For those of you who wear breeches, how many pairs do you own and what is your favorite brand? How much riding are you doing per week? I’m trying to update my stash. Thanks!
I used to have 12-16 pairs of mediocre schooling breeches. Over time, I’ve tried to let go of more and more pairs. I’m probably down to 5-7 pairs.
My favorite schooling breeches are the B. Vertigos from Horze. A more economical option for me is the Smartpak full seats. They gap in the waist but I get them taken in so they stay in place. The Smartpaks are heavy weight and can pill up but they are the most economical brand for fun colors that I’ve found. The Vertigos are much stretchier with a night high waist but until they go on super sale, it is more than I want to spend.
I have probably 40 pairs that I hate in a box in a spare closet. I have 6 good pairs in rotation (ancient Cotton Naturals and Irideon Cadences) that I wear. I ride 6 days/week.
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I ride 4-6x a week, usually just one horse. Occasionally two horses.
I own:
- 3 pairs (different styles) of B Vertigo breeches, one is a bit snug for right now but the other two are my favorites and I wear them multiple times each week.
- 1 pair Piper Winter Breeches that I absolutely hate and never wear… but I keep them around in the winter just in case, I really need to get rid of them
- 2 pair iRideon schooling tights that I like but are too snug so will be able to wear once I lose approx. 10lbs
I definitely need to get more breeches. I want to try and find a pair that fits me well that has a cell phone slot. A friend at the barn has lovely Kerrits ones that are exactly what I want, just haven’t tried them on yet. Once I see B Vertigos go back on sale I’m picking up a bunch. They are worth the money because they fit me like a glove and last forever… and I like them.
For schooling breeches I typically buy what I can find on sale/clearance, TBH.
Horseloverz.com regularly has the Ashley breeches on sale for $15, I just bought 3 more pairs. They don’t have the longest life span, obviously, but I have three other pairs that I’ve had for a year or so and have made just one small stitching repair on two of the three, otherwise they’re still in great condition. I won’t say they’re my favorite, but they’re very soft and comfortable, fit great, and this girl’s on a budget. Dover RidingSport knee patch breeches I do really like, they’re usually around $30-40 I believe, I have a couple pairs of those. I did order the full seat, and much to my dismay they sit a good three inches lower, without the measurements changing (apparently hips aren’t supposed to be wider than the waist??) thus did not fit, and I sent them back. I was very disappointed. I would like more full seat breeches now that I’m doing dressage but, such is life.
Right now I believe I have around 12 pairs of schooling breeches and one pair of white show breeches. I have the Ashley’s, Dover RidingSport, a pair of Romfh full seat, a pair of Kerrits pull on full seat, a pair of Tuff Rider full seat, some plaid ones I can’t remember the brand. I don’t remember what my white show breeches are but I love them.
I’m dying for a pair of white with a gray full seat to go with my gray jacket, it’s on my wishlist for Christmas :lol:
I ride 5-6 days per week, two horses (except right now while my mare is crippled). After riding they stay on for a couple more hours to feed dinner and do my barn chores.
I ride 1-2 horses 3-4 days a week. I have:
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4 pairs of SmartPak Piper breeches in various colors. These are my very fav and I both school and show in them.
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1 pair of Tailored Sportsmans. I school in them because they’re French Blue but they’re nice enough to show in. I love them but won’t buy anymore because of the behavior of the owner.
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1 pair of SmartPak Hadleys. They’re not nearly as comfortable as my Pipers and are in the back of the rotation because of it.
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1 pair of Alexus show breeches. They don’t fit so they don’t get worn.
I should add that I’m plus sized and there are only a few brands that make breeches in my size. I’m not a fan of schooling tights because of my size.
Mine are mostly tights/pull-on. I have probably 6ish warm weather pairs that I prefer to wear, 3 winter pairs, and a bunch of older ones (maybe another 6) I don’t wear very much anymore. Right now I only ride once a week so I could probably get by with far fewer, but I like getting new ones when I see a cool color or pattern.
I just did a huge closet cleanout and am down to only my favorites:
-Black Ego7
-Navy Cavellaria Toscana
-Green Romfh
-2 tan pairs (RJ Classics & Romfh) if I ever show/hunt again
-Fleecey winter Kerrits
As I am riding maybe 2x per month these days, I could probably get away with a single pair… but I sold/donated a ton so this feels like an improvement. When I was riding 5 or 6 horses a week, I still only wore my favorite 4 pairs over and over anyway!
I ride 5 days per week (one horse typically) and have 9 pairs of breeches; I’m really picky so I will splurge on a pair of TS every couple of years which generally last forever. I currently have:
2 Tailored Sportsman in tan, reserved for showing only
6 Tailored Sportsman in navy, maroon, hunter green, black, and (2) french blue
1 Horze in navy
Don’t make me count.
It will make me acknowledge that I have a problem.
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:lol:
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Hahahaha same! It’s so tough to answer because it’s like… Ok, if I give a number for just ‘breeches,’ it’ll sound insane. But if I say I have a section of my closet dedicated to riding clothes, with enough breeches to comfortably ride 5 or 6 days a week before needing to do laundry, and that it includes a section of winter, fall/spring, summer, and show breeches, then I just sound relatively organized!
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I also have a stack of breeches I had to buy because they were such a good deal and an awesome color or whatever and really close to my size! All I need to do is loose some weight and I’m set. Yes, at least 8 pairs of breeches that don’t fit and are new and I’ve had them for years.
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I’ve never counted, but I’m sure on the very conservative side, 70 or 80?
In regular rotation, however, I wear the same 4 pairs of breeches/tights at home in the spring/summer (and a different 4 or 5 in the winter), and have another 25ish pair that I save for/bring to shows - different sets depending on whether I’m in the hunter ring (need beige breeches for each day), GPs (need white breeches for each day), or jumpers (colored breeches).
My favorites from a comfort perspective, are my Horze riding tights and Kerrits winter/fleece lined tights. Give me a thigh pocket for my phone and an elastic waist, and I am a happy camper!
For shows, I feel like you get what you pay for (for the most part) and like my more expensive breeches the most (Animo, Equiline, etc.), though my Tailored Sportsmans are pretty much my go-to, generally speaking.
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Well, I thought having 15-20 was excessive until I saw that someone has 70-80. I feel a little better about my hoarding habits now, lol. I have nothing but Kerrits, one BNWOT Riding Sport pair that have never been worn, my last pair of Pytchleys, and my old old old breeches from when I was 10. I ride 2-3 days a week when my horse isn’t having issues and my favorites are the Kerrits crossovers but some of their tights are pretty nice, too.
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I have 1 pair of Harry Halls that are so old, I’ve probably owned them more years than most of you have been alive. 
They are so old that the style has come and gone twice I believe. I think they still have the last dry cleaning tag still on them from 1996 or so. Most likely, they belong in a museum!
I have 2 pairs of TuffRider Cotton Knee Patch britches that I love. Really durable and hold up to wash after wash. But they are 18 years old now and I don’t think things made today are made the way they were back when I bought them.
But I’m an old goat, and still primarily ride in jeans and full chaps.When the chaps no longer fit over my jeans :sigh: that’s when I bought the TuffRiders.
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See!
I am not a hoarder, I don’t have a problem I don’t, I don’t.
Bless you for your post!
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Since I started the post I guess I could chime in. I agree with the others, BLESS YOU PNWJumper for having 70-80 pairs. You are my hero.
I have 2 pairs of Romfhs, 2 pairs of Pipers, 3 pairs of Pikeurs, 1 pair of Hadley’s and a pair of Goode Riders that are a bit too big. I find myself reaching for my Pipers again and again and want more pairs yet I feel I can’t justify more pairs when I only ride 4-5 x per week, one horse. I’m thinking of rotating my Pipers for the winter (since they’re so thick) and my others more for the spring/summer…hmmm.
Somewhere around 15-20, when we moved I got rid of the ones I never reached for since it felt silly to have so many when I was only taking weekly lessons. I’ve still got 2-4 pairs I’m trying to move so I’m not counting them… Now that I’m leasing I’m at the barn at least 4x week so I feel more justified for my collection. Have at least 4 Pipers, because they are easy to get good deals on and they fit me pretty well. My absolute favorites are my Pikeur Ciaras but its hard to spend so much on what will essentially be schooling breeches. My Ebay stalking habits are borderline shameful!
Riding tights, not breeches, but about 15 pair
