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| such dressage |
At any rate. I used to tune out all the modern vs classical debates and the whole "sustainable dressage" website and other than laughing my ass off at the Dressage Curmudgeon, I stayed out of it.
But dammit, now it's my fight.
So here I am, bringing the best I've got. My #1 complaint and the biggest issue I see in modern dressage that is going to be hotly contested going forward:
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| pictured: enough shit to go fourth level. WUT |
FOR REAL.
I mean. Watch a dressage test. ANY dressage test. What shit do they have?
A bridle (black).
A saddle (usually black).
A saddle pad (usually white).
There isn't even much variation in half pads.
NO BOOTS.
NO FUN STRAPS.
NO COLORS.
NO COOL BITS.
ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY NOTHING.
This, my friends, is a problem if you are a tack ho like me. Do you know how many white saddle pads a person can own?
Like two. Maybe. Who the hell needs more than two?
Same with black bridles.
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| STRAPS AND STUFF |
In jumpers, it's more like a contest to see how many cool bits and straps and boots and just plain SHIT you can fit on a single horse and still get around a course. And then eventers roughly double that, plus do two more disciplines with attendant shit. IT'S SO MUCH SHIT. TACK HO HEAVEN.
But noooooooo not dressage. Nope. We get monochromatic boringness. What.
At least you can have bling! Hunters is even more boring in my opinion :)
ReplyDeleteHunters get to warm up in straps and boots and stuff. They still have martingales. Plus, their leather is prettier. Black leather is ick.
DeleteBut yes. I do love sparkles.
In dressage you also get to warm up in straps and boots and stuff. Even the top riders can be found in the warm-up with fancy boots/wraps on their horses. :)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6--rPQ-67RU
Deletelol that's maybe one of the best aspects of eventing ;)
ReplyDeleteI like where you are going with this. My first thought was, "There's no jumps." and my second thought was, "The tack and attire choices are horrible." ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's true....but just for registered shows. I moved from hunters to dressage, and got all excited because of the blingy brow-bands. Soon after, I realized all the black and white is just for show. Unlike hunters, dressage riders can have any kind of and color of show shirt because you just throw your stock tie on over it and then the jacket...and bam, you look all black and white. Underneath though, you can be wearing just about anything. Seriously, you could have on a sparkly leotard and no one would know. It makes it nice to be able to walk around the show grounds not glowing like the moon. I've also ventured into wearing fun colored C4 belts even at registered shows because no one see the dang belt when I'm riding, and don't even get me started on what color my socks are. Stock ties are getting more fun these days too, just look on Etsy. And you can totally have fun with your hair net and stock pin. While you do need two white saddle pads, for showing, there is no reason you need anymore than that. Hacking at home and schooling shows have no attire rules...so be yourself and have fun with it. Our dressage schooling shows even encourage it with prizes for Most Creative Attire!
ReplyDeleteHaha! I love my monochromatic boringness things. I must admit though, I too love all of the jumper things. In fact, I've always been a little obsessed. I'd go super broke if I rode jumpers these days.
ReplyDeleteguess you'll just have to convert and be a low-level eventer so you can has all the shit. Like, the other day I was looking through all of the shit I've collected since I started eventing three years ago and was just amazed.
ReplyDeleteI totes agree, dressage is boring in the shit gathering category.
I must be a freak of nature for loving how incredibly simple dressage is :) I like the simplicity - I feel it puts more emphasis on my gorgeous horse.
ReplyDeleteUmmmmmm.... we have those cone shaped protective bell boots? In black or white?
ReplyDeleteYeah pretty much I need some of these. Because that's SO DIFFERENT somehow.
DeleteTHIS is where I revel in the details. I want to take my white pants and put a tiny purple ribbon down the outside seam.....
ReplyDeleteI want a dark grey collar on my black jacket with purple piping...
My black bridle has the most charming white(clear) crystals on the browband *and* the noseband.....
I could probably write a whole blogpost...
Oooh, this person knows good colors!
DeleteThanks, HolyBully!!
DeleteI take that as a high compliment!
I guess I should get my butt in gear, actually make that stuff happen, and write a blog post about it, huh? ;)
Who DOESN'T want to look like a butler while riding?? I am glad that we're slowly branching out with bling and not-black jackets. But we have a long way to go...
ReplyDeleteRotfl...or a French maid?!!
DeleteI don't know, there was that article in one of the USDF magazines about dressage adding color and things. Like a burgundy jacket, grey jacket with pink piping, etc. But the tack was the same. Boo.
ReplyDeleteI don't know which shows you're watching because man, the people at Region 9 shows have bling on their saddles, their spur straps, their brow bands, their boots, their belts (HOLY SHIT YOU MIGHT NEED SUNGLASSES), their breeches, their helmets, and their coats. And gloves. And the stock ties.
ReplyDeleteObviously you're not trying hard enough. ;)
I already have bling everywhere except spurs and straps and I have a plan for that. I like bling. Bling is good.
DeleteI WANT MORE THINGS TO PUT BLING ON.
Get an Arab. ;) pretty sure those guys COME with being already attached
DeleteI vote for Arabian! Bling is in their blood!!!
DeleteOMG, can I introduce you to Mounted Native Costume?
You guys have a point. Arabians also have THE BEST prizes.
Deleteso. many. neck ribbons. so many.
DeletePeople are starting to branch out at shows, but you can go wild for schooling. Boots, wraps, saddle pads, and bling galore.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad this is what this post was about. At first I thought you were going to get all philosophical and angry about coefficients.
ReplyDeleteBut I totally agree. NOT ENOUGH THINGS.
Maybe that's why DQ's seem to collect horses? If the tack is boring.. maybe you just collect more fancy horses...?
Tack is more affordable than horses, alas. I'm a DQ on a budget.
DeleteAnd who do you think I am? Or course it's not about coefficients, doubles at third, or (God help us all) classical dressage.
OK, I come from the jumper ring, and seeing so many people slap contraptions on their horses to make them LOOK hot and hard to ride, i learned to look at it like:
ReplyDeleteLook how well i trained my horse! he doesn't need anything special (or Speshul ;) )to go well. I don't even like standing martingales now.
..but i don like pads and boots. you could do fun polos right? I like the comment about focusing on the details too.
Guilty of owning 10+ WHITE saddle pads here. *sheepish grin)
ReplyDeleteGirl, let me show you the belt I have worn to recognized dressage shows. IT WILL BLIND YOU. Also, I warm up in boots, so stylish boots is still a thing I must shop for. Eskadron has a set of boots in chocolate with matching bell boots that I'm lusting over. I am currently losing my mind trying to find the perfect shade of taupe/champagne for a saddle pad for mi papi that doesn't have a logo on it for recognized shows and I need a chocolate colored coat to go with it. And then the browbands, multiple browbands to go with my black, brown, and grey coats! With different stock ties!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many options for stuff!
Here's my question: Why are you not showing in western pleasure and horsemanship? SO. MUCH. BLING.
ReplyDeleteReally...for more breed, color, tack, and style choices than you can imagine, you need to cross over to the dark side... and ride endurance.
ReplyDeleteIdk, I've always thought Hunterland was far more boring. No bling, seriously?! But I come from western where you gotta have like everything matchy matchy in all the colors.
ReplyDeleteThe monochromatic boringness is kind of a downer. I had a lot of fun showing in purple for western dressage.
ReplyDeleteI prefer simple but that may change, I did just buy a silver CO skull cap.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love the Dressage Curmudgeon.
I own about 30 white saddle pads, 7 black saddles, and 6 black bridles. The colors are all the same, but there's all kinds of technical differences in the saddles. Dressage saddles are extremely technical: billet length, how the billets are attached, gullet width, twist width, block size, length and position.... the possibilities for modifying your black saddle are really endless. And we can actually wear any color coat at USEF shows now, as long as the color is very dark: very dark blue, very dark purple, very dark red, very dark green.... If you really want to get crazy, you can even wear cream colored breeches!
ReplyDeleteBreastplates are allowed in dressage if you HAVE to have more straps.
ReplyDeleteCome to the "Dark Side" if you want more shit. Driving is where it's at and particularly CDE's. You have to have a nice outfit (hats, jackets, skirts/dresses or slacks, aprons, gloves) for dressage and maybe even a separate cart for this and cones than the one you use for the Marathon.... The marathon and cones you can use boots, timers, wrap their tails, braid in their manes, helmet covers, matching shirts and sunglasses or protective eyewear allowed too. Anything over small pony and you have a 'gator on board and essentially "more shit"
ReplyDeleteIf you're ever down my way, I'll gladly show you the ropes. Straps? The harness is FULL of them! Mine has plenty of colorful protective pads and sleeves as well!