I have not done the hunters in 25 years, soooo what is the attire for schooling shows these days? Is it still beige breeches and a dark coat? Front zip/side zip. Can I wear Volantes or do I need field boots? I assume my front zip eventer boots are out.
well fitted , Dark coat, tan breeches , black field or dress boots white or light pastel colored shirt⊠However , in 25 years some things have changed , some for the better ( new fabrics) some for the worse ( low rise breeches), Tech fabrics rule, such as washable hunt coats, (black seems to be it , individual style is not acceptable LOL ) , White shirts with mesh sleeves and snap collars , that are supposed to be cooler , tech fabric washable breeches, variation of tan some even have logos on them so you can always let everyone know your brand preference . Zippered boots that fit like gloves and wear like paper, and last as long as that first good rain storm your caught in . helmets do have some nice innovations like vents ⊠Sticker shock on all of the above to be expected ⊠However there are some brands that have some good bargains but due to a lack of Brick and Motor stores and the growth of multiple brands you will be doing a lot of ordering and sending back .
Thatâs so funny. 
And true. You know, I agree with everything said above, but I do think with a schooling show you can be a little less âconformedâ if you wish. Just remember, this is supposed to be fun. Go out and have fun!
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Good news, I have all of the above items with the exception of the shirt. I freaking HATE the technical fabrics. They make me sweat like pig! So it sounds like I need to just pass on the grey jacket I have been eyeingâŠsigh
mellsmom, I was just at an A show on the west coast with good prize money and I saw a lot of grey coats! I wore a (GASP) medium grey wool with a subtle blue plaid in the Adult AmateursâŠand won. So if you want a grey coat go for it!
In my area, there seems to be a LOT more colors in the hunter ring for coats. Hunter green is still very popular after Lillie Keenan debuted her green coat at Maclay Finals a few years ago. Seeing some lovely lighter blues, royal, french, etc. There was one AO wearing the coolest french blue coat on her nice grey mare that just looked beautiful. Also saw lighter grey, including a kid in the juniors with a gorgeous black velvet collar. Plus standard navy and black obviously.
All that being in the hunters, of course, not the eq. Eq was pretty solidly navy and black.
If itâs a schooling show I wouldnât be too worried about having to have the âlatestâ fashions. . . I volunteer at a schooling show series and there are plenty of people in fabric-covered helmets, half chaps and paddock boots, and older style jackets. As long as you are neat and clean I donât think you would be out of place at a schooling show in some older gear.
I have been told by the powers that be (aka coaches and friends who are judges) that the current hunter style is black or dark blue coats (though green is making a comeback!) and white shirts, so that is what I wear. People arenât wearing the coloured shirts so much in my area right now (southern Ontario), though they were all the rage when I started seriously showing about 8 years ago. Jackets are the tech, washable fabric, which is honestly awesome. They are stretchy and comfy and no more dry cleaner bills! Just pop it in the washing machine after the weekend. And you donât have to spend an arm and a leg, I got a really nice Kerrits-brand coat for $120 last season, and I got lots of compliments on it at provincial Championships, people thought it was a much more expensive coat.
The good news is that trends seem to circle around, so if green coats were in the last time you showed, you could be cutting edge fashion if you wear it now! And white shirts used to be really popular as well, so if you have an old white shirt, you will fit right in. The collars on shirts have changed, they arenât the kind with the separate piece anymore, they are wrap-around collars attached to the shirt itself, but from a distance no one can really tell anyway.
In my opinion the Charles Owen Hampton style helmet is a throw back to older style helmets, and plenty of people still wear those, so as long as you have a certified helmet I wouldnât be too worried. Though I have a Samshield and let me tell you the vents are AMAZING. I can actually feel air moving through the vents when I ride.
So depending on your budget, I personally would get a new, tech fabric jacket and spring for a new helmet if you donât have a vented one already. Any clean pair of beige breeches will do fine, and if you have leather half-chaps and paddock boots you are probably fine there as well. Even if you decide you want new boots you donât have to spend an arm and a leg to get Volantis or something either. . . I have a pair of Ariat Heritage tall boots that arenât cheap but werenât $500 either, and I fit in just fine at Trillium and A shows.
Have fun!
I would totally disagree on the black jacket in the hunter ring. Your coat can be also be navy, hunter green has come back (so happy about that!), and grey is acceptable too. Iâve even seen a few bold riders sporting the green coat and rust breeches. I was actually always told black is not acceptable in the hunter ring but fine for equitation. Honestly as long as your clothing fits well and is fairly standard (no hot pink etc) your fine. Although one person did mention in a previous similar post they wear a pink shirt in the hunter ring with I believe a grey jacket
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While weâre on the subject of coats is an ultra suede collar acceptable in the hunter ring? I didnât really think it was but times are changing. I know 3 or 4 buttons are acceptable but what about pockets? A lot of the new coats have zipper pockets not traditional hunt coat pockets. Is that ok too? I guess a judge really isnât going to care about your coat collar or pockets
Iâm sure it depends on your area but I see all of those in the hunter ring at the A shows I attend and work at (west coast). A traditional judge might shake their head a little but I sincerely doubt theyâd penalize you unless it was REALLY untraditional attire (pink jacket, etc.)
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I have a navy Pikeur coat with a brown sueded collar (not the entire collar - the upper part.) I wear it at A shows and donât think I have been penalized. I also wear a black coat with zippered pockets at A shows. My horse is a QH also but if we put in a good round, we almost always ribbon in large classes. I donât think my âoff breedâ horse or my jacket are held against me. (Of course we are not going to win at the A shows because there are always fancier horses in my division but a few weeks ago we got a 4th out of 20. I think I was wearing my dark green jacket with the zippered pockets that round. Along with my Tuff Rider dress boots that I paid $95 for!)
One warning regarding schooling showsâŠin our area there are different levels of schooling shows. On the main local show circuit, you would NOT be allowed to show in paddock boots and half chaps. I agree that in general you can get away with more non-traditional clothing and tack at schooling shows but not all schooling shows are the same.
Still cracks me up that people who would not have been caught dead in anything remotely polyester 15 years ago (bring on the tropical weight wool hunt coats!), will wear it now, and pay a pretty penny for it as long as itâs called âTechnical Fabricâ.
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I don
t think the tech fabrics are all that much cooler in summer and due to the wash-ability factor they will wear out in a year or two vs⊠all the utlra Light weight wools that would last forever . Everything now is designed to fall apart except for Dehner boots which will still last a lifetime , but try getting the under 40 rider to accept having to break them in and not having a glove fit ankle .
That would be me; thanks for remembering. Yup, pink shirt with the charcoal gray jacket. My âgo-toâ, and weâve won enough classes that I can say with utmost confidence that your wardrobe is actually almost irrelevant as long as the basics are met in terms of the proper boots, helmet and other fundamentals. Wear breeches that you think are comfortable and fit you well; no one can tell what brand they are below the hem of your coat and above the tops of your boots. Iâm not buying into all the fears that an extra button on your jacket will DQ you somehow. I have judged a lot of schooling shows and never noticed whether somebody has stitching on their noseband or whether their saddle is a shade darker or lighter than the bridle. Honestly, a hunter round happens so quickly and thereâs so much to watch in terms of what the horse is doing that I often have no recollection of what color a riderâs shirt was. Go have fun with it!!!
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Nothing wrong with a grey jacket in the AA show hunters. Iâve personally turned away from the technical fabrics for my jackets and gone back to light wool. I have navy, grey and green. And pooey on the boring white shirts! I have a few but I also have the Essex talent yarn lilacs and blues. Please come out with a pink Essex!
What is deemed âacceptableâ is highly dependant on the level of show you are attending, and where on the continent you are attending a horse show. If you want to try to be âfashionableâ in the hunter ring, be prepared to buy a new wardrobe annually. Most regular people canât keep up with this, along with the other, unavoidable expenses of horse showing. My own personal theory is (after fifty years of horse showing- yikes)⊠be a trend setter, not a trend follower. Wear what YOU like. Keep it conservative, keep it âqualityâ. Wear what fits you nicely, neat, clean. I wear a dark seal brown coat. For hunters and jumpers. I like it. It fits me well. It sets me apart from the rest of the competitors, while still being conservative. It isnât one of those horrible coats that stop above the riderâs ample rump and have pulled wrinkles at the waist, that seem to be so popular. I paid $35 for it 8 years ago.
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Thanks guysâŠmy new Chestnut mare is names Cinder so I was hoping to rock the grey jacket. Can i use a square white saddle pad or do I have to use a fleecy fitted one? I HATE those BTW.
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Unfortunately you definitely need to use a fitted pad. Fleece or sheepskin.
Definitely no square pad. But rock that grey jacket!
what i cute idea to wear a gray coat in honor of her name!!! i love that. :tickled_pink:
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You definitely need the fitted pad. You can get a used one on ebay.
