There are several good reasons for the Hunting dress code:
- To honour the hunt and its many years of tradition.
- As a sign of respect to the landowner or host who allows us to hunt on their property – a privilege which should not be taken lightly.
- For your safety. The Cape Hunt Club insists everyone, when mounted, wears a good hard hat to protect their head and boots with a good heel to stop their feet from going through their stirrups.
- Anyone without these will not be permitted to hunt.
DRESS CODE FOR THE RIDER
- A dark coloured jacket with a white stock and a plain stock-pin, with your riding boots
or - A tweed jacket (rat-catcher) with a collar and tie or stock and a plain stock-pin, with your riding boots
- A velvet hard riding hat or a skull cap with a silk/velvet cover; either black or suitable dark colour to match jacket and have a secure chin strap
- White, cream or beige breeches for adults
- White, cream or beige jodhpurs for children, worn with jodhpur boots
- A hair net for ladies and girls if your hair touches your collar.
- Men to tie back long hair
Optional:
- Body protectors; preferably worn under the jacket, or a dark coloured one may be worn over the jacket for children
- White gloves
- Hunting whip
NB: NEWBIES / FIRST TIME HUNTERS
- We want to encourage first time Hunters to join us!
- If you do not have a show jacket – any smart “suit” jacket will be fine
- White or Cream jodhpurs
TURNING OUT YOUR HORSE:
- Clean, well-groomed horse
- Clean, neat, well maintained black or brown tack – no coloured bridles, brow bands, reins, brushing or overreach boots
- Plaited mane (traditionally 9 or 11 plaits) is correct
- A very short, well-pulled mane, which lies flat on the neck is acceptable for field (non-buttoned) riders
- Saddle-cut numnah (not square); preferably white, or else dark coloured
- Suitable bit to control your horse during the hunt
- Red ribbon on your horses tails if it may try to kick – and keep to back of field
- Green ribbon on your horses tail if it is your first hunt
- Yellow ribbon on your horse if it’s a stallion
Optional for your Horse:
- Plaited Tail
ONLY Hunt Officials / Life Members may wear the following:
- ‘Buttons’ – black jackets with a red collar and Cape Hunt brass buttons
- ‘Colours’ – red jackets with Cape Hunt brass buttons, and mahogany topped black boots
- Hunt Masters – red jacket with a black collar and Cape Hunt brass buttons and mahogany topped black boots
- White gloves are essential
- Hunt Servants – A white covered riding hat denotes a hunt servant i.e. either the ‘Huntsman’, a ‘Whipper-In’ or a ‘Field Master’
