How should a show coat fit, and what if I'm tall, petite, plus-size or long in the arm?

That is the picture in R.J. Classics' two fit guides, and it is a good checklist for any coat. The table breaks it down by area.

The guides disagree on one detail, and it's worth knowing. One says to leave about a pinky finger's width of show shirt cuff showing at the wrist. The other says the sleeve should meet your glove at the wrist bone and stay there when your hands are in riding position, without exposing the shirt cuff. Ask your trainer, and check the show's style norms for your ring, before you pick a side. Our first horse show Barn Talk covers what the rule books say about the rest of the outfit.

That is R.J. Classics' method: wrap the tape around the fullest part of the chest, level across your back and under your arms; measure the natural waist, usually the narrowest point; and with your arm relaxed measure from the top of the shoulder to your wrist bone. For hem length, measure from the base of the neck to where you want the hem, typically just covering your seat while standing.

The table is one maker's ladies' chart, shown as an example of how the numbers work. R.J. Classics' ladies' chart also lists lengths by height: short for riders under 5'4", regular for 5'4" to 5'7" and long for 5'7" and above, with about half an inch difference in the sleeves and an inch in overall length between them. Its charts cover ladies' coats 00 to 24, a separate ladies' plus chart 18W to 24W, girls' 2 to 20 and men's 36 to 44. Another R.J. Classics coat chart, for coat sizes 32 to 50, sorts length by different heights: short 5'0" to 5'6", regular 5'7" to 5'11" and long 6'0" and above. So read the chart for the exact coat. Brands size differently, and we don't print numbers for other brands here, so use the size chart on each product page.

R.J. Classics' ladies' chart names a short length for riders under 5'4", and its ladies' sizes start at 00 (tween), a 30 to 31 inch bust and a 24 and a half to 25 and a half inch waist. We don't print petite numbers for other brands, so check the size chart on each product page.

Some riders look at kids' coats. One said it this way:

If you try that, compare your chest and waist with the girls' chart rather than guessing. R.J. Classics' girls' coat sizes run 2 to 20: size 14 lists a 31 and a half inch chest and 26 inch waist, size 16 a 33 inch chest and 27 inch waist, and size 20, which that chart labels ladies' S, a 36 inch chest and 29 inch waist. Its ladies' 00 (tween) row appears on the girls' chart too, so the two charts meet at the small end. No maker we read recommends girls' coats for adults, so this is a comparison of numbers, not a recommendation.

R.J. Classics assigns long to riders 5'7" and above, which is a height cutoff. Its measuring guide tells you to measure shoulder to wrist bone separately, because sleeves should meet your wrist bone, so a rider with a regular torso and long arms still has to read the sleeve number. On the Fair Play page side, the Taylor show jacket chart lists regular sizes EU 34 to 46 with a 61 cm sleeve, and Long in 36, 38 and 40 with a 65 cm sleeve.

Sleeve length is also the adjustment R.J. Classics says tailors commonly make; see the tailor section below. Whether a particular coat's sleeves can be lengthened depends on the coat, and we didn't find a source on it, so ask the maker or a tailor before you count on it.

R.J. Classics' ladies' coat chart runs to size 24, a 46 to 47 inch bust and 39 to 40 inch waist, and its separate ladies' plus chart lists 18W to 24W, tops 1X and 2X: 18W is a 44 to 46 inch chest and 39 to 41 inch waist, and 24W a 50 to 52 inch chest and 46 to 48 inch waist. Our women's competition jackets page lists sizes up to 24W Regular in Find Your Fit.

R.J. Classics' plus-size guide advises contoured designs that support and follow your shape without restriction, and its fit guide says stretch fabrics and mesh help a coat move with you. Those are one maker's recommendations, not tested findings. One rider remembers how it used to be:

R.J. Classics' fit guide says minor alterations like sleeve length and waist are common, that shoulder fit is difficult to alter after the fact, and that a good tailor can handle most other adjustments. So its advice is to prioritize shoulder fit when you're shopping.

Two more points from the same guide. If you're between sizes, try the coat sitting in a saddle position, because fit can feel very different once you're mounted. And if you compete in cold weather, look for coats with built-in stretch to fit base layers instead of sizing up; show coats are designed to fit over a show shirt, not bulky layers.

When your coat needs care after a few shows, see our Barn Talk on washing your show coat.

That is one maker's view, and it is the maker of the coats it sells, but it matches the fit checks above. The same guide says judges look for a clean, tailored silhouette: clothing that skims your body without pulling, gaping or restricting your movement, and stays in place whether you're standing at the in-gate or cantering a course.

Its list of common mistakes is useful too: buying too large for comfort or to grow into; ignoring mounted fit; forgetting the collar and cuff; misaligned knee patches; and not testing arm movement before committing to a size. For the rest of the turnout, see our competition apparel guide.

Its reasoning, in its fit guide: oversized clothing looks sloppy and can interfere with position, because sleeves that are too long affect rein contact and breeches that are too big tend to shift in the saddle. Its girls' coats run in sizes 2 to 20, and the chart lists chest and waist for each.

For the shirt that goes under the coat, see our Barn Talk on tying a stock tie, and for the whole outfit, what to wear to a first horse show.

R.J. Classics' guide says they shouldn't flip up over the cantle or bunch when you sit, and that the front closure should be snug through the torso. Traditional shadbellies are more structured and less forgiving than standard coats, so fit feels pickier, though it says many modern ones use stretch fabric and lighter construction. A shadbelly is a formal coat with tails, worn for hunter derbies and upper-level dressage, per the same guide. Fair Play's Patrik shadbelly chart, on our Fair Play page, runs XS/44 to XXL/54, a chest of 102 to 122 cm.

The checks R.J. Classics lists:

• Raise your arms and simulate rein contact, so nothing pulls or restricts.
• Sit in a saddle position and check the hem and vents.
• Close the buttons and look for X-shaped pulling across the chest.
• Check the collar in a mirror for any gap at the back of your neck.
• Check the sleeves at your wrist bone with your hands in riding position.
• Slip a flat hand inside. If you can't, the coat may be too tight; if it looks boxy, it may be too big.