Horse showing and competitions have excellent benefits both physically and mentally. Horse shows are fun and exciting and its nice to see your hard work at home rewarded in the show ring. Horse competitions do have a laundry list of items. Tack, clothing, entry fees, etc. are just a few of the financial obligations for horse shows.
Whether its tack, equipment, or especially horse show clothing, there are some tips you can use so horse shows don’t break the bank.
Facebook is an excellent resource to find show clothing for less. There are some amazing groups out there like:
show clothing for less
high end show clothing
English apparel
You can use the search bar in Facebook to find either nationwide or local show clothing groups to join. There are also many tack groups – both used and new tack that can also be very beneficial.
When shopping on Facebook be courteous and respectful and ask if there is any damage to the clothing if the description does not already state that information. You can see if they will move any on price but if the seller remains firm please respect that.
The majority of the people on these groups are honest equestrians. If there is any misconduct or deceit about items you have either ordered or received, please report that person to the group and the admin of the group. Payments are at the seller’s discretion but many prefer PayPal, Apple Pay, Stripe, or another form of electronic payment.
Another really useful something Facebook offers is that you can post an ISO or “in search of add.” This is a great way to get the colors and size that you are looking for. Ask for pictures from different angles and even a video if the seller can do so.
You can also see if you can sell your old show clothing or trade for newer updated items. This doesn’t always work but it never hurts to ask and some sellers might be interested in trading. I always try to sell my old items first so I have some cash on hand and then go look for my new items.
eBay
eBay is another excellent source to find show clothing for less. Some items can be bid on and they can be bought at a very good price- much lower than it would have sold for anywhere else. I usually start my eBay search by typing in the brand or specific item that i’m looking for or a well known brand that I would be comfortable with. If I can’t find anything then I will type in search words like western rail jacket or western show jacket or english riding breeches, etc.
As with Facebook, make sure the seller lists or photographs any damage or holes. Inspect the pictures carefully and be sure to send them a message if you have any questions about the items.
Online
Many of the larger websites on line such as Dover saddlery, Hobby Horse Inc. or State Line Tack often have sales on basic yet attractive show clothing for less. If there is an equestrian consignment shop near you like a tack shop they might have some show clothing items.
There are lots of used show clothing websites online such as Show Me Again. A simple Google search can land you on some pretty good websites with horse show clothing that are still in great condition. You can also google the color you want and then “western show jacket” or whatever clothing item you are interested in.
Borrow
Another thing you can do to find a show clothing for less is you can borrow items. This isn’t a popular method BUT if you have horsey friends that have similar sizing you guys can trade jackets or borrow other clothing, just make sure to clean it for before you return it. This is a little harder to do but it can save a lot of money if you can borrow or “rent” an outfit. This can also apply to tack.
Finding horse show clothing for less is not impossible. With a little detective work and research you would might be surprised by what you find. My personal favorite is Facebook to find show clothing items. Some groups are just directed by with the seller and but there are a few Facebook groups where you can bid. eBay is another excellent option and watch for sales on the equestrian websites online.
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