Anyone do working equitation here and wear a traditional Portuguese costume?
Where did you get it from? (Custom made or ?).
I want to get one but I’m trying to figure out why they come with pants and why I can’t just wear breeches underneath the skirt since it doesn’t look like you can even see the pants.
bear in mind I am not an expert, just dabbling in it. Canadian rule book is “Riders must wear long pants, breeches, or riding skirt; a long- or short-sleeved shirt with collar;
and a hat or helmet. No sleeveless shirts or tank tops are allowed. Additional attire such as
jackets, vests, gloves, chinks, armitas, half chaps, full chaps and scarves are permissible”
From what I understand accuracy to the tradition is encouraged, but if you don’t get it quite right you will just loose points on presentation not be dq’d as long as you are within the rules. They are looking for the overall look to be harmonious, tidy, and professional more than historical purity as I understand it, I suspect unless you are at the upper levels no one will be concerned if you wear breeches instead of pants under the riding skirt.
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Yeah here in France the rules are either you wear the “French” costume (which they define as grey breeches and navy jacket - it’s the outfit of the French national WE team), or you wear a Portuguese costume if you’re riding a Lusitano or a Spanish costume on a PRE. They say the traditional costume is preferred but I have seen people wearing all kinds of things (and actually very few traditional Portuguese costumes).
I’ve just done two low-level competitions this season and wore my normal show outfit (Bordeaux jacket and white breeches).
My plan is to show in the proper circuit next year in the young horse classes. Of course it’s not necessary to have the outfit but it’s so pretty and it would be fun to play dress up! White breeches and a hunt coat are playing dress up too – just a different country’s tradition.
Having never tried on the costume, though, I just don’t get the point of the pants if you don’t even see them. And for the price of a custom-made costume (because it seems really hard to find them second hand), I wouldn’t mind saving the cost of the pants. And wouldn’t it be more comfortable to ride in your normal grippy breeches than in something not even designed for riding in.
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hear ya on the fun to play dress up - I would love to do it in side saddle with a proper habit and fancy hat etc
I just scribed at a sanctioned WECO show in Ontario beside an experienced judge and competitor. One thing she mentioned when giving the presentation marks (in the collectives) was that the outfit was supposed to match the tack. For example, if you are using dressage tack, you should be dressed in dressage-appropriate attire, and if you are using Portuguese tack you should be in traditional Portuguese attire.
Also be careful about mixing and matching tack - there were several riders with dressage saddles and bridles but Portuguese bits, or dressage saddle and Portuguese bridle, etc. They weren’t eliminated but they did receive lower presentation marks.
