When you first enter the world of horse riding, it can be a minefield. What do I wear? How do I hold the reins? What if I fall off?
These are all very normal worries when you’re learning to ride — Even the likes of William Fox-Pitt and Pippa Funnel couldn’t just hop on and jump fences higher than cars right away! Riding is a skill and takes many years, long hours and dedication to become the best. But my point is, everyone has to start somewhere.
Horse riding is an amazing and rewarding life skill to have, it teaches you about patience, teamwork (after all, there’s not just you in this partnership), improves body strength, balance, and it’s great for your mindset too; the list goes on!
One of the most common questions is “what clothes do I need to go horse riding?”
To help you get going, we’ve put together some ladies equestrian clothing suggestions to ensure you get off to a great start. Whatever your age, anyone can learn to ride and can look great doing it. Check out our “what to wear” guide for juniors and adults and look the part in Rydale without breaking the bank.
Learning to ride from a young age:
Some would say this is the ideal time to learn to ride a horse, as young minds soak up learning new skills like a sponge; plus, they have no fear and ‘bounce’ well too! Learning young gives you something else to focus on and enjoy other than school, after all what else is there to do in the summer holidays?
With more riding schools than ever, riding has become accessible to most. With well-trained ponies and talented instructors, it’s never been easier to learn.
WARNING MUMS, riding doesn’t come cheap though! With hats, body protectors, boots and more to fork out for, it can all become a little costly. This is where we can help, with our range of affordable kids’ horse riding jackets and children’s country accessories, we can help get you off to a flying start.
We’ve worked hard to make our junior jodhpurs comfortable, durable, high quality and very affordable. If you’re like me, you’ll go through a whole load of jodhpurs with growth spurts and falling off, for this reason we’ve ensured that good value is key, at just £18 they sure are.
Our Rydale Jodhpurs have features such as a wide belt looped waistband and increased elasticity in the fabric for comfort and mobility. We even do a skinny jean version, with the look of jeans, but the properties of a Jodhpur… genius!
Is your little one feeling inspired? Why not show them our blog post on 10 of the most famous horse riders?
Our Junior Thirsk boots are also great value at just £25, in a choice of either brown or black. These little boots may not look flashy, but with their streamline look and thick sole, they’re smart and ideal for purpose.
With loops to easily pull them on and off, your little ones will have no trouble at all. These smart boots feature an elasticated side gusset for comfort and ease of movement when you need to get out of the saddle for jumping those water barrels and logs. They’re also a great little boot for when you are not in the saddle, after all these horses won’t muck themselves out!
When choosing suitable tops for riding in, you need something that feels comfortable to wear first and foremost. You use your arms a lot while riding, and will require full movement in your shoulders. Tight and restricting tops are certainly a no-go when riding.
You need something in which has some stretch and give. Which leads me onto our Junior Polo Shirts. These polos are great for summer and come in a range of bright colours. In a loose fit style, these are a must-have when starting out riding.
Our new Junior Cayton Bay long sleeved t-shirts are also a great casual riding top. Made in an elasticated cotton, these are a great long sleeve alternative to our polo shirts.
Got your first event coming up and need something a little smarter? Our range of junior shirts are ideal. With some groovy Wistow prints and classic country checks, you’ll be turning heads at pony camp and shows.
So that’s a full riding outfit for under £65 — You can thank us later!
Top Tip: make sure when purchasing your body protector that you try tops you think you will wear underneath, to get a feel for the right size needed.
Learning to ride at a more ‘mature’ age:
Perhaps you’ve always wanted a horse, but never been fortunate enough to have riding lessons or a place to keep one? Finally, you’ve found the time and money to begin living your dream. Riding offers an amazing sense of freedom and is a great way to escape from the day to day stresses of life.
Start off slow though, riding is a physical sport after all. You will have some aches and pains after your first lesson for sure, but it will get easier and less taxing with practice.
Confidence plays a major factor and again this comes with dedication and determination (so get those ‘brave knickers’ on!). Horse riding can be enjoyed at any age, so whether you're 65 and have never been on a horse, you can make that dream come true.
Jodhpurs are a must-have when you’re starting out riding, not only for your own comfort, but also for the protection of your leather saddle. We have strategically designed our ladies jodhpurs to ensure that they provide the very best protection for both parties, while still being comfortable and easy to move around in.
With an easy metal clasp fastening, a flattering waistband, large enough to add a bit of bling with a belt if you wish. Now available in skinny jean versions, these may look like jeans, but function and perform like a Jodhpur.
Thirsk Boots are a great smart riding boot, that come in a choice of black or brown leather. In a flattering, streamline fit and with a sturdy tread. Not only great for riding, these boots are great for day-to-day horse maintenance, keeping you on your feet even in the harshest of winters. These boots feature elastic side gussets, for ease of movement and let your feet breathe. At just £30, you can’t go wrong.
Like horse, like rider. Now you can look your best in our horse print Wistow Shirts! Great for smarter occasions such as shows and day-to-day work life.
If you’re after something a little more casual, then our range of ladies polo shirts are a great place to start. Made from 100% stretch cotton, these clever tops keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, making them great base layers for the colder weather.
We have two variants of polo shirts to cater for everyone’s tastes. We have our more traditional Royal, Muston and Richmond shirts, fashioned from cotton in a pique weave in a relaxed fit style. Or you have the choice of our more modern take on the polo shirt, with our Haxby polo-shirts.
Still in a cotton, we have ensured that this polo shirt has a more ‘brushed’ and soft touch feel. With elasticity a key element to this style of polo shirt.
Keen to find the right size saddle for your horse and looking for expert tips? Our handy saddle fitting guide should tell you all you need to know!
