A showing question, help!

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Equibeau

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Please could all you knowledgable people tell me the correct attire for in hand showing, one in a riding horse class and also a sport horse class?? and also what does the horse wear? Do you just hold the reins or take them off and put a dog lead thing on? I have never done this sort of thing before, but might have a bash soon as there is a show with a lot of prize money on offer!!!
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I can answer your riding horse question - someone else will have to do the sports horse! If your horse is old enough to wear a bit, then either show in a snaffle or a double depending on what they normally wear. The browband should be coloured for riding horse classes. You should wear light coloured trousers (assuming your horse is the bay in your photos), jod boots that you can run in, shirt, tie, gloves, tweed jacket and some sort of hat. Unless you have a horse which is likely to misbehave, try to avoid a harnessed hat and either wear a beagler or some sort of trilby. Also carry a showing cane. The horse (assuming it is at least 2 years old) should be plaited and if old enough, should also have a pulled tail, ears and whiskers trimmed etc.
 
For Sport horse it the same as riding horse for your dress. (beige trousers, tweed jacket etc.)

For your horse he should be plaited and trimmed and a bridle with NO pretty browband, some people have white browbands to make the horse's head look smarter but i personally prefer plain ones. If you have a chain leather lead then that would add to the look instead of reins.

For your show you will also be asked to walk and trot around a triange of cones but im sure you already know that.
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Oh no, I dont already know anything!!! I am now faltering on the "jod boots that I can run in" !! I dont run much these days! But I will have a go! Thank you for the replies, will let you know how I get on. (He doesnt misbehave, and is 14, so bit no problem!!) Thanks !
 
Just to add, generally if your horse is 4 or over, use a double bridle or pelham with two reins. If the horse is under 4, use an inhand bridle with leather coupling (like a lead rein).

If you've got brown walking boots, they can be better to run in!

Good luck.
 
I was brought up to believe if your showing in a riding bridle use your reins, if a show bridle then use a leather lead rope with a chain. Thats coloureds though so dont know about ridden or sports horse!
 
Hmmm. See, in my mind, a riding bridle and a show bridle are the same but without the reins? My bridle is black with a flash. Would this be a big NO NO? Should I beg, borrow or steal a plain brown bridle just for the day? Thanks.
 
right i would beg borrow or steal a bridle with a nice flat wide nosband and no flash, brown would be best but black is acceptable
 
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Hmmm. See, in my mind, a riding bridle and a show bridle are the same but without the reins?

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By "show bridle" do you mean inhand bridle or ridden bridle? An inhand bridle should be used with a leather coupling instead of reins, a ridden bridle (which is a normal bridle suitable for showing in) should be used with normal reins

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My bridle is black with a flash. Would this be a big NO NO? Should I beg, borrow or steal a plain brown bridle just for the day? Thanks.

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A flash is a big no no in an inhand class, a smaller no no in a ridden class, and acceptable in a working hunter class. If you can borrow a plain browband and caveson noseband for the day (or buy some cheap ones if you're planning to do more showing), it will make a much better impression.
 
Alot of 3 yr olds up are shown in doubles/pelhams with reins.

Only use a leather lead in a simple inhand bridle or a simple snaffle type riding bridle if under 3.

Plain noseband for deff... no flashes etc.
 
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