Dress & Act Appropriately.
We are in the midst of the holiday season of air travel. After years of flying for corporate business travel, I am very well aware of how personal appearance and manners affects others. In a recent article in Slate.com titled ‘Dressing up for air travel, in defense of looking nice for flight or train, the author explains, “When we dress well for travel, we are not only making ourselves look good; we’re also signaling that we are invested in making this shared experience pleasant for everyone around us.” (1) This rationale seamlessly crosses over to other shared group activities, including group riding lessons.
IMPROVING SHARED EXPERIENCES
- Dress Appropriately: BusinessInsider.com explains, “Planes are (flight attendants) their workplace. No one wants to wait on someone in basketball shorts and dirty flip-flops.” (2), Just as a plane is a flight attendant’s work place, your riding lesson is that of your trainers. Showing up for a lesson with dirty boots and horse that is not groomed sends a message that you do not appreciate their time.
- Dressing up leads to confidence. An admirable trait both in public and at the stable. Confident riders present a picture that they are serious about their lesson and ready to work hard to progress.
- Show Respect. Showing respect greatly improves the atmosphere of shared experiences, just as the inverse can cause others to be uncomfortable. Most of us have witnessed another traveler “launch” into the attendant at the ticket counter, speak rudely to his or her traveling companions (usually spouses or parents), or crowd their way down the jet terminal. Additionally, we all have horror stories from lessons that make us uncomfortable. My pet peeves include riders that are clueless about spatial awareness in the arena, complain or speak back to your trainer, or consistently show up “just in time” with little respect for the trickle down effect of starting late. Alwayas remember the two most important words after someone assists you is "thank you."
GUIDELINES IN DRESS
A few simple tips typically hold true:
Air Travel
- Do not look like you just rolled out of bed! Wear fabrics that do not wrinkle easily like cashmere. Denim is acceptable as long as your jeans are not tattered and stained.
- Layering is key, especially when traveling to a different climate.
- If you do not have TSA Pre Check, wear shoes that are easy to remove and also closed toe. My preferences include ballet flats, zip up booties and leather sneakers including Nike's new suede wingtip style.
Riding Lessons
- Belt.
- Polished boots.
- Tucked in shirt. I used to be a stickler for collared shirts, but with the technology of sports shirts like lululemon and SQN Sport, I am good with a well-fitted long sleeve shirt. The key is a nice silhouette so that your trainer can evaluate your body position.
- Tidy hair (hair net for long hair) and clean helmet.
- Clean tack and saddle pads.
- Well turned out horse, including face properly wiped and fly spray applied.
Self presentation is not expensive, but rather it is a demonstration of respect for those within your proximity. Why conform when you can excel with grace and poise?
Salut!
Kristin
(2) http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-always-dress-up-on-a-plane-2015-9
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