Back when I started Grey2Bay in 2014, actually long before that name was ever associated with the blog, I was an avid follower of Matt Harnacke as I found my spot in the community. He was a growing male model, like many of my friends at school and the job was something I looked up to and longed to do, but never felt good enough to succeed at. He made that life seem so luxurious and lovely, and I began to fall in love with that LA lifestyle a bit more and more.
His sense of fashion, the brand connections and path forward in fashions weeks across the globe was exciting. On the side of that though, he was an avid equestrian like me.
Back in those days he was in Australia with his chestnut gelding Chase. These days he has a small herd of horses including retired Chase, and a lovely property in the Netherlands. He shares that property with another YouTuber Jesse Drent and his horses, together they make up most of my go to equine videographers.
Matt produced a whole video series dedicated to moving Chase across the globe from Australia to Europe, and continues to post YouTube videos for us all to get a taste of his life with Jesse etc. They have also started an entire YouTube for the equine community called “HorseWorldTV”, it is subscription based, but they provide in depth videos and stable break downs across the globe.
As the years have gone on, brand connections have become even more important. Not just on the modeling end, but on the social media end as well. He’s partnered with Squarespace, Horze/Equinavia, Back on Track, and one of my favorites, Equestrian Stockholm.
Back in 2019, he collaborated with them on his first saddle pad collection. It was a light champagne and brown pad that screamed luxury with a little bit of extra. At the time I had no horse, no money and no desire to collect luxury saddle pads so I passed up that set. However, as time has passed I realize it’s pretty valuable and I might have to have the collection myself.
The set these days would most likely cost me around $350 shipped, probably $400 if I want everything pictured above. That still doesn’t include a browband to sparkle up the matchy matchy outfit, my bank is already complaining. Pictured below is the set on his horse Emporio, back in 2019 when he hadn’t greyed out nearly as much.
That being said the real need I have is for the set he released this year with Equestrian Stockholm. If I am lucky I will have the pad soon, it has been absolutely impossible to find anywhere given how fast it sold out. It also goes above retail just like the 2019 collection.
In another blog I will happily break down all the pieces of the collection I want and what came with it in general, but I wanted you guys to know why I am attached to this collaboration in the first place. I feel like there’s an odd sense of saying thank you by buying the pad since Matt’s presence inspired me to build Grey2Bay in the same community.
Until I have the collection feel free to check him out on YouTube, I will be leaving the link below!!
Grey2Bay 