WHICH SHOW JACKET FOR A COMPETITION?

Competitions season lasts all year long. In the winter season there are indoor competitions, while in the summer season we've got parkours placed outdoors. Regardless of when and where a competition takes place, all the contestants are required to have a proper outfit. The scheme here is always the same:

1. White or crème breeches;
   
2. Show shirt (in various colors);
   
3. Show jacket;
4. Riding helmet;
5. Riding boots or jodhpur shoes with chaps.
   

Today we will focus on number 3, namely show jackets. How to choose it? Where to find it? What should I pay attention to while buying one?

The first criterion is, of course, your discipline. Jumpers always wear short show jackets. Riders taking part in dressage competitions wear long show jacket, however since recently it is allowed to ride in short show jackets as well. When it comes to the colors, you don't have much to choose from. Allowed colors are as follow: black, navy blue, red, green, brown, blue, and gray. If you dream of another color of your show jacket, e.g. orange or purple, you can try to register that color in your National Equestrian Institute. Such registration will, most probably, be chargeable and have an "expiration" date. It is usually 5 years counting with the year you registered your colorful jacket.

1. Ladies' show jacket Pikeur Jersey  2. Ladies' show jacket Kingsland Sloane 3. Men's dressage show jacket Kingsland Technical 4. Men's show jacket Equiline Russel

Buying a show jacket is not as easy as buying a pair of breeches. Usually you'll have to try on a couple of models before you find the one that suits you. While trying a show jacket on, you need to remember that standing position is not the position in which the jacket should look best and in which you should feel the most comfortable. In order to estimate its comfiness and give you should bend your elbows (like during a ride), and if you're a jumper, it's also good to try similar movements to the one you have to make while jumping. Models made of materials with elastin admixture would be good for such purposes. We'd like to recommend not-so-well-known AEROTECH show jackets produced by HORSE PILOT. The producer made a show jacket that perfectly fits to the rider's body, works along with the rider, and its special structure and placing of seams provides maximal comfort and freedom of movements. Additional inserts made of technical perforated materials provide free air flow, which, especially in the summer season - is crucial. AEROTECH show jackets look very modern, instead of a classic collar, they have a stand-up collar, and each of the jackets stand out with details, e.g. buttons sewn in with contrasting thread. That all makes the jackets look exceptional and act perfect even in extreme conditions.

Of course, for those, who value classics, other producers have many interesting models. The very classic model from KINGSLAND is called SLOANE in the female version and RUSSEL in the male one. These are versatile models. They are perfect both for jumping and dressage competitions. They have light, airy liner and can be washed in 40 Celsius degrees, which makes them easy to maintain. An interesting offer comes from the Italian EQUILINE, brand that makes show jackets with precision due to which they always perfectly fit and are always made of the highest-quality materials. Their huge advantage is the material - soft and sensuous, suitable for cleaning in a washing machine.

1. Ladies' show jacket Aerotech  2. Men's show jacket Aerotech

Dressage riders who wear long show jackets on competitions should also pay attention to weights in the flaps to prevent the jacket from blowing like a flag in the wind.

All in all, while choosing a show jacket you should pay attention to the material it's made of, it should have admixture of elastic (it gives better), it should be of permanent press (or at least as little crumpling as possible). The show jacket cannot restrict your movements. It has to fit nicely, especially in the shoulders and waist (when you sit, your jacket cannot move up). You should check the sleeves' length after you bend your arms in the elbows.

Remember that the rider and horse's good appearance is half the success on ever competition.

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