Don't look now, but it's spooky season!! There's a lot of fun for horse owners when it comes to Halloween season: parades, costume classes at horse shows, trunk treating and even trick or treating.
Did you forget that your local horse show is having a costume contest? Better come up with something quick! Luckily, Tough1 is here to help you with some last-minute costume ideas--some are your typical horse and rider costume combination, and some maybe not-so-typical:
- Unicorn & Princess – You already call your horse your "unicorn," why not make it true? Find your prettiest dress (or hit the local thrift store to find an old prom dress) and a tiara. For your horse, add some sparkly hoof polish, some glitter in the mane and tail and a unicorn horn to complete the look.
- Zebra & Zookeeper – If you have a black horse, use some horse-safe, white body paint and draw vertical stripes on your horse. If you have a white horse, you can use black paint. You could dress as a zookeeper.
- Racehorse – Little rider? Make them a jockey for their new racehorse! You can use English tack (the smaller the saddle, the better). For the saddle towel, if you don’t have access to a real one, cut a large square (large enough to fit the horse) in your favorite color and use black marker to write a post position. Use white Tough Flex, or polo wraps, to wrap the legs, then add on thin masking tape at the top in two parallel lines to mimic the wraps on a racehorse. The rider should dress in white pants, tall black boots (paddock boots and half chaps work too) and a set of silks with a helmet and goggles.
- Cowardly Lion & Scarecrow – Dress your buckskin or chestnut as a lion, using some furry fabric around the head, attaching it to a black halter. You can dress as the Scarecrow, stuffing straw in the bottom of a pair of baggy jeans and flannel shirt. Add some face paint and you’re good to go!
- 80s Workout Friends – Find a bright colored lycra hood for your horse and bright colored/neon polo wraps. Use the wraps on the legs for "leg warmers" on all four legs. Add some sparkle with sparkly hoof polish, a large sweatband for the head (use as a browband). You can dress in your best 1980s neon, carry a boombox and enjoy some rad beats.
- 101 Dalmatians – Do you have an Appaloosa? Take advantage of those spots! Grab a belt to use around your horse's neck as a dog collar. tightly braid the tail and wrap in white ToughFlex and cut some black dots from the black wrap to place on the white wrapping, then do a tight running braid down the neck with the mane (if it's long) to keep it tidy. This can also work well on grey/white horses, just add some spots with a horse-safe body paint!
- Flower & Bumblebee– The rider can dress up as a bumblebee with a yellow t-shirt with black stripes (made with marker or colored masking tape), black leggings, wings and a headband with the bee antennae. The horse is the flower! Cut some thin rope the length to gently lay around the neck and on his shoulders. Use felt in the color of your favorite flower to cut the petals and hot glue them to the rope.
- Construction Workers – Find a safety vest, helmet and tool belt for the rider and then copy the vest by using a sheet or fabric to cover just the front of the horse (from chest to mid-barrel) to make a "front quarter sheet" for the horse. If the horse will wear a plastic "safety" helmet, great, if not, that’s OK. Pair with a bright orange halter.
- Prisoner & Police Officer – The human can be the police officer while the horse wears a blanket liner or cooler that's either black and white and add stripes with a name plate on the chest or orange with a name plate.
(Remember: Use non-toxic body paint for you and your horse.)
If you're in a real pinch and not feeling creative, might we suggest our Tough1 holidaywear? Whether it's the Halloween outfit with thr witch hat and the orange and black felt accessories or the Santa or Elf costumes, they allow you to ride or walk next to your costumed friend.
We’d love it if you shared your favorite costume from years past. Share this blog with a photo on your social media. Don’t forget to tag Tough1 (#tough1equine)!
