I was thinking of starting this thread, then saw the Steffen shadbelly thread & really wanted to…
What does everyone think of all the different colors & styles of shadbellies? Gone are the days of everyone showing up in near-identical midnight or black with canary vest points & brass buttons.
Which ones do you like or not like? I loved the shadbellies that Sweden’s eventers wore. I think the British & Dutch ones are tasteful- mostly traditional with a little splash of national color. I also liked Thai eventer Nina Ligon’s shadbelly. I’m conflicted over Spain’s dressage riders’ shadbellies…I like the red & yellow accents but am not a fan of the dark gray coat color. (I also have never been able to get used to Edward Gal’s gray shadbelly, although I think he’s been wearing it ever since the FEI rules changed.). I loved the clean lines of Steffen’s but miss some of traditional aspects.
