How to Dress to Compete in an English Riding Event

By eHow Pets Editor

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Dressing for an English riding event is like going to private school, where you have to wear a certain type of pants, shirt and jacket.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Step1
Start with a white or light-colored shirt. Add a neck pin or tie.
Step2
Cover the shirt with an English riding jacket. The jacket comes below the waist and is always a dark color.
Step3
Put on your breeches. These are English riding pants that have leather (suede) inserts on the bottom and inside of the knees to give you better traction and holding power in your saddle.
Step4
Pull on your boots. English riding boots come up to the knee, are very fitted, and are either black or brown leather. They are very slender through the foot to allow your foot to slip out of the irons (stirrups) if you fall off and have a very low heel to prevent your foot from sliding through the irons.
Step5
Slip on your spurs. English spurs fit around the heel of the foot and have a small metal nub that sticks out and is used to encourage a horse to do something.
Step6
Grab your riding crop. A crop is a short whip, approximately 36 inches, that the rider uses to impel a horse forward.
Step7
Don't forget your helmet. A helmet is a required piece of rider's equipment and helps protect your head in case of a fall.

Tips & Warnings

  • A horse is never whipped with a crop, only tapped lightly on the hip.
  • Spurs are designed to motivate a horse to do a movement; they are not designed to be jabbed into the horse's side. They are only a reminder.
  • English riding events have levels from very beginner up to Olympic-level competitions.

Comments

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Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 When in hunter / schooling shows your horse should wear:
No boots or polos accepted, only in some shows (ask director)
A white riser with no saddle pad is used. A saddle pad can be used, but it doesn't look as smart.
Bonnets are approved in some shows and look very smart.
All tack and horse should be clean , horses look best when clipped neatly!

Horses should wear in Dressage:

All black tack, clean, horse clipped neat looking.
White square saddle pad only.
Most shows accept polos, white only on all four legs.
No bonnets.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 8/1/2006 In my area we wear dark jackets, steel blue is the lightest jacket that I have seen anyone where. Any color show shirt is acceptable, short sleeve show shirts are not really acceptable, even in the summer, because your sleeve should stick out a little bit from underneath your jacket. A stock pin is optional. Riding gloves are optional, but most people wear black.

Also, most of us wear high, black boots, but black ankle boots with black leather half chaps are also acceptable. Although you can carry a crop, you really should not use it, or try not to let the judge(s) see you use it in a show.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 If your trying to get back in the game and get in the show arena, then you might want to take English riding lessons to get you tuned up again. Even if you are new to English riding, you can still try lessons. But make sure you do some research and find a reputable instructor in your area. Not everyone knows how to teach English riding. Decide what area you want to focus on, whether it be jumping, hunter, dressage or any other area of English, just make sure you find the right instructor to teach you. It's better to learn the correct way than have to 'unlearn' what you already know and start all over again.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 2/14/2006 The first thing you will have to do is decide if you are competing in hunters or in dressage, as the attire is quite different.

For dressage:

A long black jacket is required as well as a white blouse and white breeches. Spurs are generally worn.
If you are below Prix Saint Georges level you will be required to wear an English riding helmet. No crops allowed!! As well, tall boots are an absolute must.

For Hunter/flat classes

A hunter jacket (a slightly shorter jacket resembling a blazer) should be worn. It can come in a variety of colors including black, navy, brown, red and green. You should also wear breeches or jodhpurs in a hunter green color or beige. Tall boots are preferred but paddock boots with clean half chaps are accepted. Crop and a whip permitted.

Hopefully this has helped you dress correctly for your event!

Happy competitions!

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 12/9/2005 Put your hair up in a riding hair net, it makes you look neater.

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eHow Article:  How to Dress to Compete in an English Riding Event

eHow Pets Editor

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