07/15/2026
Let's talk vents.
They may be one of the smallest details on a riding coat...
..but they're one of the easiest things to spot when they're done wrong.
Believe it or not, the vent has always been deeply rooted in equestrian culture.
Early military riders needed extra room in the back of their coats so the fabric could drape smoothly over a saddle without bunching, tearing, or restricting movement.
As tailoring evolved through the Victorian era, those practical slits became intentional design elements. Suddenly, they weren't just about movement anymore. They became part of the silhouette and a hallmark of sophisticated tailoring.
And that's where things get interesting.
Because today, vents are still one of the most commonly overlooked details in equestrian apparel.
Why?
There are a lot of reasons.
For one, many incredibly talented tailors simply aren't equestrians. They may understand beautiful construction, but they've never watched how a rider's body changes the moment they swing a leg over a horse.
The moment we sit in the saddle, our bodies change. Our hips widen to accommodate the horse. Our pelvis rotates. Our torso subtly shortens. The measurements we take standing naturally shift once we're mounted.
Secondly, many tailoring patterns still trace their roots back to traditional menswear. Women's coats are often drafted from men's blazer patterns and simply scaled down.
The problem?
Women aren't simply smaller men. Our proportions and our goals for silhouette are dramatically different.
A traditional men's blazer is designed to create a strong, rectangular silhouette...
..while my job is often the exact opposite.
For most of my female clientele, the goal is to create a beautiful hourglass silhouette that flatters the rider while still allowing complete freedom of movement. My number one goal has always been to flatter EVERY body and every equestrian athlete, regardless of size.
Think of it as sculpting with fabric.
For some riders, that means creating shape, snatching the waist, and building the appearance of a hip. For others, it means accommodating the hips they already have, defining the waist, and building the shoulders to create balance.
If the vent is too high...
If it's too low...
If it's too narrow...
If it doesn't account for how the hips change in the saddle...
Suddenly you end up with pulling, vents that won't stay closed, unnecessary tension across the seat, or my personal favorite...
..a little narrow bookmark flap waving around behind the rider. 😂
I've been refining this pattern for over 10 years.
I've made countless adjustments to vent height, width, angle, overlap, and seat shape. Every fitting has taught me something. Every alteration has made the next pattern just a little bit better.
And even after all these years...
..there are still riders who need one final tweak.
Maybe it's adding a little more room through the hips for someone who's naturally straighter in shape. (Cough cough... me.)
Maybe it's reshaping the vent for a young rider who's suddenly hit puberty.
Maybe it's adjusting the seat because they grew two inches since last season. (These kids really do grow like weeds.)
That isn't a failure.
That's bespoke tailoring.
Because no two riders stand the same.
No two riders ride the same.
And no paper pattern, no matter how refined, will ever know a rider better than seeing it on their body.
To me, tailoring has always been a balance between form and function.
Your coat should move effortlessly in the saddle.
It should flatter your body.
It should create confidence.
And perhaps most importantly...
It should never distract from the partnership you're showcasing in the show ring.
Because when tailoring is done well, no one notices the vents.
They simply notice the rider. 🤍
