BY LAUREN MAULDIN
I used to covet high-end equestrian fashion. Why wouldn’t I? Unique colors, high-end fabrics, and delicate details are beautiful. A little sparkle or embroidered trim stands out in the sea of sameness that can be the hunters. Advertising works. When we see top riders in glossy ads, looking both powerful and beautiful, we can’t help but admire them. It’s natural to want to see ourselves in those pieces, too.
Growing up riding in the late 90s and early 2000s, fashion in the hunter ring meant picking out which pastel show shirt you were going to wear—my favorite was lilac. Going the extra mile was having an embroidered ratcatcher collar with your initials. If you were extra fancy, your hunt coat had custom silk lining. The European brands were just starting to trickle in. It was nearly impossible to find a sparkle on something. Comfortable, sweat-wicking, technical fabrics? Forget it. All wool, baby!
We have come a long way both in fashion and function. I love seeing unique coat colors in the jumper ring, and am impressed by a beautifully tailored shadbelly with a thin piping trim of color. Show clothes now are an extension of our personality and celebration of the beauty of the sport. The sky is the limit in terms of quality and craftsmanship.
But we all need to remember that we don’t need any of that.
Fashion (as a noun) has two main definitions:
- a popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament or manners of behavior.
- a manner of doing something.
The second part of this definition, the manner of doing something, is equally, if not more so, important than the first. And that’s something we should all remember when it comes to equestrian fashion, especially in the show ring.
Though the latest trends, fabrics, and styles are beautiful they are not always accessible to riders, either in terms of cost or size. For example, my larger-than-typical body cannot fit into many of the European brands that cater to smaller sizes. Even if I had an unlimited budget, they do not make clothes that fit me. And for a long time, I felt a lot of shame around that.
Having shown exclusively on local circuits for the majority of my life, I always had the impression that you needed to have top-tier everything to step into the rated show ring. But when it came time for me to make my rated show debut, neither my budget nor body size magically changed so I could go buy an entire AA wardrobe.
I wore what I had, almost apologetically at first. Bopping around the show in my clearance designer knock-off show shirts or the same pair of breeches I’d worn for a decade, I worried my competitors would immediately sniff me out as the one who didn’t belong. Isn’t showing, the hunters in particular, about looking the part?
But guess what—no one cared. Not only did no one care, but the clothes I wore didn’t affect my scores one bit. An expensive show coat would not make me stop trying to lean for my lead change, just as my quite out-of-fashion lucky belt didn’t influence the scores (though I mean, it is lucky for a reason).
When thinking about show ring attire, we need to focus on that second half of the definition, the manner of doing something. How you present yourself and your horse is more important than the label on your hunt coat. The manner of doing something, including a hunter round, is about much more than what you wear.
I show in the adult hunters in a budget brand hunt coat that fits me well, well-made breeches that are many seasons old and mended more than once, clearance show shirts, and not-fancy, not-custom tall boots. I do not stand out as a fashionista, but that’s okay. I do not stand out as a slob either. My clothes fit well, are clean, and follow the tradition of the sport. My manner of doing something is workmanlike, frugal, and often a little creative. The show clothes I wear represent that.
We should gather joy where we can, especially in a sport as hard as riding. So if you love fancy clothes and getting the latest trends, get them! Enjoy it. Splurge as much or as little as you want. I am so here for it, and I will be the first one to compliment your new hunt coat.
But if you’re like me, feeling like you can’t keep up with the trends, go ahead and ditch that belief right now. I’ve won in my old, clearance-rack show clothes. I’ve lost in them too. What matters most is that you’re out there, showing up and enjoying the sport however you can.
About the Author: Lauren holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of California Riverside, and is a lifelong rider and writer. Through her writing she explores the intersections of mental health, equestrian lifestyle, and healing. She lives in Austin, Texas with her wife and furbabies and shows in the Adult Amateur hunters with her horse, Crusero.
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