Lament of the Short-Legged Rider

[AllTheCarrots]

I’ve done some searches, but it seems the last comprehensive discussion of petite or short-length breeches was a few years ago. Surely there are new options in the market since then… right? Please?

I’m 5 feet even and broad where a broad should be broad. (So girls’ sizes are out.) What do others in my situation do? What manufacturers have the shortest legs? Any other options besides a special-ordered TS pair? Has anyone ever taken their breeches to the tailor to have the legs hemmed?

Petite riders, please share your tips and tricks!

[Training_Cupid]

I’m 5’2" and curvy - my current favorite are the Smartpak Hadley and Romfh Champion. Horze and Ovation tend to be way too long, pretty much all their styles I’ve tried.

[Always_WIP]

Romfh and Noble are the best for shorter legs. Kerrits and Fits are crazy long (at least to me!)

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

The Irideon tights I have are shorter than any of the other brands I have. The Kerrits pool around my ankles.

[eightpondfarm]

i’m 5.0. i just cut them off…like 4 inches! That part is under boots so i don’t have a problem with cutting. I do it for all my farm clothes. I’ve even cut cartartt pant legs…the overalls and also coveralls. (the ones with zippers. I just superglue the zipper where i’ve cut). I’m sooooooo ‘not fancy’ LOL

[Texarkana]

I’m 5’3” but with a long torso, unusually short legs, and am now extra curvy to boot. When I was thin, I could easily wear kids size 14/16 pants with length to spare. Now its adult size 14/16 and even that is a squeeze thanks to baby weight.

Honestly, all my breeches are too long. You can’t tell under half chaps or tall boots, so I just live with it and avoid the brands that are extra long so I don’t have too much bulk around my ankles.

Saddle flaps and stirrup leathers are my biggest problem. Even my 48” leathers on my jump saddle have me using the top holes. And with my dressage saddle, I barely have any leg on the horse- it’s basically just flap with a few inches before the top of the stirrup begins.

[SweetMutt]

My Pikeurs are a good length and rise, though of course they’re on the spendier side. I also have a pair of Tredsteps that are a few years old and fit similarly well. I think they were just called Solo when I got them, and they now have a few modifications on the Solo breeches so I’m not sure what their current model equivalent would be. Pipers are fine in the length for me - hit right around my ankle - but the rise is a little bit too long.

[CanteringOn]

I’m 5’ 1.5" and Romfh Sarafinas work great for me. (I even tried on a Long pair at some point and it wasn’t laughable. Go figure!)

The legs on my Kerrits winter-weights and summer schoolers work fine also, but they tend to be high-waisted on me and need belts to not become saggy in the crotch. I love them, though, because of the pockets that can hold my phone.

[OfCourseItsAnAlter]

@Texarkana

I
Saddle flaps and stirrup leathers are my biggest problem. Even my 48” leathers on my jump saddle have me using the top holes.

The last time I bought new leathers, I bought kids length, which is perfect. I ride in hole #6, which gives me just enough tail to tuck into the keepers on my saddle.

[Mallard]

I’m barely 5’ and I also just chop breeches off and don’t bother to re-hem. You can’t tell when you’ve got socks/boots on.
The older low rise Tuff Rider full seat ribbed breeches fit me nicely, but I can’t find them anywhere now. I still have 2 pair that I take very good care of!
I did get a nice-fitting pair of Schockemohle breeches this summer that I didn’t have to cut off.
I have custom Gary Mundy leathers on both my saddles.

[Indy]

I’m 4’10" and not skinny. I mostly ride in Ariats, their Heritage ones fit me well. I only buy sock-bottom breeches so I can roll up the bottoms and make them fit. They’re usually thin enough that you can’t feel any extra bulk under boots or chaps.

[Ajierene]

So…apparently breeches aren’t supposed to go to the ankle? I’ve been riding for mmph mmph years and my breeches always went to my ankle like regular pants. I’m 5’ 2" (and 3/8ths) with short legs and a long torso. I always wore my breeches basically pants length, not capris length. Are we saying I should have been wearing them capr length all this time?

As for as leathers - my jump saddle has child length leathers. I believe my dressage saddle has regular length but I could be wrong.

[DIR]

I also buy children’s leathers and did NOT know that breaches weren’t intended to cover your ankles. Who knew?

[ElementFarm]

@Mallard

I’m barely 5’ and I also just chop breeches off and don’t bother to re-hem. You can’t tell when you’ve got socks/boots on.

I have some of the TS breeches special ordered. But honestly, they’re really not much shorter than the off-the-rack ones.
Like Mallard, I just cut the ends off and don’t bother to rehem. I’ve done this with both TS and Pikeur. I have to cut little strings off every few washes, but otherwise it works fine.
I will say the older Ariats are often short enough for me, but they’re getting harder and harder to find.

[SweetMutt]

@Ajierene

So…apparently breeches aren’t supposed to go to the ankle? I’ve been riding for mmph mmph years and my breeches always went to my ankle like regular pants. I’m 5’ 2" (and 3/8ths) with short legs and a long torso. I always wore my breeches basically pants length, not capris length. Are we saying I should have been wearing them capr length all this time?

I mean, I really haven’t had any problems with my breeches coming to my ankle. When they get much past my ankle bone, they start to bunch up and rub under my boots. Less of a problem now that many have sock bottoms instead of velcro. But yes, taller people’s breeches hit at more of a cropped length, well above the ankle.

[MsM]

Yeah, all my breeches come down to my ankles too. I really enjoyed the low-rise fashion since I could get breeches that didn’t come up under my boobs! Glad when sock bottom came in too since the velcro closures could be uncomfortable on your ankle bone. Also like the full seats since the knee patches tended to be way too low!

[Ajierene]

@SweetMutt

I mean, I really haven’t had any problems with my breeches coming to my ankle. When they get much past my ankle bone, they start to bunch up and rub under my boots. Less of a problem now that many have sock bottoms instead of velcro. But yes, taller people’s breeches hit at more of a cropped length, well above the ankle.

Good for nothing tall people! The breeches with velcro are fine at or below the ankle, but also have small feet and tend to get boots that have more room in the ankle than they should. I currently do not have tall boots because apparently I have feet of a child and calves of an adult (I did not have this problem when I was a teen and had the feet of a child and calves of a child).

[walktrot]

I’ve been wearing Irideon Cadence since their early years because they have plus sizes and they last for years. They tried to axe the original model in favor of the sock bottom feature. They must have gotten a lot of grief because they came back fairly quickly and are now Cadence Classic. Yes, at 5’2" they gather around my ankles, but it doesn’t bother me. I love the stretchy fabric and the regular full seat fabric - no silicone. The waistband is also very stretchy which accommodates the apple-shaped midsection. I always pull them up when I’m ready to mount. After that I never think about them. I also have several pairs of the Wind Pro full seat winter breeches because I ride all winter. They are stretchy but not as much as the Cadence because the fabric is fleecy inside.

If you wear high boots or half-chaps all the time the ones with the sock bottom would be easy to shorten. I like the elastic at the bottom and wouldn’t try to shorten them. I’m in Ariat paddock boots or Terrains. I have Prestige wrapped leathers and they do not pinch my legs. I had to get 48s and they work but are short in keeper on the saddle flap. I went to the 54s which I prefer. They last for a long time also.

I ordered some Romfh Sarafina full seats to try because I’ve shrunk several sizes and they have more colors. I didn’t get them all the way on. The fabric wasn’t that nice, and the rise was weird. Sent them back.