By Lori L. Gordon

your strengths and downplay your weaknesses. These factors fall into four categories: attire, tack, fitness, and form.

Attire and accessories

The color shapes and sizes of your show clothing should enhance your horses color, size, and movement. For example, blues, greens, beiges, and rusts, are great color combos for sorrels or chestnuts; while reds, black, teal, and pink are good choices for gray or black horses. Bay and brown horses tend to look good with a wider selection of colors and usually can be shown with most of the colors mentioned above.

After you choose a color family from which to build your wardrobe, select shapes sizes and patterns that enhance both you and your horse. If your horse is a short, choppy mover, picking bright color and loud patterns will only draw more attention to his cadence. If you have a short square build, you might want to create a solid colored outfit to visually lengthen and slenderize you. You may especially want to focus on detail when choosing an equitation or a horsemanship outfit, as your form is being judged more than your horses appearance or way of going.

Be sure that your show clothing fits well and is the correct length, Too-tight clothing draws attention to the rider's body, especially if he or she is carrying extra pounds; while loose, sloppy attire takes away from a neat impression. Ill-fitting clothes also create the illusion that your horse is rough or quick, as they tend to move and flap more than clothes that fit properly.

If you are on a tight budget, try shopping the bargain stores or sales after you have decided on a color scheme or pattern. Check show newsletters for used riding clothes for sale or ask people in your local club where you can pick up used attire in good condition. Many riders outgrow or tire of an item after one show season and may be looking to sell a perfectly good piece at a greatly reduced price.

Remember, color fit, your size and build and your horse's, your horse's movement, and your piggy bank all are important roles in determining the right attire and accessories for you. If you are unsure as to how to coordinate an attractive show outfit, consult your trainer, instructor, local tack shop, or 4-H leader. They may be able to help or at least steer you toward someone with the expertise to make you appearance a blue-ribbon winner

Tack and equipment

Your first and foremost concern, of course, should be to purchase a saddle, bridle, and saddle pad that fits your mount. Nothing is more irritating to a horse than a saddle that pinches or rubs or a bridle that rubs his eyes and his discomfort could give the judge the impression that he is sour or lazy.

Choose a color and size of the saddle that enhances you and your horse. Whether you are riding English or western, choose colors and styles that suit your breed and discipline. You don't want to choose a dressage saddle if you plan to ride your Quarter Horse in a hunt-seat class. Nothing detracts more from your appearance than not looking the part. Select a seat size that suits your build and weight and trees length and width that fits your horse comfortably. (Ask your saddler if you don't know how to measure yourself or your horse for a saddle.)

If you have a darker horse and you are a western-pleasure rider, some of the lighter-oiled saddles will enhance his coloring beautifully. However, if your budget allows you to buy only one saddle, you might want to stick with a less medium-brown tone, as trends in tack (as in clothing or any other product line) come and go and styles and colors change over time.

Choose a headstall that flatters and frames your horse's head. If your horse has a long head, choose a headstall with a larger browband that dips or has a futurity knot. This will help break up the appearance of a long face. Try a headstall with more silver accents for a horse with a gorgeous head, downplaying the chrome for a plainer faced animal. In hunt seat you can go with a more costly raised or braided headstall for the more sculpted head and flatter leather for the plainer horse.

When purchasing a saddle pad, choose colors that will be neutral enough to match a few of your new show outfits yet will coordinate well with your horse's coloring. Again choose patterns and shapes that will "move" well with his cadence. Never go with a blanket that distracts from your horse's movement, no matter how well it matches your outfit. If you would rather buy one good blanket, many people go the route of simply matching the blanket to the tack and the horse, foregoing matching it to their outfits all together.

Last, but certainly not least, is the importance of entering the ring with neat and spotless tack and apparel. Even old or plain tack can be greatly revived with a little saddle soap, oil, and good old-fashioned elbow grease. A clean and neat appearance, even with less that cutting edge clothes and tack will give you way more mileage than brand-new attire and tack that are dull, dirt, loose, ill-fitting, or sloppy.

Pumping Iron

Today, fitness and fashion go hand in hand. It is hard to look great in a new outfit when both you and your horse are not fitted up properly.

Fitting your animal up means having him in the correct management program for him, with regular exercise and good nutrition. Horses are like people: They are all individuals, and they respond differently to different situations. Be sure that you are using the correct equipment in your training (bits, spurs, draw rein, etc) and that your horse's regimen is working for him. If you are unable to design a successful program for you animal, retain the help of a reputable trainer who can help you mange him and to reach his optimal level of performance. An exceptional animal in the wrong program will rarely work up to peak performance, while a mediocre animal in the right work and nutrition program has been known to beat the more talented animal's who's not working up to par.

Your level of physical fitness and your nutritional needs also should be a daily concern. Being physically fit and strong will help you develop as a rider, and keeping your weight within a normal range will let your horse move more freely and will allow you to present a nicer picture to the judge. Eating properly is essential for the nutrition and energy needed for strength, stamina, and overall good health- all "musts" in a sport that requires drive, discipline, and endurance, not to mention quick thinking.

Posture and seat

Its back to the basics if you want to develop a balanced seat that is attractive as well as correct. The four natural aids (hands, seat, legs, and voice) are the cornerstones of correct riding; and developing their use, timing, and effectiveness will help you to steady yourself as well as your horse and to present a polished picture.

Keeping a steady seat and correct posture not only looks pretty but also helps to smooth ever any mistakes your horse might make and to give you a poised and confident appearance. A polished rider can help make up for a lesser mount and enhance a talented one. After you have worked on your attire, tack, and fitness, be sure that you are doing everything you can in the area of form to put the icing on the cake. If you are not sure of the proper seat for your breed or discipline, consult your association or breed's handbook of rules and regulations. If you need additional instruction, find an instructor or trainer who can inform you in these areas.

Many times, a few simple changes in your posture and the way you carry yourself will improve your seat tremendously. Some riders are not aware of habitual hand and face gestures that distract from their appearance. Sometimes, just having someone point them out is all that is needed to correct them. Remember, if you don't look good, your horse is bound not to show his best. You and your horse are a team, so hone your skills to accentuate his movement and minimize his shortcomings. Of course, choosing a mount that helps offset your shortcoming is a plus as well.

Product shelf life

While you are packaging you're your product for the show marketplace, keep a few common-sense guidelines in mind.

• Riding attire, types and styles of tack, methods of training, and styles of riding tend to go in and out of fashion. Particularly if you are on a tight budget, avoid creating an image that will have a short "shelf left". Look for tack and clothing that will look good and last for more than one season.
• Look for a trainer or instructor with a good track record and sensible methods. Trendy training tactics and styles tend to go out as fast as they came in, leaving you to start all over with the next trend. It is more reasonable to stick to the basics in both of these areas.
• After you build a solid foundation of good riding, polished technique, and a flattering appearance, you can always add a new twist that can be changed easily when the trend fades. It may be as small as an "In" accessory, which will allow you to adopt a new piece of "the look" until a new fad takes its place.

The finished product

Now that you have finished your horse-and-rider makeover, it's time to take your creation for a test drive. Your first horse will help you clarify what works, what elements still need work, and what finishing touches need a little toning down or beefing up.

As with any endeavor, you'll go through a period of trial and error, of additions or deletions. But by focusing on and working to perfect your attire, tack, fitness, and form, you'll be much closer to delivering the impression that will send you home wearing the blue.

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