Complete newbie here - another (long!) dressage question!

[newriderat28]

Hello!!

So I've just started riding about 3 months ago (rode as a child but never to any serious levels...which I now regret!), I've been having lessons and my instructor suggested I enter a walk trot dressage test (on a school horse)....I'm super nervous and am now freaking out about what to wear.

I know I don't have to wear all the gear...but I want to look the part.

I fancied navy so have just bought a jacket...a nice previous season caldene one for £75 but when I had my lesson today my instructor said I should have gone black to match my hat (which is only a week old!!)...and then pointed out maybe I should have gone tweed to match my boots (brown jodhpur boots with chaps)....!!!!

So I'm panicking that I now have a navy jacket, a black hat and brown boots!

Will I look silly and all mismatched? Should I try and change something...or everything? :-S

The hat I have is a champion fixed peak one...is it possible to put a silk over it to make it navy? Or does that not work?

Then there is the jodhpur colour question...is there an unwritten rule which says what goes best with black/navy (white/beige/either?)

And THEN... stock vs. Tie?

(Is there such a thing as being "overdressed" for a basic basic level test at a local school?!)

There is soo much to think about!!
I just don't want to be that girl who is "all the (wrong, mismatched) gear, no idea!" :-D

I'm also really panicking that I'm not actually ready for the test...but that is another story!!

Until now I've been absolutely loving riding again...and I don't want all of this to put me off!!

Thanks in advance for your advice! I know these kinds of questions get asked a lot!!

Xxxx

 

[DuckToller]

I really wouldn't worry about it! Go and do the test and enjoy it. Worry about getting everything to match when you are ready to affiliate

You are being judged on your riding, not your turnout. Most judges wouldn't notice and shouldn't care - some will be so absorbed with watching the horse they wouldn't notice if you were sat back to front. And others are probably half asleep by the second horse in, so again you would be safe

As for the jods, you can wear white or beige with navy, but you should never wear white with tweed so if you are thinking of getting a tweed jacket then go with beige, if you are sticking with your comfortable navy jacket then perhaps white.

Stock or tie, well depends what you find most comfortable but you would need a shirt with a collar to wear a tie so a stock with a comfortable stock-type nicely fitted top would be more comfortable - once you have done the test you can take the stock off and just wear the top while you enjoy a cup of tea and wait for the results.

You could try putting a silk over the hat but I think it would look even odder so just don't worry about it. Good luck with the test!

 

[newriderat28]

Thank you DuckToller! I think I've calmed down a bit over the last couple of days! I've changed my mindset to simply wanting to complete the test and feel proud of myself for doing it so I'm feeling a lot happier all round (you could probably tell I was in quite a state from my first post!!!)

Regarding the outfit I've found a daily cheap black jacket online and so waiting to see how that looks when it arrives...but again..not majorly stressing anymore!

Thanks again!!

 

[9tails]

I think navy is very smart and best for ladies. I prefer beige breeches to white, they're more flattering IMO unless you're a supermodel. Black boots would look better than brown but it depends on the boot, if your brown boots are long riding boots they will be fine. I find that black jodhpur boots with leather gaiters are almost unidentifiable from long black boots and considerably cheaper and more comfortable.

 

[newriderat28]

Thanks 9tails! I've ordered some beige and some white breeches to compare...I think I prefer the look of white (on other people...who probably do resemble supermodels..which I do NOT! ) so I will probably end up going beige!

My boots are brown jodhpur boots and chaps so not especially smart but I think for this first one I'll just leave it...and like DuckToller said think about sorting things out "properly" at a later stage!

Thanks again 9tails!

Xx