New to showing or a particular class and have no idea what to wear for showing classes? We know that it appears complicated, so we’ve put together a basic guide to showing attire, adapted from the relevant rule books. Each society and class requires slightly different dress, so jump down to the class you’re entering for the specifics.
- hunters and cobs
- riding horses
- hacks
- side-saddle
- plaited ponies
- working hunter
- mountain and moorlands
- Arabs
- unaffiliated local show
Hunters (working and show) and cobs
Hat: Bowler hat for gentlemen, navy or black hunting cap for ladies with ribbon tabs inside.
Jacket: Tweed jackets for ladies and gentlemen with neat collar and tie.
Breeches: Fawn, cream or buff breeches (not white).
Boots: Plain black or brown riding boots with garter strap fixing with button at the knee.
Spurs: Should be worn by adults at the heel seam of the boot, not hanging off the end of the boot.
Gloves: Brown, fawn or tan.
Whip: Showing cane.
Body protectors: Must be worn and meet BETA level 3 (2018) for BSPS working hunter classes. Air jackets are not allowed.
Evening performances: Silk top hats or hunting caps for ladies and gentlemen, hunting stock with pin, scarlet or black jacket or tails for gentlemen, navy or black jacket for ladies, Gentlemen should wear brown topped boots with white garter strap, ladies normal black boots, spurs to be warn, gloves as above and a hunting crop with a thong to be carried.
- Read H&H’s guides to cob showing classes, show hunter classes and working hunter classes
Riding horses
Hat: Bowlers for gentlemen, navy or black hunting cap for ladies with ribbons inside.
Jacket: Jackets – ladies blue, black or tweed jacket with neat collar and tie – gentlemen tweed.
Breeches: Fawn, cream or buff breeches (not white).
Boots: Plain black or brown riding boots with garter strap fixing with button at the knee. Spurs should be worn by adults at the heel seam of the boot, not hanging off the end of the boot.
Gloves: Brown, fawn or tan.
Whip: Showing cane.
Evening performances: Buttonhole, showing cane, silk top hats for ladies and gentlemen, gentlemen to wear black hunting tails, breeches and boots, and ladies to wear black or navy jacket, breeches and boots.
- Read H&H’s guide to riding horse classes
Hacks
Hat: Bowlers for gentlemen, navy or black hunting cap for ladies with ribbons inside.
Jacket: Ladies to wear blue or black jacket with neat collar and tie, gentlemen to wear tweed.
Breeches: Fawn, cream or buff breeches (not white).
Boots: Plain black or brown riding boots with garter strap fixing with button at the knee. Spurs should be worn by adults at the heel seam of the boot, not hanging off the end of the boot.
Gloves: Brown, fawn or tan.
Whip: Showing cane.
Buttonhole: Can be worn.
Evening performances: Silk top hat, gentlemen to wear salopets or close fitting military trousers with ordinary collar and tie or cravat.
- Read H&H’s guide to show hack classes
Side-saddle
Habit: Ordinary in either blue, black or tweed with collar and tie. For classes at Royal or International Shows after 12 noon black or blue habits would be required with correctly tied hunting stock with pin
Hat: Bowler hat with veil or silk hat with veil. In the above classes hair should be in a neat bun at the nape of the neck.
Spurs: Only one can be worn.
Whip: Showing cane.
Buttonhole: Can be worn.
Plaited ponies
Hats: Correctly secured skull cap o riding hats that meets one of the following standards – PAS 015, VG1, (BS)EN1384 2023, ASTM F1163 2015 or 2023, SNELL E2016 or E2021, AS/NZS 3838 2006 onwards. Must be worn by riders at all times when mounted. Hats should have a plain cover either black, navy blue, brown, grey or green. Velvet covers are encouraged.
Jacket: Black or navy for show ponies and tweed for hunter ponies.
Shirt: Plain with a tie or stock.
Breeches/jodhpurs: Usually cream, canary, white, corn or beige in colour.
Boots: Brown or black jodhpur boots (with jodhpur straps or clips).
Gloves: Plain in cream, white, beige, brown, black etc.
Spurs: Forbidden in BSPS classes except for riders 16 years old or over in the exceeding 148cm Anglo and part-bred Arab classes.
Whip: In all classes held under BSPS rules whips are not to exceed 75cm and under NPS rules they must not exceed an overall length of 76cm. Hunting crops are permissible.
Working hunter ponies
Hats: Correctly secured skull cap o riding hats that meets one of the following standards – PAS 015, VG1, (BS)EN1384 2023, ASTM F1163 2015 or 2023, SNELL E2016 or E2021, AS/NZS 3838 2006 onwards. Must be worn by riders at all times when mounted. Hats should have a plain cover either black, navy blue, brown, grey or green. Velvet covers are encouraged.
Jacket: Plain tweed.
Shirt: Plain with a tie or stock.
Breeches/jodhpurs: Fawn, cream or buff breeches (not white).
Boots: Brown or black long or jodhpur boots depending on breed of pony and age/size of rider.
Gloves: Brown, fawn or tan.
Whip: Padded whips (not exceeding 75cm) are recommended for BSPS WHP classes.
Body protectors: Can be worn, but you must wear one that meets BETA level 3 (2018) for BSPS working hunter pony classes. Air jackets are not allowed.
- Read H&H’s guide to working hunter pony classes
Mountain and moorlands
Hats: Correctly secured skull cap o riding hats that meets one of the following standards – PAS 015, VG1, (BS)EN1384 2023, ASTM F1163 2015 or 2023, SNELL E2016 or E2021, AS/NZS 3838 2006 onwards. Must be worn by riders at all times when mounted. Hats should have a plain cover either black, navy blue, brown, grey or green. Velvet covers are encouraged.
Jacket: Tweed jackets are recommended.
Breeches: Fawn, cream or buff breeches (not white).
Boots: Brown or black long or jodhpur boots depending on breed of pony and age/size of rider. There’s no hard-and-fast rule about when you’d make the switch, but generally small breed riders wear short boots, while large breed riders long –but an adult wearing long boots on a small breed should not be penalised.
Gloves: Brown, fawn or tan.
Spurs: Forbidden.
Whip: In all classes held under BSPS rules whips are not to exceed 75cm and under NPS rules they must not exceed an overall length of 76cm. Hunting crops are permissible.
- Read H&H’s guide to large breed mountain and moorland classes and small breed mountain and moorland classes
Arabs
Hat: Bowler or top hat, or hart hunting cap. Youth riders (under-18) to wear approved safely helmet.
Breeches/jodhpurs: Cream, biscuit, peach, banana or beige breechers or jodphurs.
Boots: Long riding boots
Jacket: Formal jacket or top hat and tails. White or cream stock, tie and shirt.
Spurs: English rowelled or dummy.
What to wear at an unaffiliated local show
If you’re attending a local show to contend unaffiliated classes, we advise that you follow the above guides based on what type or classification your horse or pony falls into.
If you’re new to showing or equestrian competition in general you may not have all the gear to hand, and you may not feel it necessary to buy a full wardrobe just yet. You can pick up some second-hand items, such as jackets and boots, on social media or at tack sales, or you could even borrow some for the outing from horsey friends. If you would like to buy your own, check out our buying guides to find the best options for you.
Ensure your hat is compliant with regulations. When it comes to a showing jacket, a plain and simple style is fine. The fit shouldn’t be too tight or short, but it also shouldn’t be too baggy and loose around the waist. Ideally, the colour of your boots should match your horse’s tack, but at local level you can simply get away with nice, clean boots that fit. A tie, a shirt and gloves can be picked up for minimal costs. Overall, your look should be smart and tidy, matching the type of your horse.
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