Enjoy these opinion pieces from the writers at Horse Collaborative!
Let Golf Keep Polo Shirts, Real Show Jumpers Wear Coats
8 Reasons Polo Shirts Belong in the Grand Prix Ring
The hubbub started with a high-stakes, well-recognized jumping competition that waived the requirement for a jacket and allowed competitors to show in a polo shirt on a very hot weekend in California.
Some members of the equestrian community cheered such forward thinking.
Others cringed...
And everyone seems to fall clearly on one side or the other!!
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| schooling in 4-way stretch |
Athletic wear should enhance athletic performance
or
Tradition Is More Than Just a Place We’ve Been
While I respect tradition, I no longer go to the gym in baggy sweatpants. Yoga pants and leggings allow me the same range of motion without all the extra material getting in my way and interfering with my movement. I would rather work out in my breeches than in baggy sweatpants!!
The only time I've actually appreciated my hunt jacket as more than a nod to tradition has been on the hunting field where it was *actually* keeping me warm on a chilly morning. I agree that it looks sharp, but I'm not going to wear it on the cross-country course - where I need to be at my absolute nest and most agile!
I find that traditional jackets restrict my movement a little in the shoulder and elbow. I can't even get in the saddle without having to tug my jacket back into place. Do I really need to worry about my clothes once I'm mounted?
I'll ditch my jacket for something more "performance enhancing", thanks.
Putting on a suit jacket and tie to compete is batsh*t insane
or
Hunt Coats Today Have Come a Long Way
While I agree that technology and fabrics have really advanced, I still can't get my hunt jacket to perform as well as a fitted long-sleeve with 4-way stretch! And that jacket has never helped cool me in heated temperatures!
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| winning in a suit |
Now you might be thinking, BUT TECHNICAL FABRICS
or
Show Jumping Doesn’t Actually Have an Image Problem
Was someone concerned about IMAGE? I thought that was a Hunters thing...
Nope, I'm not the least bit concerned about how great my fancy jacket looks when I'm jumping jumps. Technical fabrics are great. I appreciate the vents in my helmet that keep me from expiring on summer days, and I *do* wear it every time that I ride. Advances have made my helmet stronger, cooler, and safer.
Can the same be said for my hunt coat? It might be a little stretchier (not much - it's still looks like a suit), it might be marginally cooler (but I'm still sweating waaaay more than when I take it off), but it isn't any *safer*. I'm still wearing it "just for looks".
If there is no image problem, why is everyone up in arms about about it?
“It’s 90 seconds in the ring. The riders can take it.”
No other sport in the world insists on a uniform that actually impedes performance.
“What’s next, McDonald’s logos on their collar?!”
I get that "you can do almost anything for 90 seconds". While it may sometimes be called a "sports jacket", it still does nothing to help my athletic performance. Yes. It hinders my performance.
As far as logos are concerned, I don't see how changing the uniform makes a difference either way. There are requirements and size limits on dressage saddle pads, so similar structure could address "decoration" on polos (or jackets, for that matter).
So, what's your take on it? How does the jacket requirement (or lack thereof) affect you?
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