Product: Tongass Rain Riding Skirt
Manufacturer: Arctic Horse
Horse Trail Chicks’ rating: 5 carrots out of 5
If rain ever keeps you off the trail because you hate getting your legs wet, or if you avoid riding on cold, windy days, this product will change your life. The idea of a riding skirt might seem odd or old-fashioned, but in fact it is perfect for the modern rider – female or male.
Worn over your normal breeches or jeans (so you maintain comfort and grip in the saddle as well as close contact with your horse), a riding skirt protects your legs from the nasty weather – being waterproof and windproof – and creates a pocket of air around your legs to keep them warm. It also protects your saddle. And, a skirt that drapes over your horse’s back protects him from the weather and keeps the precious muscles warm.
Arctic Horse, an Alaska-based women-owned business, produces several riding skirts, all designed for different conditions so that weather will not prevent you from getting out on the trail.
I have been testing out the Tongass Rain Riding Skirt, which comes in two options – mesh-lined for people who live in the warmer climates, and fleece-lined for those who live in the frozen north, like me. The entire skirt – which is widely flared so it acts as a quarter sheet as well – is made of one continuous piece of fabric, so there are no seams where water can leak in. There is a zipper in the front so you can do barn chores with it fully zipped, then unzip while riding. Leg straps keep the skirt from flying back when galloping, although I find I rarely need them. The micro-fleece lining is very soft and makes the skirt warm (though not as warm as Arctic Horse’s fully insulated skirt for extreme winter weather). It has belt loops and 2 very large zippered pockets. The entire skirt is very well made (in the USA) using high quality materials and excellent, very strong stitching.
There are so many things I love about this skirt. Number one is that it has allowed me to ride much more often. Although it is called a rain skirt, I have mostly used it as a cold-weather skirt. Whether riding in the indoor arena or on the trail, all winter long I wore this skirt and it’s made me much more comfortable. There were many blustery days when I would not have ridden if I didn’t have it. 
It’s also really beautiful and I recommend that you visit the Arctic Horse website – if for no other reason – to look at the photos of people riding in striking clothing in gorgeous scenery – such as this photo taken in Alaska.
The skirt also is truly waterproof. I was actually wishing it would rain so I could test this for myself. Finally, on the last day of March I got to ride out in a miserable driving rain. The Tongass Rain Skirt performed perfectly. My legs were warm and perfectly dry. I even left the skirt out in the rain for another hour, just to see how waterproof it really was, and the inside remained dry. One thing that threw me off at first is that water does not bead up on the outside. It looks like it is soaking in, but the waterproof layer is actually beneath the top layer of fabric. The great thing about this is that the waterproof layer is protected from abrasion and dirt. When I asked Arctic Horse how I should brush horse hair off the skirt (I was afraid of damaging the waterproofing) they said I could use any kind of brush – even a coarse horse brush.
I also use my skirt when doing chores on cold days. Even winter breeches are no match for the frigid Vermont temperatures, and the skirt keeps me toasty while bringing horses in or filling water buckets in the barn. Trainers love them because it’s hard to keep warm while standing in the arena watching other people ride, and apparently people who are not even riders use these skirts, such as dog walkers and construction workers.
All Arctic Horse products are made in the USA and the materials are also American-made whenever possible. The business runs on a number of heart-centered principles, which you can read here. I met the founder, Jen Dushane (who grew up in Vermont), and had an opportunity to talk with her about her interesting life and how she ended up living in Alaska making all-weather riding skirts. My blog post about her is here.
Before the price of these skirts scares you away, think about this: what else could you possibly spend $200 on that would greatly increase your time in the saddle? Because the skirt is so well made, it will last you a very long time. Let’s just say, for example, that it lasts 10 years and gives you 10 extra trail rides a year. That comes out to only $2 per ride. I think this is one of those purchases that people hem and haw about and when they finally go for it, they think “I should have gotten this much sooner!”
I recommend paying careful attention to the length you order. This skirt is not meant to come down to your ankles. The one I have is just a bit long for me, so in mud season I have to lift it to avoid getting the hem muddy. You really want it to fall a few inches above your ankle.
Price: $199
Where to obtain: order from Arctic Horse
Monica
