Choosing a Coat, Shirt, and Pants
Pick a fitted pair of breeches in a traditional colour. Breeches are the trousers that riders wear during shows. Choose a pair that are buff, khaki, canary, light grey, or rust coloured. Make sure that the breeches are a nice slim fit and don’t wrinkle around your thighs and knees. High-waisted breeches are the most popular option, but are other cuts are permissible. Make sure that the knee-patches on the breeches line up with the position of your knee. Ensure that the breeches are long enough to tuck into your riding boots.
Choose a comfortable shirt that fits you well. Pick a shirt that is long enough to tuck into your breeches without falling out. Ensure that the cuffs of the sleeves don’t fall over your hands when they are buttoned up. Also, look for a shirt that is a slim-fit, but ensure that there is no pulling across your chest. Shirts with a drop-back hem are a great option, as they don’t easily come untucked. Look for breathable fabrics, such as cotton or linen. These will help you to stay cool if you when you are riding in hot climates.
Pick a traditional coloured coat that falls to about hip height. Traditional colours include navy, black, brown, grey, and dark green. Choose a coat that falls about halfway down your bottom at the back and just below your hips at the front. This length ensures that you won’t sit on the coat when you are in a riding position. Make sure that you are easily able to bend your elbows in the jacket. Woolen coats are the most popular, but softshell coats are also a good option.
Choose a coat, shirt, and breeches in different colours. Avoid wearing the same colour from head to toe, as this doesn’t accentuate each item of clothing. Purchase items in different colours to create contrast between the different pieces of clothing. For example, a navy coat, white shirt, and khaki breeches would be a smart and eye-catching option.
Wearing the Correct Boots
Wear jodhpur boots if you are under 13 years old. These boots are ankle-length and fit snugly around the foot and ankle. Opt for either a flat boot or a small heel. Jodhpur boots are generally black or brown. Buy the shoes a size too big to allow room to grow into them.
Choose a pair of tall laced field boots if you are over 13 years old. These boots sit between the calf and knee. Black and brown are the regulation boot colours for English horse shows. Make sure that your boots have laces, as this is a requirement for most shows.
Pick boots that fit your legs snugly and are 1 inch (2.5 cm) too long. The leather in the boots will pack down over time by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Buy boots that are longer than you require to allow room for them to shrink. Choose a pair of boots that are slim-fitting and don’t slouch down your legs. Make sure that there is enough room in the boots to fit your breeches. Try new boots on with your breeches to ensure that they fit in the boots.
Wear new boots in before the show. Walk around the house in your boots for a week before wearing them at a show. This allows the boots to mould to the shape of your foot and helps to prevent blisters from forming. If you have to wear new boots at a show, take plasters or sticky pads with you in case you get blisters.
Picking Accessories
Choose a safety-approved black, brown, or navy helmet. All safety-approved helmets come with a chin strap. These ensure that the helmet stays on while you go over jumps. Look for a helmet that feels comfortable and doesn’t dig into your ears.
Wear a pair of breathable black gloves. Choose a pair of wrist-length black gloves. These look smart and help you to comfortably hold the reins. Look for a pair of gloves that have breathable fabric to stop sweat from getting trapped inside the gloves. Cotton and spandex are good breathable options.
Tie your hair back with a barrette, hair net or tie if it's long. Ensure that long hair is neatly groomed and is secured away from your face for the show. Tuck your hair under the helmet to help keep it out of your face. If you get a lot of flyaways, lightly mist hairspray over your hair to keep it in place. Children under 12 can tie their hair in braids.
Choose a black or brown belt. Leather belts are the most popular choice, but any black or brown belt will work. Choose a belt that fits the belt loops in your breeches and is long enough to easily tuck under the final loop.
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