[appgirl]

so i am hopeing to go to one fairly large show this year a provincial app show in brandon. I was wondering if my saddle will suit that kind of competition i cant get a new one but what if i add silver would/could it work
I will be showing in western horsemanship, western riding, bareback, and possibly englsih will this work for thos classes(obvioulsy not english lol )

IN your opinion though how important is the bling. What would you say if you were judging a big show and a western pleasure girl came in with a 1200$ saddle with hardly any bling and she still performed as good as everyone else would you plae her deferent cause her saddle isn't silver???
THank you just a subject that ive questioned about for a long while.

Also for western classes what kind of hat do you prefer a velvet or a straw, iv looked in amgasines and seen varies ones and i cant desiced whatt is proper.

is face oil and nececary if your not doing halter but instead the ^^ classes.


Thank you sooo much for opening this thread. Im sure it will help alot of people and there prep for showing.

[ridegrrl]

Originally Posted by appgirl

so i am hopeing to go to one fairly large show this year a provincial app show in brandon. I was wondering if my saddle will suit that kind of competition i cant get a new one but what if i add silver would/could it work
I will be showing in western horsemanship, western riding, bareback, and possibly englsih will this work for thos classes(obvioulsy not english lol )

IN your opinion though how important is the bling. What would you say if you were judging a big show and a western pleasure girl came in with a 1200$ saddle with hardly any bling and she still performed as good as everyone else would you plae her deferent cause her saddle isn't silver???
THank you just a subject that ive questioned about for a long while.

Also for western classes what kind of hat do you prefer a velvet or a straw, iv looked in amgasines and seen varies ones and i cant desiced whatt is proper.

is face oil and nececary if your not doing halter but instead the ^^ classes.


Thank you sooo much for opening this thread. Im sure it will help alot of people and there prep for showing.

Hey there, good for you having set yourself a goal.

The question of bling on saddles (and the rest of the tack and outfit) can be a touchy subject... but it's important to know where you stand! Of course, the rulebooks state that clean, safe, workmanlike tack is required, silver is NOT to count. That's the rule, and that's the way a judge should consider tack and appointments. I personally stand by that, when judging a horseshow, and many a time, the horses who come away with the high points at the end of the day weren't wearing fancy tack at all.

Another consideration is which class you're in. Horsemanship and Western Riding are very much "working" classes... fancy tack is even less important in these classes, than in a Western Pleasure Stake class, for example.

The reality of showing horses is that the higher level the competition, the "shinier" the outfits and tack. When you get up into the very highest levels of competition, silver and bling are everywhere. It doesn't mean the horses/riders with bling are better (quite often they aren't) - it's just become such a popular trend that exhibitors with very plain tack/outfit almost look a little out of place. For the same reasons that everyone bands their manes the same way the "big name trainers" do, gets their cowboy hat shaped the same way the "big name trainers" do, and so on... when competing at Nationals or Worlds, using a saddle with a lot of bling like the "big name trainers" do is just one more way to "look the part".

All of that said, your saddle is workmanlike and as long as it fits your horse and you well, it can take you comfortably to your provincial level show. Yes, some of the other riders will have bling, but you shouldn't feel out-shone there. To spruce up your gear a little if you like for the provincial show, without spending tonnes of cash, you could add a little silver, and switch the stirrups from rawhide to leather covered.

On the subject of hats... that depends mostly on the weather. In the colder months, showing with a straw hat would look out of place whereas it's perfectly acceptable in hot weather. A felt hat can look too hot and heavy in the summer. The most important things with hats are 1) size, make sure it fits... 2) shape, get it shaped professionally (ie: they may have shaping equipment wherever you buy the hat) to copy the "trainer" look... and 3) take care of it by not picking it up or setting it down on the brim (storing it in its original box or a hard hat carrier is best), and keep it clean (often you can brush the dust off it carefully but if it gets really dirty, the store you bought it from can clean it or tell you where you can have this done).

Good luck!

[ARMwins]

you didnt answer mine yet!?

[lovelyrider]

Clothing wise - for english flat classes, do you like to see the average navy coat and white show shirt underneath, or do you like seeing something different colored?

[Spirited Dougal]

I have a question:
I'm newish to english showing classes and loan a 14.3hh pony who only has a navy numnah. Is it ok to show him in that color numnah or does it have to be white? also he's owner wishes me to only show with a numnah on is that ok to do or will i loose marks and also does the mane and tail have to be plaited and rolled or could you plait the mane and tie ribbons round them?

[appgirl]

thank you soo much ridegirl that made me feel a hole lot better about the up and coming show season

[bobo and horses]

Am i being thick or what - what exactly is a numnah? I even tried to google it - please enlighten me!!!!!!

[wyldterv]

Originally Posted by bobo and horses

Am i being thick or what - what exactly is a numnah? I even tried to google it - please enlighten me!!!!!!

Numnah = Saddle pad I think it is more a Term in the UK and pretty much NOT used in the US

[ridegrrl]

Originally Posted by ARMwins

you didnt answer mine yet!?

Sorry I missed it! Replied on your thread as you requested. Cheers.

[ridegrrl]

I'll answer these 2 together as they are about the same kind of class and topic. Picking your tack and outfit is a way to be unique, so it's personal choice, but here are some thoughts for you both!

Originally Posted by lovelyrider

Clothing wise - for english flat classes, do you like to see the average navy coat and white show shirt underneath, or do you like seeing something different colored?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a traditional navy blazer and white shirt. It's versatile, because it will fit in no matter where you're competing, and okay on any colour horse, so it's a good value to buy these colours. I personally like to have a little fun with my outfits, so I like to put together colours that are still conservative but not as common, and compliment the colour of horse(s) I'm showing. This depends on the show circuit though; being adventurous with your colours is more common in some circuits and not as appropriate in others so check out what people are wearing in your crowd before choosing.

Ultimately, you want to wear an outfit that:
-fits well
-is spotlessly clean/pressed
-meets attire rules
-colours work together and look good on the horse (for example, brown blazers don't generally look hot on black horses, where green jackets look great on chestnuts and bays)
-makes you feel good, comfy, and confident (after all, we do this for fun )

Originally Posted by Spirited Dougal

I have a question:
I'm newish to english showing classes and loan a 14.3hh pony who only has a navy numnah. Is it ok to show him in that color numnah or does it have to be white? also he's owner wishes me to only show with a numnah on is that ok to do or will i loose marks and also does the mane and tail have to be plaited and rolled or could you plait the mane and tie ribbons round them?

Check your club/show rules; in most associations there is no rule against navy or other dark coloured pads/numnahs/blankets. White is common, because it looks clean and bright, but it's not as practical as navy! So unless it's a really big show, don't worry about getting another numnah.

I'm not sure what you mean by "only a numnah"... do you mean just that and the saddle? That would be fine, it's not necessary to show with a numnah and another blanket/pad.

Braiding (plaiting) the top of his tail and plaiting & rolling his mane are a way to make the horse look clean and tidy, so I would recommend it. Long plaits left down will flop around and look less neat. If you want to use ribbon, you could use small ones once the plaits are tied up.