Proposed Dress rule changes!

[eightpondfarm]

O i don’t have any experience with dressage people except on here.

And my coach.
She is smart, observant and nice. She and i are of one mind with basic horsemanship, and she is knowledgeable and her directions are clear to me when i am riding. I trust her as to how i can progress in this discipline. My experience with her is positive. She lets me ride in any tack that works for my horses. I’ve started two of them in endurance saddles with breast collars and cruppers…and crossfire rigging.

[SonnysMom]

What about the concept of dressage do you like? Can you expand on that?

I don’t understand what you mean when you say you dislike the club of it. Ear bonnets are not about fashion and being part of a club for many horses. They are just good horsemanship. Limited turn-out is not about club it is about land prices and not trashing your fields. Having your jacket closed it about not having fabric flapping and being a distraction.

Some of the rules are a hold over and are outdated. Some are there for a reason even if that reason may not be initially apparent.

It sounds like many of the people on this thread are worried that by loosening up the dress code that dressage will evolve to include a fashion component to it. Even if the judges don’t care about an “in” color or style it is human nature to want to fit in. Hence their are trends in Western pleasure with dark or light tack, the color and style or show shirts. Even in hunters the style of boots, helmets and the colors of jackets and shirts change over time.
People like that in dressage there is a certain uniform so that pretty much everyone has white pads, black jackets and white breeches. You can use that same show pad, jacket and breeches for years. You don’t have to buy new pads, jackets and breeches every couple of years unless they get stained. They will always be in style. That helps to keep costs down (remember that thread?)

[haybelly]

So, wearing a coat or vest is ‘permitted’. Does this mean neither is ‘mandatory’ when showing at a recognized competition?

[lorilu]

I believe you can wear a vest under a jacket.

[lorilu]

I know a few judges as friends. ALL of them say they do not look at the fashion, or the bling. They ALL are quite offended to think that anyone WOULD think they look at such. THey dont notice it. (Unless it is distracting, I suppose - like a bouncing blingy browband… ).

[eightpondfarm]

@SonnysMom

What about the concept of dressage do you like? Can you expand on that?

I don’t understand what you mean when you say you dislike the club of it.

not worth it.

[Scribbler]

Hunter style is heavily influenced by teenage girls who are able to see and care about minute differences in style that few adults would care about. Teen girls compete on every metric, not just in the show ring, and are quite capable of ganging up on a frenemy who is winning ribbons and shaming her into tears about her helmet, her hair, or the car her mother drives.

Ironically, hunters is as rule bound and conventional in dress as dressage, and you still have tweens obsessing over whether they will lose points from wearing the wrong brand of beige breech or black helmet.

Also teens are still growing and need to get new clothes constantly. So they have more opportunities to replace things.

Adult dressage riders are not teen girls, and if you don’t have a big weight gain or loss, your gear will last for years, even decades. At the same time, adults often have the money and freedom to please themselves, and no adult really enjoys wearing skin tight white pants

As far as thinking of a discipline as a club, withhold judgement until you are participating. At the local schooling show level it is no different in atmosphere than the equivalent h/j day or flat class show.

I don’t love how I look in black and white dressage turnout. But I do love being able to put together a passable outfit in which I look like everyone else. I don’t need to worry that I am drawing attention to myself by my high-style choices or conversely by any unusual or inappropriate choices. I want to look workman-like, if that makes sense.

I do not ride a warm blood, don’t plan to. I also follow a somewhat different training program to most local riders. I don’t feel a need to also stand out from my colour choices. Quite the opposite, I want to blend in.

[trubandloki]

Does this rule change make good 'ol rust breeches OK for showing in dressage?

(I still like rust breeches, yes I am that old.)

[mmeqcenter]

@Scribbler

I don’t feel a need to also stand out from my colour choices. Quite the opposite, I want to blend in.

I wish people would stop putting this negative connotation on wanting to wear various colors.

It’s not about wanting to “stand out.” At least not for me nor anyone I know. It’s about wanting to wear colors I like and an outfit that I enjoy and feel good in. That’s it. IDGAF if it means I “stand out” or not.

[JenEM]

It sounds like it might, and I would join you in showing in rust if it does!

I still occasionally show hunters in rust

[Feathered_Feet]

@eightpondfarm

So, if it’s true that judges are looking at the horse,

But they’re not just looking at the horse, they are also evaluating the rider. Is the rider balanced? Quiet with the aids? Inhibiting the horse in someway? The rider is being 100% evaluated right alongside his or her mount.

[Scribbler]

Well, if every other rider is in black and white, which is typical here, and I am in a burgundy jacket with sparkles on my boots, I will stand out. That can be good or bad. If I was further along in my showing life I might want to stand out. At this point, I don’t.

[lorilu]

evaluating the rider is different than considering an outfit “last year’s colors”.

[Scribbler]

Absolutely. And the rider evaluation is in the context of the horse’s performance. It’s not an equitation class.

Even in classes like hunters where overall impression is important, no judge is giving points for Tailored Sportsman beige breeches over bargain brand beige breeches, despite the anxieties of the juniors.

[rothmpp]

I love that my tech fabric short coat actually has a zipper with dummy buttons. it is a godsend to those of us who are a bit more endowed and are forever popping buttons when the metal from a button cuts through the thread holding the button on.

Were I ever to need my tailcoat again, I’d probably replace it with one that has a zipper and dummy buttons.

[Heinz_57]

I do not find any of the rule changes objectionable, personally. And if it’s approved, I still don’t think we will see the majority of riders out there wearing crazy outfits bedazzled to the eyeballs.

I will likely stick to light colored breeches and pads for myself, but I would appreciate not having to scrutinize a jacket color against the current scale system. Given that I am a taller adult riding a grade pony, I am already going to stand out no matter what I wear. Might as well own it!

[lenapesadie]

Preach!

[lenapesadie]

My coat zips too! Brilliant planning!

[joiedevie99]

@haybelly

So, wearing a coat or vest is ‘permitted’. Does this mean neither is ‘mandatory’ when showing at a recognized competition?

No. A coat is required in recognized competition UNLESS 1) it is a Level 1 show, 2) you are showing in an opportunity class at the time, or 3) coats are waived. If 3) coats are waived, you may opt to ride in a shirt (as always) or to put a vest over your shirt.

[lenapesadie]

Maybe we will see more cross entries from other disciplines if we have more relaxed attire requirements