Turnout Tips for the handler
For inhand showing its just as important for the handler to look his/her best as it is for your horse & you should put some thought into your outfit and have it ready in time for the show season.
No matter what your shape or size a well fitting suit is the foundation of your outfit, classic navy blue has always been my preference but equally nice is a brown or black suit. There's no need to go out & spend a fortune, I bought my navy suit off Trade Me & of course there's also garage sales & the 'op' shops.
After you've organized your suit you can then decide on your accessories - your hat, gloves & camisole or stock to go under your jacket.
Once you've decided what colour your horse suits best you can then go looking for your hat to blend your attire together, remember your hat is one of the most important accessories of your outfit.
President's Piece
Registar's Rant
Secretary's Spiel
Farewell White Dove
Pinto Stud Feature
Profile of a Champion
Showing Help
NI Section
SI Section
Your outfit should include gloves as close in colour to your outfit as possible & you should always carry a cane or whip for inhand showing, I prefer to carry a plaited brown leather cane.
Always have your horse completely ready before you change into your outfit
Ladies should wear subtle makeup & always wear lipstick to finish off your overall look, neat small earrings can be worn & if you wish to wear a flower on your lapel a bud is the best choice & don't get carried away with greenery
If you have long hair please place it back in a pony tail or sweep it up into a bun & don't leave any bits of hair or fringe hanging around your face & make sure your hat is securely fitted, remember large hats will blow off in the wind quite possibly upsetting your horse so be practical when choosing your hat
Make sure you wear suitable footwear, it must be non-slip & easy to run in, never wear anything with a heel, although they may look lovely are totally impractical not to mention unsafe to run in but on the other hand don't wear a pair of running shoes either as these will ruin the overall look of your outfit, again I bought a nice pair of leather dress shoes off Trade Me, also make sure your socks are the same colour as your trousers & shoes, this exhibitor, yes me pictured below, forgot her socks & thought these will do as my trousers are long enough but not so once you run your horse out they soon ride up & again this ruins the overall look
Just remember keep it subtle & don't go overbroad on your colours - the idea is to compliment your horse & create an elegant picture
