It's Show Time--Bring on the Plus-Size Riding Clothes!

Three dollars of glass beads and a little time can
transform a basic black jacket into a show stopper. 

Show season has officially started!

I'll admit I never thought I'd be a girl who likes to show. When I first met my trainer, I said, "I'm here to learn to trail ride. I'm not interested in shows."

I was wrong.

Shows are a great way to meet new friends, show off the skills you've gained throughout the year, and collect pretty ribbons. (I consider all ribbons pretty, no matter the color.)

Shows force me into new situations, both in and out of the ring. I figure I learn as much at one show as I might in three months of training. After all, where else would you ride over a suspension bridge and then ground tie your equine while you take a "pit stop" in an "outhouse"?

That said, there's one thing I don't like about shows--getting dressed up. It's not that I don't think I can look as snazzy as the thinner gals, it's just so hard to find fabulous show clothes in my size. Oh, who am I kidding? It's hard to find ANY show clothes in my size!

As the years have gone by, however, I've amassed a decent show wardrobe. Here are some tips to help you get your show gear ready:

Check out the Fuller Fillies line at SmartPak.com. I used to feel so silly during the English classes. Unable to find a pair of English boots to fit my mancalves, I was relegated to a pair of hand-me-down half-chaps that had been customized to fit a gal's larger calves. Usually I was the only one in the class wearing half-chaps. *shudder*

Then I found Fuller Fillies. They have a pair of English boots that fit fabulously--right out of the box! You can get their boots to fit up to a 19" calf! At $300 a pair, the price was still a little high, but it was worth it the first time I wore them into an English class, head held high!

I complimented my boots at that show with my first-ever dressage coat. Before I found this Tuffrider Dressage Coat from The Lexington Horse, I was riding with a navy blue business blazer I'd pulled together at the top with a diaper pin so it looked like it had the right number of buttons. Nice image, huh?

On the western front, I've been a little more innovative. My favorite show jacket (pictured) is one I bought at ShopKo. It started as a simple black jacket embroidered with black roses. Very subtle. Three dollars worth of glass beads and three evenings later, it's one of the showiest jackets in the ring! I get comments left and right.

My showmanship jacket also started as a basic black jacket I bought years ago from Lane Bryant. I hadn't worn it in years, but I remembered it when I was scrounging around for show stuff a couple years ago. A few iron-on embellishments and some glued-on crystals turned it into another show stopper.

So, if you're having trouble finding show clothes that are right for you, don't be discouraged. There are options out there for us larger gals. If you can't find something, get creative! And remember, there is an advantage to being the largest gal in the ring--it gets the judges attention. Then, all you have to do is ride well enough to keep it.