I am planning on doing my first horse trials and have no idea what the proper attire is (I have only ridden hunters). Can someone please let me know what I should be wearing for my dressage test and for cross country. It is a schooling show and I will just be doing elementary level. Is it okay to wear my field boots for my dressage test? I also already have white breeches but they have knee patches, are those okay? Thanks!!!
For dressage wear what you would wear for a hunter class. For CC lose the jacket and shirt, add a polo,or other casual top. For stadium back to the jacket.
No one will inspect your leather patches, so knee patches are fine.
tan, light, or white breeches fine for all phases, knee patches fine (in Area II, you see more tan than white at schooling shows). Wear a polo shirt (or a long sleeve shirt if chillier). You can wear a jacket, but don’t need to (and many don’t - although some do). Field boots are fine. Make sure you know the tack rules.
FULL CLOTHING RULES FOR RECOGNIZED (you don’t need a jacket for one day even at recognized)
EV114 Dress1.
PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR. a. At all levels of eventing competition, from beginner novice through advanced, at Federation Endorsed competitions and recognized competitions, riders must wear headgear as follows, except as may otherwise be mandated by local law (see also GR801): b. Upon arrival, anyone riding a horse must wear properly fitting protective headgear which passes or surpasses ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)/ SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards for equestrian use and carries the SEI tag. Harness must be secured and properly fitted. c. It is the responsibility of the rider, or the parent or guardian or trainer of the junior exhibitor to see to it that the headgear worn complies with appropriate safety standards for protective headgear intended for equestrian use, and is properly fitted and in good condition, and the Federation, Show Committee, and Licensed Officials are not responsible for checking headgear worn for such compliance. d. The Federation makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, about any protective headgear, and cautions riders that death or serious injury may result despite wearing such headgear as all equestrian sports involve inherent dangerous risk and as no helmet can protect against all foreseeable injuries. e. Violation of this rule at any time, at the discretion of the Ground Jury, shall be penalized and may result in elimination.
- PROTECTIVE VESTS. a. A body protecting vest must be worn warming-up for and in the cross-country test. Stable, team or club colors are permitted. The Federation recommends that the vest should pass or surpass the current ASTM standard F1937 or be certified by the Safety Equipment Institute. Inflatable vests are permitted only when worn over a body protecting vest. b. Violation of this rule shall be penalized at the discretion of the Ground Jury, and may result in elimination.
- WHIPS. One whip no longer than 120 cm (47.2 in) including lash may be carried when riding on the flat at any time. One whip no longer than 120 cm (47.2 in) may be carried during the Dressage Test except in USEF/USEA Championships and USEA Championship divisions. As an exception, riders competing sidesaddle may carry a whip in the dressage test at all competitions, including championships. A standard lunge whip may be used when lunging a horse. If a whip is carried in the Cross-Country and/or Jumping Test, or while jumping any obstacle before these tests, it must not be weighted at the end or exceed 75cm (30") in length. An adjustable-length whip may not be carried by a mounted rider.
- SPURS. Spurs may be worn at any time. Spurs are required in the dressage test at the Intermediate and Advanced levels. Spurs capable of wounding a horse are forbidden. Spurs must be of smooth metal. If there is a shank it must not be longer than 4cm (1 9/16 inches, measured from the boot to the end of the spur) and must point only towards the rear. Rowels are not permitted except as in 5© (below). If the shank is curved, the spurs must be worn only with the shank directed downwards. “Dummy spurs” with no shank and swan neck spurs are allowed. Metal or plastic spurs with round hard plastic or metal knobs are allowed (“Impuls” spur).
- DRESSAGE TEST. a. Horse Trials (Beginner Novice through Preliminary)—protective headgear— predominantly black or dark blue; Coat—dark color or tweed, tail coats are not permitted; Shirt—white or light color, with stock and pin, or choker, or tie; Gloves (if worn)—dark color, tan, beige or white; Jodhpurs, Britches—light color or white; Boots—black, brown, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps and/or half-chaps are not allowed. b. Horse Trials (Intermediate and Advanced) & Three Day Events. As above except no tweed coat. Tail Coats permitted. Shirt—stock with pin; Gloves (required)— white or dark color; Britches—as above; Boots—preferably black dress or a black full grain leather leg piece and matching leather boot. Chaps and half-chaps are not allowed. Members of armed and police forces, service dress with gloves, regulation headgear and spurs in accordance with EV114. c. Beginner Novice - Preliminary, spurs are not compulsory. Spurs are required at Intermediate and Advanced Horse Trials, and Intermediate and Advanced Three- Day Events. Roweled spurs are permitted for the Dressage test (at all levels) and when practicing/warming-up for the Dressage test. If rowels are used, they must be free to rotate and the rowel must be round and smooth (no tines allowed).
- CROSS-COUNTRY TEST. Light-weight clothing is appropriate for this Test, a shirt (any color) with sleeves must be worn. Protective Headgear in accordance with para-graph 1 above. This headgear may be any color Britches or jodhpurs may be any color; Gloves (if worn) may be any color; Boots—black, brown, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps or half chaps are not allowed.
- JUMPING TEST. Hunting dress or uniform. Protective headgear, with chin harness, designed expressly for equestrian use in accordance with paragraph 1 above. Hat covers other than solid black or dark blue are not allowed. Coat—dark color or tweed (if Novice through prelim.) Shirt—stock with pin, choker or tie; Gloves (if worn)—dark color, tan, beige or white; Jodhpurs, Britches—light color or white; Boots—black, brown, field, jodhpur or a black or brown full grain smooth leather leg piece and matching leather boots. Chaps or half-chaps are not allowed. Member of armed and police forces, as in EV114.5.b.
- At Eventing Tests or when all three phases of a Horse Trials are contested over one day - Protective headgear and protective vests as above. Clothing as appropriate for the test in progress (see below), or at the competitor’s option - boots, britches, spurs and gloves - as applicable for the test being performed. Long or short sleeved shirt with colla rand without neckwear, of a conservative color, neatly tucked into riding breeches.
- INSPECTION OF DRESS. A steward should be appointed to inspect whips and spurs before any Test. He has the authority to refuse permission for any competitor to start whose whip or spurs contravene this Article. He will immediately report the circumstances to the Ground Jury, or Technical Delegate if the Ground Jury is unavailable, for confirmation. A competitor who competes with illegal whip(s) or spurs will be eliminated. A competitor who competes with incorrect items of dress may be eliminated, at the discretion of the Ground Jury.
- EXTREME WEATHER. At temperatures above 85°F, a heat index above 85°, or at the discretion of the Ground Jury or the Organizer, competitors will be permitted to compete without jackets, in the dressage and/or jumping tests. In such cases, competitors must wear either a long or short sleeved shirt of conservative color without neckwear; members of the armed forces and police units may ride in their summer uniforms. In inclement weather competitors may wear a windbreaker jacket or raincoat over their clothing; their number must be visible
Plus vest/ armband for the jumping phases.
I wore a fitted polo and tan full seat breeches with paddock boots and half chaps. As long as it’s clean, tidy and well-fitted, it’s fine. You’ll need a safety vest and an armband for stadium and XC though–much more important than a show coat or having white breeches instead of tan! Truthfully at that level, you can wear whatever you wore in the hunter ring–no one will care 
One good thing to do before your first HT is to flip through the photos from a recent event in your area, just to get an idea of what “everyone” is wearing. In eventing, there’s kind of a funny balance between what is required by the rules (very little) and what is expected by the sport (all kinds of things!) “Can” you wear rust breeches in stadium?" yes. Does anyone? No. haha Things like that!
Given that you’re in Maryland-- most people wear either tan or white breeches, field boots, a ratcatcher with choker or tech shirt with a stock, and black or navy hunt or dressage jacket. If it’s hot they will sub in a polo or zip collar tech shirt with no jacket. A sweater or long sleeved plain dark colored raincoat or similar would also not be unusual. For show jumping everyone just wears xc gear.
And remember, no horse boots of any kind in dressage, and no standing martingales at all. Have fun!
