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Product Review: Horseware Kildare Jacket


Product Review: Horseware Kildare Jacket

Remember Rambo?

The classic heavy-duty horse blanket manufacturer also offers durable apparel for equestrians.

Recently, while attending a horse fair, I was pleased to pick up a tremendous bargain on a sturdy and warm winter parka for horseback riding and barn chores.


The Horseware Kildare Jacket (now discontinued and marketed widely as a close-out item) actually offers three-in-one capabilities for various sorts of weather. This practical parka includes an outer layer, constructed of the same breathable and waterproof textiles as the Rambo horse turnout blankets (pictured at right). This outer layer may be worn alone as a wind shell in transition seasons.

In addition, the Horseware Kildare Jacket has a quilted zip-out inner layer, which may be worn separately.

The Horseware Kildare Jacket is styled for the saddle, with a longer back, two-way front zipper, front snaps, adjustable wrist cuffs, a pair of zipped front pockets, two snapped rear vents and a hidden hood (concealed in a zipped neck pouch).

Sold in smoked pearl grey (with a blue quilted lining layer) and denim blue (with a pink quilted lining layer) and sized from ladies extra-small to extra-large, the Horseware Kildare Jacket retails for $138.00. (But I paid less than $35.00 for mine.)

I have just one complaint about the Horseware Kildare Jacket.


For some reason, the manufacturer opted to use plastic-covered snaps for this jacket. Within the first couple of wearings, I was dismayed to discover that one of the rear-vent snaps had already fallen off my Horseware Kildare Jacket.

I wonder if Rambo would be willing to replace the missing snap. . . .

UPDATE:  

Just heard from the folks at HorseWare. They will not replace the missing snap. Aaaargh! I can add plain snaps (from the sewing store), but they will not match the other snaps on the coat.) Just think of the goodwill - and good publicity - HorseWare might obtain by sending a simple snap or two. (Most new garments even come with extra fasteners, but this jacket did not.)

In contrast, my previous winter riding jacket was a sturdy Land's End Squall Parka. I wore that winter coat through 15 seasons of winter sports - including horseback riding. Land's End replaced the entire zipper (for free) three times. I finally donated the jacket this year, after purchasing the HorseWare coat.

Gee, I wonder if I could stop at Goodwill and buy back my old coat.

And I was just thinking about replacing a horse blanket or two . . . or five . . . for my herd.


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