Lesson atire?

M

MouseInLux

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 January 2014
Messages
341
Visit site
I was reading a post on a US forum the other day about barn dress codes and being properly turned out for lessons. It got me thinking, am I too scruffy for my lesson or are they just very different? I wear my tall boots, britches and a weather appropriate top, generally a t-shirt or a vest top with wide straps in the summer.
What do you wear? Do you that that you should wear a polo for lessons?
 
I always aim to look smart but not full comp gear so good clean breeches, polo shirt and long (polished) boots. I find looking the part puts me in the right frame of mind to get the most out of the session.
 
I don't think my trainer would give a toss tbh. I try to turn up with a clean horse, clean tack and be wearing clean clothes...generally tidy. Some days I'm a bit pressed for time and then the horse might have a bit of a tangle in her tail *gasp* but you know what, it doesn't matter.

Some people appear for their lessons in the full-on matchy kit... but tbh I'm there to learn not to be in a fashion parade so I don't give it a second thought.
 
milliepops said:
Some people appear for their lessons in the full-on matchy kit... but tbh I'm there to learn not to be in a fashion parade so I don't give it a second thought.
Click to expand...

I'm one of the dreadful matchy types as I find mentally if I look smart I ride better...or at least that's what I tell myself! :D
 
FestiveFuzz said:
I'm one of the dreadful matchy types as I find mentally if I look smart I ride better...or at least that's what I tell myself! :D
Click to expand...

Dreadful! :lol:

I probably would play dress-up (:p) if I had all matching garb but tbh after I've coughed up for lessons there is no money left in the bank! It's the same old white boots that we use every day and whatever pad is clean. Oh and all my t shirts are £3 fruit of the loom from ebay, lol, no frills!

*shuffles back to non matchy land*
 
When the weather is fine, I think at the very least you and your horse & tack should be clean. I always brush the mane and forelock and I would like to do the tail as well, however, I'm usually pressed for time so I just do the best I can.

In winter, I'm afraid, IF I have time for lessons - we may be muddier than we'd really like to be!
 
I think it depends who is teaching the lesson! If it my instructor that i use all the time i try to wear clean clothes and have a nicely groomed horse with clean tack and pads etc. if i were to have a lesson from a visiting instructor i would probably make more of an effort and wear my good breeches and proper riding top on
 
I think our horse world worries too much about what we look like all the time. Ive just been riding (at home) in out of shape jogging bottoms with white paint splattered all over them and a scruffy hoodie (thats getting on the small side due to being 4 months pregnant). Obviously for a lesson then I will bother to put jodphurs on and yes clean boots, but otherwise just any T-shirt / top. I certainly do not go for "matchy matchy", life is too short. Yes sure, if it was a fancy instructor (top showjumper etc.) then I'd make more effort ;) Horse is brushed well but thats only for her comfort rather than to look good.
 
*faints at the thought of no matchy matchy*

:eek3:


How do you DO dressage without spending more time preparing, cleaning and planning outfits than riding :eek:...


My horses never look like this:

13529238_10154429802554925_3019670389879195064_n.jpg


and I NEVER just brush the bits that go under tack, nope not me, my very posh dressage horses would fall over in shock of it all....

:lol:
 
AlexHyde said:
*faints at the thought of no matchy matchy*

:eek3:


How do you DO dressage without spending more time preparing, cleaning and planning outfits than riding :eek:...
Click to expand...

well I *personally* am VERY matchy. I matchy on Monday what I matchy on Tuesday and so on... black t shirt, black breeches, black boots, every day of the week. I have reached matchy nirvana, I'll have you know. Just my horse doesn't MATCH ME.
 
I just like to look smart, especially as our lessons are usually with visiting instructors. But I must admit I'm a bit of a geek and like to look smart/subtly match my outfits to my horse anyhow! Unless I've been working all day, then my by that point dirty work polo and whatever breeches I've been wearing have to do :)
 
I wear my best boots, and best jods but I don't go full out, tweed, shirt and canary jods, I don't look scruffy but I don't look overdressed if you get what I mean?
 
milliepops said:
well I *personally* am VERY matchy. I matchy on Monday what I matchy on Tuesday and so on... black t shirt, black breeches, black boots, every day of the week. I have reached matchy nirvana, I'll have you know. Just my horse doesn't MATCH ME.
Click to expand...

Bows to your supreme level of matchy :lol:, I can lend you a bonkers black one for flying change boot-camp to help out because I am so kind :).
 
My usual trainer wouldn't care a hoot if we were both covered in mud with filthy tack, but he would be narked if he thought I hadn't worked on the stuff from the lesson before, or wasn't worked in ready to get going. In fact the horse usually looks pretty tidy, although I probably don't!

I do tend to make a bit more of an effort if we are going out in public to a clinic or something, but not to the extent of full on matchy between me and the horse (unless black and brown count).
 
Long sleeves and gloves for riding, because even the best arena surface is very tricky to pick out of injuries! Whatever jods are to hand or else jeans. Practical footwear. Hard hat, not that I've much left in there to preserve. Bodyprotector, because I've cracked my sternum once already and it still hurts in winter. I don't compete.
 
If I was going to a clinic then i would tend to look smarter. If doing my usual lesson I wear what ever I put on that morning. I always make sure the horse looks reasonable. I'm sure my instructor does not care what I look like but she did notice the one time I was in a rush and didn't brush Kev's tail !!
 
milliepops said:
Some people appear for their lessons in the full-on matchy kit... but tbh I'm there to learn not to be in a fashion parade so I don't give it a second thought.
Click to expand...

As someone who teaches a lot, I can confirm I'm able to spot those who don't actually want to learn a mile off. Regardless of their outfit...
 
Micropony said:
My usual trainer wouldn't care a hoot if we were both covered in mud with filthy tack, but he would be narked if he thought I hadn't worked on the stuff from the lesson before, or wasn't worked in ready to get going. In fact the horse usually looks pretty tidy, although I probably don't!
Click to expand...

this.

though if we are prepping for a show then I make sure I have the gear I'll be wearing on that day to hand - I'd rather find out that my boots are uncomfortable or my jacket freaks the pony out at home than at a show (my poor deprived pony has only one set of tack so we know he's OK :) ).
 
Our livery yard is also a riding school, so I have my lessons on-site. At the weekend I'll have been up at the yard most of the day before I have my lesson, so the horse is usually a lot cleaner than me. I wear jods, short boots and gaiters, and in summer a t-shirt. As others have said, if there is a visiting instructor I'll be smarter (and cleaner!). But our numnah is whichever one is on the saddle that day, and never ever matches what I am wearing. Life's too short!

When I learned to ride we wore beige jods, long boots, hacking jacket and either shirt and tie or polo neck jumper - even if we were hacking. It's so nice to be able to be more relaxed nowadays!
 
nikkimariet said:
As someone who teaches a lot, I can confirm I'm able to spot those who don't actually want to learn a mile off. Regardless of their outfit...
Click to expand...

This!! And I couldn't care less what people are wearing as long as it doesn't affect their ability to ride. So people who wear "country boots" which spend the lesson sliding off their heels, and are too bulky under their calves, will be asked to wear something more suitable next time :)
 
I can match my horses stable stains to my Johdpur stains :D

However I do try my best to stay clean (and wear dark clothing). But sometimes it just doesn't happen with greys...
 
My instructor has known me for about 10 years. She couldn't care less what I ride in. I usually ride in jods and a t shirt, short boots and chaps. Though I have been known to ride in what ever trousers I'm wearing at the time if I've forgotten to bring a change with me!

Ponies are usually de-mudded in the important bits as an absolute minimum, but I normally spend more time getting them ready than I do myself.

The one time I went to a stay away camp, I was a bit smarter, and my pony was plaited for the lessons.
 
MouseInLux said:
I was reading a post on a US forum the other day about barn dress codes and being properly turned out for lessons.
Click to expand...

I think in the US its because it (in many places) is so hot. so when I was out there, there was a lot of riding in full chaps and shorts, strappy tops. whereas for lessons we would wear breeches, boots and polo tops.
 
If I were in the US and I risked coming up against this chap, I'd whack my standards up sharpish...

51d366f8cac3986fd5d8e8787358aa34--equine-quotes-equestrian-quotes.jpg


36dd7bcdef722ac336631282245f6389--hair-nets-george-morris.jpg


Until then, I'll keep wombling around in my polo shirt, clean(ish) breeches, questionably unclean boots and with my unbrushed pony tail trying to throttle me periodically. Horse is always clean and fairly well presented though ;)
 
You know, I don't think I've ever even noticed what a student was wearing.....I certainly do notice how the horse is going, though, and whether the tack fits. Unfortunately I am the sort of person who generally rides in whatever I'm wearing to muck out, and the best photo I have of me 'n horse doing an amazing piaffe is forever hidden because not only am I wearing dungarees and wellies, but there is a pig in the arena (pet pig) and the mule is having a pee in the background.

*George Morris is a nice man, but between him and Robert Dover they should open a haberdashery shop and go the full interior design.
 
Last edited:
Cortez said:
You know, I don't think I've ever even noticed what a student was wearing.....I certainly do notice how the horse is going, though, and whether the tack fits. Unfortunately I am the sort of person who generally rides in whatever I'm wearing to muck out, and the best photo I have of me 'n horse doing an amazing piaffe is forever hidden because not only am I wearing dungarees and willies, but there is a pig in the arena (pet pig) and the mule is having a pee in the background.
Click to expand...

:lol: Please post the photo!!!!
 
That's a shame. I was intrigued by your collection of willies. A rather striking necklace, perhaps?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top