Why is turnout such a big issue?!

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MagicMelon

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I dont get it, don't we all want our sport to be taken seriously? Then what other sport demands such strict dress codes on their competitors which includes making them wear ridiculous (often hot) clothing purely because its tradition?! Why do I have to wear a thick hacking jacket with a stock wrapped round my neck on a boiling hot summers day to compete? And why should I wash my grey horse every single weekend for BSJA or BE even though he lives out 24/7 and therefore Im washing all his natural oils away?!

Our sport is already considered stuffy and up itself. Why encourage this?!
 
I dont think theres any rules about horse turnout for bsja or BE. I wonder if it affects your dressage sore in BE if your pony isnt spotless? Cant afftect the jumping side of things, youve either jumped the fence or not whether the pony is sparkling or muddy!
BSJA have started allowing different types of jackets that look a lot lighter ( i know they still have long sleeves buts that for protection) Maybe other disciplines will follow and make horse riding clothing more modern and practical.
I know the traditional stuff looks smart but I hate it too!
 
Because some people like to keep up standards and it's a mark of respect to the judges or the farmers whose land is hunted over.
Apart from a best turned out prize for all classes, maybe you'd like 10 penalties added for those who can't be bothered?
 
Who wants to ride a filthy horse poorly turned out?? Not me thats for sure. Does it not make you feel good when someone looks at your horse and makes comment on how well it looks. Stocks as much as the fact they look smart provide an ideal neck support if you ever fall off. Also i dont know your discipline im guessing eventing by your signature but say your horse cuts its leg on xc you can jump off and use your stock as a bandage on its leg to stem the bleeding till vet can get there and same for hunting. There is alot to be said for traditional dress people used to design things that worked not that just looked pretty and sparkly. as for your hacking jacket buy one made from thinner tweed?????
 
as MFH_09 said its a mark of respect would you like to judge some one with a cant be ArSeD attitude. or let aload of scruffy horses/riders across your land?
 
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Maybe other disciplines will follow and make horse riding clothing more modern and practical.
I know the traditional stuff looks smart but I hate it too!

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I really like the look and dressing up for a show is all part of the fun.
I also hope horse spors take a lead from others about dres,but in a diffeent way.I would like to see jackets made of light breathable fabric that still retains the tradional looks
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At Wimbledon, they have to wear white, for Golf there is a dress code, for motor racing they wear hot safety equipment, footballers must wear kit and shin pads etc etc.; every sport has its 'uniform', this is horse ridings. As for turnout, I don't have a grey but I can sympathise. However, I agree with other posters that its a mark of respect etc. As I see it, you wouldn't hand in a scruffy, grubby CV and expect an employer to take you seriously, it must be the same with judges??
 
To me, issues of turn-out are more likely, when someone can't be bothered to tuck the leather straps on their bridle into the keepers, straps on numnahs left flapping.. parts of a horse that in the past has been trimmed, then left to grow.. if you want them au natural then fair enough, but they can still be kept tidy.. if you do trim up bridle paths/withers/tail, then keep them trimmed...

You don't have to plat-up, bath your horse, and dress yourself up to the nines to look smart!!

I've shown WHPs to HOYS and RIHS standard, and i've NEVER bathed my pony/horse.. you don't have to bath them to make them look smart!!!
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Totally agree MDS, i was lucky enough to win best turned out prize at HOYS, we had done nothing that we didnt normally do, or anything extreme, but all tack was clean and workman like, all done correctly, and having done PC teams with turnout, you dont have to have smart kit as long as you make an effort with what you do. At the end of the day re jackets etc, it is fair to say that what er wear these days is much improved from previous materials. They are much lighter, a tweed jacket can now have stretch, they are mostly easily washable etc etc.
 
Ditto that you can be smart and tidy without bathing a horse but I love the tradition of correct turnout. Love competing with the stewards in their bowler hats and at Windsor & the RIHS the trumpeters in full gear. I hate the fact that other sports no longer insist upon the same traditions ie cricketers in their pyjamas and don't get me started on scruffy tennis players!
 
If we have to wear long sleeved jackets in show jumping to protect our arms why are eventers allowed to wear short sleeved shirts XC? They are far more likely to damage themselves than a show jumper.
 
And here, a horse with alot of WHITE on it, that we also never bathed.. And i think he looks pretty smart..
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Very little effort put in, but alot of small attention to detail paid!!
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Re Short sleeve shirts - its 'cos eventers are hard

Regarding turnout, I will often have my "lucky" mud and tack that could use a wash. I SJ an dressage, has never once improved my performance to plait or spend hours polishing.

Overall picture is tidy, and I do use a hairnet. I will make an effort if its a big event. I hate plaiting so much my horses are both hogged!
 
Well i'm sure if you jumped down our way unaff and BSJA you would be shocked at the state of the horses/ ponies you some time occur. You always comment they look like they'vejust been dragged out of the field. They are a right state. When the posh up together horses go in the line up to get their prizes you have to have a giggle who is in first place.............. the horse just out of the field!!!!! Nothing does beat awell turned out horse.

As for dress wear. Like most BSJA people we wear stock collars and on exceptional hot days we have been allowed to jump with out our jackets.
 
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That is one gorgeous horse - can I ask how you get it so white please?!

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Correct feeding/diet = nice shinny sleek coat = easy to brush off any stains with min. effort..
Honestly, all they get before a show is a quick brush... However, they get that same quick brush every night, before being rugged up, be that out in the field or in a stable..
Same routine every night, a scratch with a plastic curry combe all over to loosen dead skin, then brush it off with a body brush/curry combe combo.. And i always wet their mane down every night and before every ride..
All this can take as long or as quick as you want it too...
 
My bay's coat cleans up really easily and gleams without being washed - I just can't get the mud stains out of his flipping white sock! Will keep brushing...!
 
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My bay's coat cleans up really easily and gleams without being washed - I just can't get the mud stains out of his flipping white sock! Will keep brushing...!

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You might just be very unlucky in the type of mud you have, some of it is alot more staining than others..

As i've said above.. most of the things being mentioned re. turn-out and annoying the 'eye' are not things that would annoy me..

Good old fashioned horsemanship will always shine through.. As long as your horse looks healthy and there is no tack flapping, i wouldn't care if you'd not bathed the horse and wasn't wearing full gear!!
 
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Correct feeding/diet = nice shinny sleek coat = easy to brush off any stains with min. effort..
Honestly, all they get before a show is a quick brush... However, they get that same quick brush every night, before being rugged up, be that out in the field or in a stable..
Same routine every night, a scratch with a plastic curry combe all over to loosen dead skin, then brush it off with a body brush/curry combe combo.. And i always wet their mane down every night and before every ride..
All this can take as long or as quick as you want it too...

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I second this - it's all in the upkeep - I wouldn't dream of even riding my horse if he wasn't clean and tidy, it doesn't take long if you keep up to it every day.
 
We BD & BSJA & Adrian is a very light (white) grey who lives out 24/7. (Or at least, he was white when I got him...) While I'm not showing level/OCD about his appearance, I bath before comps & plait for dr. In winter I use a snuggy's hood & a tailbag so as not to bath when it's cold & luckily his legs are a darker grey. I wouldn't feel happy competing if he was filthy.

However, I would *love*...

1) No jackets in summer
2) A BSJA allowed heavier jacket in winter
3) Not to have to walk the course properly dressed with my hat on. My regents are fab for riding but awful for walking & in 15 years they haven't broken in for walking. Also I'd like to keep my trackie bottoms on over my white breeches to stay warm & keep clean.
 
Before you complain about heat, bare a thought for us poor riders who have to compete in an Australian spring and autum,
with 27+ deg C and around 80% humidity not unusual.....
Jackets go on just as you enter the arena and come off as you leave...=) When it hits 30 organisers will "consider" allowing you to jump jacket less (but in shirt and stock) just to prevent riders dropping off half way around with heat exhaustion. =)-
(If you are concerned) Horses get lots to drink and a cold shower afterwards, and can cope surprisingly well if they are used to working in the heat....

Any way back to the point....
I agree with everyone above. I enjoy the tradition of dressing up to compete, it makes it so much more exciting!! And makes it feel like more of an occasion, lighter fabrics would be appreciated but please keep the good tailoring (sp?), and look.
Also so much of how we ride is based on/in tradition much of which evolved for good reason (like the multi-purpose stock) that it shouldn't just be discarded willy nilly, becasue it is uncomfortable.

A class of well turned out horses (any discipline) looks so much nicer, and it is a sign of repect to the organisers and hosts as to how much you appreciate being allowed to use their land...
And I hate it when cricketers play in purple and blue (bring back the white), and the dreadful colours tennis players wear which often the clash shockingly with the court, it is painful to watch!

Even for Endurances, a sport where you can ride in WHAT EVER is safe/comfortable. People, and the vets (THE most important people there) remember a neat, clean horse. And at the end of the day a neat clean horse will generally still look better than one that started out scruffily (can help you get through the last vet check...=) ) I don't mean plaiting, just a good groom, and neatly trimmed.

Sorry about the ramble, it is late here and I should probably get back to my Soils report...
 
I always get told how good Mildred's coat is at the mo! I think its her new multi vitamin's i'v been feeding her, british brand not sure i'm allowed to say but it has made such a difference! I never wash i smother baby oil in tail night before and put a chunky plat in to make it curly :-)
 
I know BE are usually pretty good about people taking jackets off - they also offered to let us ride at one event with waterproof coats over our jackets, as it was so foul out, as long as we had our number bibs over the top. I'm not suggesting if you haven't washed your horse, its not clean. I just think it'd be nice for some people to take pride in their appearance. My horse does not get tacked up or leave the yard unless he is clean and tidy, yet I know others who don't brush their horses at all and turn up to shows with half the field still on the horse. I love grooming my boy and am always prouder if someone says he looks well than if he wins something!
 
I'm all for the smartness idea but with leeway for the weather.
If it's roasting riders should be allowed to ride jacket less or in white polo shirts.
I think plaiting for dressage is a mark of respect for the fact it's a competition and not just a jolly day out.
I hate to see scruffy horses in competitions unless it's something like gymkhana, and always feel tack should be clean before a show.
As for grey horses well with all the new products for removing stains it's nothing as difficult as it used to be, and use of them and a few towels soon gets a grey clean.
It's common sense to put a light rug on a clean horse the night before a comp, then at least 2/3 of the bits are covered.
I don't mind unplaited horses in other clases than dressage /showing but cleanliness is something everyone should make the effort to do.
 
One thing I will add to what I said earlier.... even though I said I hate having to dress up in the traditional posh stuff... I never go anywhere without me and my horse looking immaculate! One thing I find really bad is people that dont plait for dressage,I know there may be no rules saying you have to but personally I always do - Just incase any of you thought from my first post that I go out looking like a tramp!!
 
some good posts on here
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I'd just add 1) IME if it's really hot they do indeed let you compete without jackets BE, this has happened to me several times (as long as your shirt has sleeves, judges don't like the "vest look" and frankly who can blame them
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) and 2) If the situation is dire you can of course compete without plaiting - I've done it several times when needs must and the last time I did it (last summer - it was so wet at Sapey and the day before had been cancelled and I was so sure it was going to be cancelled I left it too late to plait
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) I got the best dressage in my section, so it doesn't have to be the end of the world
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Agree with those who say it comes down to having a good standard of basic care - anything on top of that specifically for a competition is a bonus.
 
I dont plait for dressage/SJ as my horse is an arab. His mane is always clean, brushed and tangle free though (same for tail), and white socks cleaned (though inevitable poo down back legs fairly quickly!)

Tack is cleaned before any comp, martingale stops removed for dressage and I try to be as clean and tidy as possible, though I seem to be one of those naturally scruffy people, showing my tie always ended up wonky and bits of hair seem to escape from my hairnet!

Bear in mind that if someone has had to hack to a competition, they may not have been able to bring with them the equipment needed to 'freshen up' before entering a class!
 
If we did away with the traditional clothing, then just imagine the field day that KP's of this world would have! I shudder to think of the colour combinations and wildly unsuitable clothing that would be brought out.
 
My motto has always been "If you can't be the best... look the best!" and I really enjoy people commenting on how well the horses look.

In Northern Ireland we rarely ever have such warm weather that you couldn't cope for 6mins in a jacket, so don't understand the need to not wear one.

As for wearing a stock, I have actually needed to use mine to stem bleeding on the XC course when my mare over-reached (taking 1/2 her heel off!)
Had to be thrown out afterwards but did a brilliant job, and had almost stopped bleeding by the time the vet got to us!
 
I totally agree with OP!!

As a foreigner coming to the UK at 18 I found the traditional equestrian wear to be a cross between school uniforms and really concervative office clothes. Hairnets and ugly jackets, yuk!!! Then again where I come from the kids would rebel if they had to wear what passes for school uniforms in the UK!!

I think you can show respect to the judges and organisers by being polite, on time, thanking them for their efforts, etc. whether your jacket is blue or pink is neither here nor there.

Clearly in the minority here!
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