Attire for inhand lead rein showing - help please?

[Jericho]

My daughter (4 1/2 yrs) and I are quite keen to do a little bit of showing on the lead rein, just local level, to have some fun. Our first show is in a couple of weeks and is a lead rein under 5 class and wanted to some inspirations as to what to wear as bit confused about tweed / black / gloves

Pony is bay, very pretty, Welsh A. Will probably use black cub saddle for little classes (assuming these are allowed) or normal black saddle. Bridle is black with snaffle bit. Am planning to plait as not M&M class. Will use leather lead rein with end chain attached to noseband.
Q1. Can I carry a showing cane?
My daughter - Q2. should she be in a hacking jacket or black jacket? Q3. Can she just use her skull cap or do I need a velvet cap? Q4. Do I need to get her a special show shirt? Q5 Should she wear gloves and if so what colour, balck to match hat or cream to match jods? Q5. where can I buy any of this to fit a 4 - 5 year old??!!!!

Me - was planning to wear black trousers, jodphur boots, shirt and tie, maybe a waistcoat to match daughters outfit. Q6. Do I need to wear a hat - velvet cap or normal 'smart' hat?

Was thinking that I might do soft yellow accessories ie. waistcoat and tie for me, and shirt, scrunchie, tie for little one, Q7 Do you think this would look good, professional????!

Any ideas appreciated!! I can find lots of pictures but everyone seems different

 

[Vickey]

For a local show, it is more laid back these days, not like the "Olden" days.
I would suggest a velvet cap, to coordinate with her colours, I would also say a hacking jacket rather than a black jacket and gloves again to co-ordinate, so navy if navy velvet or black or cream if she wears cream jods. Cream/yellow jods rather than white. Any shirt is fine as it can be covered by a traditional stock or you can get great stock shirts these days that do it all.
Fo you, a co-ordinating outfit is fab to tie in with her colours. Hat is nice but optional, not a velvet riding hat tho (or a winter hat, I saw someone leading at the weekend in a fleece hat!?) A show cane is fine, I would suggest taht the rider has this and you ahve a subtle long whip if required.

I cannot suggest where to get the items as I am in Bath and not near you but most good tack shops will stock loads of show stuff.... Or if you had more time Robinsons or any online stores or even ebay for a bargain or two...

Most of all enjoy it, it is a great hobby and lots of fun

Make sure you post some piccies and let us know how you got on!

 

[Hippona]

Hi- my 5 year old daughter and i do lead rein classes at local level- as mentioned it is not that strict, although some people do go a bit OTT.

Daughters pony is a shetland, so the pony goes natural- we may plait her mane the night before and undo it on show morning so it is all crinkly and lovely. We did use a cub saddle until the most recent show and nobody said anything about it, we've just splashed out on a leather one. Make sure she has safety stirrups, judges at out club are very hot on this!. Daughter wears cream joddies with brown joddi boots, brown tweed hacking jacket, shirt and navy tie. I wear similar to her just so it looks nice- cream jods, brown tweed jacket and shirt with blue tie...long black riding boots.I refuse to wear a tweed skirt/hat so thats the nearest I get and it looks pretty smart.

Main thing is to have fun...we try to look nice, but we don't go mad like some people do....

Good luck!

ps - just posted a pic of daughter couple weeks ago before going out to lead rein class- got cub saddle on then, looks ok

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

I may be one of those people that go over the top

But Im the type of person that has the saying .. "if your going to do something then do it right " ... You can still have fun, you dont need to spend money alot of money to look right either .

I got my outfit in asda ... Cost me £8 all together , hat from new look, Tiarnans jacket was second hand , new jods , Cane was a bamboo cane and I varnished it . Brown gloves, if you have some nice black flat shoes , mines was from next cost £10 . You would be best with a velvet hat for your daughter instead of a skull cap for showing . Do away with the chain if you can, Go to your local saddlers, they can make you up a lead rein for £14 or so . Just a little brass clip at the end of it would be sufficent . Try ebay for your daughter, buy a nice white shirt out of asda/tescos ( school shirt ) take a yellow duster along with the shirt and put it through a wash and hey presto , cream shirt

If you need to know anything else just buzz

...and most importantly have fun

Heres a few pics of my son and tommy , we have done mainly M&M , but also have done show hunter as well .

 

[Hippona]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend

- you do look lovely....its just that my legs have not been in a skirt since about 1984 and if I were to appear in public wearing one, friends may think I am unwell!

I just feel more comfy in jods/trousers...

Love the pony...looking for a larger one next year ourselves..

by the way - like the tip re yellow duster- never would thought of that one!
I think the point is, you can look smart without going mad with the budget .... and the main thing is the kids enjoy it ( unless you get rained on, like we did on sunday- miserable session that was.)

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, didn't mean to offend

- you do look lovely....its just that my legs have not been in a skirt since about 1984 and if I were to appear in public wearing one, friends may think I am unwell!

I just feel more comfy in jods/trousers...

Love the pony...looking for a larger one next year ourselves..

by the way - like the tip re yellow duster- never would thought of that one!
I think the point is, you can look smart without going mad with the budget .... and the main thing is the kids enjoy it ( unless you get rained on, like we did on sunday- miserable session that was.)

[/ QUOTE ]


No you didnt offend me lol

Your points are exactly what Im saying , you can still look right with abit brain power and shopping around

without spending an absolute fortune , which Im hell bent on not doing .
I dont do skirts that often, infact lead rein is the only time I wear one , hate them with a passion

.
Thank you, I wish I could stretch him up abit so he does tiarnan longer

, saying that I have another little boy who will be 4 in january so will do him , but not a hope am I going to buy another pony

Nps

Ahh its not nice when the kiddies get soaked .

Col x

 

[Hippona]

Open mouth, insert foot- thats me....

I'm off to buy a yellow duster on my way home now, got a show on sunday - thats saved me a fortune!!!!

jackets have just about dried out from last weekend, nothing as nasty as a wet tweed jacket....

 

[Colleen_Miss_Tom]

Hehe , dont worry

Im like that too

Good luck for sunday

 

[Jericho]

thank you so much - thats really helpful especially the yellow duster tip! I am off to buy school shirts for her today anyway so I will pop an extra one to dye!