Tacked up: Colour coordination

TACKED UP

Colour coordination

Which colours best suit your horse? A good question, and one that needs consideration. Fortunately SUZY JARRATT has some advice.

Matchy-matchy is a relatively recent expression in the equestrian vocabulary. A few decades ago bandages were usually white, navy or black, and secured around the legs with tapes – Velcro fastenings had yet to infiltrate the horse market. Your saddlecloth was primarily to protect your equine’s back, rather than to make a fashion statement, and few riders knew much about ear bonnets.

Today, matching accessories are big business and the marketplace is bursting with eye-watering combinations. Equestrian stylists are everywhere suggesting suitable shades for you and your horse. There is an abundance of bright cotton ear bonnets, vibrant neon saddlecloths, and bandages in scores of plain colours or fancy designs such as love hearts, polka dots and bumblebees. You can also buy sets encrusted with rhinestones!

Needless to say, it is up to owners to decide what looks best on their horses. Tastes vary and fashions change, just as they do with food and clothes. Yesterday it was all about distressed jeans and smashed avocado, today it’s bubble tea and crocheted crop tops.

Some riders are conservative when selecting accessories, others are more adventurous. But, in the end, it is all about personal choice and if you want your Knabstrupper stallion to wear a rose gold saddlecloth and striped bandages it is entirely up to you.

We’ve compiled a few ideas on what might be a good match for different coloured horses. A simple rule of thumb to assist in selection is that a dark coat suits lighter colours and a light coloured coat suits darker ones. But there are always exceptions to that rule!

Grey/White: Dark colours are the best with grey horses and there are many to choose from, including charcoal, navy, black, burgundy, olive green, dark brown and red. Neutral shades like beige or taupe aren’t particularly flattering. For many, pink is an absolute no-no but it might be considered appealing on a child’s dapple grey pony.

Black: Black horses can carry almost any colour; they especially look attractive in white, cream, taupe and pastels.

ABOVE: Eurohunter fetlock boots come in a variety of colours (available from Trailrace). PREVIOUS PAGE: The Saddle Hub stocks PS of Sweden saddlecloths, bandages and bonnets in a range of colours and styles.

Bay: Hunter green, white, maroon, turquoise, grey, and black are some of the many colours which suit bays. However, if your bay has a lot of red in their coat, navy or royal blue might work well.

Chestnut: Try royal and light blue, black, hunter or mint green, and teal – but avoid light shades of red.

Palomino: Dark shades are probably best – think blueberry, black, peacock green, even purple. But give yellow, beige and orange a miss.

Dun: White, pastels, burgundy, dark blue, or dark brown are likely to hit the spot.

Skewbald: Stylists suggest colours which are attractive on a chestnut or grey can also look good on a skewbald.

Piebald: Those colours which suit a black or grey can do the same for a piebald.

Appaloosa: Uniquely patterned and in many shades of grey and brown, black, burgundy or bottle green might work. Perhaps be guided by the colour suggestions for piebald and skewbald.

The colour wheel

If you are really serious about pursuing matchy-matchy combinations you could study the colour wheel, traditionally used by designers, painters and artists. It’s a neat little tool broken up into cool, warm, primary, secondary and tertiary colours and you can use the principles of the wheel to pair hues that work well together.

But no matter what colours you fancy, if you’re thinking of competing check your discipline’s rule book to find out what’s appropriate. For example, no bandages or coloured saddlecloths are allowed in dressage tests, and the EA National Show Horse Rules vary depending on the class. In some cases, numnah colour is optional, while in others ‘a discreet natural sheepskin saddle cloth is acceptable’. Bandages are allowed only in the warm-up area and for working hunter jumping phases. Meanwhile show jumpers tend to use leather or Kevlar tendon protectors, as do eventers when going cross country.

Different Pony Clubs, breed societies, polo and polocrosse associations all have varying regional, state and national colours, and participating riders must abide by those rules. There are more opportunities to introduce colourful accessories in western riding, especially when it comes to saddlecloths or blankets.

Of course, you and your horse can wear whatever you like when on a recreational ride, schooling at home, or attending clinics. And there is a practical aspect to bright bandages - they come in very useful when training in an arena with mirrors, making it easier for riders to see the positioning of their horse’s legs.

Whatever choices you make will mean nothing to your horse. An equine’s vision is similar to human colour blindness, where certain colours, especially red and related shades, appear more green or yellowish. Horses perceive the world through quite different eyes.

But beware! Colour coordination can be very addictive. So when you’re next mulling over the suitability of plum or blueberry, remember to save some money for your riding lessons.