50 Hunt Team Theme Ideas for Your Next Horse Show

Introduction to Hunt Teams: Creativity, Teamwork, and Fun in the Show Ring

Hunt teams are a fantastic and fun part of horse showing. They aren’t super common, but really really entertaining. Hunt teams offer the chance for equestrians to turn a typically individual sport, into a team event. For those new to the concept, hunt teams are groups of riders who work together to jump a course while showcasing their unity, often in fun and imaginative costumes. Riders follow each other around the course, and usually the final jump is a line of 3 jumps next to each other that the riders try to jump at exactly the same time. These teams usually consist of three riders, but sometimes you’ll see teams of two or four. In addition to jumping courses together, some shows include opportunities for teams to express themselves through themes, making the experience even more entertaining for participants and spectators alike.

dr seuss hunt teams

But before you dive headfirst into designing those eye-catching costumes for yourself and your horse, there are some key things to consider. Whether you’re preparing for your local hunt team class or a prestigious show like the Devon Horse Show, here’s what you need to know to make sure your hunt team experience goes smoothly.

Consider Your Horse’s Tolerance and Temperament

When thinking about costumes for your hunt team, the first and most important factor is your horse’s tolerance for costumes and accessories. While some horses are unbothered by headpieces, capes, or wings, others might spook or become uncomfortable when wearing anything unusual. It’s essential to test costume elements on your horse long before show day. Start with something small and non-intrusive, like a themed saddle pad or bridle decoration, and gradually add more elements if your horse seems comfortable.

If your horse shows any signs of stress, it’s best to simplify the costume. Remember, your horse’s safety and comfort always come first!

rich lady hunt teams

Check the Show Rules for Costume Restrictions

Before planning any elaborate costumes, it’s crucial to read through the show’s rules regarding costumes and decorations. Different events may have specific guidelines on what is allowed and what is prohibited, often for safety reasons. For instance, flowing capes or large, flapping accessories might pose a risk on a jump course, so they may not be allowed.

Always make sure that your costume elements don’t interfere with your tack or your horse’s movement. Some shows might ban certain props or require you to keep costume items minimal around the horse’s legs to avoid tripping hazards.

wedding hunt teams

Team Size: 2, 3, or 4 Riders

Though hunt teams typically consist of three riders, don’t be surprised to see teams of two or four riders at some events. Whether you’re on a duo, trio, or quartet, the goal remains the same: to ride cohesively and jump the final jumps in unison. Coordinating your team is key, especially in larger teams where everyone needs to maintain rhythm and spacing.

Pony hunt teams - the medics

Gift Baskets: A Special Tradition

At some shows, like the renowned Devon Horse Show, hunt teams take their creativity one step further by presenting themed gift baskets to the show judge. These baskets typically match the team’s costume theme and add an extra layer of charm and fun to the competition. It’s a great way to show off your team’s creativity beyond the riding ring, and it can really impress the judges.

Consider making the basket reflect your team’s costume or characters—for example, a team dressed as chefs might present a basket filled with gourmet treats, or a pirate-themed team could put together a treasure chest of goodies!

judge gift basket

Practice Jump Courses Together—Costumed and Not

Riding as a team takes more than just matching outfits. To really shine in the ring, it’s essential to practice jumping the course together, both with and without your costumes. Timing and coordination are everything in a hunt team class. You’ll need to make sure that all riders are able to jump in sync without anyone getting ahead or falling behind.

When you add costumes to the mix, it’s even more important to have practice runs. Costumes can affect how the horse moves or behaves, and practicing in them will give your horse time to adjust. Be sure to run through the course multiple times with the full costume setup to avoid surprises on show day.

Flinstones hunt team

Additional Tips for Success

  • Plan for Adjustments: Some costume elements may need adjusting once you’re in the ring. Keep an eye on how your horse reacts to the environment, as they may spook at different decorations or sounds at the show.
  • Coordinate Your Movements: Decide in advance how you’ll approach and navigate each jump as a group. Make sure everyone is clear on their positions.
  • Communication Is Key: Keep communication open between your team members during practices and on show day. Knowing each other’s cues for speed and positioning will help your team maintain that seamless look in the ring.
  • Have Fun! One of the best parts of participating in a hunt team class is the joy and creativity it brings. While there’s a competitive element, remember to enjoy the experience of working as a team and showing off your fun, themed costumes.
baseball hunt team

Horse Hunt Team Theme Ideas

Here’s a list of 51 different themes that horseback riders and their horses could use for a fun and creative hunt teams horse show class, with enough characters for a 3-person team. Under each theme are some suggestions for how to costume your horse to match the theme.

Note: I use the word blankets below a lot. Blankets can be anything from sheets of material, to lightweight blackets to spandex sleazies.

  1. The Three Musketeers
    Horses can wear capes in rich colors like navy, burgundy, or royal blue with feathered hat decorations on their bridles and faux swords or musketeer crests on saddle blankets.
  2. Harry Potter (Harry, Ron, and Hermione)
    Horses can wear Hogwarts house-colored blankets (ie scarlet and gold for Gryffindor), with scarves or capes. Add wizard hats or glasses to the bridle.
  3. The Three Little Pigs
    Horses can be “the wolf” with grey fur-like blankets, sharp tooth designs on bridles, and wolf ears. Alternatively, pink blankets with curly pig tails could match the pigs theme.
  4. Rock, Paper, Scissors
    Horses can represent large props: One horse could have “rock” patterns on its blanket, one could have paper texture, and one could wear shiny metallic silver for scissors.
  5. Snap, Crackle, and Pop (Rice Krispies)
    Horses can wear cereal-themed blankets, chef hats or caps, and decorated “cereal bowl” props on their saddles.
  6. The Sanderson Sisters (Hocus Pocus)
    Horses could wear witch-themed blankets with brooms attached to the saddle, witch hats, and potion bottles.
  7. Peter Pan, Wendy, and Tinkerbell
    Horses can wear green leafy blankets for Peter Pan, a soft blue dress-like blanket for Wendy, and glittery wings or fairy dust-like decorations for Tinkerbell.
  8. Pirates of the Caribbean
    Horses can wear pirate ship-themed blankets with treasure chests attached to their saddles and pirate hats or bandanas on their bridles.
  9. Firefighters, Police Officers, and Paramedics
    Horses can wear blankets styled like fire trucks, police cars, or ambulances, with reflective tape and emergency symbols.
  10. Stars, Moons, and Sun
    Horses can wear celestial-themed blankets—one with a starry pattern, one with silver moon designs, and one with a radiant sunburst theme.
  11. Superheroes: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman
    Horses can wear superhero-themed capes and masks, with each horse representing a different hero’s logo and colors on their blankets.
  12. Shrek (Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona)
    Horses can wear brown or grey blankets for “Donkey,” green blankets for “Shrek,” and royal attire or tiaras for “Fiona.”
  13. Toy Story (Buzz, Woody, and Jessie)
    Horses can wear blankets with cowboy and space themes—Woody’s horse could wear a sheriff’s badge, Buzz’s horse could have rocket wings, and Jessie’s could have a cowgirl theme.
  14. Alice in Wonderland (The Mad Hatter, Alice, and The White Rabbit)
    Horses can wear teacup or “Alice in Wonderland” themed blankets. The White Rabbit’s horse can have a large clock attached to its saddle, and Alice’s horse can have pastel colors.
  15. Cowboys and Cowgirls
    Horses can wear western-themed blankets with fringes, bandanas, and cowboy hats.
  16. Alvin and the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore)
    Horses can wear blankets with the initial “A” on Alvin’s horse, and oversized glasses for Simon’s horse, and a green hoodie look for Theodore’s horse.
  17. Chefs with kitchen props
    Horses can wear chef’s hats and blankets decorated like aprons, with utensils attached to the saddles.
  18. Lions, Tigers, and Bears (Oh My!)
    Horses can be dressed in animal print blankets—one with a lion mane, another with tiger stripes, and the third with a bear’s fur look.
  19. Fire, Water, and Earth (Elements)
    Horses can wear blankets with elemental designs: red/orange flames, blue waves, and green/brown earth patterns.
  20. Super Mario Brothers (Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach)
    Horses can wear themed blankets: a red “M” for Mario, a green “L” for Luigi, and a pink, princess-themed blanket for Peach. Incorporate other elements from the video game like bricks, goombas, etc.
  21. The Ghostbusters
    Horses can wear “ghost trap” saddle blankets with ghost-themed designs, and even a small “proton pack” prop on the saddle. Horses could be the supernatural characters like Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.
  22. Famous Painters: Van Gogh, Picasso, and Monet
    Horses can wear art-inspired blankets, with famous painting patterns, such as “Starry Night” or abstract Picasso designs.
  23. The Minions (Despicable Me)
    Horses can wear yellow blankets with black goggles and overalls-style decorations to mimic Minion outfits. Riders or horses could be the minions or other characters (like Gru, Agnes, etc).
  24. Safari Explorers
    Horses can wear safari-themed blankets with animal prints like zebra stripes, leopard spots, or giraffe patches.
  25. Cinderella, Prince Charming, and Fairy Godmother
    Horses can wear royal-themed blankets with magical touches—Cinderella’s horse can wear a tiara, Prince Charming’s horse could have royal blue accents, and the Fairy Godmother’s horse could have a starry, sparkling cape.
  26. The Incredibles (Pick 3)
    Horses can wear black capes with red, yellow, and black Incredible logos on their blankets.
  27. Circus Performers: Ringmaster, Clown, and Acrobat
    Horses can wear colorful, circus-themed blankets with bright, bold patterns and clown hats or top hats.
  28. Race Car Drivers
    Horses can wear racing flags or checkered-pattern blankets with “numbered” racing bibs.
  29. Mermaids
    Horses can wear shiny, scale-patterned blankets to mimic mermaid tails, with shells or seaweed accessories.
  30. Medieval Knights
    Horses can wear full knight armor blankets with shields on their sides and feathered helmets.
  31. Space Explorers: Astronaut, Alien, and Rocket
    Horses can wear space-themed blankets with stars, galaxies, and futuristic designs. Add rocket fins or antennae for fun.
  32. Disney Villains (Pick 3)
    Horses can wear dark, dramatic blankets with iconic villain details like horns (Maleficent), magic mirrors, or poison apples.
  33. Tropical Fruits: Pineapple, Mango, and Coconut
    Horses can wear fruit-themed blankets with bright, tropical colors and fun accessories like fruit crowns or giant paper leaves.
  34. The Addams Family: Gomez, Morticia, and Wednesday
    Horses can wear gothic black blankets with spooky accessories like cobwebs, bats, and candles.
  35. Vikings
    Horses can wear fur-lined blankets with Viking helmets and faux shields.
  36. Surfers
    Horses can wear surfboard or ocean-themed blankets with waves, palm trees, or tropical flowers. Add flower leis and coconuts, too!
  37. Farm Animals: Cow, Pig, and Chicken
    Horses can wear cow, pig, or chicken-patterned blankets with ears or tails attached to their bridles.
  38. Sailors: Captain, First Mate, and Sailor
    Horses can wear nautical-themed blankets with anchors, ropes, and sailor hats.
  39. Sharks, Dolphins, and Whales (Ocean Animals)
    Horses can wear blankets with ocean animal patterns—grey shark fins, blue dolphin designs, or whale tail blankets.
  40. Snow White and Two Dwarfs
    Horses can wear dwarf hats and mining tool-themed blankets, with a more royal, forest-themed look for Snow White’s horse.
  41. Elves, Fairies, and Gnomes
    Horses can wear leafy, forest-themed blankets with wings or pointy hats.
  42. Dr. Seuss Characters: Cat in the Hat, Thing 1, Thing 2
    Horses can wear red and white-striped blankets or wigs, with big “Thing 1” and “Thing 2” labels.
  43. Star Wars: Luke, Leia, and Han Solo
    Horses can wear Jedi robes, lightsabers on saddles, or “Millennium Falcon”–themed blankets.
  44. Spaghetti, Meatballs, and Garlic Bread
    Horses can wear blankets with red and white checked tablecloth patterns, meatball-like pom-poms, maybe some cardboard utensils.
  45. Jurassic Park Rangers and Dinosaurs
    Horses can wear dinosaur-colored blankets, with scales, spikes, or even tiny T-Rex arms attached.
  46. Pumpkin Spice Latte (Pumpkin, Spice, and Whipped Cream)
    Horses can wear orange pumpkin blankets, spice-colored saddle pads, and fluffy whipped cream-like hats or saddle accessories.
  47. The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man
    Horses can wear yellow hay-colored blanket for the Scarecrow, shiny silver for the Tin Man, and ruby red accents for Dorothy.
  48. Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Ghosts, Skeletons, and Zombies
    Horses can wear spooky blankets with fangs, fur, or bones for each character theme.
  49. The Founding Fathers (Historical Figures)
    Horses can wear patriotic blankets with colonial accessories like tri-corner hats or sashes.
  50. Fast Food Favorites: Burger, Fries, and Shake
    Horses can wear food-themed blankets—one for a burger, one for fries (with cardboard “fries” sticking up), and one with a milkshake design.
  51. Ballerinas
    Horses can wear tutu-style blankets with ballet slipper decorations on their legs, and crowns or tiaras on their bridles.
Hunt Teams witches
Olaf hunt teams
elsa hunt teams
eagles nfl hunt teams
Avengers hunt team
pirate hunt team

Conclusion

Hunt teams are an exciting way to bring creativity and collaboration into the horse show world. Whether you’re dressing as the Three Musketeers or pulling off a magical fairy tale theme, there’s plenty of room for imagination. Just remember to prioritize your horse’s comfort, follow the show’s rules, practice your course as a team, and enjoy the experience!

Have you ever participated in a Hunt Teams horse show class? What was your theme?

Be sure to check out our list of Horse and Rider Halloween Costume Ideas for more dress-up themed ideas for equestrians!

hunt teams duo

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