Badminton horse trials... What to wear?

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Magnadoodle

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Hi folks... At the beginning of the year I decided to finally unleash the horsemad teenager that has been trapped in me for 20 years... Having weekly lessons (squeezing in two whenever possible, lingering around RS whenever possible)
The Pinnacle of this unleashed horseyness being treating myself to a lifelong dream .... I've booked to go on coach trip to Badminton... Am travelling on my own from Scotland, and meeting some friends there on the Saturday.
I have NO idea what to wear .... I want to wear my nice new jodhs and welly/yard type boots ... Would I look daft In Jodhs when I am obviously not riding? Concerned about jeans Incase It rains.... What advice could seasoned event spectators give me?
Thanking you muchly cxx
 
Magnadoodle said:
Hi folks... At the beginning of the year I decided to finally unleash the horsemad teenager that has been trapped in me for 20 years... Having weekly lessons (squeezing in two whenever possible, lingering around RS whenever possible)
The Pinnacle of this unleashed horseyness being treating myself to a lifelong dream .... I've booked to go on coach trip to Badminton... Am travelling on my own from Scotland, and meeting some friends there on the Saturday.
I have NO idea what to wear .... I want to wear my nice new jodhs and welly/yard type boots ... Would I look daft In Jodhs when I am obviously not riding? Concerned about jeans Incase It rains.... What advice could seasoned event spectators give me?
Thanking you muchly cxx
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I’d go with jeans & take waterproofs.
 
No jods - you'll like like a prat . . . jeans, comfy shoes/boots, layers and some waterproofs. The Badders and Burghley uniform for those with dosh to spare seems to be white jeans with tweed jacket and DuBarry boots - or tweed skirt (short) with aforementioned boots and a Joules top of some description. Regular jeans and a comfy t-shirt with sweatshirt or hoody on top is perfectly acceptable ;).

P
 
Thanks so much ... I have a tweed skirt �� shall take that for Sunday weather permitting (don't know if I could pull off the sloane ranger look but shall give it a go ... The jodhs shall remain at home ... I will pass the "all gear no idea" stage soon I hope xxxx
 
I'd go for jeans, comfy trainers (i usually bring my dubarrys as they are comfy & waterproof lol) and layers on top. A rucksack would be a good idea to store all layers in case the sun does come out :D

Id also recommend an bringing an extra pair of socks, something nice about putting on a clean pair when your feet are aching after walking non-stop!

Definitely do not wear jodhpurs, jodphur boots are fine - my short jod boots are ariats and quite possinly comfier than my trainers, I regularly wear them to uni :p
 
Your most comfortable footwear, once you get out of that coach you won't really find anywhere to sit except the Grandstand, I would go with my walking boots. Layers including waterproof thin outer. Ear warmers. Rucksack to carry all the clothes you strip off! Ibuprofen for the sore back you get from carrying the rucksack.

Consider (as you are in Scotland) going to Blair in September, they are hosting the Europeans!
 
To be fair, I think it's a bit harsh to say you'll look a prat in jodhpurs - I've gone to Hickstead and agricultural/county shows in jodhpurs before. Hickstead is close to my yard & if I've ridden before & going straight from the yard, I'm not driving in the other direction to change for what is a horsey event! I've been in a bikini top & shorts with flip flops some years too! Wear whatever you are comfortable in :D

Definitely wear comfortable footwear - jodhpur boots are fine, depending on the weather in the run up you may want wellies instead. Then layers - I usually take a wax jacket with a thin gilet then a jumper & top as under layers. I've been grateful of a headband/hat as well - but that's the kind of thing you can pick up there, if it is particularly cold or windy.

Definitely take your purse - the shopping is immense :D
 
Honestly jeans, jods do look odd. Agree boots can be a must been to babminton in wet and knee high mud and been and got sun burn!
 
A big smile and whatever is really comfortable + I always have a lightweight waterproof that I can keep in my small rucksack. It's so busy that you just don't notice what other people are wearing, well I don't!! Have a fab time, my tickets arrived yesterday and I'm doing Friday for the shopping and a bit of dressage + walking the course completely unhindered, Saturday is XC fest. I also record the XC on the red button (usually about 6 hours worth) and watch it over the next week.
 
why jods? (unless you have come straight from the yard) you are not going to jump on the horse and have a go (or are you? lol) :P
when I went to the Burghley Trials literally everyone was wearing those brown ariat boot things I was like a uniform! There were also a lot of people in groups sporting gleaming clean jods and joules tops. To me its like advertising 'look at me I'm a rider' when 99% of people walking around probably all are.

Personally I would just go in comfortable jeans and some yard boots, or something you don't mind walking around in and probably sitting down in muddy grass. Maybe take a rucksack or something if you are planning on buying loads of gear, better than plastic bags cutting into your fingers while you walk round. - I learned the hard way buying a rock salt lick right at the beginning of the day- bad idea lol
 
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I agree with whoever said just wear what you want & feel comfortable in. Personally that is jeans/shorts for me....it's a bloody novelty to get out of my breeches 😜
I think it was last year e-venting ran an article on 'what to wear to Badminton' whilst it was meant a little bit tongue in cheek it had me seething with rage! Highlights included that anyone even remotely 'large' shouldn't wear shorts, you shouldn't wear yard jackets/boots, jodhpurs, slogan sweatshirts. In fact unless you were wearing, obviously what the author was intending to wear, skinny jeans, ballet pumps & a joules t-shirt you had it COMPLETELY wrong. Like I said it was supposed to be tongue in cheek &funny.....it came across as spiteful & bitchy.
Seriously who actually cares what anyone else is wearing, really? I think it's really sweet when kids/new riders wear their jods 😊
 
I do my horse on my way to/from work in winter, and always manage to get changed either in the tack room or next to the car hiding behind the open door, and theres always places to stop on the way to get changed EG services/garages etc, so I would personally get changed beforehand into something comfortable and practical for the day. It is quite funny as there is a 'uniform' at these types of events - many people trying to look the part. I remember one year it absolutely tipped down and turned everything to mud. I had to buy some short wellies whilst I was there, and TBH, fashion just went right out the window !! :-)
 
Jeans and good comfy boots. Years ago I was there on the friday when everyone was in shorts, flipflops and t shirts and on the saturday it snowed and everyone was in thick jackets and boots so make sure you check out the weather forecast for that weekend and be prepared for all weathers. I haven't been for about 10 years now, enjoy.
 
Definitely wouldn't recommend jods. Jeans are perfectly acceptable. It's usually unbearably hot or unbearably cold and/or wet, so bring plenty of layers and comfortable wellies or walking boots.

Have fun!
 
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