Help! I’m clueless!

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Birratz

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Hello everyone,

I’m not normally one to post (usually I just search and find what I need!) but I don’t have the time to dig around properly right now, so I really hope you can help.

Quick backstory: my daughter has just had to change her college plans after GCSE results and is now unexpectedly heading to Sparsholt to study equine. She used to ride but hasn’t for a while, and horses really aren’t my thing! We’re now at the stage of needing to sort out clothing and footwear for the course, and I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s considered right/acceptable these days.

I just want her to start off on the right foot—she’s had a rough time at school, and teenage girls can be… let’s just say judgmental 😬. So any advice on what she’ll actually need (e.g. yard boots—are tall ones better to keep out sawdust?) would be hugely appreciated. It’s unlikely she’ll be doing the riding pathway as she’s quite rusty, but I still want her to look and feel comfortable.

Also, are there particular brands that are the “go-to” right now? I don’t want her to look like she’s trying too hard, but equally don’t want her turning up in the wrong thing! It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind—we honestly would have got her back into riding if we’d known this was the route she’d end up taking, but two weeks ago she was still heading for Farnborough 6th!

Any pointers would be so gratefully received. Thank you in advance!
 
It does depend on the course she is taking but I would say as long as clothing is robust enough for the sort of tasks she will be performing that named brands aren’t important. However I would invest in good waterproof clothing which is not bulky so that she doesn’t get too hot if working outside. Footwear I would say wellies, trainers, yard boots. Gloves for outside tasks that again aren’t too bulky so that she doesn’t have to keep taking them off for fiddly tasks. At the end of the day, it all just needs to be comfortable and up to the task. Good luck to her, I hope she enjoys the course.
 
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Birratz said:
Hello everyone,

I’m not normally one to post (usually I just search and find what I need!) but I don’t have the time to dig around properly right now, so I really hope you can help.

Quick backstory: my daughter has just had to change her college plans after GCSE results and is now unexpectedly heading to Sparsholt to study equine. She used to ride but hasn’t for a while, and horses really aren’t my thing! We’re now at the stage of needing to sort out clothing and footwear for the course, and I’ve got absolutely no idea what’s considered right/acceptable these days.

I just want her to start off on the right foot—she’s had a rough time at school, and teenage girls can be… let’s just say judgmental 😬. So any advice on what she’ll actually need (e.g. yard boots—are tall ones better to keep out sawdust?) would be hugely appreciated. It’s unlikely she’ll be doing the riding pathway as she’s quite rusty, but I still want her to look and feel comfortable.

Also, are there particular brands that are the “go-to” right now? I don’t want her to look like she’s trying too hard, but equally don’t want her turning up in the wrong thing! It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind—we honestly would have got her back into riding if we’d known this was the route she’d end up taking, but two weeks ago she was still heading for Farnborough 6th!

Any pointers would be so gratefully received. Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
Found this on the Sparsholt website !
Uniform for all students

This clothing must be worn whilst at the Equine Centre at all times:

  • Navy blue Equine polo shirt (short/long sleeved)
  • Navy blue Equine sweatshirt
  • Navy blue Equine jacket/dark coloured waterproof jacket
Please note: all Equine navy blue sweatshirts, polo shirts and jackets are available for purchase online from Creative Images

Strictly no jewellery/any piercings (including stud earrings) are allowed at anytime whilst at the Equine Centre.

Course Equipment for all courses/pathways

At the start of your course you will need the following essential items:

Equipment List for all pathways (Ride & Non-Ride)

  • Riding hats to current approved standard (PAS015)
  • Plain coloured riding gloves
  • 1 x jumping whip – plain dark colour
  • Appropriate dark coloured footwear for the yard. (NB trainers are not allowed at the Equine Centre)
  • Appropriate dark coloured trousers for the yard. (NB blue denim jeans are not allowed at the Equine Centre)
Additional Equipment List for the ride pathway only

  • Dark coloured plain jodhpurs or breeches (minimum 2 pairs)
  • Long leather riding boots (black or brown) or jodhpur boots and leather gaiters/suede half chaps for riding (please note Dubarry/country boots or similar are not permitted for riding)
  • Hairnets or plaited hair when riding
  • 1 x schooling whip – plain dark colour
  • Body Protector up to the current BS1 Standard (this is recommended however not compulsory for the L1, L2 or the first year of the L3 course).
To order clothing, please visit the Creative Images website or call 01794 841000
 
Skib said:
No. Working with horses it is better to wear hard toed shoes or boots. When helping on a yard I wore my Moutain horse lace up riding boots.
But surely the equine college should provide a suggested clothes list?
Click to expand...
They will definitely provide a list of the essentials, contact the Course Leader and Student Services.
What brands, how many spares and extras - that’s for you to choose.
Try having a look through the photos of other students in the College prospectus / brochure (they’ll definitely have produced one of these, too).
Before she starts all this - is she certain she really wants to?
Please try to make sure she is on the right course for her, you want her to succeed, to be happy, certainly don’t want to be ‘wasting’ loads of money and valuable training time, either.
Good luck!
 
Hi @Birratz

If you want to avoid the "all new" look for your daughter's kit, have a look on Vinted - loads of choice, a lot are in excellent condition, and you'd save lots of £'s. Try searching for Lemieux jodhpurs as an example.
Good luck to your daughter for her course.
 
Some thermal work gloves for when it starts to get into winter, nothing fancy, the £5ish jobbies from somewhere like Screwfix are really good (I get raynauds and they have done me proud) and you don't have to worry too much about losing them or getting pinched.
 
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