Tack/gear for Unaffliated dressage

Billabongchick

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Just wondering if anyone can please give me a few pointers on what to wear for dressage comp as been a few years since I last did one! Our young horse has a specialist saddle pad/riser which is a Black Le Mieux square; is black ok to use or should I put a thin white square over it? I always used to just use white numnah on my old horses but she can't be ridden without the Le Mieux pad which complicates things. Not sure what protocol is like these days!

Also do you have to wear white gloves or would navy string with dark tan leather be acceptable?

My old horses were more established and this one is a baby so what do I do if she strikes off on wrong canter lead or I go wrong in the test? Do you just circle back to previous marker/movement and start again from there or just move onto next movement? Thanks in advance!
 
White or pale gloves are 'preferred' and some judges are more picky than others so best to wear white to be on the safe side.
If she strikes off on the wrong lead I'd come back to trot and try again. Don't carry on on the wrong lead, I did this and got a 0!
I wouldn't circle back and try again either unless the judge told you to.
If you go wrong or get lost the judge will ring the bell and tell you where to pick up from. Generally they are nice and tell you where you have gone wrong and you can clarify where you should be going.
Sorry can't answer on the black saddle pad, I can't imagine it would be a problem but wouldn't swear to it. Probably best if you check the BD web site as most unaff comps are run under BD rules.
Good luck and have fun.
 
Had a quick look on BD. can't really see anything specific about saddle cloths other than the rule below:
50. Gloves
Must be worn. White, beige or cream gloves are strongly preferred.

Saddle cloths ‐ flags
For National competitions saddle cloths may be white/cream or of a dark conservative colour.
 
Thank you! I did wonder re canter as to whether it was best to carry on in counter canter or stop and restart on right leg! Hopefully she won't strike off on wrong one anyway!

Will have to look for some gloves and delve into my old jackets to see if the white pair I had many moon ago are still kicking around... anyone else know about the saddle pad colour issue? It's only a small local event so nothing too OTT I would have thought!
 
Ah crossed posts was just about to head over to BD for a look so thank you for that little critter; sounds like it should be ok as it is then which is good as don't really want to add extra bulk by putting another one over it if I don't have to. She is changing shape so often I seem to have the saddle fitter out every month to adjust it all!
 
If you get the wrong leg keep doing the shape you're meant to be doing but come back to trot and change the lead ASAP :)
Black saddle pad is fine :)
 
Thank you! Didn't really get a choice of colour as black was the only one my saddlefitter had in stock with the interchangeable pads although white for daily use would be totally impractical anyway and the purse strings certainly wouldn't stretch to two!
 
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