Veteran Showing Classes - Dress Code

CLEEVALE

CLEEVALE

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Gloucestershire
www.spottiedottie.co.uk
Help, what is the correct dress code for horse and rider for ridden veteran showing classes. My boy is an ex-eventer, do I show him in his normal tack, i.e. GP saddle, breastplate, martingale or should I use my dressage saddle and snaffle bridle (dodgy breaks)? Should I wear a tweed jacket, beige jodphurs, if so should I wear a shirt and tie or stock, or should I wear navy jacket white/canary jodphurs, again shirt/tie or stock?

Sorry for all the questions, but I have never shown in my life but have been persuaded to enter my boy as he is a handsome chap and looking good for his age.
 
I took my boy to a turnout class, as he was an endurance type I had endurance kit on.. rr NO... judge put him last because he should have been dressed like the rest, double bridle, hacking jacket, leather boots, all the things people have been wearing when they go hunting in ratcatcher, but a bit more detail.
Look through the H&H pictures for guidance, turnout must be immaculate, you need a hairnet, make up, red lippy, well fitting jacket, tweed with velvet trim at most, suitable shirt and cravat/tie, gloves brand new cream or tan, a quality stick.
Make sure you use "Parade Ground" boot polish on your boots. nice saddle, matching boots (I think), if wearing a numnah it should be discrete, ie saddle shaped and drab colour to match saddle.
Plain cavesson noseband, a double bridle, you can work up a discrete shine with oil or with boot polish.
Horse should be trimmed neatly, most people over do this by clipping legs out (personal gripe actually), I like them to look natural even if it took five hours to work up to that particular look. You almost certainly will have to remove whiskers and put on a bit of baby oil or highlight face cream (I use some rather luminescent stuff on my own face under the make up, it is anti ageing too)
 
Have a look on the Veteran Horse Society's showing website- http://veteran-horse-showing.co.uk/ Lots of lovely pictures on here!

I have a 16yo TB X Welsh who I show as a "Riding Horse" in veteran classes as this is the class I have always done with her before being a "veteran" (not that she knows she is!!) So I basically wear canary jods, long boots, shirt, tie (matched to her browband), tweed jacket (navy for County shows/championships) and a Navy velvet hat that matched my velvet collar to my tweed...Horse is plaited/trimmed/pulled/polished with sharks teeth and quarter marks, velvet showing browband and shaped sheepskin numnah in brown to match my saddle, double bridle or snaffle bridle.
Spurs are NOT allowed in a veteran class, and the judges do not ride them either. You also are not allowed to show a gallop in your show for veteran classes....

Hope this helps?!! Good luck!!! x
 
You can't really go wrong with a plain bridle and tweed jacket to be honest. It will be a mixed bag in the class anyway so as long as you look smart and he goes well it is unlikely you will get marked down for not having a pretty browband.

MRS D had you ever seen any other horse on a show ground in full endurance kit ?? Gosh that would make arab showing much more colourful
 
my horse is kind of the opposite to gr's - he's a hunter type so gets shown in a plain bridle and Pelham with double reins.
echo above, lose the martingale and breastplate and make sure your tack, horse and yourself are clean and presentable.
enjoy and post lots of pictures :)
 
Thanks everyone for your advice, we entered our first veteran class on Sunday. I opted for tweed jacket, shirt, tie, canary breeches, black boots, dressage saddle and snaffle bridle. Must have worked we qualified for the VHPR Champs in September. Pics to follow, if I can work out how to upload them.

It was such a hot day and my boy behaved impeccably.

:)

I have to say, I was rather surprised to see several competitors wearing spurs and a couple of others most definitely 'legging it' down the back straight whilst doing their individual show!!!!! and they were placed !! My understanding was that in veteran classes, the wearing of spurs and 'galloping' were not allowed.
 
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