Shadbellies

Shadbellies are primarily used by the dressage and hunter riders. However, these two styles of shadbellies are not interchangeable. Where the hunter shadbellies are shorter and more plain looking, their dressage counterparts are flashy and longer in length.

A “shad” is often also called “tails” or even a “tailcoat”. In dressage competition, the shadbelly is required of riders competing in the high level tests, such as Grand Prix. Lower level tests do not require (allow) the use of shadbellies. In its simplest form, a rider and his/her mount must move up the levels of dressage competition to be bestowed upon this honor. The same general  rules apply to the hunter ring as well.

Shadbellies styling and fit have come a long way in just the last 5 years. Gone are the days of the woolen heavy shad. They have been replaced by light weight technical fabric shads that enable a flattering fit while keeping the rider cool at the same time. The shads are machine washable and do not require dry cleaning.

Both the Equiline Cadence shadbelly and the Lotus Romeo Natasha tailcoat can be customized. The latter is offered in a bunch of different colors. You can even design your own matching show shirt. If you would like some ideas on how to design your own custom shadbelly, check out our gallery of custom Equiline tailcoats.