Equestrian Sports and Dress Codes

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IrishRegulus

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Hey all,

I dare say this is not the first time this has been asked, but I'll throw in my penny's worth.

Does anyone think that we should be allowed to compete in polo shirts and throw those period costumes down to the nearest Oxfam? (OK, I'm biased :) )

Why do safety regulations seemingly take a back seat in higher level dressage - the little top hat...whihc, imho, wouldn't stop a harsh comment, nevermind a fall and accidents do happen, even at such high levels.

I fear that some people I know love the whole dressing up. I do not have a problem with this; but, do wonder if such emphasis serves only to detract from the actual important thing at the competition, such as.

The skill of the rider.

Not how well dressed one can be.

Dressing up does little to impress me. In my mind some of history's biggest monsters were oh-so well dressed.

Ghandhi and Jesus would never have won anything on the cat-walk

Who would you rather have mind the brats...Pol Pot or Ghandhi?

Jesus would flunk dressage for being dressed so shabbily...meanwhile, Hitler goes on to get the blue ribbon...

All I hear about this is tradition, tradition, tradition...but, hey, let's face it...our ancestors were not all that smart - most were ignorant, superstitious with dire diets, appalling personal hygiene and rotting teeth. Socially, they weren't much better. Around the times when people acutally wore these garments, did a monkey not get hanged in the Northeast due to the local populace believing it to be a French Revolutionary? Hmm...human..monkey - human...monkey...and you can't tell the difference because...???

Good god man...they wore powdered wigs! Don't start me on barristers and judges :P

None on us would last one day in old "yesteryear" before hammering on the doors to be allowed back to the present and there'd be a lot more sidesaddle.

Tennis players got polo shirts
Crickters got polo shirts
So what about us?

Have a great day and happy riding! x
 
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I dont exactly think you can compare dressage riders to hitler, therefore your post seems a bit pointless! I quite like the dressing up aspect of competing- we're not brilliant but oh well it's all part of the fun.
 
Because riding clothes flatter the figure more than normal clothes and polo shirts do?? I know I can't wait to get into my side saddle habit to show in as that covers up my huge arse and hips!!!
If I could, I would wear it all day everyday as it's the only thing I own that makes me look skinny. LOL, the Victorians and Edwardians had the right idea about side saddle habits in my opinion :D
 
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
Traditions are there for a reason and I for one would hate to see people jumping in polo shirts. For one it is dangerous! You should always wear long sleeves whilst riding, I have the scaring to prove why.
Turnout at competitions is about respect, respect for your horse, respect for yourself and respect for the judge. And it is about having standards. We have let standards slip everywhere to the detriment of society as a whole but why should we do it here?
Secondly dressage does not mandate that you use a topper, it just says you can. CJD is turning the tide and a lot are now wearing helmets.
 
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I like a smart horse and smart rider. Jesus seriously your comparing jesus to a horse rider who we have actually never even seen anyway. How do you know what he wore? He could have been very smart for his era?

The whole point of competing is your competing, your going out to make an impression with yourself and your horse.

As for appalling hygiene standards and rotten teeth that's not changed - I have to work with some very scruffy dirty people who have no excuse. I am afraid I had to have a word with one of my staff about complaints about his OB. I also said in a staff meeting we don't mind smart casual clothes but they need to be clean as the office gets warm.
 
This!
I trully believe it is all about respect,for your horse,yourself and all the work you have put in to achieve your dreams, for your trainer and lastly for the judges.
Would you present yourself with a filthy horse, dirty tack and straw in your horse's tail?Why bother to groom or plait your horse, why not simply slip on some jeans.....
 
I love getting dressed up to compete!

At the end of the day i put in all the hard work at home to make the horse perform amazing but it looking muddy & me looking scruffy just ruins the picture! The judges are going to be more focused on how scruffy we look than how amazing our test is.
I event & i must say i put in extra effort when going BE than i do if i am just going unaff dreasage or sj etc :)

Plus then you get lovely pictures :p
 
Burn the witch I say. Dressage in polo shirts? Heresy!


This...
DSC06748_zps6ac1badb.jpg


compared to this......
DSC06826_zps7c4b1a53.jpg

That would be a No from me.
 
Playing devils advocate here..... there is a place for "dressed down" competition at lower levels to encourage people who don't compete, feel intimidated by competing or are kids just starting out perhaps with parents who struggle to afford everything. But at anything other than those very particular "encouragement" type events dressing correctly for your discipline is massively part of it. As others have said - it is about respect for the judges, for yourself and for the horse. I do have some sympathy with OP's comment about top hats in dressage. They look great but I prefer the example set by those who wear proper safety hats.
 
Err, methinks you are forgetting the history of why riding clothes evolved as they did. Most of the stuff originated as 'health and safety'anyways such as a stock to protect your neck, breeches and long boots for comfort in the saddle, long sleeved shirts and jackets so you didn't deglove your arms if you fell off/jumped through bushes.

Some things may seem a little archaic now, not that that's a bad thing (and it certainly isn't the only place that there are dress codes - do some research into the psychology of ritual clothing, it'sfascinating)

Oh, and looking smart isn't the prerogative of those that spend the most money on their clothing. In fact the 'uniform' creates a level playing field - a well-looked after 50 year old tweed that fits well is just as acceptable in the show ring as the latest designer gear.
 
I do showing and correct turnout is part of the overall picture. A pony could be a perfect specimen of the breed, with perfect manners, do a foot perfect show and be beautifully ridden, but without correct turnout (of both pony and rider) there will always be a bit missing. Polo shirts might have a place somewhere but for me that place is not in the show ring.
 
I have to say, I'm another who thinks 'dressing up' is very much a part of the competition. I do quite a bit of showing and there it's not just about how the horse goes but also how he looks and some clever presentation can help on that one.
I feel disappointed that society has slipped into a much more casual approach to our own 'turnout' standards. I'm in my early 30s but when I was growing up I would never have dared go to a family sunday lunch in your jeans, Chirstmas day is when you put on your best clothes and, despite coming from a family of atheists/agnostics, if we ever had to go church we always dressed in our sunday best. I still adhere to those rules now even when the norms would probably dictate otherwise.
FOr me if we lost a lot of the formality with equine competition it would be a gross shame... although if we could look to incorporate more modern fabrics that would be a godsend - I have competed in 27 degrees in a class lasting over an hour in full woolen jacket, leather gloves, shirt and tie and long leather boots. How nobody collapsed is still am mystery to me!
 
And what would be next after polo shirts? Tracky bottoms?

Honestly OP what on earth are you thinking? Is it that you can't be ars*d to clean yourself and your horse up properly and have some respect for each other and the people taking the time and making the effort to provide you with a competition to attend? If so, perhaps the competition world isn't for you.
 
I'm put off competing by the expense of the clothes. I don't have £150 to drop on a jacket and boots. I ride day-to-day in jodh boots and half-chaps, which judging from comments on here would cause the judge to faint with horror, and are too battered to be respectable anyway.

I'd like to do an intro or prelim dressage test, just to see what it's like, but I'm not spending all that money for something I a) might not enjoy, b) wouldn't get to do very often anyway. If I could show up in a slightly smarter version of my normal riding clothes (horse neat and clean; me in clean boots and chaps; shirt tucked in, instead of t-shirt billowing to cover my arse!) I'd give it a whirl.
 
Pippity said:
I'm put off competing by the expense of the clothes. I don't have £150 to drop on a jacket and boots. I ride day-to-day in jodh boots and half-chaps, which judging from comments on here would cause the judge to faint with horror, and are too battered to be respectable anyway.

I'd like to do an intro or prelim dressage test, just to see what it's like, but I'm not spending all that money for something I a) might not enjoy, b) wouldn't get to do very often anyway. If I could show up in a slightly smarter version of my normal riding clothes (horse neat and clean; me in clean boots and chaps; shirt tucked in, instead of t-shirt billowing to cover my arse!) I'd give it a whirl.
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Plenty of people compete in boots and half chaps and as for the jackets costing a fortune - if a H&M blazer is good enough for Malin Baryard-Johnsson (and yes she is sponsored by them but they still look smart).

Plus there is a huge range of products and price points, and also SO much available second hand, you don't have to spend a fortune.
 
Lanky Loll said:
Plenty of people compete in boots and half chaps and as for the jackets costing a fortune - if a H&M blazer is good enough for Malin Baryard-Johnsson (and yes she is sponsored by them but they still look smart).

Plus there is a huge range of products and price points, and also SO much available second hand, you don't have to spend a fortune.
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Skinny minnies may be able to find a decent range second-hand - it's harder when you get to my size! I've been looking for about six months now.

Whenever I've seen show attire discussed on here, people seem to be utterly horrified at the idea of competing in half-chaps (gaiters, yes; half-chaps, no. Finding gaiters to match my 10-year-old, faded brown jodh boots would be... difficult.)

Whenever I've gone to my local unaff dressage comp, it's been black jackets, white jodhs and black boots.
 
Pippity said:
Skinny minnies may be able to find a decent range second-hand - it's harder when you get to my size! I've been looking for about six months now.

Whenever I've seen show attire discussed on here, people seem to be utterly horrified at the idea of competing in half-chaps (gaiters, yes; half-chaps, no. Finding gaiters to match my 10-year-old, faded brown jodh boots would be... difficult.)

Whenever I've gone to my local unaff dressage comp, it's been black jackets, white jodhs and black boots.
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To be fair - you're more likely to see kids in half chaps than adults but whatever. You can still get boots and gaiters second hand or if you're not doing much a cheap pair of rubber boots won't hurt and as an example these at £23 shouldn't break the bank: http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=78
And these jackets at £40: http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=15365

Or if you're larger then this is on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dublin-Black-Show-Jacket-Size-18-/301698900667?hash=item463ea7e2bb

Sorry but if you look around you can source things cheaply regardless of size, it just may take longer.

As to the OPs original question - part of competing is to me the dressing up. I've returned to competition after nearly 20 years, still wearing the kit I wore then. I've slowly replaced it with newer items as I can afford them and I've found what I wanted. I think it would be a great shame to lose that side of it. In the time that's passed since I was last competing the styles have changed - I still can't bring myself to wear some of the more modern style jackets and especially showjumping has become more relaxed but there is still the requirement to present a neat picture to the judge.
 
Pippity - could you borrow some boots and a jacket? If not, then I really do recommend a good hunt around for second hand bargains, or if you feel your size cuts this avenue off completely (I don't see why it should though - riders do come in all sizes after all) then you could always buy new as per the post above and if the competing doesn't turn out to be your think you could sell the stuff and get at least some of your money back.
 
I would be very comfortable with competition clothing rules being updated to cover items like polo shirts, long sleeve close fitting zip tops (which I think British Showjumping allows). As long as the items were safe (close fitting, no flappy bits, etc.) I do not mind.

The clothing rules as they stand today have selected a pretty arbitrary period in history as their basis. You could equally well argue that all BD competitors should wear full plate armour, or dress like a Lancer from the Napoleonic era.
 
I enjoy the smart element of it. We all put so much work and money into our horses and it is nice to dress up when you go out. The other thing is that...once you invest in jacket...it will literally last for years. I don't agonise over what to wear when I go out with my horse, it is the same thing I wore to the last SJ/DR etc.
 
I'm really surprised at peoples comments on here. When I was competing the thing that I really hated was having to get quite so dressed up.

Personally I think a smart pair of black boots, black jodhs (hide the dirt) and either a black or white polo shirt would look perfectly smart and be less expensive and constrictive
 
I can't stand those tacky zip up BS jackets, polo shirts would just be a step too far. I think I would actually give up, poor turnout and dress due to people not being bothered to make an effort makes my teeth itch.

You can band about tradition and Hitler all you like, it's about standards to be honest.
 
Why does everyone think that a change of dress code = 'dirty'
People are saying they wouldn't want to see scruffy, ungroomed horses etc.
Just because you are wearing different clothes, doesn't mean they've not been washed for 2 weeks or that you've dragged your pony straight from the field complete with mud.
Yes I would want riding clothes to be clean and smart, but they don't have to be stuck in the past.
We keep harping on about how riding is a sport...well how many other sportsmen and women do you see competing in heavy, hot, restricting clothes?
I don't necessarily want riding (competition) wear to become too casual, however I would like it to move with the times and us give the benefit of new fabric technologies and designs.

And if people still wish to dress in their wool jackets etc then I wouldn't stop them.
 
little_critter said:
Why does everyone think that a change of dress code = 'dirty'
People are saying they wouldn't want to see scruffy, ungroomed horses etc.
Just because you are wearing different clothes, doesn't mean they've not been washed for 2 weeks or that you've dragged your pony straight from the field complete with mud.
Yes I would want riding clothes to be clean and smart, but they don't have to be stuck in the past.
We keep harping on about how riding is a sport...well how many other sportsmen and women do you see competing in heavy, hot, restricting clothes?
I don't necessarily want riding (competition) wear to become too casual, however I would like it to move with the times and us give the benefit of new fabric technologies and designs.

And if people still wish to dress in their wool jackets etc then I wouldn't stop them.
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But there are new fabrics, technologies and designs - just have a wander around a show and see the different styles available. The modern competition jackets are much lighter, less restrictive and if you pick up a BS approved blouson style totally different. But there is still the freedom to dress in boiled wool if you wish.
 
This is where Western is different - there is a dress code, but you can bling it up or tone it down as you prefer. All has to be clean and presentable, and 'Western' style, but clean jeans and a smart long sleeve shirt are fine, or sequined/diamante slinky tops and tasseled chaps are equally fine, so all are happy!
 
I'm another who loves the dressing up part. I spend most of the time schooling or hacking in casual clothes so it's nice to dress up and look smart every now and again!

Someone mentioned polo shirts being better than a normal cotton shirt. I don't find cotton shirts particularly warm, especially if you have a short sleeve one with vents in the arm pits and back like mine does!
 
I am amused by the amount of people who have leapt to the conclusion that widening the scope of what one could wear for a competition automatically means a filthy horse and no standards :) There is a middle ground.

Tradition and remembering the past is fine, but 'those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it'? We're talking about relaxing the dress code here, not invading another country... I really don't see what the problem is with wearing whatever you feel comfortable in, providing it's smart and clean and the horse the same. Those who enjoy dressing up can continue to dress up and the rest of us could relax... :)

Oh - and I'm thinking dressage/eventing/showjumping above. Showing is just not on my radar :)
 
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