I have a black hunt coat that has a windowpane pattern woven in. That passes muster with respect to the “coats must be of one color” rule, correct?
Thanks.
I can’t quite envision it, but the requirement for a COAT is conservative color, not one color. Contrast is allowed as long as it is conservative.
VESTS must be solid color - no contrasting stitching or patterns.
Oh, really now I could have a conservative plaid or pinstripe… thus wearing my hunt coats and spending dressage coat money on (more needed) riding lessons? I did.not.know.that.
I can’t find a link to a picture of the fabric, but it is/was common in HunterWorld before technical fabrics took over. Imagine light wool that has a bit of a sheen to it. Now picture a pattern like window pane plaid, or herring bone or even pinstripes that are created by changing the direction of the fabric’s weave. Jacquard fabric is the famous, flowery example of this technique. The fabric is all the same, but light shining on it reveals a pattern. It’s subtle and pretty… if you like the pattern and the coat fits well enough that the light wool doesn’t sausage you up.
Kind of like this?
If so, you should be fine. My dressage coat is navy with subtle pinstripes. Nobody has ever said a word.
yes they are legal. Rule says dark coat of conservative color.
windowpane , pinstripe and other weaves are fine.
I would probably reserve jacquard to stocktie
paisley is definitively out 
Thanks you, guys.
Are the Hunt coats still made with one back pleat,( oops vent) and plain buttons. While Dressage coats have two pleats (vent) and metal buttons?
Is it acceptable to wear a hunt coat in dressage? I know dressage coats in a hunter class (breed show) was not.
pleat=vent thanks JenEM
I am going tailor right now! I have some old Baker blankets I will have made into
jacket and shad coat.
I love pattern and all these new fresh fashions for dressage.
I glued so many rhinestones on my helmet I shrunk an inch.
[QUOTE=csaper58;8513811]
Are the Hunt coats still made with one back pleat, and plain buttons. While Dressage coats have two pleats and metal buttons?
Is it acceptable to wear a hunt coat in dressage? I know dressage coats in a hunter class (breed show) was not.[/QUOTE]
I’ve never owned a hunt coat with any pleats, or buttons at the back. They’re double vented, just like my dressage frock coat. The dressage coat has buttons at the back. I have done (schooling) dressage shows in my hunt coats (both navy and olive) without anyone batting an eye. I wouldn’t use my dressage coat for a hunter show, the metal buttons alone would stand out oddly.
Wait, so I could have an OLIVE coat for dressage? Wow, you just blew my mind. Now to find one…
Okay not actually dressage coats but shadbellys, but remember a while back when everyone was so excited about trying to find “plum” dressage coats and shadbellys. Animo made some that were a really pretty color, and actually weren’t too short they were very, very pretty. They were a very dark plum kind of blackish
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?457190-Plum-shadbelly
I’m not sure who this photo is of, but it is a very good example of a pretty plum shad
https://horsesage.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/screen-shot-2015-05-01-at-3-27-01-pm.png
Another example Animo plum shadbelly
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a7/89/33/a78933600cdf53f21644ee0b02a62abb.jpg
[QUOTE=UrbanHennery;8513983]
Wait, so I could have an OLIVE coat for dressage? Wow, you just blew my mind. Now to find one…[/QUOTE]
Not entirely sure on the legality of it for “real” shows because “conservative” is probably really open to interpretation, but I wore my olive hunt coat (which is pretty dark) for a Pony Club CT and no one had a problem with it. I wouldn’t pull it out for a licensed show, but it can’t be any crazier than some of the “plum” colored coats I’ve seen being used.
ETA: The olive coat I wore is actually the one in my profile pic, though that is obviously from a hunter show. I have also worn a navy coat with a windowpane/plaid, and had no issues with that. I’d probably wear that to a licensed show without a thought, if something happened to my dressage coat.
YES co9nventional hunt cut coats are permitted. do not confuse convention with a rule. The FEI has set down color guidelines for non-black coats. the USEF rule says conservative, I doubt anyone would blink at olive
Yes to colors and patterns!!! I’m becoming a bit of a hoarder of coats at this point… I have a traditional black one that I really never wear now because it’s booooring 
I got this navy one with white piping last season:
And I just got this one during the Animo sale and it’s absolutely gorgeous:
I also want the Grey Kerrits coat and would LOVE a plum colored coat. I love all of the variety these days. Plain black is so boring
Anything that you would wear in the hunter ring is perfectly legal in the dressage ring. There certainly aren’t any rules about how many vents, how many buttons, how long, or whether the buttons are metal or dark. Dressage coats used to always be longer than what the hunters wore, but that isn’t so true anymore. I would avoid some of the really short-sporty and tighter fitting coats that you see in the jumper ring. I think that for the dressage ring, the bottom of the coat should be even with the end of the sleeves or longer. But that’s just tradition and personal preference - it doesn’t say so anywhere in the rules.
I got a Gersemi Idun because I wanted one in brown for my Liver chestnut horse. I dress in brown and cream for her. I was worried that it looked to “jumper-ish”, but I have gotten nothing but positive comments, and I wound up liking it so much that I got another one in black for my other horse.
Someone in our area shows in a navy coat with brown panels on the sides–worn with brown helmet and brown boots. Has gotten compliments from judges, TDs and competitors. Another woman has a black shad with subtle brown pinstripes.
I have a short coat–the Pikeur Skarlett. Brown with a brown velvet collar. It has two zippers in back, reaching maybe 6 inches up from the bottom, so you can control how long the vents are. Best thing is it has real pockets (for sugar cubes, duh). I think depending on body type, the short coats can be very flattering and look very sporty and nice, but that’s also a bit of personal preference.
I wear a dressage coat that is a taupe/olive color: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=710529852199&set=a.574597342039.2034023.187800514&type=3&theater
It’s a Pikeur jacket in the color “bronze.” I love it.
[QUOTE=see u at x;8513556]
Kind of like this?[/QUOTE]
Yes, like that.
It’s subtle, eh? You guys can tell it’s subtle because you have to look carefully to see the pattern.
Oh, but it comes in woven-in pinstripe, too. Not sure which would be nicer…
Also, I used to have a pewter/olive solid color one that was lovely. The wool was a tad heavier such that it draped in straight lines. I’m deeply, deeply opposed to the sausage casing look that can be “achieved” with a technical fabric or wool that is too light and has a sheen to it.
[QUOTE=Dutchmare433;8514886]
I think depending on body type, the short coats can be very flattering and look very sporty and nice, but that’s also a bit of personal preference.[/QUOTE]
Indeed. I’m 5’1", 130# and a bit rectangular or short-waisted but my legs are long enough. The horse is a scaled down thing as well. Plus, I think too many jackets have arms that are cut too wide (and it can take some doing to find a tailor skilled enough to rebuild a sleeve.)
So I’m trying to avoid a blocky look. If you put me in a frock coat, changes are the waist would be too long and bunch up around my belt when I was on the horse, and the whole big coat would make me look even more rectangular than I am.
So let’s say I have a budget of +/-$300 for a coat and I’ll be showing training level on a 15hh bay QH, black saddle. Where would one shop for a coat (aside from local tack shops, which I will also visit)? Bear in mind that I used to be a reiner so the idea of a boring black coat is abhorent to me.
