My Horse Blog

I seem to be posting a lot of "show" related entries. My season is starting (or has). So it helps. This one is going to be all english, if you don't mine. :)

Forgetting a girth or reins is not a fun thing when you reach the showgrounds. So checklists are definitely in order when I'm preparing for a show. You can totally use this one, and add anything you want to. This also depends on what kind of show you're going to. When I go to a hunter show, my saddle pad is a fleece fitted one. At a jumper show, I use a teal pad to match my polo and a half pad. So although this list is basic, it gets the point across.

*= optional

Checklist:

Tack:
-Bridle
-Saddle
-Pad
-Girth
-*Leg Protection
-*Martingale

Clothing:
-Show Coat
-Show Shirt
-Collar
-Helmet
-Gloves
-Belt
-Boots
-Breeches

Grooming Supplies:
-Dandy Brush
-Body Brush
-Hoofpick
-Mane/Tail Brush
-Curry Comb
-Cloth/Towel
-Fly Spray
-Show Sheen
-Hoof Oil
-*Baby Oil
-*Corn Starch (for making spots whiter)
-*Green Spot Remover
-Detangler
-Braiding/Banding Supplies

Horse Supplies:
-Leg Protection for trailering
-*Head Bumper for trailering
-*Sheet/Blanket
-Hay/feed
-Hay nets
-Water Bucket
-*Ear Plugs/Ear net
-Longe line

Work Supplies:
-Pitch Fork
-Muck Bucket
-Extra halter

Here are tricks that definitely helped me in choosing my show clothes. These were easy when I started in western pleasure, and still help when shopping for showcoats and show shirts for the hunter ring. Since I ride entirely hunter/jumper now, I sadly forgot my western ways and I am not completely caught up on western trends in the showring. However, I will try my best to help?

For English:
(before you buy your show coat and shirt)

Make sure you have a ASTM/SEI approved helmet. I prefer black velvet, IRH, GPA, or a Charles Owen. You should have black gloves and a belt. Also, your breeches are usually light tan. I like it when mine have more of a yellow/beige tint rather than green. Depending on your division, you can buy either field boots, or short boots with garders.

For Western:
(I'm sure I'll miss something)

You should wear a helmet or a nice and well-taken care of hat. Black or beige, depending on your outfit. You should have chaps, nice show pants, boots that match, and a belt (with buckle, if possible). I don't like gloves for western, but if you have a bosal with itchy reins, I would consider it.

Color schemes:

Believe it or not, the color of your showshirt/slinky/vest is actually important to correspond with your horse's color. Here are some examples of good way to match.

For a warm colored horse with red hairs, (chestnut, bays, roans, some palominos) you should wear a shirt that has cool colors. For dark colored horses with black hairs, (black, grey, white hairs) you can wear any color. I have to say, on some palominos that pastels look really good: light purple, light pink, seafoam, light blue, etc.


Same with show shirts for english riders. I wear a light pink shirt with my show coat, and Maverick is a bay. However since my show coat is navy, it looks neat and stylish in the arena. Some show shirt color ideas are: (pastels) yellow, orange, green, blue, pink, lavender. You can also find shirts with plaid patterns, but it has to match with your show jacket.

If you have any questions, make sure to comment.