Leather Colors For Shows.

[Laya]

Does it matter what color your tack is in a show ring with a certain colored horse? I read in one of my catalogs, a chart that matched up a certain horse color to a certain leather color. That made me start thinking.

I've always ridden dark horses or white/grey horses and have used dark mahogany or black tack on them because it complimented their color and made them shine like a "new penny". Haha. :)

Now, I have Justin all suited up in a dark mahogany and he's a light chestnut with a pretty white face. His face looks great with the dark bridle on him, but the rest of him, eh... :( Well, would a chestnut or light tan tack look better on a chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail? :)

Thanks for your time...

[olympicprincess]

I don't know what discipline you ride, but majority of people I see use either black or medium to dark brown tack. It sounds like you have the classic color. I also have chestnuts and we use a black dressage saddle (of course) and a dark brown jumping saddle. I don't care for the light tack, but that's my opinion.

[summer]

Hi all
If you ride western, you can get away with a wider variety of colors, and can choose something that suits your horse (and indeed your own clothes). Stick to shades of brown and black though, although the very light tans look super on chestnuts and palominos, and some paints. If you ride English, medium brown (havana) to black is your limit, and the trendy white lined bridles might be frowned upon (certainly are in hunter classes). I've seen some horses here in the UK competing in hunter shows in 'London tan' which is a light brown, and apparently very traditional, but I can't say I like it. More important than the color is to make sure it fits properly for your horse to look his best!