Product Review: Rydale Equestrian Jacket

The lovely folk from country/equestrian fashion brand Rydale got in touch back in January to see if I’d like to review one of their products.

I have fond memories of visiting their busy trade stand at Badminton Horse Trials. It’s always heaving for a reason, as there is so much variety, great styles, all at amazing prices which won’t break the bank – unlike many country/equestrian brands out there. Go check out their website if you haven’t paid them a visit before.

Of course, I said yes, especially after spending a few weeks getting wet to the bone training Leo & Barley. And with a blog titled Country Bumpkin Chic, it only felt right that the item reflected my personality & I could genuinely put to the test. So, it was fitting that they sent the Ripon III Equestrian Jacket (They now have the Ripon IV at £55 in lots of lovely country tone colours) in a brightly coloured pacific blue, & a bargain at just £45. [gifted]

Country bumpkin happiness

During February I put the jacket to the test with the horses: mucking out, riding out & leading them to the field.

Here’s 6 reasons why I love the Ripon III:

Stylish. It’s lovely to put a jacket on & actually, feel fashionable & not frumpy. The buttons, zip, a flash of silver fabric, leather patch & logo all finish the jacket off in a stylish way.
Detail. The zips are hidden away by the jacket fabric & have very small toggles. Which is a huge must around my horses, as I’ve lost many a toggle due to a playful horse.
Snug & Cosy. The soft fleece inner is super cosy & on a few occasions, I just needed one base layer when out riding.
Vibrant. I love the pacific blue colour & will definitely make me stand out at a competition. Always helpful for when my parents can’t find me warming up! The Ripon III also comes in: Bark, Navy, Berry, Emerald, Cherry & Iron – so lots of colours to suit your personality.
Waterproof. It goes without saying. It’s also very windproof & I recently used the foldaway hood to protect my cheeks from wind burn on a recent wintery ride. & the collar is lovely & padded & kept my neck warm when I forgot my snood on a post-snow ride.
Great value for money. At £45 this is a bargain of a jacket. Many a time I’ve spent £75+ on a waterproof jacket which hasn’t been as hard wearing.

And there’s only 1 thing I wasn’t sure about:

Elasticated waist. When riding the horses, I found the elasticated waist would ride up my back. It was fine when walking around the stables & leading the horses to their field. I usually prefer a toggled waist – I guess it’s just personal preference. Perhaps it could be one to add to the list for the next update ?

As I said it’s a very stylish jacket which comes in an array of colours, & very different to some on the market, & at £45 it’s a real purse pleasing price & will definitely become my go-to jacket for when the weather gets chilly again! Although I’m hoping the recent sunshine is here to stay.

Here are some snaps of the Rippon III in action.