Show Clothes for Equestrian Girls: A Parent’s Complete Guide

Hi There, Emily Here! 

So many of us have been there - a mom with a little girl who has been working hard in horseback riding lessons and is SO excited to be in their very first show 🐎 I have two girls that started showing at 6 and 9 years old. Your child has been practicing hard with their favorite pony for months on end. Learning their diagonals, how to post, use their reins and legs correctly, body positioning, transitions under saddle, the list goes on and on. The last thing that you will want your daughter (and yourself) to worry about when it comes to their first show is what to wear!  When it comes to the English showing in the hunter/jumper world...we've got you covered over here at Short Stirrup Equestrian!

We've got you covered not only with our affordable and durable clothing line designed specifically for young riders, but also with all the advice on what they will need to be prepared for their very first horse show & season. Here is our well-thought-out guide of horse show MUST haves! Don't forget to visit our beginner riding clothing guide- we've got you covered for lessons too! ✨

JODHPURS → You will want tight fitting, but comfortable jodhpurs for your young rider during a horse show. Typically riders wear paddock boots with garters until they are 13 in the show ring. With paddock boots, they will also wear show bows with two braids in their hair. Jodhpurs are riding pants that have elastic straps on the bottom that go beneath the paddock boots and rest against the heel of the boot. This keeps the pants down and in place while under saddle. 

Our SSE jodhpurs have upscale functional suede knee patches for stability in the saddle and a perfectly polished look. Our SSE jodhpurs (and leggings) have belt loops that are wider than other brands to accommodate all widths of elastic belts. Did we mention how well our jodhpurs wash? They are SO durable no matter how many times your daughter wears them!

Pro Tip- If your daughter prefers riding leggings, you can also save some money and get some clip on elastic boot straps from Amazon that will do the same thing as jodhpur straps for a show day!

BELT → An elastic belt will be imperative for not only a polished look in the saddle, but it is also extremely functional as they will keep their show pants in place while they are riding..and playing ringside in between classes ;) We LOVE our SSE stirrup logo belts and we also have bit belts too. All of our belts have rose gold hardware that adds extra polish to their equestrian ensemble. TOP SECRET...We are developing a new one of a kind belt coming early Summer!

Pro Tip- We offer a bundle discount with our jodhpurs and leggings where you can save $12 when you add a belt!

SHOW JACKET → While we do not make these yet SSE, they are in the works! We are hoping to design and release our dream show jacket by the end of this year. We love a mesh show jacket because depending on where you live, horse shows days can get HOT!

SHOW SHIRT → Believe it or not, a riding shirt is just as important as the jodhpurs for your young rider in the show ring. They will need one that is made up of tech fabric...think moisture wicking, 4 way stretch, breathable and comfortable. Riding and horse showing are often outdoors, so UPF protection is imperative in a show shirt! Our show shirts have a UPF of 50+ blocking 98% of the sun's rays ☀️ My favorite part about our show shirts is the mesh fabric down the sides and under the arms. They are designed to keep your young rider cool and comfortable on even the hottest of those Summer show days!

Our show shirts have a comfortable collar which can easily be folded over when not in the show ring. Our adorable logo navy print is found both inside the collar and inside the cuffs of our long sleeve show shirts. I designed our show shirts with a zipper closure and two snaps at the top to make them both comfy and functional for your young rider.

SHOW BOWS & SOCKS → Show bows are a must in the show ring with two braids and paddock boots for your young rider! As a mom of young riders myself, I know that all hair types are different. This is why we have show bows in two versions- show bows with barrettes and show bows with elastic rubber bands. Take your pick!

Your daughter will want some comfortable boot socks to wear with her paddock boots. They need to be tall, but not too tall for children! They'll need to be pulled up under her jodhpurs for optimum comfort. We know how picky kids are about socks- that is why ours are a TOP seller. Don't forget to get those croc charms so they can sport their equestrian style when they take off their paddock boots and are running around the show grounds too! 🐎

Pro Tip- We offer a bundle discount with our show shirts where you can save $10 when you add a pair of show bows!

LAYERS → Spring and Fall shows can be imperative for layers based on where you live. You'll want to make sure that you have a vest or pullover handy for those cooler temperatures that they can easily pull over their show shirt when needed - especially in between classes!

Pro Tip- Wearing layers over show clothes also helps to keep them clean! A lot of girls wear sweatpants over their jodhpurs early in the morning to protect their show pants. Some children prefer to change into their show clothes before they show instead of wearing them all day ☀️

Don't worry we won't leave you hanging...here are additional items that you'll most likely want to bring to the show for your young rider! When in doubt, always ask your trainer or another barn mom.

SHOW DAY GEAR → 

• Show Trunk: Most barns require you to bring a show trunk to keep your rider's gear and tack in. For barns that do not require custom trunks, a Husky 36.5oz Home Depot trunk will do the job!
• Grooming & Bathing gear: Always ask your trainer (and other barn moms), but you will likely need shampoo, conditioner, a soft hose, a grooming kit with your normal brushes, ShowSheen, liniment gel or spray, hoof polish, detangling spray.
• Shipping gear: If you own or lease, shipping boots are good to have on hand for trailering to protect your horses legs.
• Saddle rack: Amazon sells removable saddle racks that you can put on your horse's stall to make tacking and untacking a breeze.
• Helmet: We have a schooling helmet and a show helmet. My daughters' schooling helmets often gets thrown around during lesson & hack days, so I like for them to have a good looking helmet for show day. Of course, this is not required and the same helmet is perfectly fine! It will need to be black in the show ring (especially for the hunters).
• Schooling Clothes: Riders do not need to school in their show clothes. They can wear polished normal everyday riding gear in the schooling ring. We recommend our SSE leggings and a SSE tech or sun shirt!
• Show Pad & Saddle/Half Pad: In the show ring, you will need a white show specific pad for under your child's saddle. You do not use a half pad with these. For schooling, you will use a normal saddle pad and half pad (if you typically use one with your saddle!)
• Blankets: Look at the weather ahead of the show...don't forget blankets, coolers, quarter sheets, scrims and coolers if you need them.
• Treats: Your pony will surely appreciate their favorite treats after they put in a long day of work for you in the rings!
• Paddock Boots: As mentioned above, they will use their paddock boots for the show. Grab some boot cleaner and boot black to pack in your show trunk.
• Tack: Your rider will need their normal tack- saddle, girth, bridle and martingale. Make sure that you have an acceptable bit depending on the ring that you are in. Don't forget to clean your tack thoroughly the night before with cleaner, conditioner and polish. Don't forget your child's crop and spurs if they use them.
• Garters: Also as mentioned above, your child will need garters for the show ring that will wrap around your child's legs below the knee. There are different types of these, but we recommend the velcro ones- they are way easier! Pick the same color to match their paddock boots.
• Half Chaps: Don't forget to pack these in your trunk for schooling if your child needs them.
• Medical Supplies: There are some essentials that are good to have on hand. Your trainer will likely have any calming supplements if needed, so don't worry about that. We like to bring a tube of UlcerGuard to every show to protect against ulcers...horse shows can be stressful for horses too! Neosporin is always good to have on hand for any cuts or scrapes. Magic cushion for hoof packing is also an essential if your horse will be jumping in a show to protect their feet. Poultice is also good to have on hand to apply to their legs after a long show day to prevent swelling & relieve inflammation. Don't forget all of the horse's normal medication that you may need to bring to a show, unless your trainer will take care of this.

Pro Tip- It seems like a lot...and it is! A printable checklist for each show will help you tremendously.

We hope that this guide can help alleviate the stress of how to dress your young rider and what to expect the first few times (of many!!) that you head to a horse show with your young equestrian. Rest assured that we have your young rider's show and schooling clothing covered at Short Stirrup Equestrian. We designed our clothes with my own young rider's needs of comfort and function in mind as they grow...and they have been tested, proved and loved for over five years of riding and showing! Get ready...

Check back every week and be sure to sign up for our newsletters to follow along with our journal- and share with your young rider! 💌

WARNING - SO much pony cuteness & Short Stirrup Equestrian fun ahead! ✨🐴 

XOXO, Emily