Heels Down Holiday Picks: Support Small Business This Year
The holiday season is here, believe it or not. And this year, Heels Down wants to turn holiday shopping on its head. Instead of chasing deals, we want to inspire our community of equestrians to do good for the world – and their families – by supporting local businesses and artists.
That may mean having to forgo the easy-click shopping on Amazon or other major retailers. But you can feel good knowing your gifts this year aren’t stuck on a cargo freight traveling across the world to get to you, but are instead made right here in North America. Buying local isn’t only good for the little guys, it’s better for the world. Less packaging, less of a shipping journey and less mass manufacturing is something we can all support to help make the world a more sustainable place.
It isn’t always easy to track down where products are made or ship from. But there are plenty of small businesses who pride themselves on making their homemade goods locally, or by supporting other local businesses in their communities by partnering with them to manufacture and ship.
This year, Heels Down is collaborating with some of our favorite brands who go above and beyond in this way.
Candles For Burned-Out Equestrians & Heels Down Art
If you’re already a fan of Soap for Dirty Equestrians, you’re going to love Heels Down’s expanded line of products in the Shop this year. Recently, Heels Down announced its launch of Heels Down Art – a collaboration with independent equine artists to put unique fine art on home decor items like throw pillows and greeting cards. Heels Down also launched Candles for Burned-Out Equestrians this year, a line of natural soy wax-based candles with fresh, lovely scents and the same hilarious themes we’ve come to love from the Soap for Dirty Equestrians line.
Shoppers can feel good about buying gifts from Heels Down this year, knowing that a portion of sales from greeting cards and pillows go directly back to the independent artists who designed and painted the original artwork. The candles are natural products free from pesticides an herbicides and are biodegradable and renewable. They’re great stocking stuffers for friends at the barn, your trainer, or anyone who needs a good laugh and enjoys fine art.
Trafalgar Square Books: A Good Read For Every Equestrian
What’s better than the gift of knowledge? The wide array of authors and educational topics in the Horse & Rider Books arsenal almost feels endless. From horse care to riding theory, to memoirs and personal experiences, Trafalgar Square Books has published books by the most accomplished riders and horsemen in the industry.
With recent releases from Jim Wofford and Robert Dover, to riding manuals that never age, there is something for just about every horse person at Trafalgar Square. I’m an avid reader, so getting a book as a gift is a treat for me. Reading inspires me, to get back in the saddle and try some new exercises, or to give it my all after a bad ride. And it teaches me something new. I love getting lost in a good story, and it’s amazing to feel connected to Olympic-level riders and their own personal journeys.
I also feel good supporting a small, privately-owned publisher, too. Trafalgar Square Books print books about horses because the owners, too, are horse people.
Draper Therapies: Give The Gift Of Wellness This Year
My horse never leaves the property without his fleet of Draper Therapies products – from his Perfect Polos for hacking and schooling, to his standing wraps for trailer rides and overnight stays in the stall. I’m a believer in the benefits of Celliant, a fiber which is infused with minerals to aid in blood circulation by absorbing and converting body heat.
Draper also makes Celliant products for dogs and people – so literally everyone in my family is getting Draper products for Christmas this year. My dad, who works all day on his feet managing his own restaurants, is getting ankle support wraps. And my mom – who broke her wrists in a tennis accident in March – is getting wrist support wraps. Tiki, my retired Greyhound racer, loves her Draper Therapies blanket, which eases her sore muscles and joints.
What I love about Draper is that their products are backed by clinical studies. The company stands behind their products and offer great customer service when you have questions. I’ve seen the results first-hand with my horse, and because of that, I’ll always be a loyal customer.
Dazzle In A One-Of-A-Kind Pup & Pony Co. Leather Halter
If there’s one piece of tack I get the most compliments on, it’s my Pup & Pony Derby Fancy Stitch Leather Halter. This fully padded, raised leather halter stands out for both its comfort and beauty. It features just the right amount of timeless details – I love the solid brass hardware and the lovely detail of the fancy stitch. Pup & Pony thought of everything when designing this halter, as it’s adjustable at the chin pieces and double crown. I also love the rolled leather detail of the throat latch.
The padding comes in a variety of colors (I went with navy) and it offers just the right amount of subtle pop. For me personally, I love color-coordinating my horse’s Baker stable sheet with the halter for a proper turnout at horse shows. Pup & Pony’s line of leather halters (there are a variety of looks to choose from) come in five different sizes. I found them to be true to size (my big Thoroughbred fits nicely in the ‘Warmblood’ size).
The quality of the leather in this halter is made to last. Mine is actually several years old, and with a gentle cleaning, it still looks brand new. A Pup & Pony halter is a generous gift for a trainer or barn friend, and one they will cherish and appreciate for years to come. Pup & Pony’s halters can now be found in the Heels Down Shop.
Spoil Your Local Pros With Gifts That Will Last
Every holiday season, I make sure I set aside enough in my budget to buy gifts for the people who help me take care of my horse: my barn owner, my farrier, my vet and the local professionals I hire to braid and clip my horses during show season. Finding the right gift for my barn owner and farrier is generally pretty easy. But for my braider/clipper? This year, I went in with a few other farm friends to invest in new equipment. We bought our local clipper a new set of Wahl’s KM10 clippers – her preferred pair to show clip all the horses in our barn.
This pair of heavy duty, two-speed clippers can easily cruise through the shaggy coast of 8-10 horses a week (or more), perfect for a professional with a busy seasonal business. The ergonomic design of the KM10 makes it a great option for said busy schedule – this set of clippers truly is the easiest to use. With a motor life of more than 10,000 hours, this is an investment in your pro clipper’s business, as much as it is a nice gift.