Cashing in Those Chips

As I've mentioned, I tend to hoard $10 gift cards to the tack shop when they are an option as a first place prize.  I've slowly been creating a stack, and after the show last week I finally gathered them all up and hit the tack store to get myself a new Hunt Coat.

My current show wardrobe is limited to one functional coat that can still... um... button.  I have others, and they are in perfectly serviceable condition aside from the fact that I haven't quite gotten anyone to buy into an "open jacket" look while on course.

So, trying to be as reasonable as possible about baby weight and what will and (likely) won't change anytime soon I decided to bite the bullet and cash in all our little gift cards for a coat.

I know it's trendy (again), but down in Thermal I got hooked on the notion of a deep, dark hunter green coat and I haven't been able to shake it.  I think the dark emerald would look really (really) pretty on prair's glossy black - and let's be real, it's about as bold as I can get in the Hunter Ring. 

So I knew I wanted the Grand Prix Tech Lite in the new rich green.. but those were the only relevant details in my obsession.

pretty close to what we got

I did actually suck it up and ordered a custom coat rather than making do with an off the rack option.  12/L or 14/L GP coats fit me pretty well, but not excellent - and knowing we won't show until June, I figured I could wait the 4-6 weeks like a normal, patient person. 

I'm glad I did since when we actually got to measuring there were lots of changes.  extra length in the sleeves, extra room in the boobs, slimming the sleeves.. etc.

But really the important decision was THREE BUTTONS OR FOUR. 

I opted for 4, as I've always like my four button dressage coats, but now I'm second guessing myself and wondering if I should have stuck with the three for my short-waisted self...

But then it was fun decisions.  I opted for black buttons rather than the standard tortoise shell on the green.  If I had a bright chestnut I think the blond-tortoise-shell would look sharp, but on Prair I think staying dark on dark on dark is a good thing.  Plus I don't need bright buttons at my wrist advertising my busy hands :)

As for trim, I bypassed most of the fun options, getting a simple tone-on-tone green satin piping for the collar but nothing else.  There's no matching green satin option for the collar itself, and the "matching" green suede looked just off enough to drive me nuts.  (plus I strongly prefer the look of a matching satin over a suede.. not sure why).  I almost put in a tiny silver double-piping, but that started to feel to wild for me and I chickened out.

Hopefully the Emerald Beauty arrives before we show in June.  but I'm looking forward to a stretchy, washable, super lightweight new coat! 

I did feel like a goober while the poor manager swiped 35 $10 cards at the checkout register, but it certainly made a huge difference in the cost!

New coat courtesy of Prair's Under Saddle classes 2014-2015....

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