Murphy's Law

This pretty much sums up how I feel this week (and I can do the hair too).

You know that old saying "When something can go wrong it will and at the worst possible moment"? Well, that's been the last couple of weeks. You see I am still waiting on a large order that I placed back in the middle of January to arrive. That would be the order that a. has about thirty back ordered items in it, and b. is the inventory I am taking to Rolex. Unfortunately in life you can't control everything and this is one to those things I have no control over. 

Despite adding in extra weeks to insure that the order arrived on time it still has wound up in the waste land known as Customs Clearance. Despite many calls to the shipping company and urgent pleas on my part (they must roll their eyes when that crazy woman calls yet again), the best I am able to get is an estimate of when I can expect delivery. What started as the end of March has turned into this Friday (best case), Saturday (not likely) or Monday of next week. If there was something that could go wrong with this order it has between not being completed by the stated time, getting picked up late and labeled for future delivery, lost paperwork, you name it and it's happened. Of course if I wasn't going to Rolex the order would have been here weeks ago. 

Unfortunately "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight" does not apply outside of the U.S. We are so accustomed to being able to get what we want in an instant and it can be hard to understand why the rest of the world does not operate in this manner. We expect good service from the companies that we do business with. I am like anyone else in this regard and it irritates me to not be able to provide the service people expect. It's no fun to have to yet again tell someone that the order they placed back in February is still out of stock especially now that the competition season is in full swing. Although considering the horror stories I've been told about importing products, I should consider myself lucky it hasn't been worse. I hope it doesn't get worse!

If you are waiting for an order I will make sure it ships before I leave for Rolex and I apologize the wait has been so long. 

Jamie

Happy Anniversary Five Star Tack!

I always enjoy going back and looking at photos from when Five Star Tack first started designing bridles. We've come a long way since then! Three years ago this weekend Five Star Tack went "live" and I've learned a lot about running a business since then. I know in another three years I will look back and see how much more I've learned!

They say most new businesses fail within the first year and I am thankful to the unwavering support of my family as well as all of our customers in helping Five Star Tack get this far. We've grown by leaps and bounds from three years ago and one of the most important things I've learned is to stick with my niche and maintain my ideals. While Five Star Tack will never be the Smartpak of bridles or be carried in every tack store like some other brands I think what we do we do very well. While it would be great to have the ad spend that some of these companies have along with the economies of scale, the reality is my hard earned dollars go towards product development and donating to the charities I love.

So to usher in the new product season we have several new products as well as updates of current styles and as many of you know, when the new styles come in the "old" ones are retired and put on sale! Here are the highlights of our 2012 product line:

The new Chessington figure eight bridle and Wyndham patent leather dressage bridle. As seen on Facebook, these two bridles have been widely talked about and I can't wait for them to come in.

Our popular Star flash noseband bridle will now come with a padded comfort crown, similar to the crown style of the Chelsea bridle.

The Ainsley flash noseband bridle will now come with a removable flash noseband instead of the fixed loop it's had in order to give it added versatility. It will also have a slightly wider noseband and brow band.

The Ascot figure eight bridle that is sold in tack stores will now come with round raised and padded figure eight straps and matching rubber reins.

The Chester bridle has undergone another update and will now be round raised and fancy stitched with a wider brow band and noseband with a flash noseband. It will also have an integrated crown piece in place of the plain crown piece it had previously. There are a few full size of the now "old style" left that will be posted on Facebook this weekend.

Our very popular Waverly dressage bridle will now come with your choice of brow band; either with the celtic cross that we've been using or a very pretty raised browband with an inset of swarovski crystals.

The Signature breastplate will now have a padded wither strap, thanks to your suggestions.

Now for the good stuff (you know I like to make you read). To celebrate Five Star Tack's third anniversary and to make way for new stock we will be having a special sale Saturday and Sunday!
This sale is limited to in-stock items only. No back ordering out of stock bridles and the sale does not apply to the new bridles coming in. Bridles sold as "exclusive to tack stores" are not included either. Items that have been updated will be priced at 25% off and current stock (not being updated) will be priced at 15% off. Discount will be shown in the price when you go on fivestartack.com. PLUS if you are a Facebook fan or "like" our page send me an email at sales@fivestartack.com for a coupon for an extra $10 off of your order so tell your friends to like our Facebook page!

SALE IS SATURDAY, MARCH 31st AND SUNDAY, APRIL 1st ONLY!!

Welcome 2012!

I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions but you wouldn't think that with all the changes that will be happening here at Five Star Tack! 2010 was all about new experiences, and basically still at stage zero there was only one way to go - up! 2011 was both a year of incredible growth but also the frustration that can sometimes go along with it.  Here are the highlights:

In 2011 more tack stores decided to carry Five Star Tack. It is gratifying to have stores that share my belief that selling the same looking strap goods as every other store does not make for sales. But, there are many more that still insist on selling the same look alike brands. That's okay. I'd rather have a few good customers than risk depleting both human and financial resources in the quest to be bigger. It's okay to be a dinghy boat in an ocean of cruise ships as long as you are going with the current. I am most appreciative of the tack stores that have chosen to carry Five Star and I hope you will check out our store locator and shop the tack store nearest you. 

Our direct business, rallied for a strong finish at year's end. The economy impacted sales the first half of the year. Sales from events we sold at were way down from the prior year, until Fair Hill. I am thankful to the number of people who came up to say how much they loved both their Five Star bridle and what the company is about and it renewed my energy for the business. Needless to say, Fair Hill was huge and the rest of the year as well! There is still a long way to go and as anyone who has developed a new product or retail store knows, it takes many cash infusions in order to get to the point where the cash coming in is greater than the cash going out. 

What is Five Star Tack doing for its customers? First, you will notice a big change with the website as we move to a new shopping cart/hosting platform and payment processor that will greatly allow for customization and an easier ordering process. We will be better able to showcase not only Five Star's products but also our sponsored riders and our customers! Many customers have sent in photos of their horse in its Five Star bridle and it will be great to feature them. If you haven't sent in your photos there is still time as it is looking like February for this feature to make its debut. You will also be able to shop Five Star Tack directly from our facebook page as well as shop from your smart phone. 

Product wise, there are new products in the design process! There is a new crownpiece design that I think will provide the best combination of great comfort and fit. There is a figure eight bridle that, if it works out, will be unlike anything available here in the US. If it goes into production there will be a matching dressage bridle. The popular Signature Breastplate is being updated and will now have a "grab strap". You asked for it and we listened! We are also updating the elastic design so that the width can accommodate the five point breastplate and we are also updating the Ascot figure eight bridle. In addition there will be more girth offerings including the popular anatomic style, but with Five Star's distinctive design. 

One thing that I did not give enough attention to that I am going to put more effort into is the Bridles with Benefits program. We were able to make a small donation to three thoroughbred charities along with bridles donated by customers and a few new Five Star bridles. This program can be so much more but I have to do a better job at promoting it. 

Oh, and look for Five Star Tack at Rolex this year! There are many logistics to be worked out but I am very excited to be going.

As always if you have any suggestions for what we could be doing better please email me at sales@fivestartack.com!

Best regards,

Jamie

The BEST way to care for your Five Star Bridle

I often get asked by customers what the proper way is to take care of their new bridle and with the many sales Five Star had this holiday season I thought it would be a good idea to go over how best to take care of your Five Star tack. This is important because failure to follow these simple instructions will have a negative effect on the leather and most likely shorten its life, so read carefully!

It is a very common practice in the US to oil or dip tack before use and most often too much oil is used to do this. Unfortunately this is not good for Sedgwick leather. This is the leather Five Star uses for it's Five Star Bridles. High end companies such as Hadfields, Beval, and D'yon  use Sedgwick leather as well for their bridlework and if you look up their care instructions they also advise against oiling.

"How come I can't oil my bridle when that's what I've always done?" Sedgwick leather is carefully tanned to preserve the natural oil in the hide. They start out using a better quality hide than most companies which makes for a strong, tight grain with a good moisture content. The leather is further tanned using fats and greases which results in a product that is ready to use from the start. The leather is also "dyed through" meaning the hide is colored all the way through. Some companies put a color finish on their bridle leather and if you've ever had color bleed this is why. With the wide selection of colored hides Sedgwick has there is no need to darken the leather. With use the leather will darken but you can't take a light colored Sedgwick bridle and oil it to get it to a dark havana color. There are those that think you can strip the color off the leather so that it can then be oiled and darkened. You can't do this with dyed through leather and will once again ruin the leather if you attempt this. Other companies,  such as Edgewood, use a leather that has to be oiled to darken but they use a different leather. You can still over oil an Edgewood bridle and if you read any threads about Edgewood you'll see many comments about the leather stretching. Which brings me to my next point.

"What will happen if I over oil my bridle?" Well, its not good. Since the leather already has a high moisture count, adding more moisture through oiling creates too much moisture causing the leather to stretch and weaken due to the leather fibres being damaged. You cannot repair the damage once done. The leather will have a greasy feel as there will be a layer that sits on top, and it doesn't go away. I did an experiment a few years ago with some pieces where I dipped the leather in neats foot oil and let it sit for a few minutes. That little time in oil ruined the leather. It still has a greasy feel. When I hear of people putting their bridle pieces in plastic bags filled with oil I shudder.

Too much oil will also cause the leather to split wherever there is a raised portion. In order to insert the leather piece that creates the raised portion the leather has to be "skivved" a/k/a split in order to insert the piece. Better bridle companies only split the portion where the raised portion goes. After the leather piece is inserted the leather is glued down, stitched, rubbed and sealed. Better companies do this by hand. When you oil Sedgwick leather too much the oil can eat away the sealant and cause the leather to split and can also cause the glue to "leak". It is a common misconception that when this happens it's due to poor quality leather or workmanship when in fact it is the improper care of the tack by the owner that caused the leather to fail.

Why do we oil our bridles? In the case of Edgewood, the color that they come in has to be darkened and the leather they use takes oil nicely. In the case of better english leather there is simply no need to oil the tack before use. I have had many conversations with Sedgwick and they don't understand why we Americans are so fond of oil! I think much of the perceived need for oil is to break the leather in before use when actually the best way to soften the leather is to just go out and use it. Sedgwick leather requires very little time to "break in".  Their leather stretches less than other leather types due to it's tight grain. It has a stouter feel than other bridle leather before use but quickly softens up on it's own. It will have a feel unlike any other bridle which is a big reason why people love their Five Star Bridles. The soft leather used on other bridles may feel great out of the box but it will stretch more over time.

So if you've read this far, here are the instructions for maintaining your Five Star bridle:

1. After your ride simply wipe the tack with a damp cloth then go over it with glycerine or a mild conditioner being careful not to use too much water.
2. Stay away from any dark colored or heavy conditioners as they may darken the white stitching.
3. If the stitching gets dirty you can use castile soap to whiten it.
4. If the leather gets dry due to heat or sweat lightly oil the flesh side of the leather with a brush. It's better to do light coats than one heavy coat. If you need more than one coat, let the first one dry completely.
5. Keep your bridle in a climate controlled environment, away from direct heat.
6. If you live in a humid climate and don't have an air conditioned tack room it's best to keep your tack at home especially if it's not in use so that the tack doesn't get moldy.

The best advice I can give you is to go enjoy your Five Star Bridle! Keep it simple and you will be enjoying it for years.

For more information on caring for Sedgwick leather tack you can visit J&E Sedgwick. There is a wealth of information on their products as well as a video showing how the leather is prepared.

Thanks for reading and thanks for being a customer!

Calling all models!

In my opinion, Five Star Tack has some of the most handsome models gracing the pages of Five Star Tack's website. The gorgeous Cavaldi has drawn more ooh's and aah's than I can count. His glistening coat, braided mane and of course his Five Star bridle have made him very popular apart from his status as a top eventing horse.

But, beyond the bright lights and fame of being a super model, there are many lesser known but equally as beautiful horses that wear Five Star bridles. Five Star Tack is looking for some of these "undiscovered" horses to grace the pages of fivestartack.com! Some of our facebook fans have posted photos onto Five Star Tack's fan page but there are many more out there. 

If you would like your horse to be featured on Five Star's website I ask for the following:

• A high-res photo of your horse in his/her Five Star bridle and/or breastplate. For obvious reasons I am not posting pictures of horses in bridles other than Five Star nor can I loan out bridles for photo shoots. In other words, your horse is currently using one of our bridles and/or breastplates. 
• Close ups are better. You must have the rights to use the photo as we don't want to break any copyright laws. The photo can either be a head shot, one of your horse jumping, doing dressage, trail riding, whatever. 
• Since your picture will be viewed by thousands of people, a shiny horse and clean tack is a must. I don't think this will be an issue since I'm sure our customers take excellent care of their horses and tack! Note: your horse does not have to be braided. I'm just fortunate to have someone to do it for me. 
• You have the option of providing your full name, an abbreviation or not listing your name but please provide the name of your horse along with what his "specialty" is i.e. Jumper, novice level eventer, OTTB warhorse, upper level dressage horse, best trail horse ever, family member, etc. The choice is yours and you can be creative with your description. 
• Lastly, why your horse is a "Five Star horse" which is basically a way of saying why you like Five Star Tack. 

Depending on the quality of photo and whether it's of a bridle that is in our current product line, your photo will either be placed on one of the product pages or on a Gallery page that will be added onto the website. Don't worry if your horse has a bridle from a past collection. It makes them no less important!

To submit your photo please email it to sales@fivestartack.com . If you are a facebook fan please post your photo there as well. If you have any questions feel free to send an email or post on facebook. 

While this is not a contest, it is running until the end of this month. You will be notified where your model will be featured. Product photos will be placed on the website in December with the Gallery page debuting in January. 

I look forward to adding many beautiful horses to the Five Star Tack stable of models!

Five Star Tack's Newest Five Star Rider!

Five Star Tack is pleased to announce sponsorship of Canadian three day eventing star Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch. Stephanie is a very talented and hard working young rider with a remarkable competition record.

She rides her sport horse gelding Port Authority who she purchased as a five year old back in 2005 from a show jumping barn as a prospect for the Young Riders Championships. She is a former working student of fellow Five Star rider Rebecca Howard. Rebecca coached Stephanie to the bronze medal at the Young Riders Championships in 2008. She then went to train with David O'Connor, head coach of the Canadian Eventing Team and continues to receive guidance from him today.

 Stephanie and Port Authority - Show jumping Rolex CCI****

Photo courtesy Lisa Barry

 Port Authority "Ollie", has that rare quality of being strong in all three phases in eventing. For a young rider, bringing along her own horse, they have beaten much more seasoned riders. She and Ollie competed at the Rolex Kentucky**** in 2010 and finished in fifth place! They finished on their dressage score of 52. Not only that, she was the youngest rider at Rolex and she also received the prestigious Best Conditioned Award. She was the highest placed Canadian and for being the highest placed rookie she received a HSBC training grant. Pretty amazing!

 Stephanie and Port Authority - Cross Country World Equestrian Games

Photo courtesy David Caruso

If that wasn't enough, Stephanie and Ollie were members of the Canadian Eventing squad at the 2010 World Equestrian Games. They were the highest placed Canadian rider after dressage with a 44.2 putting them in 17th place. With a clear cross country round and one rail down in show jumping the pair moved up to finish in 9th place individually and helped Canada to a team Silver medal!

This year she made the trip to England to compete at the Badminton Horse Trials and while she and Ollie did not have the results they had hoped for, it was a very educational experience for them. After some down time, Stephanie and Ollie will be competing again this summer with a goal of riding at the Fall Eventing Championships at Fair Hill International. This partnership is a top contender for the Canadian Team for next year's London Olympics!

Stephanie also has a few young horses she is bringing up the eventing ranks. Her horses will be wearing Five Star Tack's Waverly dressage bridles, Ainsley and Star bridles and Five Point Breastplates.

Show jumping at The World Equestrian Games

It's Time For Bromont and Announcing a New Five Star Rider!

Montreal, Quebec is the site of the Bromont CCI being held this week. It was the location for the equestrian events from the 1976 Montreal Olympics where US rider Tad Coffin won the individual and team eventing gold medal on Bally Cor. It was also where parts of the movie International Velvet were filmed in 1978 and if you were a horse crazy kid back then like I was you were a fan of Tad Coffin and hung on every stride of International Velvet!

With so much history it's no wonder so many eventing riders dream of competing there. Five Star rider Doug Payne is competing on his Pan Am Games hopeful, Camerlingo and they are currently in second place in the one star, a mere four points off the lead. Doug uses Five Star bridles on all of his horses and when I say he uses them, he really uses them!

Speaking of Canada and eventing, we have a new Five Star sponsored rider to announce! Five Star Tack is pleased to announce that Canadian eventing rider Rebecca Howard is now a Five Star rider. Rebecca is a very accomplished and successful competitor. Riding Riddle Master she competed as an individual at last year's World Equestrian Games and finished tenth at this year's Rolex Kentucky 4 Star. She is riding Roquefort "Rocky" in the 2 Star at Bromont and is leading after dressage! She and Rocky have had a "rocky" couple of years. The pair suffered a fall at the beginning of 2010 and Rebecca was injured and out of the tack for awhile. They are making up for that down time with a wire to wire win in last month's Jersey Fresh 2 Star. She and Rocky are on the fast track to the Pan Am Games and we wish them the best of luck on their journey!

Rebecca is the head trainer at The Fork Fam in North Carolina, site of The Fork CIC and I can't think of a nicer place to train out of! She has a number of students who have gone on to have successful eventing careers of their own including Canadian rider Stephanie Rhodes - Bosch. She also has a number of horses she is bringing along. After her two star win at Jersey she was at the Virginia Horse Trials competing her novice level horses. Rebecca's long term goal is to represent Canada at the 2012 London Olympics. Competing at Bromont was a dream of Rebecca's when she was growing up in Canada as shown by this video courtesy of Samantha Clark of Eventing Nation.



This is Rebecca's winning dressage test from yesterday.


We wish Rebecca and Doug a successful weekend at Bromont!