I’m most likely going to an Eventing 101 beginner cross country clinic, and I was wondering what I’ll need. What should I wear and what should my horse wear? Should I get my horse some boots? If so what kind? (links are great) Also any tips you have would be great. Sorry if these are obvious questions I’ve never been to a clinic before :(. Thanks so much.
Eventers aren’t all that caught up on fashion, I would wear a nice clean polo and clean breeches. Some sort of leg protection - woof boots are fine, make sure they don’t have any fleece or otherwise water-absorbent material… no polos for this reason. A xc vest is a must. Don’t show up without one, you might get sent home unless you make sure ahead of time that it is optional.
XC vest, medical armband, tall boots (ask the organizer if half chaps are OK), a collared, tucked in shirt, spurs and a good crop/stick. Hair should be neatly contained (doesn’t have to be up in a net, but not flying around loose).
If your horse has not had boots on, I wouldn’t try them out in a clinic situation. For little(Novice and under) jumps, unless you know your horse has a tendency to whack his legs, boots are not 100% necessary.
Don’t forget to eat a good breakfast, bring a water bottle for yourself & a water bucket for your horse.
Heliodoro’s advice is spot-on. Eventers care about safety, so a helmet, safety vest, and medical armband are important. (Although for a beginning clinic, you can check with the organizer if those are all required). Carrying a crop is also important for safety, IMO, in case you need to insist that your horse do something (or avoid something) for good footing. A polo shirt, breeches, and tall boots are standard attire.
And a smile 
Cross-country is tons of fun!!
I like a good pair of non-leather gloves too, amazing how slippery things get when wet/sweaty…
Arrive in time to warm up. The start time is when you should be ready to go. Check with organizers to be sure, but this has been my experience…
Not to high jack thread, but you all mention non fleece lined boots. Can anyone post links to the best boots for XC. I bought beautiful open fronts and found out after the fact they aren’t good for XC? I’m a newbie too.
I love that safety supersedes fashion in the eventing world. Makes me realize I made the right decision to switch!
Nothing to add- some great suggestions!
One thing I do is try to, after the clinic, write myself some notes of the major takeaways that helped me. Since when I go to a clinic, it’s someone usually new to me, or someone I have not ridden with before, or often, I have “fresh eyes” teaching me.
So the notes help me.
Relax and have fun! Soak up everything you can!
For lower levels the neoprene brushing boots are good and not too expensive.
Woof are kind of the standard, I have various knock-offs at home that are just as good (Nunn Finer, Bar F, Roma–here is one of those) http://www.equestriancollections.com/product.asp?groupcode=WB00740&mi=2PR-0R0-0FC&utm_medium=Channel&utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_campaign=WB00740&gclid=CK6nt_mH-8QCFc4kgQodwUgArA
Who’s teaching the clinic? From the top: Approved helmet, hairnet, polo shirt tucked in, belt, gloves, crash vest, arm band, clean breeches, be sure your socks don’t stick up outside your boot tops 
(“Tacky, Pol, tacky.”, as Jimmy Wofford gave me The Look and poked my socks down inside). If you have them and wear them, galloping boots, closed front, no sheepskin. Carry a stick, spurs only if they are regularly on your feet. If not, don’t. Plain snaffle bridle, no gadgets. Clean saddle pads. If you ever wear a different bit, take it with you. Best advice: Get there early, be clean and neat, take everything in your trailer you would take to an event. Smile, ask questions, be polite. Most of all, have a blast!!
Call to find out what the instructor expects you to have.
Borrow what you don’t have, especially a safety vest. You don’t want to figure out at the clinic that you want nothing to do with eventing only after you laid out good cash for things you won’t use in any other discipline.
Gear up yourself and your horse as if you were going to an event - as best you can considering you are a beginner. Don’t worry about being corrected, that’s why you’re going.
My guess is that there will be riders there with all levels of eventing gear, from none to fully outfitted. The instructor will work with what each rider has, that’s also part of Eventing 101.
Congrats on going to this clinic! Here’s hoping you come out having caught fire for eventing! 
[QUOTE=anmoro;8108360]
Not to high jack thread, but you all mention non fleece lined boots. Can anyone post links to the best boots for XC. I bought beautiful open fronts and found out after the fact they aren’t good for XC? [/QUOTE]
Haha… there are as many boot opinions as there are COTHers
I specifically source out my cross country boots to have fleece in them as (in my view) they do a better job of conforming to leg bumps & keeping the dirt debris out. They are also made for XC so they do not hold water, will not slip down legs and are not waterlogged. Here is a link to some options (+ on function and perhaps - on trendiness)
To add further - I have never been required to wear a medical armband in a XC clinic situation. Helmet, vest, stick, proper attire - yes. Armband - no.
Thank you so much everyone, this is very helpful. Reading through these has gotten me super excited and I’m sure it’ll be a blast.
Caitlin1031 - is this Clinic in Alberta? If so, helmet, breeches, gloves, spurs, boots, xc vest for you. Horse needs xc boots, crop, bridle with snaffle bit. These clinics are made for people to learn the sport. Relax and have fun. It’s a blast.
Timely thread, I too am attending my first eventing clinic May 2nd and I am stressing about attire.
While I don’t have any advice, I wish you luck!
(Thus far, I have purchased a white BR polo and I am hoping black breeches are acceptable)
