I’m buying my first show coat and have no idea what to look for! My budget is about $100 tops, so I know it will be hard to find something decent. But I don’t really know whats out there. What is the difference between double and single vented? What about softshell versus not softshell? What colors are best for both hunters and jumpers? What coats/brands do you reccomend? Thanks to anyone who can help me out!
Go on Ebay. Look for used navy or dark gray jacket. Don’t go for the soft shell t that price. You might be able to find a used Elite or RJ classic for your price range. By vented I think it is referring to the slits at the back? These should be double, one on each side of the back so that it hangs straight over your saddle parallel to horse’s back. Some have a contrasting color lining which looks nice when you jump but go for conservative colors. Do not get a black show coat.
Ebay or used consignment shop. I would do black or navy. RJ Classics are pretty good for the price but the fabric is a bit stiff. The Grand Prix depending on your body type fit me very boxy.
I want a Winston really bad but they are over 600.00
I found a used Allion for $75.00 - black with silver buttons and a black velvet collar and piping at a tack trailer at a horse show. My trainer bought two of them. So you can find deals if you are in the right place at the right time.
Call the Farm House. They may have some of their Grand Prix jackets still on sale. I got two during the summer, one for $100 and the other for $75. They will talk to you about your size and what you are looking for, and then will hunt through the racks and tell you what they have.
I got a lovely GP jacket marked way down bc of a small stain on the bottom of the back hem, and a small pull in the sleeve, from www.paddockconnection.com - $85 and it’s a gorgeous French blue/light navy, with lime and baby blue windowpane. She has a bunch of jackets usually and was great to work with!
You should definitely look on ebay and at consignment shops. Some tack shops will have clearance sales where you can find deals under $100. Now that the trend is going towards soft shells, you can pick up some really nice wool coats for decent prices. Good luck!
I have an Equine Couture Raleigh - I think they’re about $90 at SmartPak. Softshell, super comfy, machine washable. I really like it, and it absolutely fits your budget. Comes in navy & black, IIRC.
Actually JPC make a decent Soft Shell for just about $100.00 Black or Navy It’s called a Raleigh . Just an FYI Soft shell coats do not hold up like wool and blends . They are washable and any time you wash an item in a washing machine it ads wear on the item. And you are now seeing singhle vent 4 butoon BLAck coats in the hunter and Eq rings, While I don’t care for the look they are called cross overs ( the latest and greatest trend) and are making the rounds with alot of the juniors .
I have this, and it’s a fairly nice coat for the price, and has worn well for three years. I have Hulk Shoulders, so I had to get it to fit my shoulders and then have it taken in everywhere else, so there was added cost for me. But I have to do that with every coat.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/ladies'-devon-aire®-uspc--concour-elite-show-coat/p/X1-40437/
Try a local consignment shop. Great jackets - even better prices.
Consignment, or if you want to buy new, RJ Classics has lovely coats for reasonable prices. If you are going to be doing hunters/eq, double-vented is the way to go. Single vents are seen more in dressage, and sometimes in jumpers, but in my opinion a coat with 2 vents just drapes better over your bum in the saddle. Any dark, conservative color or pattern is fine, navy and black are most common. Have fun shopping!
I just washed my daughters Pikeur Ghia which is probably 3 if not 4 years old now and it still looks great, purchased before the whole wash and wear show coat trend happened and it has lasted and well worth the money, used it in the Eq and Jumpers. They now have a Ghia 2 which must be a newer version. So if you can find a used one I would grab it, just not sure about wearing it in the Hunters.
Look in the closeouts on Dover’s website. I got a coat for not much more than $100 (I think it is an elite) that I like just as much as a Grand Prix I paid $500 for and way more than my RJ (RJ is my least favorite; they don’t fit me as well). I get a ton of compliments on my “cheap” coat!
