Tweed

[pinkpolo]

Second post this week about showing our new horse

DHorse is a light/medium grey ID and DD will be showing him in a few ridden classes next weekend. It's only a local riding club show.

What colour tweed would be most appropriate?

We have a plain green, a brown with a purple check and a navy tweed. I don't really want to buy another as new horse = poor bank account!

I think blue looks good with a grey.

Is navy tweed ok for showing?

I bought it for hunting originally. I've seen mixed reviews for wearing it to show.

I've seen navy when I've been out, looks smart, not sure on how correct it is, at RC level I wouldn't think it would matter. Perhaps take another with you.

I only like brown or green tweed.

How navy is the navy tweed? If you know what I mean? I have a tweed that is mainly blue and I would call it a navy tweed, but if you viewed it from a distance it wouldn't look overwhelmingly navy, more just blue.

Mind you considering its just a local show I'd wear whichever fits the best- you can't really go wrong with a grey since they sort of go with everything. Do any of them have velvet collars? If so, do you have a velvet silk/hat to match?

The navy could pass as a navy dressage jacket from a distance. Close up you can tell it's tweed. I bought it as a cheap version of a hunting jacket as it looks similar to a wool hunting jacket.

Only now DD loves it! She wants to wear it with a pale blue shirt and canary jodhpurs. This outfit actually looks nice but whether a judge will agree is another matter!

We have a navy velvet hat for showing with beige leather straps. Black boots and gloves - should gloves be brown if the boots are black?

She tried on the green jacket with a maroon tie and this looked much better, but DD hated it

Gloves should always be brown for showing x

Ah just wear whatever you want! Brown gloves would be better, but since it's only a local show I wouldn't worry too much about it. I've ridden alongside many a professional that doesn't go by the "X should always be Y for showing" rule- black tack, white gloves, no hairnet. I could go on.

Depending on the class I'm not a fan of canary jodhpurs- they are the reserve of small children, hacks and natives- but if your DD likes it then I'd just let her wear what she wants- I've seen plenty of professionals in canary jods and unless you're looking to win tack and turnout then I'd doubt anyone will be bothere. No one is going to snuff out your HOYS career just yet! You might find the judge gives you tips too!

Horse and Hound has some useful info - look at 'In hand showing, what to wear.' Hope DD enjoys the class - how exciting for her.

Thank you everyone for your replies. DD is going with the navy!

Just out of curiosity, what is the correct attire for showing an ID in a ridden class? Just in case we ever venture further afield from our riding club!

It would depend on the class. Being ID I would expect to be in hunter classes (or cob if hogged) or workers if jumping is your thing. Maybe a breed class if the show has one. In which case the attire is broadly similar:

-Hacking jacket- preferably in a brown or green based tweed but I have seen blue (albeit not VERY blue)
-Velvet show hat with hair in a bun and hairnet
-Brown/cream/white gloves as appropriate with your chosen colour of tweed
-Plain or slight check shirt- again depends on the colour of tweed
-Tie to match tweed and shirt
-Buff or cream jodhpurs, not white or canary
-Long black boots with garter strap (short boots are for children only any not really applicable in hunters or cobs)
-Show cane- just something plain and that you know you can keep hold of
-For hunters and cobs over novice level it is correct to wear spurs, but a lot of people wear dummy spurs so there is no actual pointy bit to them, they are just for show
-Horse should be in a plain double bridle preferably (snaffles are only really for novices -4-5yo- and would be penalised at higher level)
-Show saddle (straight cut to show off the shoulder, seat size to fit you but this also depends on the horse and what show him/her off best)
-Tack preferably brown but not the end of the world if it's black so long as it looks correct. Flat, plain noseband and browband (could use a plaited browband if it looks right) one set of plain reins, one plaited.
-Plain stirrup irons, no safety stirrups etc.
-Trimmed/plaited as appropriate depending on type. Tail preferably pulled (definitely pulled if hogged) but tidy plait would be ok.

For workers it's broadly similar only you'd expect a slightly more forward cut saddle and potentially a martingale/breastplate and sometimes a different style of noseband if appropriate (grakle, flash etc). Some choose to use snaffle bridles with various different bits, but at higher levels most jump round in their double. The only tack you can change between the jumping phase and your flat phase are boots (if any) on the horse. Everything else must be as was in the jumping phase.

You wear blue on show ponies and for evening performances.
Otherwise it should be tweed. When DD has owned greys she's usually gone with a complimentary colour - her last jacket was pale green with large sky blue check and it complimented the pony well.

As others have said it should be brown gloves and if wearing jodhpur boots they should be brown. If your DD is older or riding something more substantial then she can wear long boots which should be black. Ideally a garter strap although these are going out of fashion for people on ponies. Always worn with horses though...

Just in case anyone is interested, DD came 4th in her first class. Unfortunately "D"Horse decided to bolt in gallop and dump her on the floor by bucking

He was on lwvtb so he's now going back. Absolutely not putting up with that!