I am a dirt magnet. I don’t understand how all those hunter princesses stay so immaculate when the go into the show ring. When I go to a hunt, I wear a sweat pants over my breeches and a sweater over my shirt. I don’t remove my outer garments until I’m ready to get on my horse. And I’m still filthy by the time I go home. Often, I’m dirty before I get on my horse (which seems like an impossibility).
Machine washable jackets are a life saver. Since I hunt twice a week (when I don’t have a sick or injured horse, so not this season!) dry cleaning isn’t much help. I just love being able to throw my jacket in the washing machine and letting it dry on a hanger.
I have three washable jackets: a Cavallo Dressage Coat and two Equine Athletics Hunt Coats. I’ve owned the Cavallo jacket for about 10 years and it has held up remarkably well. My EA coats are each a few seasons old and also have survived the gentle cycle without any harm.
Other equine apparel manufacturers have jumped on the machine washable bandwagon. You can now buy a washable jackets from Pikeur, Tally Ho, and Ovation, as well as from Cavallo and Equine Athletics.
When I finally mount and have a look around, I am the only one with muddy boots and dirty breeches. I look like I love Lucy goes to the hunt. No amount of leaning down and cleaning off the boots and wiping the smudges of the pants can make me as presentable as said hunt princesses.
The sweats are a good idea! Have you ever tried those footsie things over your boots?