Need to find Melton coat-- I'm getting desperate

[Newmarket]

Hello everyone,

So here’s my situation…

I’m going to be hunting as a groom next weekend and I cannot find a melton coat ANYWHERE!!!

Let me rephrase, I cannot find a melton coat under $300 anywhere!!! I live in the fox hunting capital of the states, Middleburg, I go to the tack exchange basically every other day but they don’t have a single coat that fits me, and I am seriously running out of options.

I have looked everywhere online (tack trader, va equestrian, ebay) to try an find an ovation (or some other less expensive brand) coat, or a used coat, and I am running into a wall.

I really, really cannot afford to spend what the going rate is for coats at Horse Country or the Tack Box, so I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for me about where I might be able to find a coat?

The other thing is that I don’t know exactly what size I am, I am about 5’8’’ and weigh around 125, and my arms are quite long…

If anyone can help me with cost effective brand names/ point me in the right direction to finding used coats/ or has a coat they’d be willing to sell that might fit me, I’d really appreciate any guidance!!

[Carol_Ames]

mine are gone, sorry

:(sorry,

I sent mine and my brothers’ to Middleburg tack exchange to sell; sorry:no:

Have you tried horse country;) in Warrenton??

how about dominion in Middleburg?

[Carol_Ames]

the original Dominion in Chantilly:-)?

[Equibrit]

$75 - plenty more on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RJ-Classics-Ladies-Fox-Hunting-Coats-Black-Red-LAST-ONES-LEFT-/370574311687?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item9504395d31

More here; http://www.foxhuntersconsignmentstore.com/Ladies_apparel.htm

[Hinderella]

Horseloverz.com. I got my Ovation coat from them, reasonably priced and shipped quickly. It comes in long sizes as well to accomodate longer arms. I’m 5’5"’ about 135 or so, I got a 12 long but probably should have gotten a 10. But I hate things to be too tight when I ride.
Crazyhorsetack.com carries the Shires line. My cubbing coat is a Shires, and I love the fit. It’s a little more expensive than the Ovation.

[jawa]

Changing Reins in Ashland, Va is a consignment shop. You can do a google search and get their phone number.

I’d also put feelers out to borrow a hunt coat for the day.

[judybigredpony]

Did you try mens section?? I got mine in that room @ Middleburg Tack Xchng and it fits like it was made for me…way better priced way better quality than the ones out on ladies rack…size wise go by your chest (Bra)measurements in Mens, for ladies your dress size…Also did you run up to Saddlery Liquidaters in Haymarket???

Quick fix for short sleeves…if only a few inches wear dark sleeved shirt no one can see under your stock and gloves to concell the gap…then you can later have leather or corduroy cuffs added, my rider did for the coat I got her off the rack at MTXC, she has long arms and the cuffs look fabulous pratical and not out of place…

[5chestnuts]

You’re a groom. You can wear ratcatcher. Just make sure to introduce yourself as ‘I’m ZYZ, Such and Such’s groom’ so it is understood in what capacity you are there in the Field.

[JSwan]

Saddlery liquidators in Haymarket has Melton hunt coats for about 100$ last time I checked. Call Mark to verify before driving down.

But like the other poster I was given to understand grooms can wear
ratcatcher. Verify that beforehand.

[Ltc4h]

Maryland Saddlery in Butler Md, just facebooked they have some in on consignment.

[lily04]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230727799476

[otterhound]

Can someone please tell what, exactly, a Melton coat is? We don’t have them here in NZ - or if we do, we must call them something else. TIA =)

[jawa]

Otterhound,
MELTON WOOL
Melton wool is thick with a smooth surface. The wool is napped and very closely sheared. Melton wool makes a very solid cloth due to the finishing processes that completely conceal the weave. It’s durable, wears well, and is wind resistant. In its thicker weights, melton wool is used in the production of heavy outerwear. If the wool is a thinner weight, it is used mostly in the production of sweaters.

Melton hunt coats are described as heavy, medium and light weight. The heavy weight is usually 20 oz or more.

[otterhound]

Thanks jawa - so I’m guessing that’s what my partner’s hunting jacket that he brought with him from Ireland is made of. It’s waterproof, and way too warm for NZ temperatures! =) We just call them pure wooll jackets.

[jawa]

If he brought it from Ireland, than yes, most likely a melton. They are great for damp/wet cold temperatures.

We are having an unusually warm season so far, so I haven’t gotten much use out of it yet.

But when we are having nasty, windy, damp, and cold weather…It is the coat to hunt in.

[Heliodoro]

Can someone tell me what a gram measurement in a melton means or what it correlates to weight? I’ve seen Dover of all places selling a 400gm (*IIRC) melton on sale for $199.

[jawa]

14.1 ounces to 400 grams

Google!!!

[Heliodoro]

[QUOTE=jawa;6070278]
14.1 ounces to 400 grams

Google!!![/QUOTE]

So a medium weight if heavy weight is 20oz+?

[jawa]

Yes I would say Md wt. I think the tropical/ lt wt is around 10 ounces.

I have a heavy wt. and it feels heavy.

I would compare the feel to a Carhartt jacket. My son got a new one for Christmas and for the thickness of the coat, I wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy. He wears it to school with a short or long sleeve polo (uniform) and no other layers to be warm outside on the playground.

I have been hunting with my heavy wt when the high for the day was in the 20s and the wind was not helping. I wore a technical fabric turtleneck, my wool canary vest, a cashmere sweater, fleece breeches, toe warmers and had hand warmers in my gloves along with the hood of my cashmere sweater up to cover my ears. I was really nice and comfortably warm. We hunted for 3 hours and I wasn’t at all miserable and this is from someone who detests the cold or being cold.

[Hinderella]

Could you get by with this one for the day, and have it tailored later?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Heavyweight-Black-Wool-Melton-Hunt-Coat-sz-40-Fox-Hunting-/230727799476?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b872d2b4

The shoulder measurement actually didn’t look too bad, nor the arms…it would just be loose in the middle. If you could have it tailored later, even for $100, it could still be a bargain. And the seller takes returns.

I know you’d sent me a pm about one I have. I’ve been holding it for a friend, but if it’s any consolation, I don’t think it would have worked for you…the arms are a bit short on me, and I’m only 5’5".