I just went to a local tack store and tried on several hunt coats. They all seemed so plain… i was told the new style was the flat navy color… no pinstripe or herringbone pattern. I realize that a lot of the new tech fabrics and soft shells are only made with the flat almost matte finishes. So is this the new style?
I have been showing predominately low level jumpers at unrated or B circuit shows, so I have been able to get away with just polos shirts. My new mare may need to go in the hunter ring to start so i want to look neat and respectable.
I would like to keep it under $500 for the coat. I am only going to be doing the local B circuit in Michigan. Thanks!
We sell more Grand Prix Tech Lites than anything else for the hunter ring. Mostly navy and black. 3 button, of course. Plain.
The one that fits you the best. That’s what is “in” and always be “in”.
I traded up my old skool wool coats for an Equiline Gait jacket. It’s four buttons and flat navy (GASP). Why did I chose this? Because it looked like it was made for me; it was so beautifully tailored, I could care less if it had an extra button or no stripes/herringbone pattern. I seriously almost cried when I put it on. I felt like a pretty hunter princess.
The judge will not notice if you have an extra button or if your coat is pattern or not. What the judge would notice, perhaps subconsciously, is if you look unkempt due to a too tight OR too baggy jacket.
I was adamant I would not trade up to these new tech jackets. But I did. And I don’t even regret it one bit.
Try jackets on. Whatever makes you feel pretty and fits your body nicely, that is the “in” jacket.
Edit: Unless it’s a pink jacket with bedazzled everything. Then… then perhaps go with the runner-up jacket that makes you feel pretty 
1 Like
Thanks for advice everyone. I may take your suggestions Karasha. I know the 3 button is more correct for the hunger ring. But I will ultimately end up in the jumper ring so I think some of the newer tech ones I might be able to get away with.
Though I do like the quality of the Grand Prix coats. Looks like I will have to try on some more hunt coats.
Agree with Karasha. I do the Hunters at the A shows. My main jacket has 4 buttons on it, Navy with a slight, barely visible pattern. It fit the best so I bought it. My new coat coming in is grey, with a hunter green lapel and three buttons.
so yes-you have many options. Get what fits and no, don’t go with the pink jacket.
[QUOTE=Köttbulle;7929777]
Thanks for advice everyone. I may take your suggestions Karasha. I know the 3 button is more correct for the hunger ring. But I will ultimately end up in the jumper ring so I think some of the newer tech ones I might be able to get away with.
Though I do like the quality of the Grand Prix coats. Looks like I will have to try on some more hunt coats.[/QUOTE]
Hunter judges do not care if your jacket has 4 buttons. It says nothing in the rule book for hunter turnout that a jacket has to have three buttons. I bought my 4-buttoned jacket and walked into the show ring the next day and got grand champion in the 3’ hunters.
Don’t base the decision to buy a coat if it has an extra button, especially if you’re just visiting the hunter ring here and there.
I personally tried on the Grand Prix tech coats and didn’t like them FOR MY body, albeit it’s a pretty and comfortable jacket. Try on a wide range. Consider hiring a tailor (before my new jacket, I had to tailor all of my previous jackets since they were too boxy and made me look like a tree stump).
I will definitely need to get a tailor. I am an unusal body type. Tall(5’10") no boobies. And broad shoulders. I loved the fit of some of the soft shells. But they tend to have no structure in the shoulder area and while super comfy they looked like I was wearing a wind breaker cut like a hunt coat. Lol.
I’m kinda intrigued by that Zephyr coat. I think Fits makes them. In the theory it sounds very comfy. And I hate being hot and if there is a coat that would keep me cooler in the show ring I would be thrilled.
[QUOTE=Köttbulle;7929876]
I will definitely need to get a tailor. I am an unusal body type. Tall(5’10") no boobies. And broad shoulders. I loved the fit of some of the soft shells. But they tend to have no structure in the shoulder area and while super comfy they looked like I was wearing a wind breaker cut like a hunt coat. Lol.
I’m kinda intrigued by that Zephyr coat. I think Fits makes them. In the theory it sounds very comfy. And I hate being hot and if there is a coat that would keep me cooler in the show ring I would be thrilled.[/QUOTE]
Thats my exact build. Ive never owned a coat that fit perfectly off the rack, until I got a Grand Prix Tech Light. I got it in a tall and it’s perfect.
That was a big complaints of mine by some of the tech jackets. They have no structure and end up looking like you’re wearing a PJ tops.
I am opposite of you – Short (5’3) and curvy (small waist, big hips/bust). This is why those tech jackets with no structure just look so awful (on me!). Y’all leggy women can just about pull off anything
Good luck in your search!
It seems everyone is wearing a hunter green tech lite jacket. Still not sold on the tech lite. Their matte solid texture means the dark ones show dirt and dust really badly.
I suggest going with a classic look over something trendy that will be out of style before you know it. Unless you can afford to get a new jacket every season then by all means go trendy! Thankfully most equine fashion is classic, so finding a great jacket shouldn’t be hard to find. Stick with the navy even though it may seem “boring” you’ll look elegant and timeless in the show ring. As for size, which ever jacket you decide on, just make sure that the arm length is long enough. I saw that you mentioned you were 5’10, so i can assume you have long arms. Nothing looks worse than a rider with a jacket that is too short in the arms and too tight in the chest area. Go for the next size up and then have the jacket taken in at your waist line. If your worried about your shoulders not having any shape, ask your seamstress to either sew in or Velcro in shoulder pads.
Best of luck to you in your hunt for a new Jacket!
Try the RJ coats. They have a much more reasonably priced tech fabric. As for showing dust, great thing about those coats is you can wipe yourself down with a wet rag and look perfect.
I am the same height as you and suggest a four-button jacket (and even getting the four buttons moved further apart/further down if necessary) to eliminate gapping at the bottom. It is not at all noticeable, except for the fact that the jacket doesn’t have a huge gap
I second skrgirl re: the Grand Prix techlite. I am 6’ with the exact same build as you both and ended up in a reg length techlite. I was in between regular and tall on length and ended up with the regular since it looked slightly more intentionally short, while the tall was just too long.
As many have already mentioned, it’s all about fit. I have two stretch/tech fabric coats that I really love - the Equiline x-cool and the Asmar Wellington. The Equiline has four buttons, and while I would prefer only three, the fit was so good on me that I could not resist. The Wellington is also really nice, and I believe it is on sale for $266.00 right now on the asmar site:
Happy Shopping!
[QUOTE=nelson;7933379]
As many have already mentioned, it’s all about fit. I have two stretch/tech fabric coats that I really love - the Equiline x-cool and the Asmar Wellington. The Equiline has four buttons, and while I would prefer only three, the fit was so good on me that I could not resist. The Wellington is also really nice, and I believe it is on sale for $266.00 right now on the asmar site
http://asmarequestrian.com/asmarequestrian_en/wellington-hunt-coat-4bc2a503814055f097b485ea94f0526b.html
Happy Shopping![/QUOTE]
Thanks for the tips. I tried the Asmara coat on and it looked terrible on me. The size that fit. Looked all puckered in places. And the next size up looked like I was wearing a badly tailored men’s sports coat. Lol. I loved the idea of it but it’s sure didn’t work for me. I am going to have to look into finding some of the Grand Prix Lites or just find a place with a bigger selection all around.
[QUOTE=skrgirl;7930204]
Thats my exact build. Ive never owned a coat that fit perfectly off the rack, until I got a Grand Prix Tech Light. I got it in a tall and it’s perfect.[/QUOTE]
Second this !!! I’m 6’ with no boobs and the tech lite in tall is perfect. I have an RJ Classics that I’m tailoring but the Grand Pris was perfect from the get go. I got mine in flat navy with a grey collar. Can’t wait to wear it at Thermal.
I just bought an Irideon Kismet show jacket at a silent auction this past weekend. I’ve seen it on a few juniors and pros in my area and it’s gorgeous, so here’s hoping it works for me too! I got it for $160 but it’s normally $370.
I recently purchased a really nice Winston Exclusive coat with a colored collar. I LOVE IT.
They offer a bit of color but keeping with the classic look for the Hunters. I bought the black coat with the burgundy collar. And they are four button. Those fit me better I am 5’9".
Kind of far away but here is my black with burgundy - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=893847353993682&set=a.444994572212298.106311.100001052770584&type=1&theater
Here is the link for Winston.
http://www.winston-equestrian.com/en/product/ladies-riding-jackets/Exclusive-full-collar and here is a link for a US company that sells them too - http://www.equustack.com/contrast-show-coat-with-crystal-piping/
Maybe you can find a local tack store that carries them?
They come in other colors and I know other companies will make similar coats I have seen that look nice. I saw a light blue collar with a navy coat that looked amazing.
Allon makes them too. I have seen used ones at horse shows that were beautiful. I also bought a black with black and slightly silver piping Allon coat and I love that one too…
Ovation has a nice one too -
Now I am window shopping and want THIS ONE - http://www.lasaddlery.com/show-coats/winston-hunter-green-contrast-6400.html AND this one - http://www.lasaddlery.com/show-coats/winston-exclusive-black-baby-blue-collar-7533.html
I’m 5’8 with “man shoulders” a smaller chest, long arms, and the Ovation jacket doublesstable posted in a long fits me perfectly. I got it with the navy suede collar. Only downside is that it has 4 silver buttons, but I plan on swapping those out.
