Newbie to Showing - advice pls

[pd]

When doing a simple best turned out competition, should I remove boots? Also should I remove numnah as well?
What about martingale and bit type?

For me, should I wear a hacking jacket or black jacket (does it matter?)

Thanks

[amelia]

Hi, for best turned out (usually present yourself individually to the judge) you should turn out as if doing a show class therefore:

No boots (horse not rider lol!)
No numnah (unless same colour as saddle and very discreet).
No martingale
A snaffle bit or a double bridle (can get away with rugby pelham with two reins)
Your jacket will depend on the breed/type of horse you have. If it is a Native breed, Working hunter type etc then a tweed jacket is correct. If it is a hack, riding horse/pony, Arab etc a black/navy show jacket is correct (i think).

Lemon/beige breeches/jods, jod boots if child, long boots if adult. preferably a velvet hat (tradional hunt cap style rather than skull cap), shirt & tie etc etc.

Remember a hairnet and jod clips (if you're wearing jods obviously)

Have fun :-)

[specialsparkle3]

Hi pd The main object of a turnout competition is cleanliness and smartness. The Horse / Pony should be competely spotless with a neatly plaited mane (unless M&M Pure bred Arab or Traditional coloured, or of course hogged!!) and pulled or plaited tail cut straight across the bottom, unless as above. Jaw line and heels should be trimmed and the edge of the ears again unless he's one of the above.
Your normal saddle and bridle is ok, but preferably not a martingale if you can manage. both must be spotless, supple and metal bits and stirrups shiny (no metal polish on mouthpiece )
If yor horse is a light type and not m&m a coloured browband looks nice.
You should wear breeches and long boots if you are over 16 yrs. joddy boots and jodphurs if under .Boots should be highly polished if leather also under the sole infront of the heel. A Tweed or blue jacket or black if thats what you have. again unless the horse is m&m etc. then it must be tweed, and shirt and tie with tie pin. Hair unless very short should be tied back, and if you are adult should be in a bun in a hairnet if long, if you are younger and it's long you can plait it in one neat plait.
If you are wearing a blue or black jacket you may wear a very discreet buttonhole (tiny and no foliage) You should wear brown gloves and carry a show cane or preferably a leather covered cane. You must not have boots on your horse, but a clean numnah is allowable. Good luck!

[pd]

Wow thanks ladies, I'll be much better turned out for that advice. You're very kind.
I'll post how I do!

[KoLaTo]

Another little tip, once you are mounted, just get someone to wipe the bottom of your boots for you so theres no dirt left on them, you'll be the only one with clean soles but some judges do notice. Also with your competitor number, trim the edges off so you have a more rounded piece then instead of using the attractive string that they give you to tie it on, either get a long boot lace the same colour as your jacket and tie it on or use safety pins, one in each corner. If using the boot lace then do the tie up and then thread the bulky bow either behind the number or thru a button hole so it's looks like a continuous line.

*sits back and dreams of all those turnout classes from yrs ago*

It was my favourite class of all time and i learnt so many little tricks of the trade!

[specialsparkle3]

Gosh PP fancy me forgetting the number------- SS goes and stands in the corner wearing pointie Dunce hat

[cubic]

Where did the myth that you should wear short boots if under 16 years and long if you are over come from? It depends on the type of horse for showing, small breed m&ms, show hunter ponies under 14hh and show ponies under 14.2hh should have riders in short boots, anything else the rider should wear long boots, no matter how old you are.

That's not the most essential thing (cleanliness is), but if you are going out to buy any new kit for a turn out class, it's best to get the right thing.

[specialsparkle3]

Cubic, it is not a myth, it is correct, unfortunately younger people who did not attend London Shows in the years when clothes were worn dependent on the time of day. ie when classes were judged in the morning----the final 8 placed in the afternoon, and the championships at night and 3 sets of clothes were correct. Things have changed especially childrens wear (mainly due to PUK who encourage children to wear adult apparel,) but you must agree that ,for example in bsps classes, children must wear jodphur boots up to 14.2hh and only intermedi ates ie over 16 yrs wear long boots. In fact reading your post again,you have reiterated what I already said, bearing in mind that unless pd is an adult on a show pony type she is likely to be riding a horse or m&m

[KoLaTo]

Errm, scuse me, are you saying that me at my ripe old age should be wearing jod boots with jods on my 13.3 M & M??? Please answer this nicely as the thought of my milk bottle shaped legs in a pair of short boots and beige jods just dosen't bear thinking about! All that expanse of beige flesh showing??

[specialsparkle3]

;D Tee Hee PP no, I did exclude adults on m&ms See last sentence! Mind you, you could sew elastic to thebottom of your joddys to hook over your boots-------------------------I'm gone

[KoLaTo]

You may well laugh, i have a recent book here with M&M's being shown and there is a class of Newfies with riders of varying ages, all of the adults have long boots on aside from one lady who looks about 70 with jod boots on, when i saw it, i just cringed as she isn't the smallest of ladies! Then had a slight panic thinking that i may have to subject the show ring with meself in beige jods and short boots, i own just the one pair of beige jods and they still have their label on!!

[specialsparkle3]

(whispers) Maybe, her legs are too fat for long boots

[cubic]

ponypit said:

Errm, scuse me, are you saying that me at my ripe old age should be wearing jod boots with jods on my 13.3 M & M??? Please answer this nicely as the thought of my milk bottle shaped legs in a pair of short boots and beige jods just dosen't bear thinking about! All that expanse of beige flesh showing??

If your pony is a small breed, then yes you should. If you look at the county shows, many adults ride Exmoors etc and all wear short boots.

[cubic]

specialsparkle3 said:

but you must agree that ,for example in bsps classes, children must wear jodphur boots up to 14.2hh and only intermedi ates ie over 16 yrs wear long boots.

No, I don't agree, I was wearing long boots in 15hh SHP and intermediate classes at 13 years of age. I would (and did at the beginning of the season) have looked totally out of place in short boots. If you're going to hold your own in good quality classes you have to conform and be correct. Here I am at 13, where I won the New Forest show.



You dress for the class, not for your age in showing.

[specialsparkle3]

You look very nice Cubic, and I agree that you would look silly in joddy boots, but then at 13 you wouldn't officially be expected to ride a 15 hander, the classes were designed for people up to 20 yrs old, but you lot are so tall these days ( you were still eligible for 13 handers)