The title says it all!! I am getting a new pony, and I was thinking of dabbling a little in my local “club” and going to a few shows. What is the proper attire for someone like me? I have NO clue!!
Thanks!!
Call the show secretary, or better yet, go to the first one and just watch, paying attention to what they wear, what kind of tack, etc.
Likely to be pretty much what is worn at the approved shows but maybe a little scaled back. In my area local open shows can range from the blinged out to the no bling at all. Most everyone will ride show saddles with silver, same for bridle. Chaps, western hat, long sleeve shirt/blouse, western boots, chaps may not be a requirement, however, I would opt for them.
Around here it really varies. Some people break out their show gear, while other people have jeans, a nice blouse, boots and a helmet with working tack.
Make sure your bit is show legal and keep in mind that some clubs require a throatlatch, so read the rules carefully.
Most clubs want to encourage participation by new people and so encourage judges to not pay attention to the outfits, just the rides.
Usually you will be expected to wear a jacket and some form of tie(choker, pin) while showing English. Just as you would showing at a Rated show. A Club show will have their own rules for attire. They often do not consider themselves to be a “schooling” show.
Boots with heel, jeans or show pants (usually similar to breeches, but boot cut), long sleeve shirt, cowboy hat or helmet (no bare head at all!), matching tack. Depending on where you are and what kind of local western show series you are planning on attending will dictate whether or not you need anything special.
Typically in “ranch” style western showing, bling is not only not required but frowned upon. The emphasis is on the horse as a good working partner. See http://www.americanranchhorse.net/ for examples of show attire and tack. Most ranch horses are expected to go in a curb over a certain stage of training, but the rules differ depending on what organization the show is affiliated with. When I occasionally show western, this is the type of showing I will do. Too many years of WP burnout.
In “pleasure” type western showing, bling (and a lot of it) is fairly standard, but at schooling shows you won’t stand out that much if you aren’t dripping with silver and crystals. You will need to show one handed with a curb if your horse is over a certain age, so make sure he either neck reins or is responsive to leg and seat (preferably both).
Western schooling shows are usually low key and a lot of fun. Many of the people you will meet are all around types who do many different things with their horses. There are always ribbon chasers at any level and in any discipline, but I’ve found fewer of them at local ranch horse shows than anywhere else.
Most important thing of all: Smile and have fun!
Check to see if they have a rule book, which would usually address proper attire.
I placed very well at this show (a local all breed show, showing western pleasure at the last minute) wearing this:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525009030768&l=58e2909c30
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525009035758&l=9a352d33dc
And I’m thinking about something like this for the show next weekend:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100644555173298&l=b880f7890f
Congratulations! 
I like the second outfit idea, but if you can, pull the chaps up higher so they’re sitting more at your waist.
Good luck!
And trim that bridle path! Love those palominos! And congrats!!!
LOL! He’s, uh… a reining horse. If I had touched that bridle path his owner would have come at me with all the minions of HELL!! hahaha!
It was a very last minute decision. Everyone else at the barn was going to the show, but my mare was lame and couldn’t go. So, as the first horse was getting into the trailer, my roommate turned to me and asked: “Wanna take Rodeo, and show western? It would be FUN!” I’d never shown western in my life, but like the mice dressing Cinderella, somehow all the ladies at the barn swarmed me and threw together an outfit, so off we went.
Rodeo, quite enjoyed not having to move out, and by the second class had figured out how to jog and lope, and then… we started getting ribbons, in some larger classes.
I guess some of the regular riders in those classes asked later why I had placed and they hadn’t, and the judges response was: “He was extremely consistent, and they were having fun!”
Gosh that was a fun day.
So, OP, go for it!!! and most of all, HAVE FUN!!!
I use bling for halter and western pleasure to make my horse look just a tad bit better and I know bling doesn’t determine winners but the judge told me “whoever has a nicer appearance will sometimes give me that winning factor” and the judge even had a little bit of bling one herself.
I get it about the bridle path…but in this pic it looks like it’s way overgrown and sticking straight up about 4 inches…
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525009035758&l=9a352d33dc
Yeah, that just weird timing/wind gust. He didn’t have a bridle path. I guess reiners don’t cut them?
Are you working with a trainer? That would be my first person to ask.
If it’s a small local show, they may or may not have a rule book so I would see if you can get into contact with one of the board members or someone who puts on the shows. Ask them what the “going” attire is for their events.
I show locally myself and most of the time, most everyone is in blue jeans, a button down western shirt, and hat or helmet. It’s pretty casual. But then you have some people showing up in chaps and bling, and that’s fine too.
Most important thing is that your outfit is CLEAN, neat, and fits you well.
Here my horse and I just finished our reining pattern and were talking to the judge. Pretty low key. We’re all there to have FUN!
Bridle paths are a bit of personal preferance. I myself like about a 1" bridle path on my horses but that’s it. Basically just enough to part the hair and give a place for the bridle to rest. I like long flowing manes and I don’t want to take any of it away by making the bridle path bigger than it needs to be.
Maybe reiners tend to have shorter bridle paths because the hair style is long and flowing? But I guess I’ve never heard it specific to reiners.
Show or, I just went to JC Penney and bought a black business suit, and the shirt under the jacket was a collared button down of a loud color. Simple, something you could wear outside of the showring, and cheap. It’s a very sleek look without a bunch of sparkle, but also won’t break the bank. And a well shaped hat that goes with the color you picked.
Like this: [IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/SAM_0811.jpg)
Pleasure/Equitation: boots, jeans, belt with buckle, fitted pre-made top tucked in, or long sleeve button up shirt that is fitted. In my case, I could just wear the same long sleeve button up as the one I wore under my showmanship suit. Helmet or well shaped hat that complements your other colors.
![[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/agonyaw/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/SAM_0811.jpg)](http://s238.photobucket.com/user/agonyaw/media/VHSA%20Bradford%2008122012/SAM_0811.jpg.html){kind=link}