First time showing - what to expect?

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Louise_88

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Any tips for a newbee to showing, mare is 15h Piebald middle weight cob all feather in tact. She will just be doing the ridden coloured class at a local show but it will be her first time out and my first time ever showing so wondering what to wear? What is expected? What kind of standard to expect?

Any advice or tips much appreciated.
 
You should wear a tweed jacket, navy velvet hat, shirt and tie, cream or beige breeches, long leather boots, although short boots and gaiters are now commonly used, brown leather gloves, hair in a net and carry a show cane.
The horse should have ideally brown tack but locally black will be fine, plain browband, discrete dark numnah, whichever bit she goes well in and be turned out super clean and shiney.
The standard varies from show to show, just do your best and enjoy the day:)
 
I only have a black hat but i do have a tweed jacket that goes well with the hat, will this be an issue? She has black tack. I also don't own a show cane (she has never been ridden with a stick so I wash't going to use one), I may be able to borrow one if this is a problem? I'm only really going so that she gets to see the big wide world but obviously don't want to look silly and don't want to let her down because we aren't kitted out well enough. It will definitely be an experience anyway!
 
The black hat is fine, don't worry about a cane, better she is happy than you carry something that worries her. If you get the bug you can make any changes but for now just go out and have fun as long as the basics are correct, ie tweed and no bling you will be fine and fit in.
 
I took my yearling to her first in-hand show at the end of last year and was actually surprised at the range of styles/colours on display so I really wouldn't worry!
 
What attheponies said. At local shows, it's really just about looking smart than having to have everything by the rule book. Obviously, if you want to do everything "correctly" you can, but you won't be thrown out of the ring if you only have joddy boots for example. I went to one show where half the people weren't even wearing beige/cream jods and a jacket, they looked as if they'd just rolled up in whatever was nearest to hand. I like at least trying to look smart (don't think I ever succeeded!)

Have fun!
 
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