Finally! Found a light summer dressage coat!

[Dressage_Art]

I had a blast shopping with my friends at Horse Expo (http://www.horsexpo.com/). Got some really cool equine things including a dressage jacket for HOT weather! Made from a thin, breathable fabric and with out any lining! Also machine washable and wrinkle resistant! Loved the fit as well. It looks like a regular jacket, but it’s so much lighter and athlete friendly! Highly recommend! Picture doesn’t make it justice, it’s much prettier live.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/arista-modern-dressage-jacket/p/X1-40967/

Arista Modern Dressage Jacket. Water and wrinkle resistant riding jacket. From Arista, so you know it’s the pinnacle of quality and style. Lightweight stretch fabric keeps its shape throughout the day. Classic slimming silhouette with vented back. Modern 4-snap front has the looks of traditional buttons, but doesn’t gape or pull as much. Easy care. Arista crown logo on the velour plap of pocket, silver piping on the velour colour.

You can also go to the Arista website and buy a navy, eggplant or black color. Dover offers only black. http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=MD%20361-362/1130.0.0.0.0.0.0 and http://www.aristaequestrian.com/collection/spring09/popup/MD361.html

Also I got a white cooling vest from the CoolMedics Company. They are USDF and USEF LEGAL to wear for dressage shows under the jackets and also on top of the shirts when jackets are waived!!! YAY!!! The owner will customize fit for me free of charge (he did that for anybody). Really nice guy!http://www.coolmedics.com/products.php?product=V-Neck-Riding-Vest-%2d-1133 those cooling vests work like evaporated coolers: they retain water in the small beads of gel and when water evaporates - it cools your body up to 10F lower. As soon as jacket is dry it’ll stop working and you’ll need to presoak it in water. I used a black one already for about 6 years and love it!

COTHers, stay cool this summer!

[asb_own_me]

Very cool. Thanks for the tip. I will need to get a dressage jacket and breeches pretty soon and need all the advice I can get

[whicker]

so what color did you get? Have you seen the eggplant in real life? any thoughts on breeches? does Arista come in petite?

[Ambrey]

I am still dying to see the eggplant in real life

[FriesianX]

Arista makes some WONDERFUL stuff! I can’t wait to see your jacket - hmmmm, I may be tempted to buy one myself - gotta admit, eggplant is tempting to complete the total non-traditional picture :lol: I love their shirts too, light weight, wicking, cool!

Will you be at Championships this year? If so, I need to feel your jacket (oh, that didn’t quite come out right, did it???).

Cool Medics - not so impressed with them, had one of their vests, it worked about three times, then totally died. But maybe they’ve improved the product, I bought it several years ago.

OK, now all we need is USEF to decide a vest can be worn in lieu of a jacket - a lovely conservative colored vest over long or short sleeved shirt. It would look quite sharp for the hotter climates!

[Dressage_Art]

Yes, I did see the eggplant color “live”. It was a lovely color, but would not go with my chestnut mare, they didn’t have blue on hand, but they gave me a 10% discount on the black one, so with tax I paid $240.00 total. I think if you have a black or white horse (or black and white like FX) an eggplant will go lovely. You will not get lost in the crowd with this jacket!

I’ll be wearing this jacket at Yarra Yarra on 28 of June so feel free to “grab” me after the test if you want to “feel” it (Before the test I tend to be in the “zone” and not sure if I notice/respond to surroundings much) Also my hubby will be holding my jacket during my warm up, so you can “feel” it from him… now THAT didn’t come out right :lol:

They don’t have shadbellys yet -bummer!

[Nanerpus]

I just bought an Arista Jacket! It is AMAZING! So light, stretchy, and comfortable. Here is a picture of it if you wanna see:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2081244&id=13002359&l=8e4db09b3f

I think you will absolutely love it.

[Nanerpus]

Regarding the EGGPLANT

By the way, my friend has a huge black Hanoverian that she thought it would look great on… so she purchased the Eggplant color. She ended up sending it back after she contacted USEF and they deemed it probably NOT ok to wear at a recognized show. Here is the entire thread on the topic, including photos of the jacket “in real life”, if anybody is interested!

http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=160549&highlight=

[whicker]

Do the cooling vests work in hot and humid conditions? Virginia hits close to 100 with very high humidity.

[Roan]

Bah.

I’m still grumbling that they don’t have it in short, fat sizes

I wanna go to Dover and try one on.

Eileen

[Dressage_Art]

Yes, that’s the eggplant color of that jacket, it was pretty strong one.

Roan, please post some picks of dark blue if they will have it in Dover.

I love cooling vests, they do work for me and they feel like a damp cold towel - if that sounds good for you, they will work. You need to clearly understand how the evaporative cooling works to be able to use them beneficially. You will need to soak them for long enough in water and not rinse them dry afterwards, so your breeches will actually get a bit damp from the slightly damp/wet vest. Then as soon as the vest is dry - you need to re-soak them and that can be in 1hr to 4 hours - depends on the temps and humidity. Wearing a dry cooling vest doesn’t help

They sell neck coolers and helmet coolers - buy that first and see if you like it before spending $100 for a cooling vest.

[Ambrey]

@Nanerpus;4169522

By the way, my friend has a huge black Hanoverian that she thought it would look great on… so she purchased the Eggplant color. She ended up sending it back after she contacted USEF and they deemed it probably NOT ok to wear at a recognized show. Here is the entire thread on the topic, including photos of the jacket “in real life”, if anybody is interested!

http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=160549&highlight=

Thank you for sharing that- not at all the color I was expecting :no:. It’s lovely, but definitely not the “conservative” eggplant I was thinking it would be.

[whicker]

Bummer about the eggplant for recognized shows. I like the idea of the cooler vests as a substitute for a jacket. I am riding a black and a dapple grey, so I have been looking for something for those colors. I would look like Morticia in the color of Edward Gal’s jacket. I wonder how it would fly here with lesser name riders.

[esdressage]

Congrats on the jacket. It’s lovely! I agree about Arista. I always watch the sale room on their website. They had a show shirt at less than half of the regular price on there recently that I bought and it is AWESOME in person/on.

[Dan]

As an Engineer I can say that the cooling jacket will not work in weather with 100% humidity.

I like the sound of the dressage coat. Any options in a mans cut?

Dan

[patch_work_farm]

I love, love, love my Cool Medics vest but BE CAREFUL of white!! I bought the shorter (less expensive) version last year to try out (didn’t want the longer one to ruin my saddle if too wet) but what I didn’t think of was how dirty it would look!!! I tried my best to keep it clean but alas, what stays clean when riding?!?! (I have always been so envious of those that leave a barn looking like they arrived-who am I kidding, I wanted to get them dirty!!) I am like pig pen-a dirt magnet! Actually when I was a boarder it was easier to stay clean, now with 12 horses, there is no hope!

I know you can wash them but mine needs clorox and somehow I just don’t think that would work with the gel??? Luckily because I have my own farm, no one else sees it but if I had to wear it at a show they would write me up!! Wish I had bought the plaid one, black would have certainly hidden the dirt but I just couldn’t bear wearing black in VA during the summer!!

[thatmoody]

I have a cool attire question for those of you who know these things :). I have an Romfh coolmax shirt that I love. But I didn’t want to buy another one, so I got a Nike polo in the same style from Ross for $5.99, which was a steal. But now I’m nervous because I KNOW they’re going to waive coats on Saturday, and there I’m gonna be with that big Nike swoosh on my shirt. Should I worry about that? I know it’s a stupid question, but I love my coolmax shirt and know that the Romfh won’t stay clean both days (and I don’t really have laundry facilities since it’s a two-day away show).

Edit: The reason I worry is because my other white shirt (which is NOT coolmax and I refuse to wear it in June) has no logo (or it’s white - I can’t remember right now). The Rhomf shirt AND the Nike shirt have these small black logo’s on the front.

[mademoiselle]

May I ask you where you are showing. I’m showing in Florida this w-e (it’s my first sho win the summer in FL) and I didn’t know if they would wave the jackets or not.

[Dressage_Art]

small logos are OK, don’t worry about it.