Do you think riding will go back to 'traditonal' ?

I have just paid $250 for a bridle that I would only have put on a rocking horse 7 years ago, and it isn't a blingy western one either. Really must take a photo of it sometime.
I think less is more, but bling is the norm for many and de rigeur in showing classes :D

Will the traditional stuff make a comeback? No, I don't think so, not for normal day to day riding, I pray that it will remain in the show ring and the hunting field though.
 
I doubt things will go back to traditional & in some respect I believe that is good. Years ago there wasn't the 'world market' where you could buy really cheap & poorly made tack that was being imported from the sweat shops of the east & China. All tack was English with the occasional piece being imported from Germany. You get what you pay for with bridles, leathers, reins & saddles.

Again, years ago, you wore woolen hacking jackets, your horse had jute & canvas rugs because that was the only material available. Now there are various 'breathable' fabrics, fabrics with 'elastane', gortex, polyester etc that are far lighter, waterproof & quick drying & therefore more wearable. Without these new materials you wouldn't have breeches that fitted as well or would clean as easily etc.

People are generally slaves to fashion & some companies pay riders to wear a particular item, doesn't matter how ugly it is & because they & other top riders are wearing it it suddenly becomes a 'must have' item'.

I particularly detest the awful colours that 'Animo' make their jackets & the way they convince people to buy the jacket at least 2 sizes smaller than actually fits the rider!! You can see the fabric stretching & straining as the rider moves. :(

I think traditional styling & colours are great, they are timeless & very smart but are made better by using modern lightweight breathable & waterproof fabrics. :)
 
I prefer a more traditional look in general. However, I do have a penchant for patent, there is just something about shiny, shiny leather ... . I have not succumbed yet but one day I will.

gala said:
A few years ago I was lucky enough to find a pair of VERY old fashioned jods, the type with wings, in a charity shop. Just for a laugh I teamed them up with an equally vintage hacking jacket, hunting stock, a bowler hat and a hairnet, the whole outfit, and went on a short hack wearing them. I was amazed at the effect it had on the car drivers, the outfit had much more impact than hi viz, drivers were so respectful....slowing right down, holding back and passing me really slowly. Of course it could have been because I looked ridiculous but hey ho, whatever the reason it worked!!
Click to expand...

Maybe they assumed (correctly or incorrectly) that you can afford the very best lawyers.

mandwhy said:
Oh Burmilla, Miss Boultbee Brookes sounds like an excellent character! Much like the legendary ladies of Sandon Saddlery round here, one of whom has sadly passed. Formidable types indeed! I don't think I have ever seen anyone actually hacking in a hacking jacket, if they were side saddle I'd probably want to take pictures!
Click to expand...

She actually sounds quite mean to me. Children don't generally buy their own clothes, so why critique them for what they wear? Snootiness and class are not the same thing in my view.
 
Personally I think there's a lot to be said for modern materials but it's definitely harder to find well made stuff. Bling and colours is really down to personal taste, and I personally think it is starting to get a bit daft
 
I don't think traditional riding has "gone" as such it's just not as common with the amount of things you can actually get now.
Personally though I stick with simple and practical; besides if you own a gelding I don't think he needs any more insults and injury to his masculinity with being put in pink and sparkly headbands, but each to thier own ;) :D
 
I prefer the traditional look..tweed jacket...simple leather (although i do use a flash)

i use neoprene boots and have one coloured numnah and coloured bandages. the neoprene boots are ww and plain.

i think a lot of 'modern' stuff is quite simply cheaper eg a simple waffle weave sweat rug is cheaper than a woollen one and it can make a good gift eg. my cousin gave me a browband with my horses name in diamonte....i rarely use it but it is a bit of fun.

some modern stuff is down right tacky!!!
 
I think it also depends on the horse, my big bay hunter built like an outside toilet and 17 hands in his stocking feet is always in plain excellent quality leather tack. He looks a million dollars in it even at 20 and saggy in the middle :-)))

My go faster stripes 9 yo Haflinger mare on the other hand does nothing for leather tack and it does nothing for her. We are riding out in the Cairngorms and so she has synthetic tack (just got her an eye gougingly bright bridle in shades of electric green and white biothane and her saddle is synthetic too) and I have all the pink hi viz I can find to make sure the mountain rescue and helicopter can see where she has dumped me in a ditch after meeting her first Capercaillie :-))))

It seems a long time since I stood at the end of my drive as a seven year old waiting for a lift to my weekly ride, dressed in fawn jodhs, a canary turtleneck, tweed hacking jacket and jodhs boots dubbined so much you could see your face......:-))

I think the biggest improvement has been rugs, they are so much lighter and more comfy for horses now, however that has meant they are overused!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top