Classic Eventing Nation

The Maya Ladies Padded Vest is perfect for the spring weather coming our way. Photo by Erica Stevens.

With the weather leaping from unseasonably warm to below freezing and back again on a regular basis, your wardrobe for surviving the unpredictability of spring is incredibly important. A cozy vest is just what the doctor ordered, as it keeps your core warm, but allows you to breathe during exercise. I was lucky enough to test out this Horseware Maya Padded Ladies Vest, and found it to be well suited to my needs in the barn and out riding.

Like all Horseware products, this vest has been designed with durability in mind, and I really appreciate that. As somebody who does everything from mucking stalls to stacking hay to riding 8 horses a day, my clothes have to keep up, or else they’re out the door. The Maya Padded Ladies Vest is water repellant, which helps keep it dry and clean all day, and has a rugged feel to the nylon outer shell that seems like it would be good for many years to come.

While it is hard wearing, the comfort factor of the vest is also balanced well. The inside of the vest is a soft and silky polyester, with a  soft flannel-like detail at the nape of the neck, for added comfort against your skin. It has two zippered pockets that are nice and roomy, as well as an inner breast pocket on the left side, which I really like to use for my phone and headphones.

The Maya Ladies Padded Vest also has a hidden hood packed into the collar. Photo by Erica Stevens.

The design of this vest is flattering, with nips at the waist line and a slightly curved hemline that provides coverage for your lower back when you ride. Nothing is more frustrating than a great piece of clothing that changes the way it fits when you get on the horse and sit down, which is why design by a team like Horseware is so important. They understand that a gust of wind blowing up your shirt from behind is less than desirable, and have constructed this vest to avoid that uncomfortable situation.

Not only is the fit nicely done, but the details are also an added value to the vest. This product is trimmed with a cute leather accent all the way around the edges, as well as the pockets. The front is a sturdy double zip, and the pockets zip as well, to keep your stuff from falling out on trot sets. Let me also mention that this vest is machine washable, which is extremely important when it comes to barn clothes, as they tend to get quite dirty on a regular basis.

The Maya Ladies Padded Vest has a poofy and upright collar that I was initially suspicious about, but grew to enjoy as I wore the jacket more. The collar protected me against windy days, and really increased the warmth factor when zipped all the way up. In addition, there is a hidden hood that is folded up inside the back of the collar, which you can easily unzip and unfold. This comes in handy if you are caught in a spring shower, or if you just want a little more wind protection for your head. The hood is also large enough to fit over a helmet, should you decide to rock that look.

The Maya Ladies Padded Vest comes in “blue jean” color and goes quite well with a variety of outfits. Photo by Erica Stevens.

The Maya Ladies Padded Vest comes in only one color, blue jean, but I found it to be easily paired with a variety of other outfit pieces. For my photo shoot, I was unwittingly wearing fifty shades of blue, but it worked out okay in the end. I found that the sizing chart ran true to form, and I fit into a size small wonderfully. I was able to wear several thin layers underneath the vest very comfortably, and though that it fit me snugly in all the right ways.

You can find Horseware products such as this vest at a variety of vendors across the U.S. and other countries, and their website has a handy “Where To Buy” link for your convenience. Horseware is carried by almost every local tack store, as well as Dover and SmartPak, so you shouldn’t have any trouble locating a local place to find the Maya Ladies Padded Vest.