# what do grooms wear?



## nagseastsussex (23 May 2011)

Hi can someone please tell me what is the correct dress for a groom is, when they enter the show ring in a M & M class to help the competitor strip off the ponies?  Ty


----------



## MissSBird (23 May 2011)

At local level whatever your groom happens to be wearing is fine, just stick a hat on their head.

At lower county level the same applies.

At major shows dress a bit smarter.

At championship shows the groom should dress formally, as if doing an in-hand class. 

Regardless of level, the groom should always wear a hat.


----------



## Rowreach (23 May 2011)

Depends on the level, but whatever level your groom shouldn't be scruffy   Riding hat, neat hair, sensible footwear (short boots usually) are essential.  Shirt and tie, hacking jacket, light coloured tidy trousers, and equipment in something that is neat and tidy as well - mine is in a small dark coloured toolbox.  A well turned out groom adds to the whole picture of well turned out horse and rider


----------



## much-jittering (23 May 2011)

Tidy, but it's not the end of the world. Even at county, if it's hurling it down with rain and the class has taken 20 minutes to do it's initial go round, the majority of grooms will look like drowned rats in as many coats as they could find in the lorry 

Yes it's nice to turn out v smartly, i.e. as for in hand if possible - but when you're ACTUALLY the groom, not just the ring groom, you can't wear your clobber to prep the horses or it'd be filthy before you start, so then you need to find time to change if any is available - and believe me if you've got more than one rider in a class, or indeed sometimes in different rings at the same time, you probably haven't got time to ponce yourself up too much. Picking the hay out of one's hair is a good start 

At a big big shows as the others said, you make the time to turn the groom out well too. But seriously, even county it's not the end of the world. Royal International, dig the hacking jacket out 

Ultimately though it's the horse getting judged and the judge isn't going to notice the groom unless they're getting in the way - i.e. the ones that hover not quite sure whether to go into the ring or not, or who get in the way of somebody's show, or faff around with their charge so it isn't actually ready  Get it, get out is my motto - there's always something else to go and get done and the less time I spend in the middle of the ring like a lemon the better


----------



## MaisieMooandCometToo (23 May 2011)

I would say dress as if you were showing inhand although I doubt the groom attire is marked too heavily at lower levels it's always better to look the part!


----------



## much-jittering (23 May 2011)

Quick afterthought - do check the rules, certainly if it's a bigger show, as I know at some of the ones we go to there's rules about logos/advertising, so you can't go into the ring as a groom with the name of your yard emblazoned accross your back. Outside of the ring you can walk round wearing an advertising sandwich board if you so wish - but inside even an embroidered logo for your business on one side of the chest is a no no. I don't know if that's a common thing all over for county, or just comes up at ones we go to, or is only relevent to 'professional' producers/studs etc.


----------



## nagseastsussex (23 May 2011)

Many thanks everyone, I did not want to let my daughter down as its her first attempt at showing and she is very concerned that everything is "just so".


----------



## xloopylozzax (23 May 2011)

no scruffy jeans, no shorts or bright coloured jods is the main. It does matter, it is noticed and overall makes the right impression. A clean blouson/gillet is easy to throw on if its raining. A 'bush' hat is fine, or flat cap, riding hat is not neccesary. You dont tend to have a groom at local level...


----------

