Best Horse Show Clothes

Western Show Clothing - What You Need to Know For Each Class
By Lynn Espinoza

Have you ever noticed that the western show clothing at a horse show seems like a mounted fashion show? There is so much variety in the styles and colors that exhibitors choose it can be difficult to decide what works best for you.

Fashions for western classes seem to change every year and it can be difficult to keep up with the Jones’, especially if they are on horseback. By keeping a few simple rules in mind for the classes you plan on showing in, and you choose colors and patterns that are flattering the whole process of picking the right outfit is much easier than it seems.

Below we will be discussing a few of those simple class guidelines and recommendations you should consider when picking out your next piece of western show clothing.

What Outfit Do You Need For Showmanship & Halter?

Both showmanship and halter classes require you to show your horse in-hand. This means the two of you will be up close and personal with the judge, well depending on how well mannered your horse tends to be.

In showmanship, your horse is more of a prop and the judge focuses on you and your ability to execute a pattern. Since the judging is emphasized more on the exhibitor, it is a good idea to choose an outfit that may minimize actions occurring at your hands and legs. For this reason, darker shades are typically used. You will likely find lighter colors in the show ring, but keep in mind that these lighter colors tend to emphasize movement.

You also want to make sure that you present yourself in a solid clean line, so your pants should match your top to avoid cutting your overall picture in half. Two different colors would also draw more attention to one half or the other which is not good in a showmanship pattern.

In halter the judge focuses on the horse. It is 100% (for the most part) on conformation and your horse either has it or he doesn’t. For this reason you will likely see more of a variety in exhibitor apparel. Some show in a showmanship outfit, while others will pair a halter jacket with a pair of black pants or even jeans.

What Outfit Do You Need For Horsemanship?

Horsemanship is the mounted version of showmanship. Again the judge focuses on you as the rider and you may have to complete a pattern. Since the focus is on your equitation during the class, you once again may want to present clean lines. It is not a requirement, only a recommendation to improve your overall picture.

You want to have the bottom half of your western show clothing blend or flow with the top half. A western pleasure blouse or jacket may cut you off at the waist causing more attention to be drawn to one half or the other. During a pattern you want to minimize your rider movements which may distract from the overall picture. If you are competing at a higher level show, smaller details like this can make a difference in placing.

For example, if you tend to have difficulty keeping your legs still while riding, a pair of light color chaps might emphasize this aspect of your riding. I recommend going for a solid color base for both bottom and top. Preferably darker colors to minimize movements. You will see riders with lighter colored chaps, I have even seen white chaps. You need to be pretty solid in your riding to pull off white chaps in horsemanship.

What Outfit Do You Need For Pleasure?

You can have a little more fun with your western show clothing in a western pleasure class. This is the class you will find the brightly colored blouses and jackets. Some riders may even blind you a little in just the right light.

In a pleasure class the judging is focused on the horse and the horse’s movement at the walk, jog, and lope. You still want your all your colors to coordinate from top to bottom, but they don’t necessarily need to be the same color.

You also want to make sure that the colors for your western show clothing continue to match and complement your horse. Though this tends to be a very flashy class, there is such a thing as too much. You can overdue colors by adding it to your top, chaps, and show saddle blanket. You still need to keep in mind the overall picture.

What About Other Riding Classes?

Other riding classes include trail and western riding. These classes are both judged differently from each other and compared to the pleasure and horsemanship classes. Western riding can be thought of as similar to a western pleasure class with a lot of lead changes. In a trail class the horse is judged based on completion of a pattern through a set of obstacles.

In other western classes you are still considered in the overall presentation and completion of the patterns, however the horse is also judged too. In these classes your equitation and pleasure are both brought in to consideration, you can’t have one without the other.

About The Author:

Lynn Wenger invites you to visit http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/western-show-clothing.html for more information on western show clothing and what is acceptable for each western class.

Lynn has been active in riding and showing horses since 2000. She is a lifelong equine addict with no hopes of recovery and admits since buying her first horse as a young adult that she is an expert on not being an expert when it comes to owning and showing horses. She is also the creator and founder of Stock Horse Show Source http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com, developed to educate novice equine enthusiasts on the basics of horse keeping and showing.

So lope on over, park your horse, and sign up for “The All-Arounder” newsletter, the official FREE publication from Stock Horse Show Source and you’ll never miss a hoofbeat! Copyright stock-horse-show-source.com, all rights reserved.

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