The bling topic I started got me thinking about rider jackets. It looks like we still have a lot of people who go black, but are more people out here going for color? And not just on the collars? Although, I did see one in the UK that was a beautiful blue with a cream colored, velvet collar. Yum. I also see the jumpers over there having bling all over the pockets and sides of the jackets. Not sure I feel the need for that on the rider. I like color and some piping, but I’m not into blinging out dressage coats. (JMO)
I currently have a navy coat, but would really love a deep forest green one. Since I ride lower levels, I could get away with a hunt coat in the right color, if I could justify the cost on something so frivolous as a second coat.
I wear this one for eventing dressage sometimes, which some people on the event forum thought hideous (although others liked it):
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/horseware-competition-jacket-11008
I have the above coat in ‘slate’, which is ‘close’ to navy but still different. It is different enough that it catches a lot of looks and compliments, but still within the color spectrum allowed. I don’t know that I could pull off the berry-that is a bit daring for me!
I love the idea of the cream collar. Classy.
I did see a purple shadbelly at a show a few months ago…Not the nice plum colors you see. And earlier this year someone showed with a sparkly royal blue jacket-the sparkles were BIG and loud. That one did raise some eyebrows!
I’m traditional, so black or navy.
I watched a GP class on usefnetwork of the Lamplight show. There was a rider in a light grey shadbelly, grey hat, and what looked like grey boots. It looked hideous imo. Add to that the the riding wasn’t great either.
If you are going to wear something odd on yourself or your horse, it stands out, so hopefully it will be in a good way.
I too currently have a navy coat, but when my 3 year old chestnut gets to the point he can show, I’m dying to get a hunter green one–I think it would look amazing with his coat color.
I show in a brown shadbelly with cream collar, cream breeches, gloves, saddle pad and stock tie. Brown helmet and brown boots. I like the look, and get lots of compliments on it. I’ve been showing dressage since 1979, and I’m so happy to see us branching out!
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I ride a bitter chocolate colored horse. I have a navy coat, which I wear with beige breeches and a navy helmet. I’d like to branch out to brown, but I can’t justify the expenditure until I kill the navy ensemble!
At our local shows, we are mostly fairly boring. I was daring in my outfit–the beige breeches nearly caused a seizure… There was one brown get-up this year, one plum jacket and one brighter blue jacket. The rest were pretty much all black and white.
A trainer friend of mine does have a jacket with crystals down the insides of the rear flap–looks really cute when she’s riding in the sunshine. Of course she’s an impeccable rider, 25, tall and a size 6 so she’s not exactly drawing attention to something she shouldn’t!
I have both a burgundy shadbelly and short coat. The shadbelly has a black velvet collar with some bling piping. The short coat has a scroll pattern in the same color stick on the collar and pockets.
I wear a “French Blue” jacket (kind of a lighter grayish blue), with a line of crystals on the pocket. I love different colors - I long for a burgandy or green coat next!
Here is a pic:
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r264/friesiansport/Evie36_zps9x0xkkyz.jpg
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I have a grey jacket with white piping on the collar and pockets. I also have a matte grey helmet, grey gloves with white palms and dark grey boots. I get lots of compliments on my ensemble 
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Yes, I see more colors at recognized dressage shows in the Northeast US than even two years ago.
But rarely are they very much more colorful than these:
Grey (dark grey, light grey), Navy, brown, deep wine;
You can go to USEF Network and watch videos from the US Dressage Finals in Lexington kentucky from 2014 and 2015. A lot of riders brought out their (conservative) colors in the show ring there!
[QUOTE=MissAriel;8820956]
I currently have a navy coat, but would really love a deep forest green one. Since I ride lower levels, I could get away with a hunt coat in the right color, if I could justify the cost on something so frivolous as a second coat.[/QUOTE]
I would love to go navy coat and navy saddle pad. Something like this I think would look really good on my chestnut girl. I already school her in either a navy pad or a purple pad, though I doubt I could get away with purple at shows! The Kerrits coat that I have also comes in a stunning sea foam color that makes me wish that I showed in the jumpers.
I grew up riding in a beautiful medium blue jacket with a black velvet collar. Then suddenly, all dressage went black, black and more black. I was disappointed. I’ve never found anything quite like it again. I want one again! I also want a deep green one, with a velvet collar. I also love beige breeches with the green (white with the medium blue). I don’t get why they are just blinging things up instead of going for more colors. Or, when we see colors, most of the time the material is not so great, or the shades aren’t flatter (such as a nearly robin’s egg blue one I saw on a British site.
I have a green hunt coat that I wore for my first show that still, miraculously, fits me really well. I’ve been toying with the idea of replacing the buttons with silver and maybe having a fourth button added, since there seems to be enough space at the bottom. Does this seem too bright for dressage? I think it’s a great shade for my horse, but I don’t ride well enough to want to stand out too much.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1923984_35276031982_5667_n.jpg?oh=1d2b8e259cc71231f337dcea829c9724&oe=5841451A
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1931251_55720096982_5126_n.jpg?oh=24b950b2a203b99f49de7e3eec9ce76b&oe=588504EA
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1931248_35275206982_5310_n.jpg?oh=7a1c331f94c632c456fb4b8218a3ef60&oe=58492EF9
[QUOTE=SarahandSam;8821852]
I have a green hunt coat that I wore for my first show that still, miraculously, fits me really well. I’ve been toying with the idea of replacing the buttons with silver and maybe having a fourth button added, since there seems to be enough space at the bottom. Does this seem too bright for dressage? I think it’s a great shade for my horse, but I don’t ride well enough to want to stand out too much.
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1923984_35276031982_5667_n.jpg?oh=1d2b8e259cc71231f337dcea829c9724&oe=5841451A
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1931251_55720096982_5126_n.jpg?oh=24b950b2a203b99f49de7e3eec9ce76b&oe=588504EA
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1931248_35275206982_5310_n.jpg?oh=7a1c331f94c632c456fb4b8218a3ef60&oe=58492EF9[/QUOTE]
I think that’s gorgeous! ANd that is exactly the color I’m hoping to get(:
[QUOTE=Covergirl15;8821879]
I think that’s gorgeous! ANd that is exactly the color I’m hoping to get(:[/QUOTE]
Thanks! It would be nice if I could keep reusing the $10 consignment hunt coat for the rest of my life.
[QUOTE=kcmel;8820999]
I wear this one for eventing dressage sometimes, which some people on the event forum thought hideous (although others liked it):
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/horseware-competition-jacket-11008[/QUOTE]
I love this coat! If I thought I could pull it off on my Appaloosa or my chestnut mare I would buy it. Although I do have three coats already… 
Link to Appy for reference: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9b2vaOIVxYwQzJoSFAxcERoZEE
I keep trying to find a chocolate coat which actually fits me. The Pikeurs are too long waisted, and most will be unless they come in petite. I end up looking like I have a growth on my back where the fabric bulges…
