Dressage Rider in Show Attire

I flashed back to a time when I was scribing at a show this past year. I love to scribe! Not only do you learn how to write faster than the speed of light, but you also get to hear all kinds of insightful tidbits from judges. Somehow I and the judge were discussing proper dress for the show ring. The issue of gloves came up. A rider came in the ring with black gloves on. The judge tilted her head a little and said to me, “if a rider is riding in black gloves, I keep my eyes on them even more in-case they are trying to hide something with their hands.” “Are white gloves preferred then,” I returned. She hesitated and replied “well they are more…umm…traditional.” Enough said. At that point, I felt a strange feeling in my stomach. Let’s flash back a bit further so you understand why I had that feeling. Probably about 15 years ago before my very first dressage show, I asked my instructor at the time what to wear for gloves. She said you should wear white or black. I thought to myself “well I guess I will wear black.” Then they will match my jacket. I have enough trouble trying to keep my white pants clean, but gloves, they would look awful in no time. Yep, that’s right for the past 15 years, I have been wearing black gloves, hence the weird feeling in my stomach. I have blissfully been wearing black never realizing it may give certain judges the idea I was hiding something and possibly giving them a negative impression the moment I entered the show ring. Yikes! What does that teach us? If you want to be safe, wear white folks. Anyone that knows me will laugh at my beautiful new white gloves I got for Christmas, that I WILL be wearing, should I make it to the show ring!

This new glove breakthrough got me thinking about other rules of dress for dressage. So what did I do? I went to the USEF rule book to see what it really said. Here is the quote out of the USEF rule book in the Dressage Section concerning dress.

USEF Rule Book – Dressage

“The dress code for Training through Fourth Levels is a short riding coat of conservative color, with tie, choker or stock tie, white or light-colored breeches or jodhpurs, boots or jodhpur boots, a hunt cap or riding hat with a hard shell, derby or top hat. A cutaway coat (modified tail coat) with short tails is permitted. Half chaps, gaiters and/or leggings are not allowed. Gloves of conservative color are recommended. Exception: Riders through First Level may wear half-chaps, gaiters or leggings in solid black or brown, without fringe, matching the color of their boots, and made of smooth leather or leather-like material… For all tests above Fourth Level, the dress code is: a dark tailcoat with top hat, or a dark jacket with a bowler hat or hunt cap, and white or light colored breeches, stock or tie, gloves, and black riding boots. Spurs are mandatory for FEI tests (except as noted above under DR120.1). (See DR120.8)”

When you read the rules they are pretty vague. I always had this idea that you should wear certain head apparel depending on your level of riding. Over several years of observing other riders, I derived you wore, Training – First levels – hunt cap, Second – Fourth levels – bowler, above Fourth – top hat. After reading the rules closely, I realized I must have just completely made it up. I wondered… “How on earth did I come up with this strange hat rule?” I probably watched the professional riders and assumed there was some kind of standard. After reviewing the rules, it seems the “hat hierarchy” isn’t really a written rule, but more of a social standard we set ourselves. I obviously wouldn’t ride a Training Level test in a top hat. The top hat seems kind of sacred to me and something you have to earn to wear. What is fascinating to me is how I could completely make up a set of rules just by watching what people wear. It also makes me realize what power the professionals have in setting trends. What I would love to hear is your opinion about the topic. What type of dress is socially acceptable? If you are a professional, how do you choose what to wear? Could the attempt to dress within the rules, but possibly higher than your riding ability give a judge a negative impression? I guess to the perfectly unbiased judge none of this would matter, but after my glove experience sometimes it might…. think on it! My gift to you… wear white gloves!!!