I have a very dark bay (almost black) ottb mare and we show jumpers and the occasional equitation for fun. I found a pair of Prestige hind boots on clearence at my local tack shop because they are so small. (believe it or not my mare has pony sized feet) We show in all brown leather tack and the boots match, the only issue is she has a black ear bonnet. Would it be a huge no no and a sin to mix a black ear bonnet with brown boots? If it is, I am getting a navy ear bonnet soon, would that be even worse? Better? The same? Any insight appreciated!
I promise you that no one - at any level of the sport - is going to notice or care if your bonnet matches with your tack. If you are doing the jumpers, you could show in a blinged out, iridescent rainbow bonnet with two big, sparkly stars on the front of each ear and pair it with some neon polos and black tack with bright yellow piping and while some people (most, probably) would find that choice daft, it would have absolutely zero impact on your performance.
Equitation is a moot point as using a bonnet would be inappropriate if not illegal. Not sure on that one but too tired to comb through the rule book).
I wouldn’t worry a lick about your tack (and especially about two incongruent items matching!) and focus on presenting a groomed to the teeth horse with clean and safe tack and a clean, carefully polished rider to exhibit that horse.
And unless you use ear stuffies or have a horse extremely sensitive to bugs, bonnets are a fashion accessories, not tack!
I don’t think anyone matches their bonnet to their tack, do they? I coordinate with my pad sometimes, but usually a bonnet is more of a pop of color in the jumpers.
I either match or coordinate hats (can’t call them bonnets since my horse is a gelding!) to the color of the horse (black in my case) or pick a color I like (my show hat is actually grey). Some people have hats in their barn colors. It really doesn’t matter. Obviously, if you have a conservative mind send, getting some bright, obnoxious over the top blinded out thing isn’t the way to go, but it really isn’t an issue.
Bonnet is not matched to tack. It can be matched to mane color (black or brown), matched to saddle pad (navy or hunter green), etc.
White or very light colored bonnets should not be used on anything other than a white horse. Purple, bright colors, etc should not be used unless the rider is 16 years old or younger.
[QUOTE=BeeHoney;8380599]
Bonnet is not matched to tack. It can be matched to mane color (black or brown), matched to saddle pad (navy or hunter green), etc.
White or very light colored bonnets should not be used on anything other than a white horse. Purple, bright colors, etc should not be used unless the rider is 16 years old or younger.[/QUOTE]
Hey, I LUV my purple one. I am well beyond 16. Oh wait, I only trailride and my horse is white so everything looks good on him.
For showing I tend to be fairly conservative but I think sometimes you can have some fun with some color, even as an adult. There are plenty of schooling shows that having a purple pad and a purple bonnet for jumpers would not be out of place. Of course during October pink is acceptable. If you are going for a Halloween look then orange in October is perfectly fine. You just need to know what is acceptable in your area.
One of our local dressage shows does one in the middle of summer and they encourage people to dress with a beach theme. It would probably be fine if I showed up to that one with a blow up palm tree strapped to my back and my horse dressed in a tie die bikini with a matching ear bonnet.
Know the show and know what is common in your area.
OP- black to match your horses mane should be just fine. Not quite the same faux pas as wearing a black belt with brown shoes 
I was convinced this thread was going to be about having a black bridle and a brown saddle… ha!
Never heard of matching bonnets to tack, all of my tack is brown, don’t know that I’ve ever bought a brown bonnet though!
I’m not a fan of white bonnets, but black, navy, hunter, etc is all fine with brown tack.
I want one of these. 
Thanks guys! I guess i do get a little obsessive when it comes to the show ring! i guess this will be the one time i let go and let stuff fly.
I’ve never heard of anyone coordinating bonnet to boots.
SonnysMom, with equestrian fashion as well as with regular fashion, there are always those who are so fabulous that they may flaunt the rules and as a result look just as fantastic as ever. 
I see no reason for you to stop using the purple bonnet.
I have to say that the only time I notice jumper accessories is when someone doing something little, like the .9m ,comes out with ALL of the stuff- bonnet, five point breastplate, tendon and ankle boots, bell boots, etc. etc. But these are usually kids and they are just having fun dressing up their jumpers. When I was a kid I would have ABSOLUTELY wanted a big ol’ five point breastplate for the puddle jumpers!
Or, I notice when someone has something particularly neat-looking about their ensemble, like cool new tendon boots or whatever. Otherwise, it never occurs to me to see who has what on their horse. Mine is a blood bay with a lot of chrome, so we are somewhat conservative with our accessorizing. He goes in a black bonnet (with white and baby blue piping), which actually does match his tendon and ankle boots, but that was a complete coincidence. Hmm. And his show pads are either all white or white with black and baby blue piping. So I guess we do match. Well, you can take the HP out of the the hunter ring, but you can’t make her give up her matching stuff! :lol:
Anyway, I vote that you use your bonnet and don’t worry about it!
I don’t think it’s silly to care about this, we want to present a good picture when we are out showing.
I’d probably do navy flybonent vs black with brown tack, but that’s just me.
Matching is part of the FUN people!
I was chided for asking “black or brown saddle?” in the eventing forum, which was a bit harsh. I’m spending $ so I want to know what the trends are. Telling me “it doesn’t matter” didn’t help answer my question! I know there is no rule against such and such, but tell me how to think about this!
Just my thoughts.
I have a horse with a lot of chrome, so I go in conservative colors.
