Wearing jackets at shows in hot weather............. (rather long)

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mbequest

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at BSJA shows. I find it really hard to believe that there cannot be a uniform ruling made on this sybject for all competition centres to abide by. Recently at a bigger 4 day show where classes include Fox and New regional finals competitors were allowed, and rightly so IMO, to compete without jackets. Yet, on Tuesday, and a regular show at another venue, where the weather was even hotter and classes ranged from Novice to Fox, centre managers insisted that jackets were worn.

I am well aware that this centre only insists on jackets in the ring and you can warm up without one. But, you get hot warming up. You then have to put a jacket on an already hot body, then in my case, if you have to wagon a youngster round the ring working hard. You come out very very hot. I'm glad that I ride in one of the new style jackets, that atleast breathes as opposed to a thicker, hacking tyle jacket.

I dont have the knowledge but surely there is some health risk involved with this??

I know that one of the reasons behind this rule is health and safety. If you fall off without a jacket then you could skin you arms where there is no protection. Fine, but this show is on a surface??

Surely the BSJA could use this situation to their benefit and design, manafacture and sell some sort of long sleeve polo shirt for use at regular shows over the summer and perhaps have a jacket rule for the bigger county and larger country shows??
Say they sold the shirts for £30ea. If only 50% of the BSJA membership bought one then this would be a nice little earner for the BSJA. They could be something similiar to those worn at the big show at Chester.

It could carry the logo of the society which could be easily visisble to the judges to ensure that the shirt is official.

There could be a sponsorship angle hear for the society to...........

I know that there are people out there that will pull big faces and scream tradition tradition tradition, but the BSJA has to move with the times IMO. A non horsey husband of one of one of my owners who came on Tuesday announced that to the untrained eye, that even though it looks smart, it just enhances the sports reputation of it being full of stuck up rich people. He asked why you would want to compete in a sport that makes you wear such ridiculous garb in such hot weather?

Please note that I can't speak re BE or BD, only on what I have found within my own chosen sport.

And discuss...................................
 
Think the shirt sounds like a brilliant idea. Perhaps you could write to BSJA and suggest it. I would certainly add my name to the letter
 
Hmmmm, I'm not sure about this. I think tradional smart turnout for competition is an important part of the sport for all disciplines. Manufacturers are using Lighter breathable fabrics, wicking technology etc to make it easier and after all, you are in your round for what? a minute?

That said - Much of the BSJ adopted aparrel doesn't float my boat.
 
I don't jump only show, but stood and rode in a tweed at the weekend and would not have dreamt of not wearing it in the ring. Drink lots of fluids as you will 'leak' or if you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen as they say.
 
I think OP is right you can look smart at any show unaff to aff and on very hot days be allowed to just wear shirts.

I always turn out nicely for any show i do but it has to be said that on very hot days i cant see why a shirt and tie for example isnt acceptable as long as you have turned out nicely!

As long as you accept they are not held liable if you should fall
 
The health and safety card actually works the other way:

although there is a small risk that someone would scrape their arms in case of a fall without a jacket, the risk of heatstroke is far more likely and the possible harms much greater. People with heatstroke get dizzy and may even lose consciousness which tends to lead to really nasty head first falls.

It beggars belief that affiliated riding organisations still insist on jackets or leave the decision up to individual judges.

Baileyhoss: I am always on my own with a horse who is tough to get on and end up having to wear the jacket through the warm-up (for BD, as I don't jump, but the point is the same). I am also very sensitive to heat and 'overheat' very easily so I am often dizzy when I finish my test.
 
I can see your point boosboos, and I often compete alone as well. Just my opinion that I prefer traditional turnout.
 
I love tradition - I have a collection of traditional jackets, heavy navy and tweeds. I jumped at a BSJA show on Tuesday where I worked in without a jacket, at 9.30am ish, I was sweltering when I left the ring after putting on my jacket to jump

As someone who struggles with extremes of heat, I felt sick, headachey and fairly rubbish all day afterwards, ending up have two or three cold showers and paracetamol. In extremes of weather - heatwaves/monsoon rains, I believe there should be protocols in place to protect riders health. If that means riding in shirts in summer, and a waterproof jacket in winter so be it - HOWEVER, so long as the rest of the turnout is correct - hat to standard, breeches, long boots, gloves (if req - BD, showing) with the horse and rider neat and tidy.
 
I'd jump in jeans and a t-shirt if I was allowed! And my horse would still have stable / grass stains on her!
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I totally agree with this. I also had to wear a jacket (although the BSJA one, rather than a proper show jacket) night before last at evening BSJA when it was boiling. I think its especially UN-important to look flash at an evening show as some of us work therefore Im sure Im not the only one who gets in from work then rushes around dragging horse in from field and straight into the trailer off to the event! My grey horse was grubby but as I work all day would could I do?!

I *hate* being hot, I get hot in the depths of winter when riding. I just think this is one of the things which makes our sport look like a joke - ALL other sports have clothing which is practical, we still wear silly coloured jods (ie. beige/white!) and silly hot jackets with shirts underneath. We should be wearing high tech wicking type shirts and leave it at that. I hate tradition
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Couldn't agree more with OP.
I always ask the judge if no jackets allowed. keysoe judges seem particularly reasonable about this.
This was us last wednesday.....hardly scruffy.
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I remember doing my stage 1 in an indian summer. Examiner refused to let us take our tweed jackets off in an indoor school. Temp outside was pushing 30. We didn't look pretty at the end - talk about extreme hat hair!!!

I do like the traditional look but I wonder how other countries where high temps are the norm do things??
 
im more a smart instead of tradition. i would rather see someone in a shirt and no jacket all smart and tucked in, than someone with a jacket but shirt not tucked in and collar undone.
i was at Hickstead and the number of people that rode like this suprised me, i understand it was mega hot and after warming up they had to put their jacket on but try and be smart, its hickstead. (abit of a bug bear of mine, can you tell
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if there was a shirt you could wear in extreme heat that looked smart and did the job i would get one.
 
I always warm up without my jacket, drink loads and loads of water, then just before I go in put on my number and jaket and as soon as I'm out I take it all off again. I love wearing my jacket, and you can get smart tweed jackets which are very lightweight- mine is very light and breathable and lovely to wear whereas my sister has a heavy wool jacket because she hunts in it as well, so she does get quite hot!
 
I used to compete in Africa, where this type of temp is the norm. We could always warm up in sleeveless shirts but for affiliated competitions be it showing, dressage or show jumping a black jacket was always worn. (Black Jackets tended to be lightweight, not like the heavy tweed ones).

Unaffiliated we could wear half sleeves in the summer with a tie for SJ. Eventing we always competed the xc in a short sleeve top, but smart for the other phases.

I do think for show jumping here a half sleeve and tie like in Junos photo looks smart esp for the lower levels, but for dressage be it eventing or BD and showing, i think a jacket should be worn. (Perhaps old fashioned?)

I think for us we were aclimatised as were the horses (dont get me wrong, I was dripping post showing class) but never felt dizzy etc as posters have said. So maybe more of an exception should be made here.
 
It does seem crazy to me! I'm not a BSJA person, I do BE, but they are if anything even stricter on the jacket rule in my experience - and in hot weather some of the higher level dressage tests feel like a very very very long time!!!
Equestrian must be the only sport where competitors wear clothes that are not designed to enhance performance but actively hinder it! Yes, it needs to be safe - but does that have to mean out dated? People often complain riders are overweight/not eating properly/unfit, ot that we're not taken seriously as a sport, yet dress wise, we really don't do much to help people think of us as athletes...
 
I totally agree with mbequestrian and I think your idea of a BSJA shirt is great. I am pretty certain I was at the same show as you on Tuesday. The entries were not huge (probably due to the weather and the fact that this centre is known to insist on jackets!) and the competitors were mostly professionals with several horses in each class. Small entries meant that they were all jumping from one horse to the next much quicker than normal so the heat became ghastly. Despite having horses for the last classes we left before heat exhaustion overwhelmed the rider!
Way forward? Anyone who thinks it is a good idea should take it up with their BSJA Regional Representative or Area Representative so that they can take the ideas on to Committee level. Attending the BSJA AGM, when the date is announced, is another good way to ensure that ideas reach those who make the rules.

Meanwhile a little pressure on the centre?
 
I may get shot down for this.... but it is possible to get lightweight jackets, and cooling materials!

I am pro wearing a jacket no matter what the weather, mainly out of respect to the organiser and judge. But there are ways to be more comfortable.
Canterbury do a top designed for use in hot weather to wick away sweat quickly and aid cooling, and there are so many light-weight jackets about now.
I don't think you can compare horse riding to other sports in such a broad spectrum, there are clothes on the market to aid performance. If you only have one heavy tweed jacket., then of course you will over-heat in the summer... get a lightweight one for hot days!
Rugby player don't wear the same kit in summer and winter!
 
But at the end of the day my feeling is that a jacket is a jacket no matter what it may be made of its still covering you up.

Maybe there are special jackets althought i have never seen one and as a very low level unaff rider im unlikely to ever be able to afford the price tag that might go along with it.

I think you can look smart in a shirt all tucked in without having to sweat your nads off and feeling queasy.
 
I think you should be able to ride in a short sleeved show shirt in this weather. I take on board the point about long sleeves being safer however BE let you ride XC in a short sleeve shirt.
 
Have to say I agree with Claire and Capelli on this one Clairel - a jacket is a jacket whatever the fabric! Some are much much better than others, and I agree we need variety in sporting terms, but - even lightweight jackets are trying to counter the fact that they are not a functional item anymore. Don't think (in any weather, be it rain when you soak through and weigh a tonne, sun or snow) I have ever thought, gosh, this show jacket is really practical!
Also, I think that we DO need to group ourselves more with other sports in a broad spectrum to progress and even survive, especially in the current climate (economically!) - but thats a whole otehr issue...
 
Personally I'm pro jackets.

But here's a question for you sleeveless shirt people - how on earth do you cope with the number bib - I have great concerns that it would rub and irritate me intensely?
 
I can understand it for xc as i cover my arms reguardless of the heat but for dressage and showjumping it seems plain daft as 99% of the time its on a surface anyway.
 
Yesterday at the event my daughter competed st they allowed short or long sleeves for dressage, but only long for SJ.
To those smart people who insist on wearing a jacket (the temps rose to mid 30's by early afternoon beside our box, think sensibly for a minute.
Do you really want riders to suffer possible heat stroke? just so they wear "traditional dress".
How bloody selfish and stupid.
Our 18 year old horse had to be withdrawn yesterday after showing obvious signs of distress after SJ. he who rarely even breaks a sweat after a fast XC was puffing and dripping sweat from all along his stomach, so it was too hot to continue.
His rider had SJ in a tweed jacket and luckily we had a plug in fan and ice packs to cool her down, but common sense should have made the BE rep.give permission for sort sleeves to be worn SJ. (we hadn't got long sleeves).
The rule comes from BSJA and needs changing.
If we all stuck to tradition horses would be wearing double bridles and half the really good ideas wouldn't be allowed, although heatwaves are rare in the UK, let's have some rules put in to cover them, with so called global warming it's likely to happen again.
Not to us however, after the sheer hell that was yesterday if it's hot we won't go!
(or take a leaf from William Fox Pitt, who chose the water jump to fall off in.....)
 
To be honest I really don't get the respect thing at all.

I teach and have to deal with large numbers of students, their work and their concerns all the time. I've never met anyone who I thought was disrespectful because of their clothes, it's always their attitude that is a problem. You can have students who are dressed in all kinds of individual and weird ways but they can be perfectly attentive, interested and a pleasure to teach (these are Uni students so there is no dress code).
 
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