckle one as you normally would...

6. ...then loop the other strap through and buckle. This technique keeps the straps clear of the legs.

7. To check the fit over the hips, slide your hand under the blanket over the horse's rump, looking for snug spots.

8. Finally, check the fit of the blanket over the horse's tail. A blanket that is too long can prevent a horse from lifting his tail, leading to a real mess.

Measuring for your Horse's Blanket

This post features an article written by Christine Barakat from an old Equus Magazine. I thought it would be great article to share with you as winter approaches. I'll be be breaking it up into two posts. The first will show you how to measure for a blanket and the second will explain how a blanket should properly fit.

Blanket Fitting

A well-fitted blanket is a welcome comfort to a clipped horse on chilly winter days. But a covering that is too small, too large or otherwise fits poorly can cause painful pressure or rubbing. In extreme cases, a blanket can make a horse lame or permanently damage skin and underlying tissues. All of which means you'll want to shop as carefully for your horse's cold-weather garments as you do for your own winter coat.

First, you'll need to take careful measurements to determine what size he needs.

Measuring

1. With a flexible tailor's tape, measure from the center of the horse's chest...

2. ...along his side in a straight line...

3. ...to the center of the horse's tail. This final measurement corresponds to body length.

These measurements are crucial for us in order to help get you the correct size blanket for your horse.

Happy Thanksgiving & Holiday Hours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope that you enjoy the time and food with family and friends. Maybe it be a day you can remember all the things that we can and should be thankful for!

Special Holiday Hours

I also wanted to inform you about our Holiday Hours. Starting this Sunday, November 28th until Sunday, December 19th we'll be open from 12:30pm - 5:00pm to help with the Christmas shopping. I look forward to seeing you over the next several weeks and helping you with all your gift needs!

Does China Mean Inferior?

What is your first thought when you see or hear that a product is made in China?

Take a minute and think about it . . . 

Ok, times up. My first guess would be that you thought JUNK (am I right?). 

We've all bought an item that was made in China and in turn seen it fall apart after only a few uses. 

Are Good Products from China Possible?

First, there is a lot of junk that comes from China! I will definitely say that. But just because there is a lot of junk doesn't mean there isn't anything good. 

A few companies that are well known within our store have products made in China. Ariat, Justin, and Tony Lama are just a few. 

Yes, Ariat boots are made in China. Yet many know that Ariat boots are good quality boots that offer comfort and protection. Hundreds of professional horseman athletes trust Ariat boots to their feet everyday. Each Ariat boot has a cushion insole, and with each cushion insole there is one of three foot bed support systems (4LR, ATS, or Cobalt Quantum) built into the boot. Each foot bed support system is designed to ad more comfort and quality to each boot. You'll also find the upper is all leather, while many other companies use man made materials for their uppers.  

The reason that their boots, even though they are made in China, have a good quality to them is because Ariat's sets a standard for all of their boots. They know how their boots should feel, they know what their boots should look like, and they know what quality their boots should be. If a boot isn't of that quality they will not produce it. 

If you don't believe me try a pair on and see for yourself. I'm pretty sure that if no one ever told you Ariat boots were made in China you'd be none the wiser if you just tried them on. Stop by next time your in our part of town and try a pair on. They may not change your mind about the issues that come with sending jobs over seas but you may find that at least something good can come out of China.

Last but not least Ariat wasn't the first to send their manufacturing overseas nor will they be the last. Some other companies that are following suit and manufacturing select styles of quality boots overseas are:

• Justin with their Stampede Collection 
• Tony Lama with thier 3R Series. 

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below, and don't worry I'll get back to you on your thoughts.

Tony Lama Celebrates 100 Years of Boot Making

“One hundred years of business is a tremendous milestone, and we’re grateful for those who have supported the brand over the years,” said Randy Watson, president and CEO, Justin Brands, Inc. “We have some fun items in store, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming celebration with our valued retailers, consumers and affiliates.”

2011 will mark 100 years of boot making for Tony Lama, the world's most recognized boot brand since 1911. To honor this event Tony Lama will be launching a Centennial Boot Collection in January of 2011. We've got a sneak peak at some of these boots for both men and women. Most of these boots should start at $250.

Men's Tony Lama Centennial Collection

Women's Tony Lama Centennial Collection

Fall Sale - September 24, 25, & 26

During our Fall Sale you'll find everything in the store at least 15% Off. Saddles are excluded from the 15% discount but will be specially marked for the sale. Other items besides saddles that will be marked down are boots, hats, men's and women's clothing, and all show clothing!

We may not always have everything in-stock and we apologize when that happens but don't worry. You can even get 15% off on those specialty items that we need to order for you.

Don't miss your opportunity to get everything you need as this sale happens only twice a year!


Where & When


Al-Bar Ranch
55345 Fir Rd
Mishawaka, IN 46545
1-866-522-1188
www.al-bar.com

September 24, 25, & 26
Friday
10:00am - 8:00pm
Saturday
10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday
10:00am - 5:00pm

Product Review: Retro Jean 77MWZRW

Each month we'll try and review at least one product in the store. This month our focus is on the new Retro Jean from Wrangler the 77MWZRW. It just came in last week and is a new color in Wrangler's #77 and Retro line.

Review:

This jean from Wrangler has quickly become one of our top selling jean styles for men and is personally one of my favorites. I've had the earlier versions of this jean in the Blue Frost and Worn In and liked them both. 

The color of the River Wash is slightly darker than the Worn In, which is more a true blue, allowing it to match with almost any color shirt available.  Bright and light colors tend to pop while darker colors are complimented.  The River Wash almost has a "dirty" look to it with the worn look around the back pockets and thighs. 

The denim itself is slightly heavier than either the Blue Frost or Worn In styles that came before. Although this may seem like a con, it actually feels much more natural and wears better because of it. The original #77 jeans in the retro line were much thinner and I felt could wear out too fast. This jean feels like it will last much longer and hold up to more abuse than its predecessors. 

As for the fit, this jean has a natural feel to it. It has a slight low rise to it, with a boot cut feel. It's slimmer through the legs and slightly flares at the bottom to be wide enough to fit over and give a nice look with a pair of boots.

I personally would highly recommend this jean as it is extremely comfortable and has an overall great fit. 

The Difference between Saddles: Part 1

Any body can buy a "saddle" in today's economy. If you look on ebay you can even find some around $100, but that doesn't guarantee the saddle is going to work perfectly. Far too often we see these ebay saddles come in needing repair or for trade because it doesn't fit the horse. Many of the saddles that are found on ebay appear to be good for the pocket book but can end up costing you more.

Before anyone gets mad, I'm sure there are people out there that have had a great experience with these types of saddles but I can tell you this is not the norm. We have had plenty of people bring in these types of saddles to trade and we turn them away because they don't fit the majority of horses our customers have. The reason these saddles don't fit is because the tree or base of the saddle is made up of inferior parts or cheap materials that do not support the rest of the saddle.

We here at Al-Bar Ranch wanted to put together a series that talks about what goes into a saddle, from its parts to the leather that is used. Part 1 of this series is going to talk about the different types of trees available in the horse industry and a little bit of how that will affect both you and the horse. Hopefully this will help when you do go looking for your next saddle.

Western Saddle Tree Example

First off there are generally two types of trees in saddles; wood or synthetic. Wood trees are going to offer the best for both you and your horse in comfort and quality but typically will be more expensive. Synthetic tress offer less comfort and quality but make up for this with their lower price.

Here is an image of a tree and its parts to your left. Typically most trees are made of all one material. Your Flex-Trees, which I'll talk about at the end, are built slightly different and are a hybrid of the synthetic and flex trees.

 

Synthetic Trees

Synthetic trees or Ralide trees, as they are more commonly know, are form molded from a sturdy plastic or resin mold that hardens and forms the tree. Due to this molding process these types of trees can be made in a variety of sizes or widths. Having a variety of widths and sizes is an advantage to horse owners because it can allow a better fit for your horse.

Unfortunately the down fall to having a synthetic tree from a mold is that you have to make sure that the fit is almost perfect because these molds are very rigid and have little to no give or play. As well you may find that synthetic trees do not always provide an extremely comfortable ride for neither you nor your horse.

A few examples of Ralide Tree Saddles are:
High Horse 6310 Gladewater Show Saddle & Fabtron 7854 Deluxe Trail Saddle

Wood Trees

There are typically three types of wood trees Rawhide, Bullhide, and Fiberglass). Wood trees are great because they are strong yet flexible enough to mold to your horses back which provides comfort and quality for both horse and rider. 

Rawhide

Rawhide trees are designed with a solid wood base which are then wrapped in fine leather. This leather wrapping has been soaked to allow it to mold to the tree for a perfect fit. The leather wrapping keeps the wood from causing chafing of the horses back, protects the wood from splintering, and keeps the tree from getting wet. Rawhide trees are very durable and can withstand lots of abuse. They also allow some flexibility in the tree for it to mold to your horses back. These types of trees typically tend to go in medium to high end saddles. Prices on these sorts of saddles will vary due to the fluctuating cost of leather.

A few examples of Rawhide Tree Saddles are:
Billy Cook 3299 Show Saddle & Billy Cook 9014 Show Saddle

Bullhide

Bullhide is very similar to rawhide. The addition of thicker leather makes this tree slightly stronger than the rawhide tree. It also allows for more flexibility in the tree due to the stronger leather. This type of tree is typically seen in top of the line saddles. You will find that bullhide trees cost more than any other tree on the market because the leather is so refined and tough.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass trees are wood trees that have a resin coating sprayed over the top, rather than a leather wrapping. This resin acts like the leather covering in both the rawhide and bullhide trees buts adds more rigidity to the tree making it stronger but less flexible in comparison to any of the other wooden trees. Unfortunately the rigidness of the fiberglass trees makes the tree less likely to form to the horses back which requires you to have the proper fit with a saddle that uses this type of tree. Fiberglass trees will be less expensive than bullhide or rawhide trees because leather price fluctuations will have no effect on this trees.

Flex-Tree

Flex-Trees are becoming more and more popular among companies. Circle Y is a big advocate of flex-trees with their flex2 trees leading the way. Flex-trees saddles do what their name says, flex. With these types of saddles it is the bars on the tree that will move with the horses back keeping weight of the rider spread evenly across your horses back and alleviating pressure points.

Flex-trees have a wood base with other components such as rubber or neoprene which allows for the flexing of the bars. Each company that offers a flex tree tends to use different components that make their specific flex-tree saddles unique.

Here is an example of a Flex-Tree saddle:
Circle Y 1651 Topeka Flex-Lite Saddle

The most important thing is to find a tree that works for both you and your horse. You need something that fits properly and is a good quality tree. With some synthetic trees you may end up getting what you pay for, and in the end may cause more problems than what the saddle is worth.

For that reason alone, we here at Al-Bar Ranch consistently encourage you to take both new and used saddles out to try! Yes, you can take the saddle with you back to the barn and try it on your horse to make sure that it fits! Stop by and we'll explain the whole process when you visit us in store. Hope to see and hear from you soon.

Finding the Boots You Like

So you know your size and what you need in a pair of cowboy boots but what about what you want?

Finding the perfect pair isn't easy especially when there are hundreds of companies out there that make a hundred styles of boots.

With hundreds of options out there you have to find something you like, while keeping in mind whether you'll be using them for show, work, or fashion. Knowing how the boots will be used will help in narrowing down the choices. Obviously you want to make sure that you like them too. Always remember if you don't like it you won't wear it, plain and simple.

Once you've narrowed the boots down to what you like you need to make sure they are comfortable. Walk around in the boots because you are probably going to spend quite a bit of time in them.Check to make sure that they fit properly from our previous post, Finding Cowboy Boots that Fit.

Also keep these questions in mind:

• Do they support your foot well? 
• Do they offer any extra cushioning? 
• Can the boots hold up to the abuse that you'll put them through on a daily basis?

You'll find that we carry a large selection and variety of boots that will meet all your needs. We have cowboy boots for work, show, fashion and play.

As always if you find a boot from a company that we carry and we don't have it in stock, we are more than willing to order them for you.

Finding Cowboy Boots that Fit

Over the years I have heard people talk about how their cowboy boots fit like a glove and that they were the most comfortable shoe or boot they have ever had.

So how do you find a fit like that? It come down to taking your time, trying boots on, and a few key tips that I've learned over the years.

First is to remember boots from different companies will vary slightly in fit and size for both men's and women's boots. You might be in a size 8 from Tony Lama and an 8 1/2 from Ariat. Each manufacturer will vary slightly in how a boot fits and feels. Keep in mind that just because one boot fits your friend well doesn't guarantee that the same company will fit you well. We all have feet that are built a little different. You can't be afraid to try different manufacturers.

Second, remember that some companies offer different widths in their boots. Although cowboy boots naturally fit more snug than a pair of tennis shoes you want to make sure that you can still pinch or move the leather across the ball of your foot. If you cannot do this then you should ask about a wider width in that particular boot.

The third, and probably the most important thing to remember when trying on boots is that you want about a 1/2 inch of slippage in the heel as you walk. This prevents the boots from rubbing against your heel and causing blisters or sores. The slippage that is there will eventually disappear as the leather across the toe box wears.

Choosing a Fly Spray for Horses

We've been doing some research to find out what makes a good fly spray and we came upon an article from the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture that talks about what most fly sprays or insect repellents are made up of.

Most fly sprays are made up of one of three components:

• Cypermethrin
• Permethrin
• Pyrethrins

Both Cypermethrin and Permethrin are synthetic forms of Pyrethrins making them more stable and less likely to break down, which means the product should last longer. Each synthetic form has Pyrethrins added to aid in repelling.

Pyrethrins have Piperonyl Butoxide added to increase the activity of the Pyrethrins making them more effect than their synthetic counterparts. Since Pyrethrins are not as stable they will not work near as long, meaning your horse will need more applications throughout the day.

Here is a list of fly sprays that we carry:
(Products marked with an * are concentrates that are diluted before use.)

Cypermethrin
· Endure Sweat-Resistant Fly Spray for Horses (0.15%) +0.20% pyrethrins
· Tri-tec 14 Spray (0.15%) + 0.20% pyrethrins

Permethrin
· Bronco Equine Fly Spray (0.10%) + 0.05% pyrethrins
· Repel-X (0.10%) + 0.05% pyrethrins
· Bug Block (0.20%) + 0.10% pyrethrins
· Mosquito Halt Repellent Spray for Horses (0.20%) +0.13% Prallethrin
· UltraShield (0.40%) + 0.10% pyrethins

Pyrethrins + piperonyl butoxide
· Equisect Fly Repellent (0.10%)
· Pyranha Wipe n'Spray for Horses (0.10%)
· Pyranha Aerosal (0.30%)
· Endure Sweat-Resistant Fly Spray for Horses (0.20%)
· Wipe Original Fly Protectant (0.20%)
· *Repel-X  Concentrate (0.40%)

All Natural Repellents
· Stay Away Fly & Bug Repellent (Oils)
· Clac Deo-Lotion Fly Repellent (Oils)
· Liquid Net All Naturall Insect Repellent
 
All that to say that your situation will probably decide which kind of fly spray you'll want to use. Your synthetic sprays (Cypermethrin & Permethrin) will be good for horses that will be outside all day and your Pyrethrins will be good right before working your horse or going into a class at a show.

If you'd like to read the whole article from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and get some home recipes for fly spray visit our website.