Hi. I just wanted to make sure that I had everything I need for a show. I'm not experienced in showing. I started riding at 14 and was in 1 w/t equiation show and I wasn't prepared even back then. Now I'm starting again and want to make sure that I have everything when the season starts so I'm not scrambling around like a chicken without a head.

I have:

Show Jacket (black)

tan breeches

show shirt (white with pink pinstripes and the velcro collar)

black paddock boots

black half chaps

helmet (regular troxel schooling)

jumping crop 

I know I need to get:

field boots

stock pin

gloves (i always lose one)

hair net

spurs 

Is that all that I am missing? I've tried to find articles online but they have been saying that "if it is just a schooling show". I don't know if it is a schoolinng show or not. I will be renting a school horse (because the show is at my local barn) but everyone is always in all proper clothes with the velvet helmet and everything. It's one of those barns that, because you are not a 7 year old girl, you are expected to know everything and if you don't then you have no bussiness riding. No, I don't like being at this barn but it is the closest show barn and I need the show experience becuase I want to go out for the college equestrian team.

Thanks for the help. 

Is this for a hunter show? Different shows have different needs (I think eventers and english pleasure people wear different things). A schooling show is a smaller local show that's a little less formal and generally not quite as competitive as some of the bigger A rated shows out there. At the A rated shows you have to wear a coat, troxel's are not really acceptable, braids for your horse are required, and often held at a fairgrounds or large public facility. If you're just getting started most likely it is a schooling show! Can you ask around to one of the friendlier kids about what's acceptable to wear?

At our schooling shows in most of the lower level jumping classes (18 in or crossbars) a lot of people wear half chaps. As long as they're relatively clean. (tall boots are such a pain to break in!) But this could just be in my area so at least ask around about this one! Bring some boot polish or a dust rag to wipe off your boots before you go into the ring. At schooling shows jackets are also not necessary, although most people wear one (if it comes down to you and another person the judge will pick the most appropriately dressed) However I haven't seen a black jacket in years. At least not at a hunter show... dressage shows everyone seems to be in black! Most people these days are wearing some darker shade of navy or dark grey, maybe with a plaid or subtle design in it. Also stock pins are out, instead people are monogramming collars in a matching color. And I never feel complete without a nice leather belt. Not that anyone can see it... Does your horse have a clean white fitted show pad? If the school ones are dingy you could always invest in a new pretty one. Does your barn have any ShowSheen or Cowboy Magic (detangler) for your horse's tail? Or shampoo to get your horse extra clean? Since it's being held at your barn and your school horse already has tack you probably don't need to worry about much else. Hope this helps a bit! I would definately start off by asking some people at your barn what they think you should wear. Just because none of the hunters around here wear black coats doesn't mean that people in your area don't also.

IF you're renting a horse, and I'm assuming that you are taking lessons....ask your instructor. and if not take lessons and ask the instuctor...

if folk look at you like your out of place, tough, admit your 'just learning', and keep asking questions...and get good at listening like they are the 'god of all equine', and if they are not, then throw the trash part out and take and use what you can, people love talking about things they think they know...

I used to carry SEVERAL pairs of gloves that all matched....I even 'painted' my hands once... I don't show much anymore...it was way to stressfull for me....now I just haul other folks' kids and equines to shows...hee hee.

Best of luck to you!

Hi Bella - if it's a schooling show, and it sounds like it probably is, you will probably be ok in your black half chaps and black paddock boots.  And they sell hat covers for schooling helmets which might do for getting your feet wet in the show ring.  Sorry to hear about the ATTITUDES at your barn, that gets old quick, but hopefully you will learn what you need to and move on to a better place.  Best of luck in the ring.

MaryM43

Thanks guys.

Yea, the attitude does get old very fast. I mostly stick to myself. Even my instructor there is kind of funny in that way. I'm only using the carn because I really want to join a college equestrian team. A really good friend of mine told me that I would need showing experience. I guess dealing with the attitudes is preperation for the real world since not every horse person is very nice. *cough cough*

The show coats are required I believe, I will ask my instructor tomorrow. I hope I can get away with the half chaps because I just looked at the price of field boots....wow. Devon-aire's are around $60 but no retail store in my area carries them, S&H is way to much, and Dover Saddlery is almost 2 hours away. My parents are jerks and don't believe that horseback riding is a good enough cause to drive all that way or pay that much money.

Thanks a lot guys! 

That really stinks that the people at your barn are that way. There aren't any other barns around that go to shows? It's funny how much difference a friendly trainer can be. Sounds like yours probably isn't the most caring type. Do your parents come to your lessons? You could always have your mom ask your trainer what you should wear/do. Unfortunately your friend is right, you really should have some show experience if you want to ride in college.

Have you looked at ebay for boots? You can often get some pretty good used stuff on there at a great price. If you buy them used they'll already be broken in! If not here's something you can do to make your half chaps look a little better... (they're suede right? I'm going to assume they are, which is really hard to get black again after they've been in the dirt) Get a small sponge and put a little oil on them, wipe a very thin layer of oil all over. Not enough to saturate them, just enough to wipe off some of the dust and darken the leather to black. Do a test patch on a small area first to get the idea and see what happens. You can't do this and then walk through the dirt again, it defeats the purpose. I had to show a client's horse at the last minute and didn't want to wear my unbroken in tall boots, nor did I want to look like something dragged through the barn so this is how I cleaned them. They looked new again. :) Once the oil dried didn't have any effect on my half chaps. I used mineral oil (which is what i use on my saddle) but I assume you can use any kind: neatsfoot, Lexol conditioner, etc.

No. imagine a big 8. Across the bottom of the 8 is the road. In the lower circle of the eight is a huge turnout, behind that a jumping ring and next to that a long barn. In the top part is 2 houses side by side, the other barn with the indoor, paddocks, and an outdoor ring. It takes a little less then 10 minutes to walk from the road to the inddoor. I get dropped off at the road. That is how much my parents don't care about my riding. In the summer my mom even tries to make me give her money for a car wash because the 8 is a dirt road and her tires get dirty. I am the only person in my enitre family who loves horses like I do. Everyone else may ride when they are on vacation somewhere but they will never ride like I do. My parents don't care about my horse at all and grit their teeth when it comes time for the vet and farrier visit.

 My half chaps are Ariat suede and leather. And due to icky weather conditions, they got soaked while walking from the road to the indoor. They are already ruined. I clean them by rinsing them in water at the end of every lesson and hanging them to dry. $60 half chaps down the drain. But atleast they are comfortable to wear for schooling. But you don't see the suede when I'm riding. The suede is only on the inside of the calf and over my foot. So long as they are clean and whole, they don't need to be knew right? I keep hearing field boots are a b***h to break in and take a long time. So I'm guessing getting them the day before show isn't a good idea?