For the life of me I can’t figure out why anyone would wear bootcut breeches. They look odd, they look like a PITA to stuff inside boots, and wearing breeches outside of boots seems quite counterproductive to me. For those who ride in these can you explain to me why you choose them over traditional fit? I am genuinely curious as I run across them a lot online and in the store these days.
I use them trail riding. They stuff into half chaps just fine. And when you’re done, you look more “normal” when you stop for lunch, or whatever. 
I have a few pair. I don’t use them for lessons or even schooling at home, just for when I want to go somewhere afterwards and don’t want to be in normal breeches.
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The Morgan people I rode with didn’t stuff them into their boots. Some of them used an elastic with clips that you ran under the your boots and they held the pants down. They were mostly Saddleseat or Pleasure riders, the hunter riders tended to go with half chaps.
I have only seen them worn by Saddleseat riders. I don’t especially care for the look but its not so different from jodphurs which also fit over the paddock boot.
I only know saddleseat riders to use them.
Thanks for the enlightenment everyone. They just seem to be every where these days and I couldn’t figure out why.
“Bootcut” means they go OUTSIDE the boots.
I have some winter ones I like.
Warmer and more comfortable + easier to wear “in public”
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Well, yes I understand that they go outside the boot – but they still have to go under half chaps to keep from slipping around and I was also imagining someone wearing them over tall boots which just seems odd. I just think that would be uncomfortable (just imo, I’m sure that they do sell because that is not the case for most). I couldn’t care less about what people in public think about my equestrian attire… or the mud/poop that tracks through from my shoes 
Bootcut breeches aren’t going to remedy that lol.
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I think you’re missing the point. They do not have to go under boots or half chaps. Google image search “saddleseat,” every single person is riding in bootcut jods. (They don’t call them breeches, either.)
I wouldn’t jump in them, but they are perfectly comfortable for trail riding or a bit of flatting.
I’m an English rider. I wear bootcut jods if it’s hot out as these are a bit looser fitting below the knee. I wear them over paddock boots - never tall boots. If I’m doing a light hack day or trail ride or conditioning in the fields I’d wear bootcut jods. They will also fold neatly/vertically behind my calf if I decide to put on tall boots to jump.
That’s why you see them everywhere. They are very popular - not just with saddleseat folks!
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Not missing the point at all. These are just not something I think would be comfortable. I got the answer to what most of you do with them which is all I was wondering. Definitely not the “pants/leg wear” for me. When I search for breeches they pop up as boot cut breeches AND at the tack stores they are all mixed in with the traditional breeches… so at least the stores call them breeches where I’m from and online
I’ve never seen anyone ride in them so that is where my curiosity stemmed from.
I’ve never seen anyone ride in them so that is where my curiosity stemmed from.
Those are jodpurs, not breeches. It is traditional for children to wear them with garters and paddock boots until they “grow into” breeches and tall boots…some add that elastic clip thingy from ankle to ankle under the boot to be sure they stay down. They are considered the preferred look in Pony Hunter classes, may be seen with a shadbelly at Pony Finals and the like. Also when riding to hounds.
No need for half chaps which really only become so wildly popular within the last 40 years or so. If it’s a good quality jod and fits properly, you don’t need them, they predate breeches by a century or so, Victorian Brits brought the basic style back from India IIRC…for men, of course. If you look at old pictures, you’ll see more more jods then breeches…and they had those pegs…
Many still like them for pleasure riding in any seat and they are the “uniform” for Saddle Seat riders and most under 12 lesson kids in both Hunt and SS barns.
Again, talking about good ones, not unreinforced thin ones in cheap fabrics.
Yeah, I always kind of wondered about that. People always cite horrible rubs, blisters, and pinching as the need for half chaps and I was like, hello, pony kids? Do you magically age into blisters and pinches too? :lol: I prefer to wear half chaps for the look I suppose, and if I feel dressed to ride I ride better (so it’s partly psychological I guess). As a teen I rode with no half chaps or tall boots and never experienced rubs or pinches.
That said, I personally don’t care for the boot cut breeches. I guess I thought even if you have to look normalish in public, skinny pants and leggings are “in” enough that wearing fitted pants wouldn’t be THAT weird.
OP you must be in a part of the world with lots of saddle seat riders! Or maybe folks wear these for Western or trail.
I have a couple pairs of full seat boot boot cut winter fleece breeches. The suede extends to the hem of the pants, giving leg protection. I wear them with paddock boots, preferably with the dressage saddle. I had the stirrups hung between the flaps so the saddle was super comfortable. Also it’s winter so I had long underwear and ski socks on too. No chafing.
The Jodhpur with paddock boot is also popular with some traditional European dressage riders.
I can’t see picking them by preference to jump in.
I wouldn’t try to shove them into boots or half chaps.
If I get a Western saddle I would get summer summer weight boot cuts in preference to jeans.
But they don’t exist around here, it’s breeches or jeans, or breeches that look like jeans.
I don’t much mind walking into the mall in full seat breeches but they don’t look like contemporary leggings 
especially beige breeches!
Good pair of jods has extra fabric down the inside from tne knee down so you don’t get rubs. I wore lightweight breeches and paddocks with half chaps to school in, that’s what the adults in my circles wore. Only ever got rubs from plain old jeans and paddocks and more from fabric bunching then anything else. Rubs on others I’ve seen were poor fitting, thin pants or jeans, not properly made jodhpurs. Leathers can pinch but it’s not that complicated to avoid it.
We are actually dominated by hunters/jumpers/eventers. We have a lot of western as well, but a lot are true working cowboy wrangler western. I think we have one or two saddleseat barns in my area that I can think of.
I’ve always wore either full chaps (no fringe, because that wasn’t cool), half chaps, or tall boots for shows. I may have ridden one or two shows in the jodhpurs & jodhpur staps phase before I got tall boots. I never had rubs, just didn’t like the feel/grip. We all like what we are used to! Then again, I used to be a fan of just wearing jeans and then all the sudden the older I got I started getting jean rubs so I don’t wear them to ride anymore.
In today’s age of skinny jeans and leggings, I don’t know that this part is quite true anymore. Maybe 5+ years ago :lol:
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They are so much more comfortable than breeches. I own 10-15 pairs of jods and maybe 2 pairs of breeches. They are cooler in the summer and don’t need to wear tall boots or half chaps with them. The winter ones are great since they cover your whole leg so no drafts. In the saddleseat world we use tie downs.
My favorites are either the Sticky Seats or the ModJods. Both made in the US and women-owned business’. Kerrits makes the best winter version though. ModJods has some beautiful fabric, you will definitely stand out.
I’ve grown up riding in navy jods, black polished paddock boots, black belt, navy turtleneck with a red sweater, black helmet for every lesson. Hair had to be in a bun. In the summer it was a red polo shirt. Everyone matched. Our pictures always looked stellar and professional during lessons.
Yes, THANK YOU. That was the point I was trying to make above. Anyone wearing anything boot cut would stick out to me much more than someone wearing breeches (except I would still notice the breeches of course, because horse radar!)
I wonder if feelings about bootcut breeches are influenced by generation? I don’t know anyone my age who wears boot cut anything. However, there are a couple of older ladies at my barn (who ride western) that I have seen wearing bootcut tights.
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