In my last post, I alluded to a new subscription box that I am not only supporting but working with.
THE BACK STORY
Over the years I was a very vocal fan of Carly, the former owner, and creator of Cavalli Club. I have received and unboxed many of Carly’s carefully curated and seasonal packages. To this day I still use many of the items I received.
At some point (I’m uncertain of the exact timeframe) Carly sold the company to Corro and began to train a new person to handle curations. It was fine for a while, but suddenly there came a time last year it became apparent Carly was no longer in the picture. Posts became unanswered. Emails were not returned. Curations were significantly less meaningful.
I chose not to renew my subscription to Cavalli Club after the year was up; the writing was on the wall. The people who run Corro don’t understand the community that was Cavalli Club. We were a group of women who supported each other through the Facebook group and interacted with Carly regularly. We gave support and offered our opinions. We sold and traded items that we didn’t have uses for. Corro banned sales. They refused to communicate. The community was torn apart in as little as 1 week (it’s still there but a very ghostly version of what it was).
INTRODUCING MARENGO EQUESTRIAN
At the end of 2022 Cavalli Club fans rejoiced to learn Carly was coming back into the subscription box world with a brand new offering. Marengo Equestrian is her new and improved curation using a new platform that allows for more flexibility. It is promising to be more of what Carly had envisioned from the start.
With Marengo Equestrian a lot of the concepts are very much the same. The curations are seasonal with the very first launching in March 2023. Carly hand picks her curations carefully and thoughtfully and seeks out newer small businesses to bring them attention and spotlight. Aside from the monthly subscription Carly has a small store on her site that allows the user to peruse items available from smaller businesses you might not have heard of before. Saddle pads, browbands, brush bombs, clothing, and more. There are so many talented crafters and artists on the site to discover.
As it happens I had the honor to be one of her small businesses! You can find my hand-crafted grooming totes on the Marengo Equestrian site (https://marengoequestrian.com/collections/grooming/products/handcrafted-grooming-tote-by-wahbees-woodworking).
The quarterly curation also has one HUGE new concept. CUSTOMIZATION! As you begin your new subscription (You can choose “Deliver every 3 Months” or “Just Once”) you are prompted to choose your choice of apparel, lifestyle, jewelry, and accessory.
For this quarter the options are:
Apparel, all from Dapplebay:
- “Equestrian Athletic Club” Crewneck Sweatshirt
- Shortsleeve Ladies Riding Top
- “Good Rides Only” Crewneck sweatshirt
Jewelry, all from Jennifer Cerelli:
- Sterling Silver Stirrup Charm Necklace
- Lucky Horseshoe Stud Earrings, Gold Fill
- Lucky Horseshoe Stud Earrings, Sterling Silver
Lifestyle, all from Bettina Norton:
- Travel Mug
- Wine Tumbler
- Leather Tote
Accessory,
- Socks by Dreamers and Schemers
- Mane Jane Spur Straps, Blue Ribbon
- Mane Jane Spur Straps, Giddy Up
- Mane Jane Spur Straps, Unicorn
Once you’ve made your selection (1 from each category) you’re all set. You will also get some additional surprises that are more standardized.
I signed up the day Carly launched, and the signup process was easy! I then patiently waited that exciting day that it arrived on my doorstep!
It arrived! The sweatshirts were somewhat delayed so my box was among the last to ship but Carly kept updates regularly as always. I already knew I was in great hands.
As I opened the box….TA-DA! It’s an offer from yours truly!
In addition to having my totes available for purchase on the Marengo website, I also sent Carly some postcard offers for all subscribers to take 15% off custom stall signs!
The first curated item to come out of my Marengo box was my beautiful new Dapplebay “Good Rides Only” sweatshirt. In the past we’ve received several Dapplebay items, I particularly love my Good Rides hip belt for bringing my phone on rides and working in the farm (no pockets), I have another hip pouch that I use for treats from Dapplebay that were included in a later Cavalli Club box.
You can find more info at: https://dapplebay.com/
Next up is a pair of beautiful delicate sterling silver horseshoe earrings made by Jennifer Cervelli. Each piece is handcrafted in California using recycled metals and conflict-free gemstones to promote sustainability.
Shop her inventory at: https://jennifercervelli.com/
On the Lifestyle Option, I selected the leather tote by Bettina Norton. This was a particularly hard choice because I loved all 3 options. Bettina’s artwork is simple yet classy. It takes a whimsical feeling. Looking at some of her designs puts me in a state of tranquility. The design on this bag, for instance, makes me imagine I’m the girl on the horse in a far-off dream state. Peaceful.
Find more of Bettina Norton’s work at: https://bettinanorton.com/
I chose socks by Dreamers and Schemers for my accessory because it’s simple, I do not foresee the need to use spurs with Stanley ANYTIME soon! Plus, who doesn’t need another pair of socks!?
You can find socks AND the Mary Jane spur straps at: https://dreamersnschemers.com/
In addition to my custom-chosen items, I still found more in the box!
The horses are going to be thrilled to try their Mint Julep flavored horse treats by Zero Proof Horse Treats! These are inspired by cocktails but alcohol-free. We didn’t get a simple sample size either, we received a whole 1.5 lbs! they look to be a great size to do carrot stretches with. The treats are made in Kentucky with distillers’ grains.
Buy your own Zero Proof Horse Treats at: https://www.zeroproofhorsetreats.com/
We also received a set of pencils, foil-stamped equestrian-inspired pencils by Jennifer Raichman designs. I use pencils daily whenever I’m building. Though I hate to “foil” these it’s going to be nice to class the garage up a bit with these as I build more stall signs and grooming totes!
You can get these exact ones and more at: https://www.jenniferraichman.com/collections/equestrian-lifestyle/products/equestrian-pencil-set-blazing-saddles
I am so excited to have Carly back and Marengo is all that AND MORE. The subscription is $79 and a new box is launched every 3 months. This is not your Heart to Horse or Saddle Box. These are higher-end items for adults and are mainly sourced from small independent businesses…many of whom are women-owned, too. I love knowing that in supporting Marengo I am supporting ALL of these amazing businesses. It’s surreal to think that I am included in this selection, too!
You might be thinking, “well I wouldn’t use x or y”…. Not every item may be a hit but they all make superb gifts in those cases.
I honestly don’t know how Carly manages to make all of these boxes cost ONLY $79. The goods are worth far more. As are the shipping and packaging.
Carly, thank you for once again creating a masterpiece and connecting many like-minded people together! Your creations are thoughtful, tasteful, and elegant. You are a true equestrian and artist!
https://marengoequestrian.com/
The Green Horseman 
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