DefinitelyDressage.com

My zipper has finally gone out on my Kyra K coat and I'm using the snaps until I find just the right coat. I don't like puffa coats because I feel claustrophobic if clothes are tight on my upper body. Most of my coats are a size larger so I can fit sweaters and other bulky clothes underneath. Do you just buy a regular coat and ride in it, or are any of the horse-centric riding coats really worth it. I've liked the one I have because it has fuzzy wool around the collar. It makes it feel attractive and more comfortable when it's zipped all the way up.

For years I rode in a Land's End Squall Parka http://www.landsend.com/products/womens ... ku_0=::41K

I bought a size Large, which accommodates a turtleneck and sweatshirt. I'm usually a size 12-14 and this gives me room to move. BTW, I'm in northern Illinois and this coat kept me perfectly warm.

If it's not too cold, I ride in LLBeans Fleece Lined Fitness Jacket:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88215?fe ... ess-jacket

If it's rainy or colder than 35, I have two Riders International coats from Dover, one is a knock off of the Mountain Horse Original Winter heavy jacket (rarely gets cold enough for that here), and the other is their Tech Jacket, waterproof and insulated with a hood. I see Dover doesn't offer this jacket anymore even though it's only two years old, but it's similar to the Riding Sport 3-in1 jacket.

I do chores and ride in a Lands End Squall Parka that I have had for years. The fabric holds up really well.

jeniferkey, what is wrong with the zipper in your coat? Some problems can be fixed easily.

The zipper for my squall parka starts skipping teeth after a while. Sometimes I can fix it using long nosed pliers and pinching the sides of the slider slightly to make the gap smaller. Pinch a little at a time, test, pinch some more, test.

Eventually, that fix won’t work. Then I take my parka to the local fabric store where they have drawers full of zipper sliders. They find one that matches, take the old one off, and put on the new one for a few dollars.

And Walmart sells a repair kit

Or, if you like the jacket, you could have a seamstress replace the zipper (please wash it first!) See what they would charge you for the repair.

Of course, if you need an excuse to get a new coat, go right ahead!

First it lost its pull tab and I replaced that, then the bottom stopped grabbing right and I had to hold it a notch up to get it to catch, and now half way up the teeth act up and it pulls apart. I do think I need an excuse. It looks quite ratty and faded, but I think I will check to see what the replacement zipper would cost. Then I could toss my really old back up coat, use this as the back up and have a nicer looking one for riding and not just working around the place.
Fatcat- That LLBean looks nice and cozy, but they've only got white left. I'm going to see if the Land's End here has that coat for me to try on. Sounds like it would work nicely.

I use the shorter style Columbia jacket to ride and avoid a jacket that is too long.

http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-Womens-M ... bia+jacket

jeniferkey wrote:First it lost its pull tab and I replaced that, then the bottom stopped grabbing right and I had to hold it a notch up to get it to catch, and now half way up the teeth act up and it pulls apart. I do think I need an excuse. It looks quite ratty and faded, but I think I will check to see what the replacement zipper would cost. Then I could toss my really old back up coat, use this as the back up and have a nicer looking one for riding and not just working around the place.
Fatcat- That LLBean looks nice and cozy, but they've only got white left. I'm going to see if the Land's End here has that coat for me to try on. Sounds like it would work nicely.

The LLBean coats do run large, so you may be fine in a size smaller than normal, that's what I found.

I have a Mountain Horse for riding, and I like it quite well. For working around the barn, I wear a Carhartt.