My eyes are bleeding! (ROOD fail)

There are some folks out there who are always turned out in lovely matching riding sets - polos or boots, saddle pads, browbands, and bonnets for the horses, complimentary clothing for themselves. They always look so tidy and professional, I admit I'm a bit jealous.

Then there's me.

It's not that I TRY to look bad, per se. It's not even that I don't have clothes that would be complimentary with certain saddle pads and browbands (I don't do boots/polos or bonnets, that would just be more things for me to mismatch). It's just that sometimes I make poor life decisions.

Take this lovely ensemble I wore for yesterday's lesson. I love this saddle pad, and I think the fleece is pretty awesome too. However, when combined, they make for a somewhat unsavory set:

Admit it, you WISH you could pull together an outfit this awesome. I'm pretty sure Taran was so embarrassed by my poor choices that he simply couldn't concentrate during yesterday's lesson.

Then there's the scenario when I come in from riding and change into my favorite comfy fleece lounge pants but leave my riding shirt on. This can either be nominally OK (if I'm wearing a solid blue or green shirt) or horribly scarring for anyone who sees me. 

Hubby was too traumatized to let me actually put this set back on for pictures. And this is a man who is partially colorblind!

This show season, I'm looking forward even more truly appalling outfits. You see, if you're wearing a coat and stock tie, it doesn't matter what sort of shirt you have on underneath - nobody can see it. And I got several Kerrits Icefil shirts for Christmas (these are awesome, btw) with some really wild patterns. With a coat, stock, and white breeches, you'll never know about my fabulously loud shirt. BUT... when I'm just walking around between rides, I'll be sporting these shirts along with my favorite pair of coveralls over my white breeches. The result will be something like this:

I am fairly sure this is what dressage princess wannabes are all wearing. 

Are you more the type to have lovely matching ensembles? Or do your outfit choices suggest a certain lack of je ne sais quoi?

It's a bit big, but we'll take it anyway!

The year-end awards for our local GMO finally arrived:

AA Training level champions!

It's a wee bit huge on him, but whatever. We'll wear it with pride!

Prettier than Pikeur

After visiting the local Dover store and trying on every jacket, then heading to the regional dressage championships to try on even MORE jackets, I finally came to the realization that any jacket I bought would have to be tailored. I visited a local tailor, and she told me to find a jacket that fit me in the shoulders... anything else could be fixed.

After trying on so many different jackets by so many different manufacturers, I came to the conclusion that the technical fabric jackets just aren't for me.  I had tried on the Pikeur Diana and I really, really liked the smooth, crisp, professional look of the jacket. I figured I would find one in my shoulder size (turns out I'm a 10 in European sizing), order it, and have it fitted. But... BUT... I saw a beautiful brown Kingsland jacket at the dressage championships. It was too big for me in the shoulders, but GAWD it was just so pretty. The velvet collar and pockets, the detailing on the cuffs, and incredible Italian stretch wool looked so classy and was very comfortable to wear. It was also shorter that the Diana, but not super-short like a lot of the newer jackets are, so it didn't look odd on me.

Sooo, I found the Kingsland on sale, in black, and ordered it from the UK. Since the style was 2013, it was super-duper on sale, and even after I paid shipping AND for tailoring, it was a very good deal.

Vellllvet.

And y'all, this coat is just SO PRETTY. These pics don't do it justice, but I'll be wearing it next weekend at the year-end show so hopefully I'll get some better pics of it in action soon!

So classy-looking.

Pocket detail, and I love the little detail around the waist.

Even the cuffs are pretty!

"Attitude is the little thing that makes a big difference". Yes, yes it does.

The whole thing.

Fitted perfectly!

Region 9 Dressage Championships - a spectator perspective

Our Saturday foxhunt got rained out (yay rain!), so I ended up driving to Houston to go to the Region 9 dressage championships to watch a few rides and try on formal coats.

Showgrounds at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. It was so dark this was the only pic I took that turned out. Boo.

Because normal people drive 3 hours to try on dressage coats, right? This is the first USDF rated show I’ve been to in a million years, so I was very curious as to how people and horses were turned out. A few interesting notes:

• Everyone wore black coats. I didn’t see a single grey or brown coat anywhere.
• The upper-level riders all wore helmets (no top hats!), and the ladies all had bling on their helmets. The men did not. I didn’t see any bling on helmets for lower-level riders, although there were some SUPER blingy belts being sported!
• There were an even number of plain browbands and browbands with bling.
• Everyone had a white saddle pad (no piping) with a white fleece half-pad.
• I saw two horses with running braids (instead of button braids).
• The scores were surprisingly low, especially compared to the scores that Karen at Bakersfield Dressage reported at her regional championships. Intro, Training, and First level divisions were all won with a 65%. There were a lot of scores in the upper 50s, which surprised me for a championship.
• White gloves are the norm, even at the lower levels. I’ve never worn white gloves – never felt like my hands were good enough.
• The horses and riders were nice, but the arenas weren’t full of imported warmbloods (which I sort of expected). If Paddy and I ever qualify for the championships, I don’t feel like we would be outclassed. 

And now, on to my coat-trying-on extravaganza.

Nearly all the coats available were technical, washable fabric. While I can see this would be easier to care for, stretchier, and cooler, I also thought they really didn’t look that good. They aren’t lined (except for Pikeur and Cavallo) and they just look rumpled when they are on. Riders who were wearing technical coats sort of look like they had just slept in their coats. They didn’t have that sleek, tidy appearance that the lined lightweight wool coats (i.e. most of the shads, and the Pikeur coats) have.

I tried on the FITS coat (mesh panels under the arms, which I didn’t love), Pikeur Skarlett and another short, technical Pikeur, RJ Classics, a Cavallo (waaay too big all around, and not a good length for me) and two brands I didn’t recognize. Every coat I tried on that fit in the shoulders was too big everywhere else, including the sleeves. The long version of one of the coats fit much better on the waistline, but the tails were far too long and would need to be shortened (and it also looked really rumpled on me – another technical coat). So the upshot of all this coat-trying-on is… as everyone suggested in my coat post, I need to buy a coat that fits in the shoulders, and simply get the rest of the coat (including the sleeves) tailored. And I don’t love the look of the unlined technical fabric coats, no matter how cool they may be.

I almost – ALMOST – bought a gorgeous brown Kingsland coat, 100% Italian wool, on sale for over 50% off. The size 40 (US size 12) fit well in the shoulders (maybe a smidge big?) but was huge everywhere else – major tailoring would have been required. And while I think Paddy would look smashing in a brown coat (and brown is a great color on me too), I do not NEED a brown coat right now and cannot justify spending the money on one, even if it IS a Kingsland. Besides, I’d need a brown helmet to go with it, and I can’t justify buying one of those either. Alas.

Oh you beautiful thing... how I covet you! Image courtesy of Classic Equine.

So, I’m back to the Pikeur Diana. Now I just need to figure out what size in the shoulders, and in a Long or regular. I can’t go off the sizing of the coats that DID fit me this weekend, because every coat manufacturer makes a slightly different size for the same “size”. Gah! Of course, the Diana is a “traditional” style (i.e. longer) and somewhat hard to find, so this means ordering a bunch of different sizes (from a bunch of different tack stores) and trying them all on to find the best fit.  The search continues!

Despite not being able to find The Perfect Coat, it was a great trip and well worth the time. Plus I had sushi on the way home… can’t beat that!

Mission Impossible: Finding a formal coat that fits

Now that Paddy is back on the dressage bandwagon, and there might actually be a rated show in our future, I'm trying to do a little wardrobe updating. I've now got white breeches I don't hate (a miracle in of itself), my boots are good, and while I don't love my stock tie, it will do for now. But what I don't have is a coat that actually fits me.

I currently own three coats. They go from bad:

Horseware Ireland Competition Jacket, size XS. Sleeve length is good, fit is loose in the shoulders and waist. I bought this for foxhunting because it's made from washable technical fabric, which is super awesome since you can trash a coat in just one hunt. I'm not a fan of how wrinkly it looks. Also, I know that short coats are all the rage, but on me this thing is MUCH too short. 

To worse:

Ovation hunt coat, size 6. I think I bought this because it was like $45 and it fit me better than any other coat I'd tried on. But the sleeves are SUPER short and it's huge in the body. 

To really frickin' embarrassing: 

Elite dressage coat, size 6L. It's just huge. The sleeves are huge, the shoulders are huge, the body is huge, and it's too long. Also, I look about as happy as a well-dressed serial killer wearing this coat.

Since obviously none of these will make Paddington look awesome, I did what any sane person would do and drove to the local Dover store to try on Every. Single. Coat. Here's what I learned:

• I am too tall. The "in" short coats look stupid on me.
• I need to consider stuffing my bra (how does that work with a sports bra, anyway?)
• European brands fit me better than American brands. European brands are also more expensive than American brands. Conspiracy? I don't think so...

Dover tried to order a Pikeur Diana for me to try on, but can't get the size I want until January 2015. Since patience is not a virtue of mine, I found the coat I wanted from Dressage Extensions and ordered it.

And let me just say, I WISH THIS THING FIT ME.

Pikeur Diana Washable, size 6. Look how SMOOTHLY this thing lies. Look how TAILORED it is.

Look how tight it is in the shoulder. *cries*

The length of the coat seems perfect, but it's just too tight across the shoulders. 

Tragically, I had to put the beautiful coat back it its box and send it back. I'm trying to decide if I should order the next size up (or maybe a Long in the next size up?) or try a different brand. I'm also trying to convince my husband to let me go to the Region 9 Dressage Championships this weekend and try on All The Coats from All The Vendors. Because that's obviously the adult thing to do, right?

Soooo... tell me about your coat-finding woes! What styles/brands do you love/hate? Any advice on a dressage coat for someone who is 5'8 with wide shoulders and no boobs? 

International Tack 'Ho

When Tanja and I were talking on Saturday, we lamented that we hadn't planned to go to the local tack shop in Vienna as part of our afternoon. Although I've been to plenty of tack stores in various cities in the US, I've never been to a tack shop in Europe before, and I really wanted to see the different brands. And come on, let's be honest... who can resist tack shopping???

Vienna was just a stop on my journey - my work trip actually took me to Brno, Czech Republic, for the better part of a week. I asked a (non-horsey) co-worker if she knew of any tack stores in Brno, and a  quick Google search turned up one not too far from the office. I also suckered her into accompanying me, because let's face it, I can't actually speak any Czech (ok, I know the word for beer, and I know several ice cream flavors. What more do you need?)

I have no idea what this says, but it was the sign for the shop.

The store was quite small, and there wasn't much selection. I was surprised to see a Western saddle there, alongside some silvered halters. Who knew that Western is a thing in Brno? I spent most of my time looking at saddle pads (soooo pretty, but mostly APs, so I didn't buy any), fly bonnets, and socks. Because let's face it, there's only so much I can fit in my small carry-on luggage!

Also, everyone needs green argyle socks. AmIright?

I also spent some time trying on white breeches, because my current pair of Ariat FS white show breeches keep rubbing the back of my left knee raw. I've tried on every pair of white breeches that our local Dover store carries, and with the exception of the FIT$$$$ breeches, they don't fit me or the fabric is completely see-through. But European sizes are a bit different, and they had a lot of brands I've never seen before, so I gave it a go and found these bad boys:

Let's face it, nobody looks good in white breeches, NOBODY. But these aren't half bad!

These are FS Horseware Ireland breeches, and while the waist is higher than I prefer, they fit really well in all other ways! I also paid about $70 US for these, which is significantly less than I've ever paid for a pair of FS breeches. My only regret is that they only had one pair!

Fortunately for me and my checkbook, the store closes quite early, so I had to shop quickly. The lady at the checkout was really nice, but I was quite glad I had my friend along with me to translate. She asked what kind of horse I had, so of course I had to show her a picture of Paddy - she seemed shocked that I had a Haflinger (maybe my height?). Still, she said how cute he was, and thanked us for coming by. 

I'm sure stuff from the tack shop counts as souvenirs from a trip... right?

In desperate need of a fashion consultant

When I signed up for the LOPE benefit show this weekend, I figured I'd do a couple of classes on each of the Big Bay Boys. I mean, how hard is it to throw together Intro B and C, a tiny hunter round, and a little trail class?

And then today the schedule came out.
10:40  Oberon    In-hand Trail I
12:23  Saga        Intro B
1:12    Oberon    Intro B
2:00    Oberon    Hunter I
2:58    Saga        Intro C
3:38    Oberon    Intro C
4:20    Saga        Hunter II
5:10    Saga        Trail II

So... yeah. I had this fantasy of riding Oberon in dressage, then Saga, then having a leisurely lunch, changing clothes to hunt-appropriate attire, then riding a few tidy hunter rounds (and laughing at Oberon when he stops to eat the fake flowers). Instead, it looks like I'll be wearing my white breeches till 4pm, at which point they should be a sad shade of dirty smudge.

Did I mention it's supposed to rain? Like, ALL DAY? And we all know how awesome white breeches are when wet.

So, what should I wear? First off, the in-hand trail class. Oberon has a brown leather halter, but it's not fancy. I have an exceptionally boring black cotton lead rope. Do I wear my breeches and boots? I can barely walk in my tall boots, and if it's muddy, I really don't want to slog around in them. I don't have any boot-cut jods, but I could wear jeans and paddock boots and a polo shirt. Or maybe a white flowy shirt (bad if it's pouring)? Or... a white long-sleeved shirt and an autumnal plaid wool vest? Halp?

Dressage is easy. Coats are waived, so it's white breeches and a white shirt. Or do I say screw the white breeches and go with tan breeches and a white shirt? Or maybe a different colored polo (I have navy, light blue, and brown, as well as a black dry-fit shirt). I'm using a white saddle pad, and black tack for dressage.

Same for the hunter classes. I have a grey hunt coat (for FOXHUNTING, duh, not hunters) that I could wear, but as I said, coats are waived and I don't want to be out of place. My tack is brown and I have white fuzzy fitted pads. Do I just go with the tan breeches and white shirt? Or go for a different colored polo?

Please, someone help me dress! I need a fashion consultant! Possibly also someone to manage my wardrobe at this rate...