Horse Show Fashion - Jackets

Hunt coats have come a long way from the traditional green or navy pinstripe garments that dominated the showring throughout the '80's. Technical fabrics are very popular, offering better movement, breathability, weather protection, and stain resistance.

Pikeur



Animo



The Alessandro Albanese collection is both made and designed in Italy. It's distinctive and refined elegance makes each item unique. The clothes are made in precious yarns and natural fibres; it gives both men and women the luxury of complete freedom tracing each curve and movement with elasticity and subtle glamour. In the Alessandro Albanese "Competition Collection", each garment is created by hand on a "made to measure" basis using traditional artisan methods, making each garment unique!

Alessandro Albanese Technolight Show Jacket

Alessandro Albanese Custom Wool Jacket



Animo is an exceptionally fashionable, functional and innovative equestrian clothing line. Thanks to the composition of the fabric, Animo offers outstanding elasticity, hygroscopic power to absorb water and anti-static properties. Animo keeps the equestrian athlete cool, comfortable and beautiful - all at the same time. All Animo clothing is made in Italy and is machine washable.

Animo Show Jacket Lei softshell. Fitted cut, top quality softshell. Breathable, dirt repellent and wrinkle free.



Gersemi - Gersemi is the equestrian fashion brand that has a passion for style, quality and function. With a modern Scandinavian design and a mythological Nordic heritage Gersemi has an international appeal for women who love fashion. The Idun show jacket is in a highly technical stretch fabric that is perfect for the competition ring. Featuring a suede look contrast collar it has modern front zip pockets fitted into the seams and a slim silhouette. This jacket is wind and water resistant, and machine washable.

Gersemi Show Jacket



Stable Cloth - Launched in 2005, as Saltare Equestrian Apparel, Stable Cloth continues to deliver the finest in hand-tailored equestrian apparel. 

 

Navy with light blue and tan pinstripe, navy velvet collar, light blue collar piping and periwinkle floral lining with gold buttons.

GPA - A really technical, breathable competition jacket made using Nano-Sphere technology from Schoeller. This technology ensures that the jacket is water repellent, dirt resistant and eco-friendly. Water and substances such as ketchup and oil simply run off the fabric. Naturally self cleaning  fabric however, it is still fully machine washable. A very tailored fit with 4 buttons, zip on cuffs with zipper pockets and 2 rear vents. This is an extremely modern twist to Show Jumping jackets and is very popular.

 

GPA Ladies Italian Tech Trophy Show Jacket

Grand Prix - Grand Prix riding jackets are proudly made in Canada. They have been developing riding jackets constantly for more than 25 years. With input from some of the world's best riders, the expertise of expert custom tailors, and developments in materials and construction techniques, Grand Prix continues to be great fitting, functional and beautiful riding jackets. They are currently utilizing such innovations as water and wrinkle resistant wool fabrics, soft shell fabrics and stretch breathable linings. 

The Grand Prix sport Show Coats also benefit JustWorld International! A portion of every Grand Prix soft shell show coat is donated to JustWorld to help children living in extreme poverty!





Custom Grand Prix Original Classic Sport Show Coat. The Classic Sport is made in exceptionally lightweight, water-resistant and breathable soft shell Schoeller.  

Marigold - Marigolds trademark of quality can be experienced in their fine hunt coat collection which provides and ideal combination of classic designs and an elegance that a contemporary equestrian can enjoy.

  

 

Black Coat with pink piping.

Winning Couture

Allon Fine Equestian Ladies Four Button Two Vent Hunt Coat. A fine hunt coat, elegantly tailored, and crafted of a superior stretch wool/cashmere blend.



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Reserve Champion!

Mazzy competed over fences for the first time yesterday. She was such a good girl!!! When she arrived at the show she was calm as can be. I rode her around a little while my trainer was schooling some of the other horses. The warm up ring was crazy with people jumping all over the place, and horses coming at us from every direction. It didn't seem to phase her. She really has a great mind. My trainer then got on Mazzy to school her over a few jumps and at first she was preoccupied with all that was going on, but after a few jumps she settled in, and focused. She did an unjudged warm up round before her division, and jumped around great. Her next two rounds were also really good. I am so happy she jumped around, got all her lead changes, and performed very respectfully. For her first show I couldn't be happier, considering how green she is. I rode her in the hack and she was pretty tired by then and I broke, oops not enough leg when going past the gate. It was a big day for her. She ended up Reserve Champion! Yeah, Mazzy!

The video I shot with my little point and shoot camera came out terrible (see blurry screen shot above), so I ordered her rounds from the videographer. I also ordered a few shots from the photographer, after all it was her jumping debut!

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Belly Spots

Horses may have isolated body spots that are not large or numerous enough to qualify them as an Appaloosa, Pinto or Paint. Such markings are usually simply called "body spots," sometimes identified by location, i.e. "belly spot," "flank spot," etc. When this type of isolated spotting occurs, it is sometimes the action of the sabino gene.

When I am refering to belly spots, I am not talking about Birdcatcher spots, which are small white spots, usually between 1 mm and 1 inch (25.4 mm) in diameter. In contrast, belly spots are big splashes of white. By the way, I am a fan of them!

Here is an interesting thesis about belly spot heredity:
http://stud.epsilon.slu.se/515/

The more I researched the more confused I got, regarding the heredity of belly spots. From what I could gather, they are not heritable necessarily.  The interesting thing with the Overo patterns - sabino, splash, frame, dw - is there are zero guarantees of color production even if the genetics are there. Exceptions are homozygous forms of sabino and splash, where appreciable color is almost guaranteed, at least with SB1 and Splash.

Here a some horses with belly spots:
Hilife (Valhalla Farm) - ATA Approved Trakehner Stallion, By Martini Pg*E* out of Henna by Hilarious.

Tacord: 2000 KWPN Chestnut 17.2hh (Concorde x Goodtimes x Damiro x Aktion) Stands at Klondike Victory Farm

You can see his belly spot really good from behind!

Selle Francais super star FURIOSO II. FURIOSO II won his 100 day test, and has been incredibly influential to the Oldenburg breed. Based on money earned by offspring, FURIOSO II was the top producing stallion in Germany from 1979-89. In 1990 he was the top producer of dressage horses. During his lifetime, he produced over 200 state premium mares and over 70 approved sons, including VOLTAIRE and FOR PLEASURE, and the Grand Prix dressage stallion COCKTAIL.

And one of my favorite horses, Punkt:

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Crazy4PonyTails Horsehair Bracelets

So that I could always carry a piece of Kylie with me, I had a bracelet made from her tail hair. I had it intertwined with Mazzy's, so they are both with me always!

I had mine made by Lisa Austin of Crazy4PonyTails. She did a beautiful job! I really love it!

I especially like the horseshoe end caps and beads that she uses, and she makes them herself!

I also ordered one for my friend out of her horse's tail hair. She was there for me and Kylie, not just when the barn manger left her alone with my colicking horse, but also on the night the angels took Kylie to heaven. I don't know how I would have survived either night without her.

The turnaround time was super speedy, and she called me to let me know the hair arrived safely and to finalize exactly what I wanted.

She also makes, earrings, necklaces, and key chains.

You can contact Lisa at crazy4ponytails@yahoo.com or 804-307-7635. She is also on Facebook.

Lisa and Scooter

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Mazzy goes to the Foxfield Horse Show

I took Mazzy on a field trip this weekend. We loaded up early on Saturday to meet some barn mates and my trainer at a horse show. I figured the the new environment would be a good experience for her. She was perfectly behaved with no preparation (no lunging, etc.). I just unloaded, tacked up and got on. She didn't seem phased at all by the new surroundings, which according to some people are very spooky. I actually do know of  some horses that do not tolerate that horse show. I rode her around the warm up arena and also got into one of the rings during a break. The timing couldn't have worked out any better. I was very proud of how good Mazzy was. Next horse show, she may actually compete! The facility hosts a few horse shows throughout the year and my favorite medal final which I have competed in a few times in the past. Hopefully I will return one day to compete in the medal finals with Mazzy. Although I had been to this facility several times before, I just learned that the original Robin Hood movie, starring Errol Flynn, was filmed on the property years ago, and a portion of the grounds is still referred to as “Sherwood Forest.”

The only mishap was when I was picking out her feet she stepped on my toe. I had to lance the nail when I got home to release the intense pressure the trapped blood was causing, and just in time for sandal weather I will be loosing my nail.

Since I did not take any photos, below is a clip from when I showed Kylie there.

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Stable Spotlight: Shope Reno Wharton Architecture

I haven't done a Stable Spotlight in a long time. These are some of my favorites by the architect firm Shope Reno Wharton.

They are nationally recognized for their shingle style residences; golf clubhouses, and equestrian facilities. The barns this firm designs are exquisite buildings! These barns are definetly some of the most beautiful I have ever seen!

Twynn River Farms, Mahwah, New Jersey

Crosiadore Farm, Trappe, MD

Quaker Valley Farm, Pawling, NY - 14-14'x14' stalls

North Salem, NY - 9- 14' x 14' stalls, 2 wash stalls, tack, feed, utility, laundry and 1-bedroom apartment.

Birch Hill Farm, Richmond, MA - a fourteen stall barn connected by a 230 foot covered arcade to an indoor dressage ring on 190 acres

Red Butte Ranch, Aspen, CO

New York Equestrian Facility

Stanfordville, NY

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Mazzy Jumping

Here is some video from my lesson on Saturday. We have alot to work on, but I am really happy with Mazzy's progress. I am still trying to figure out her stride, and how to help her jump better out of a deeper distance. My trainer has been working on her adjustability and teaching her that sinking deeper into the tack and taking a feel of her mouth means shorten her stride and rock back.  We have also been working on her cantering away from the jumps, which she has been doing really good the past week or so. Previously, she would either land in the trot or almost come to a complete halt after a jump. She still does this if I pat her, or tell her she is a good girl. I try to practicle patting her on the neck while cantering, which sounds really easy, but it feels like patting my head and rubbing my belly because as soon as you pat her she wants to walk.    



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Results of Kylie's necropsy and Mazzy is jumping

Since I have Mazzy to take care of and ride, I am forced to go to the barn. I don't know if it would be quite that easy to go there if I did not have something to focus on other than Kylie's empty stall. I am greatful for everyone at the barn that has been respectful of me not wanting to talk about it, or even acknowlege it for that matter. When the subject has come up, I can't fight back the tears. Last weekend Kylie's first vet came to the barn to visit some friends. I was very sad when I had to switch vets, because we both loved her and she had know Kylie since the beginning when she did her pre-purchase exam, but she no longer practices due to raising her family. I have seen her regularly over the years since she has kept her horses at Kylie's barn. Anyway, she expressed her condolences and of course, I had a major breakdown. So many memories.

I did find out the results of Kylie's necropsy. There were a few things the vets thought they might find that was causing her to be so sick after the colic surgery and not recovery normally. What they did find was that at the point where the colon was resectioned, the opening had decreased from the initial six inches to two inches after surgery. So the food wasn't passing through very easily causing alot of pain. This may have been caused because she had a lot of reflux and could not eat for days and days after surgery. Since 95% of her large colon was removed, there was not enough left to repair it. It does give me a bit of comfort knowing there was nothing that a second surgery could have done for her.

Mazzy has been coming along really, really well. For the past few weeks, I have had great lessons on her! Last week I jumped my first line with her, including a 2'9" oxer, so exciting! My trainer has been doing such a great job with her. Mazzy was on a plateu of learning for quite a while, but it seems as though she is on the upswing of things. Her lead changes are coming so easily. Her jumping corrordination is improving. She is cantering away from the jumps instead of coming to almost a dead halt after landing. She is holding herself up alot better, instead of relying on the rider. I don't feel like I have to direct her every single step of the way (only every other, haha). And most importantly she seems to really be enjoying what she is doing. Just over the past few weeks I have felt a such a huge change in her.

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