what colour jodhpurs for a show?

[basildonbond]

dd's just turned 10 - it's a very low-key show at her riding school but she wants to look 'right' - she's doing a dressage test and some fun races (bendy poles, walk/trot race etc)

her grandparents are going to get her a 'show outfit' for Christmas but will need steering in the right direction

thanks

[coffeeandcream]

White or cream, and her hat silk should be plain black, ideally velvet for showing.

Hope she has fun!

[basildonbond]

wow that was quick!! thanks

next question ...

she's got a black show jacket, black velvet hat, presumably her short black boots are fine - what about chaps, yes or no?

is a white school shirt ok and what about tie colour?

the look she's aiming for is Olympic dressage star in the making although I suspect that the performance won't quite live up to her fantasy ....

[coffeeandcream]

I remember being her age and showing and it seeming so deadly serious to me!

If memory serves correctly, for children showing, short black ankle boots are fine, chaps are a bit too 'casual' for a 'proper' dressage test! But honestly, it would be fine if she wore them. School shirt is fine and a plain, dark coloured tie if she has one.

[basildonbond]

Thanks coffeeandcream

Yes she's taking it all extremely seriously!

I watched her lesson yesterday and they were practising for the musical ride and her face was wreathed in smiles for the entire class

This time last year she'd only just started and was in a lead-rein lesson so it made me very proud to realise how many skills she's learned since then :)

[Butkin]

If she is doing just dressage then a black jacket would be fine. She should wear a white stock with a tie pin (you can buy pre-tied ones quite cheapily if necessary). Matching hat cover - ideally in velvet. Light coloured jodhpurs - white or beige. Gloves - you can wear white but dark probably better if a beginner. Normally you'd do dressage in long black boots but guess she could get away with short boots as a beginner. Othere will advise you on this. Obviously she can wear casual riding clothes for the gymkhana games - chaps would be fine.

However just so you don't spend too much it is worth nothing that none of this would be correct for "show" classes. You never wear a black jacket for showing (just dressage/showjumping).

She'd either wear a tweed jacket (M&Ms) or Navy jacket (show ponies) and matching blue or brown hat with yellow(ish) jods and short brown boots for showing.

[sleeplessinderbyshire]

as a child long boots are an absolute no-no. Jodhpur boots and remember joddyclips (the things that hold the jodhs down under the boot). I was always taught hacking jacket for everything as a child except navy for showing (and canary jodhs with the navy jacket). Definitely no chaps. Dark gloves if riding a dark pony, pale if a pale pony. If long hair plaits with a discreet ribbon

[Butkin]

Sleepless - I agree children would never wear long boots for showing but we only know teenagers who do serious dressage and they wear long boots.

I'm sure you're right that short boots are correct for a 10yo.

We're showing people (see photos by clicking name) and DD (9) wears tweed jackets because we show M&M and Show Hunter Ponies. Blue would only be for show ponies.

With them we wear yellow jods (we prefer elastic straps under the boots to jod clips) but know white or pale more correct for dressage.

I agree never chaps except in gymkhana games.

[Principality]

What would you class a mini coblet as, m and m or show pony? (i know she is not really either!)

Ds did a local show last year and wore tweed in first ridden, which was fine, but not sure which he is really supposed to wear... She is about 12h skewbald mini cob (or an angel dressed up as a pony!) I think her owner said she has some Connie in her somewhere but I'm guessing it must be grandparents or further back...

[PigletJohn]

it will tend to vary with where she is

see if you can get some photos of last year's show to see what will fit in. Don't want to look over- or under-.

She will want new gloves, but needs to get used to wearing whatever sort that is so they feel perfectly natural and not tight or stiff.

[basildonbond]

god it's a minefield ... I never realised there were so many rules ... are they written down somewhere or do people just 'know'?

This time she's just doing dressage and the gymkhana games - she doesn't have her own pony so will not be showing in the way I think Butkin means

However in the summer the riding school has a 'best rider' class as well as the dressage and gymkhana games which she'll want to do. I was hoping the same outfit would do for everything. It's not a 'posh' riding school and I can't remember lots of frantic changing going on in between classes last year but dd notices these things more keenly than I do ...

[Butkin]

BB - at that fun level I'm sure she'll be fine as long as she is neat and tidy.

Gymkhana games are always just casual - she can wear anything comfortable with her hard hat, body protector and short boots/chaps.

For the dressage just wear the same but jod clips rather than chaps and wear a jacket with either shirt/tie or stock. Any tack shop will advise you.

If she wants to do show classes then my advice stands. Of course under the tweed jacket she'd wear a shirt and tie. She would normally wear ribbons to match the tie or you could do her hair in a bun and scrunchy. I'd worry about that at the time.

Black jackets and black boots are no-nos for showing but you could get away with them for a Best Rider class as part of a gymkhana.

[basildonbond]

Thanks Butkin - it is just very low-level at the moment - as long as she enjoys it that's my main concern

[basildonbond]

thanks for all the advice - dd had a great time

she came third in her class in the dressage (out of 4 .. but she was the youngest in the class by 6 years!!) and first in both her gymkhana races

she was very proud of her new dressage outfit - pic in profile :)