Questions from a rusty horseshow mom

[fivestrideline]

@HJECG

I am the OP (the mom) in this thread, and I seriously can’t believe the debate it’s aroused.

Meh - welcome to COTH. This has been a weird thread drift, but not terribly contentious. At least we aren’t arguing about whether or not “good” artists sell their work, on a thread about horse abuse!

One thing I have learned is to never take every post in a thread as aimed at the OP specifically. Often things become part of a larger general conversation, and if something is pointed at you (OP or not), you’ll usually know. Best to take what’s useful and ignore what isn’t. And ignore anyone who really is coming out of left field with the hot takes!

@HJECG

And FYI, a OneK Defender helmet does not cost $600 or 1k (those are the prices I am seeing thrown around in this thread as what it sounds like people have assumed I was suggesting spending on a new show helmet for our 14 year old)

No, people were referring to Samshields, which do cost those prices (which I find outrageous considering the brand’s take on updating their safety standards along with their lack of any new or planned tech like MIPS).

I hope your child was excited for her new gear! New horse stuff is always WAY more fun than new anything else (to me, anyway).

[Renn_aissance]

Welcome to COTH, where everything wrong with the youth of the nation boils down to them not walking uphill both ways in the snow to retrain their OTTB to jump 3’6” because anything smaller means you should stay home and not horse show.

Glad you were able to find a well-fitting helmet for your kid, may she wear it in good health and may you never have to call in the fall policy. Hope you enjoy being a horse show mom again!

[MHM]

Psst. You don’t owe anyone here an explanation about your own riding background.

As others have said, sometimes the threads here take on a life of their own a bit. I’m glad you found some useful information and you were able to get your daughter a suitable helmet.

Best of luck in the new year!

[HJECG]

Thank you! She was SUPER excited! And extremely, extremely appreciative.

[Halternatively]

Best of luck to her and to you! Enjoy this precious time together with your daughter and do spoil her when you can - I bet you will get as much joy out of it as she does.

[GraceLikeRain]

Welcome to COTH and honestly this is one of the least contentious threads of this length in a long time. If you stick around it’s important to know that a thread is just as much yours as it is the communities. Threads will become places of spin off conversations and the original topic will become a springboard for broader reflection. Don’t take every response as direct feedback to your exact situation.

Glad your daughter enjoyed the helmet!

[Linny]

Any time someone asks on here about the current trends, most voices go to what’s being worn in the most elite circles in Wellington and by the kids doing the BigEq or the high juniors at Devon or the indoors etc. Honestly, your kid who has 2 years under her belt doesn’t need $400 breeches or at $750 show coat for the short stirrups stuff, even if she’s going to some bigger shows.
I work in a tack shop and often help outfit kids for their first show. It need not cost a fortune.
Decent fitting breeches/coats are available at many price points. Show shirts are expensive and are the lowest priority in terms of fit as almost none of it shows. Get her in a good fitting boot and coat and of course helmet.
Sure, none of it is cheap but there’s no need for a basic show set up to cost $1000, even including a functional, well fitting helmet.

[HJECG]

Hello helpful folks. Our fourteen year old daughter has her first horse show of the year on 4/15. Last year, she showed as a beginner in only very small local shows where judges really weren’t paying much attention to small details of what riders were wearing in the ring.

This year, she is moving up to a different regional level of shows where we want to be sure that she’s turned out really nicely. We already got her a very nice Kerrits show shirt and very attractive Kerrits show jacket last year that still fit her perfectly, and look really great. She also now has a OneK Defender helmet that Santa brought in December which also looks great, and she finds it exponentially more comfortable to wear than the two different Ovation schooling helmets in which she had been riding for lessons, as well as showing at these little schooling shows last year.

However, all of her riding breeches are really schooling breeches. They’re quite causal. For example, they have noticeable zippered pockets for her phone and other items she might need when in the saddle. Again, these were fine for small schooling shows, but aren’t formal enough to wear in the show ring for the season she has coming up. She has very nice tall boots.

But she does not have any actual show breeches, and now we need to order some (even if we have to buy more than one size and send the ones that don’t fit back. This is because the nearest real tack shop to us is several hours away)

Here are the details and criteria that might help you help me find the show breeches online that I am seeking for for my daughter:

• Her show coat is navy. Show shirt is white.

• She prefers breeches that sit higher on the waist (although if everything else is right about a particular pair, a mid rise might pass muster)

• She has an average build and height for a 14 year old girl. (She is 5’4" and 1/2 tall)

• We live in Tennessee, so it can be sweltering here by late spring. We do not want thick or bulky breeches (anything like the older style Tailored Sportman breeches). Also, while her boots fit great, there isn’t any extra room in the calf width for a pair of breeches that are made of bulky fabric.

• We want breeches that are easy to get on and off, and don’t require a lot of tugging and wrestling to get into.

• We want knee patches.

• Did I mention how hot it gets in Tennessee as early as mid-April? Some of her shows this year will be in air conditioned, indoor arenas, while others will involve many hours spent outdoors in the heat, so breeches that are made of a high-tech material that doesn’t smother her legs in the heat are important.

• We would prefer breeches that aren’t bad about holding onto stains.

• I would like to find something at a price point of $150 or less (perhaps a pipe dream, but a mom can hope, right? I do have a $25 credit at Dover at the moment

Also, a question: is it acceptable to wear clear silicon dots in the seat of show breeches, or no?

I welcome all ideas, feedback, and recommendations as we look for show breeches for the show season ahead.

Thanks so much for all your help!

[Renn_aissance]

@HJECG

I believe a lighter colored pair of breeches as opposed to a plain beige would help her stand out in the ring in her flat classes.

It is appropriate for her to wear beige, but it would not be appropriate to wear white (if that’s what you’re asking) and the judge is looking at what she does with her legs, not what she’s wearing on them. I’d drop this off of the priority list in your shoes.

Silicone dot knee patches are fine (full seats are for black tack, not brown tack!) She may notice a difference in grip between those and a Clarino or self patch, or she may not. (My mom hates them and I can’t tell the difference.)

If RJ Classics breeches fit into the price point, they have a nice breathable fabric. My sister wears Tredstep and recommends their fabric for this as well.

Don’t discount Dover and Smartpak’s house brands. I wear Smartpak’s Hadley and like them every bit as much as my Romfh ones. They are a heavier fabric than the RJ but suit me fine in the hot, humid mid-Atlantic.

If she seems to fit the Kerrits sizing, don’t sleep on those either. I think that brand is underrated. My show coat is from their Irideon line and it’s worn great.

[Peggy]

When you say you want knee patches, do you mean actual leather or leather-like material, or will the silicon version work? I find the latter cooler, in part bc it allows me to wear shorter socks bc I don’t need the tall ones to hold the “leather” knee patches in place. I tend to get rubs otherwise.

Dover has some decent store-branded breeches, both with patches and with silicon. I have whatever version comes with silicon grips for schooling and they’ve held up fine. Not too hot in the summer. I do have to wear a belt with them. Pocket big enough for a phone.

My show breeches are mostly Tredstep Symphony. I have a pair of Rileys but don’t love the fabric or the tiny pockets.

On the phone thing, I don’t put a phone in my pocket when I get on to show but I do carry one around with me the rest of the day and it’s nice to have the larger pockets.

[JenEM]

@HJECG

Also, a question: is it acceptable to wear clear silicon dots in the seat of show breeches, or no?

Silicone dots/lines/whatever as the “kneepatch” is totally fine in the show ring, however, you probably don’t want the ones that are up onto the seat as those are the “fullseat” version of those, which are generally not seen so much in the hunter/eq ring. I personally do not like riding in them as well as I like actual kneepatches but that’s a matter of personal preference.

From what you’re asking for, the RJ show breeches would probably fit your wish list, I can attest to the fact that the fabric washes great and is very difficult to stain. Romfhs, Treadsteps, and the Smartpak Hadleys would also probably be around or just below that price point as well.

[HipNo34]

I would err away from silicon dots on the seat

As a slobby, dirt-prone adult, I’m a fan of RJ Classics Gulfs – I stay clean in them and they even seem to repel water, at least a little. I notice a lot of sites have them on clearance and in limited sizes; I don’t know if that means they’re discontinuing them or what, but maybe someone here can recommend something similar.

I’m also on super tight budget so buy them secondhand via eBay, Poshmark, Chagrin Saddlery etc.

I’m editing this to add, I wore a pair of Gulfs yesterday (Sand color). I wiped my muddy hands on my thighs. I had already worn them a few days prior for a lesson so was like “$%^& it.”

The mud dried and basically brushed off. You can’t even tell. Not to overshare but, I could get another wearing out of this pair. My mother would like you to know she wishes these existed when I was a kid.

[HJECG]

This is all super helpful. Thank you!

I definitely didn’t mean white breeches! I just meant a lighter shade of the acceptable beige. I’m going edit my original post, and take that criterion out so that no one else thinks I am suggesting she wear white.

Thank you again!

[ParadoxFarm]

Are you 3 hours away from the Dover store in Franklin, TN? It would be great if you could make a trip and have her try on as many as she can.

Check out Equinavia online as well. Prices are in range. I like the Grand Prix “model” and I am in TN.

[MHM]

I believe if you order from Smartpak for anything that has a size involved, they do free shipping on returns. Which will come in handy if you’re ordering multiple sizes to find the right one.

Good luck!

[outside_leg]

Not super trendy, but I absolutely love Ariat Tri-Factor breeches. I’ve got pairs for schooling and showing. The only ones I like marginally better are Samshields, but the price point of the Ariats make them super attractive (the Samshields are twice as expensive). The tri factor breeches cool for showing in hot months, and clean up nicely.

[Ponyplusaninch]

SAME! I really like the trifactors.

[paw]

At lhe level of showing you’re considering, Ariats are probably overkill/spend. In other words, find the least expenisve good-looking breeches that fit. The judge really doesn’t care.

[Linny]

There are many breeches in lightweight fabrics, many have even lighter perforated fabric on the calf for under the boot.
Tredstep Nero II is a nice pant at about $130. Dover’s Welleselys and Daltons (two different fits) come in a tech fabric that’s very nice.
The RJ pants are great but a bit more $.

Get what she’s comfortable in, but remember, the judge doesn’t see much more than the thigh, between the top of the boot and the bottom of the jacket.

[JenEM]

@Linny

Tredstep Nero II is a nice pant at about $130. Dover’s Welleselys and Daltons (two different fits) come in a tech fabric that’s very nice.

I think this is an important point on fit. It will really, really help if you’re able to go somewhere and have her try breeches on. Or are able to order a couple pair from somewhere like Smartpak that does free sized returns, and send back what doesn’t fit. Because I have had a couple pair of Tredstep Symphonys I quite like, so I bought a pair of the Tredstep Neros on sale–and when I tried them on found that there’s no way I could so much bend down to take off a bell boot without mooning the entire show grounds. Totally different fit, radically different rise , even within the same brand.