Oh I do agree!
If the hunter ring were about function, I could still wear my pinstripe coats, and dark grey or canary breeches of yester year… instead I have had to go spend a small fortune to be “in style” this year in Hunterland!
Dunno, but it ain’t out of a flask…cause they don’t carry one Although maybe they SHOULD start carrying flasks
Good heavens, why bother with a flask when I’ve got a lovely decanter and cooler of drinks at my tailgate? Unlike foxhunters, show hunters have all that loverly downtime of hurry up and wait… and wait… and wait… so why bother with a flask? :winkgrin:
This stuff isn’t just stuff. People attach sentimental value to their whips, a hand me down jacket, their grandmother’s riding gloves. You just don’t see that in other disciplines.
Oh, some of it we do… or I would if anyone in my family actually rode… but I showed at Upperville in a bridle purchased by the woman I ride for years ago on the grounds that one day she would have a fabulous horse to wear it (it is not, FWIW, a “stylish” pattern)… I keep a leather halter owned by a childhood friend that died…
FWIW - I’ve done both, and I feel that LS is incorrect - the ATTIRE of show hunters DOES derive from the attire of foxhunters. Yes, it has evolved and changed, as has the sport. Why on earth else would we be wearing “hunt coats?”
And no one with half a brain and proper manners would laugh someone out of the ring for wearing correct hunting attire, as IIRC, it quite falls under the rules of what is correct for the show ring, so long as the horse is turned out beautifully. Er, teenagers notwithstanding, they’re undefendable. I’ve actually been searching for a tweed coat that fits me nicely to wear with my rust - in the show ring.
BTW, I feel far less safe in the damn schooling ring then I’ve felt out hunting… :eek:
Theoretically, one should be able to both hunt and show safely.
Maybe I’m just weird, then. I totally almost bought a pair of canary tailored sportsmans not long ago, to show in. Then I had visions of my ass in yellow and am still reconsidering. :lol:
I just posted on the rust thread, but where did you find canary TS??? I have been searching for them like mad!
[QUOTE=RugBug;3119783]
Fox hunting is as stuck in its requirements/traditions as show hunters. [/QUOTE]
Not trying to be argumentative or difficult but I don’t exactly know what requirements/traditions you refer to when it comes to show hunters. I’ve done a bit of foxhunting so I understand those well , but I am in the middle of a show hunter show right now (not my usual thing but helping a friend) and I see far more trend then tradition. The fancy helmets that cost a few hundred dollars a pop might be safer with the neat new technology but I doubt any of the people with a chin strap unfastened or fastened but with three inches between the strap and the chin bought the helmet for the safety it offers. The conversations I’ve overhead about which saddle is “the saddle” right now or color combinations for jackets and shirts, etc. These are trends not traditions. Yes the absolute basic outline is the same but the details deviate so dramatically there is hardly any recognition.
Show hunters and fox hunters may be loosely related but if you took a picture of a show hunter over a fence and compared it to a fox hunter over a fence you will see two entirely different things and not just the scenery. I will not say either is good or bad because we are all entitled to an opinion but the statement I quoted from you above doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
[QUOTE=jmvwiv;3118905]
I was laughing so hard I could hardly steer to the next jump. We get down to the far end of the ring and there were lots of horribly scary trees with branches sticking out! OMG!!! We did 3 classes like this and he hardly could get around. It was soooooooooooooooooooo good for him!!![/QUOTE]
You would fit right in w/ a good hunting group! The laughing and attitude “it was sooooo good for him” is perfect!!
[QUOTE=Jaegermonster;3119946]
What “traditions” do show hunters have for the above reasons? (of course safety would be helmets with harnesses, but that goes without saying). I showed hunters on the A circuit for years before I began hunting, and I am not aware of one thing they do that is for function over form. It’s all about what it looks like in the ring, not about safety, comfort or protection.[/QUOTE]
It’s kind of small and subtle, but hunter attire has made adjustments for function while keeping to “tradition.” Hunt coats now come in all kinds of stretch fabrics while retaining the look of a show hunt coat. Likewise, they’re much lighter weight these days since we do a lot of showing in the hot, summer months.
I will agree that the heavy wool field hunt coats are marvelously warm and protective. I picked one up at a garage sale (of all places) and wear it with jeans all the time in winter. It’s warmer than many of my winter down filled coats! But I wouldn’t make it out of my courtesy circle without fainting if I wore it in the August heat!
Similarly, while many laugh that show hunters wear black field boots, I can’t imagine how you all ever pulled on dress boots before there were zippers! You must have had incredible biceps! From a distance, black field boots give a similar look–but wimps like me can still pull them on! 
I would love to try hunting sometime. Unfortunately, I’m not yet brave enough nor do I have an appropriate horse. But, maybe someday!
[QUOTE=J Swan;3119931]
This stuff isn’t just stuff. People attach sentimental value to their whips, a hand me down jacket, their grandmother’s riding gloves. You just don’t see that in other disciplines.[/QUOTE]
So busted here…my late Mother made a stock I hunt with back in my Pony Club Days, circa 1968-72. My Dehner dress boots have another story and my lifelong girlfriend gave me the huntwhip we used in a costume class back in 1976 at the Va. State 4-H horse show- I was sidesaddle and she was the huntsman. We rode in the class to proof our horses on the grandstand at night before our flat class because the year before the night lights and noise was bothersome to our horses. It worked- my horse was Small Working Hunter Champion that year. 
And my Saint Hubert medal dates back 10 years, wouldn’t mount to hunt with that EXACT medal!! 
Hunting never goes out of style
Let see, I have my mother-in-law’s sandwich case that she got from someone before her. I wear 20 yr old Dehner’s in the hunt field. Don’t have any problem pulling them on, they are so soft and pliable after years of service. The bridles I have are all well over 10 yrs old, some made by good English companies such as Eldonian, that no longer make bridlework. My only really ‘new’ item is a Charles Owens approved helmet with full harness for safety.
The beauty of my hunt attire is that it never goes out of style.
I can’t keep up with the hunter world, green breeches, rust breeches, grey breeches. $400+ helmets, etc.
A Frock Coat (as formal hunt attire) is cut quite similarly to that modern abomination, the “dressage coat”. But without the metal buttons
A frock coat has a waist seam, and the “skirts” of the coat are slightly flared, and long enough to cover you hips and keep your bottom warm and dry. The lapels meet quite a bit higher than a "hunt coat. And it is, of course, single vented.
Frock coats come in both black and scarlet (aka “Pink Coats”).
If you go to the “Horse Country” web site
http://horsecountrylife.com/catalog/4/cover4.html
click on the catalog, go to the table of contents, select “Hunt Attire, Ladies”, the page taht comes up has a scarlet frock coat, and pg 31, has a picture of a ladies black frock coat.
Ooh, ooh, bad me, how could I forget to mention Santa Ynez! Also a fun bunch. Yes, Santa Fe is confusing but indeed in CA. 1.5 hours to go hunting is nothing. I’m 5.5 hours from the nearest hunting prospect, so I don’t get out much, but I do get out!
Yeah, me too. I don’t wear the 20+ yo Dehner’s often because they have brown tops, and I rarely whip in. My dress boots are 20+ year old off the shelf variety- but I just hate the current version of dress boots with those exaggerated outside edges, and so by golly I shall wear the old ones until they fall apart (they continue to shine up quite nicely), and then I’ll hopefully have remembered to bring some black electrician’s tape with me to patch them up til I get through whatever hunting jaunt I’m on. Stocks- well I have two newish ones, but still wear a piquet one I’m fond of, made by Moss Bros/Covent Garden, bought when I was show jumping in France, 1970-71. It’s a little frayed in spots but no one seems to notice when you are galloping across hill and dale. And I have recently added another old stock to the inventory, given to me by a college roommate’s dad who was President of the MFHA 30 years ago. And my field boots, brown of course, are approximately 85 years old- given to me by a friend who found them in his grandmother’s attic.
I’ve hunted a zillion times in not-flat aka raised bridles, and you know what, nobody cares. I do however prefer the plain flat brown bridles, but really, truly, hunting in black tack or even square pads is not a big deal. Most of us are just happy to see you out there enjoying the sport.
I will add a funny show story from here in Utah- first year I was here, showed in the State Fair (since there is no cubhunting in these parts and I needed something to do!). Entered and won the hunter hack classes in the quarter horse show, sadly they didn’t offer any o/f classes. After leaving the ring with the blue ribbons, was approached by two AQHA steward types who just wanted to let me know that my coat was totally inappropriate for the class and the judge ‘could’ have dq’d me. I laughed- it was a lightweight blue coat that I had cubhunted in a zillion times. I said to them, you know, I’ve actually foxhunted in this coat for years, so are you telling me that the AQHA is the higher authority on correct hunting attire? They mumbled something about, I needed to read the rule book, and I very plainly stated to them, maybe the problem is that whoever wrote the rules was clueless about the real world of foxhunting if they would disqualify someone for wearing a coat that was considered suitable for foxhunting in the ‘real’ world. They dropped the subject, wisely, and left without relieving me of my blue ribbons.
Why do some people think hunting is just galloping everywhere as fast as Fury can carry you? It’s not near as scary as the warm up arena, as was mentioned above. And I have seen plenty of GREAT jumping horses in the hunt field-the LAST place for a poor jumper!
In regards to foxhunting vs show hunter attire, did anyone see the USEF advertising section in the Feb 2008 Town & Country? One of the pages featured a girl, oh, maybe 12 years old at a show with her horse. Cute kid, big smile. She was wearing a Louis Vuitton belt with multicolored LV’s :eek:
Yeah, you won’t see that in the hunt field :lol:
Field hunter wear in the workplace
Well, now that we’re detouring to field hunter “fashion”, how many of you wear your hunt or hacking jackets to the office? I think the only way I can justify buying a tweed nicely tailored for riding is if I can incorporate it into my business wardrobe And what do you pair the coat with (assuming you don’t wear your breeches and tall boots to work ?
[QUOTE=Beverley;3120286]
Yeah, me too. I don’t wear the 20+ yo Dehner’s often because they have brown tops, and I rarely whip in. My dress boots are 20+ year old off the shelf variety- but I just hate the current version of dress boots with those exaggerated outside edges, and so by golly I shall wear the old ones until they fall apart (they continue to shine up quite nicely), and then I’ll hopefully have remembered to bring some black electrician’s tape with me to patch them up til I get through whatever hunting jaunt I’m on. Stocks- well I have two newish ones, but still wear a piquet one I’m fond of, made by Moss Bros/Covent Garden, bought when I was show jumping in France, 1970-71. It’s a little frayed in spots but no one seems to notice when you are galloping across hill and dale. And I have recently added another old stock to the inventory, given to me by a college roommate’s dad who was President of the MFHA 30 years ago. And my field boots, brown of course, are approximately 85 years old- given to me by a friend who found them in his grandmother’s attic.
I’ve hunted a zillion times in not-flat aka raised bridles, and you know what, nobody cares. I do however prefer the plain flat brown bridles, but really, truly, hunting in black tack or even square pads is not a big deal. Most of us are just happy to see you out there enjoying the sport.
I will add a funny show story from here in Utah- first year I was here, showed in the State Fair (since there is no cubhunting in these parts and I needed something to do!). Entered and won the hunter hack classes in the quarter horse show, sadly they didn’t offer any o/f classes. After leaving the ring with the blue ribbons, was approached by two AQHA steward types who just wanted to let me know that my coat was totally inappropriate for the class and the judge ‘could’ have dq’d me. I laughed- it was a lightweight blue coat that I had cubhunted in a zillion times. I said to them, you know, I’ve actually foxhunted in this coat for years, so are you telling me that the AQHA is the higher authority on correct hunting attire? They mumbled something about, I needed to read the rule book, and I very plainly stated to them, maybe the problem is that whoever wrote the rules was clueless about the real world of foxhunting if they would disqualify someone for wearing a coat that was considered suitable for foxhunting in the ‘real’ world. They dropped the subject, wisely, and left without relieving me of my blue ribbons.[/QUOTE]
What a rich history your favorite hunting attire has!! As long as the USPS makes stops in Omaha, NE I will wear my Dehners because I’m banking on the next generation of their excellent boot repair service.
LOL about the AQHA stewards.
[QUOTE=linquest;3120507]
Well, now that we’re detouring to field hunter “fashion”, how many of you wear your hunt or hacking jackets to the office? I think the only way I can justify buying a tweed nicely tailored for riding is if I can incorporate it into my business wardrobe And what do you pair the coat with (assuming you don’t wear your breeches and tall boots to work ?[/QUOTE]
Of course you can pair the tweed with a nice color khaki, or jeans if your office is a bit informal!
[QUOTE=SLW;3120045]
You would fit right in w/ a good hunting group! The laughing and attitude “it was sooooo good for him” is perfect!![/QUOTE]
Thanks so much! It sure sounds like a fun crowd
By all means, disagree However, my statement stands; comparing today’s Show Hunter attire to Field Hunter attire is a stretch at best . There is more than enough to CONTRAST however. Obviously, I am not the only that feels this way.
In regards to “hunt coats”, I suspect that’s a term that the H/J industry came up with on it’s own. In foxhunting I am not aware of any jacket that is called a " hunt coat". During informal season they wear tweeds and/or hacking jackets and during formal season navy or black meltons or “frocks”. But that’s just my observations, it’s not neccessarily true.
[QUOTE=linquest;3120507]
Well, now that we’re detouring to field hunter “fashion”, how many of you wear your hunt or hacking jackets to the office? I think the only way I can justify buying a tweed nicely tailored for riding is if I can incorporate it into my business wardrobe And what do you pair the coat with (assuming you don’t wear your breeches and tall boots to work ?[/QUOTE]
I LOVE my tweed, and definitely paired with a pair of khaki pants or even a khaki pencil skirt. Depending on the color of the tweed, you could pair it with other colors. I purchased a tweed for the lady I ride for as a birthday present and she wears it to the races, out to functions, and riding. Her’s has hints of blue and green in it, so she’s worn it with navy slacks as well. I think it looks very nice. Mine is tan, brown, with blue, so I usually wear khakis or dark brown pants.
