i don’t feel the need for full-seat jell pads or even knee patches. I’m fine in yoga pullUps. Also fine in Steve Madden boots. I’m fine in used saddles, synthetic saddles and used or biothane bridles. I’m fine riding BLM Mustangs and my rescued horses from humane society’s farm animal ranch. I feel zero need to wear my wealth on my sleeve either…I’ll wear any shirt or jacket or sweater i want to. My horse-ness is pretty much all on the inside of me.
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For a really inexpensive pair of tights, I love these, available from Amazon for $25. They are very nice quality, have good hold for those in need of that (me!) and a few people in my barn have mistaken them for $200 breeches from afar. They have a soft knee patch and a high rise. More slimming and smoothing (for those imperfections) than my Kerrits tights. Love these things. Blue color is beautiful.
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ABSO_POSI_LUTELY!!! SOO frustrating to try and find breeches with pockets on the thigh AND in decent colors. Small waist pockets are useless for many cell phones, plus you can never access your phone while in the saddle. A deep pocket on the thigh works for any phone. A bit of velcro to close it doesn’t hurt but isn’t necessary if the pocket is deep enough.
Enough with the endless black, navy, and dark grey. And please, no hideous neon and geometric patterns. Just simple earth tones or even brighter colors suitable for an adult. No thanks on the baby pink or sky blue. I’m not fond of walking around in poisonous lime green, hot pink, or neon orange. Teal, turquoise, plum, lavendar, wine, sage, olive, coral, rust, canary, and rose work SO much better and match up with other articles of clothing much more easily.
And I agree the prices tend to the ridiculous. Equestrian clothing would have SO much further reach and use if it was competitively priced.
I might like some equestrian brands, but for pretty much the same style of clothing, I can find similar items for 25% of the cost in many cases by buying non-equestrian brands. In better colors, often with proper pockets. Why throw money away to buy yet another pair of breeches in black, with no pocket or a useless waist pocket? A few months ago, I spent HOURS on several days searching equestrian sites and tack shop pages looking for a decent pair of breeches in a reasonable color, with thigh pockets, at a decent price – the ones I found were out of stock in any nice colors or my size (granted, it was getting late in the season).
I ended up NOT purchasing anything. I’ll wait until next spring to look for new breeches, I have enough winter breeches for now. Not by any means the first time I’ve given up and not purchased riding clothes because I couldn’t find anything worth buying.
Barn boots and casual riding shoes (the sneaker/short boot/waterproof type) tend to price themselves out of the reasonable market too.
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Dear God, yes.
2x and yes, even 3x sizes. My BFF went through a series of hellacious live events (divorce, sudden death of a parent, work company bellied up) and riding is her happy place, but every time she shops for riding clothes she is told she doesn’t belong. Let’s not shut people out of the sport over a little fabric.
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Aghhh, two pert peeves in one…
First of all finding something interesting, but it’s out of stock!
Second, BIG PEEVE, the photo size chart shows 3XL, that actually is a good size, but when you go to the drop down order part, only gives options up to XL.
What I want is the same as everyone else, good quality, decent prices, higher waists, longer shirts…and all in plus sizes, when 2x isn’t size 14!
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I agree- it drives me nuts to see apparel for any occasion restricted to a narrow size range, but it makes me particularly bonkers to see athletic apparel manufacturers do this. A healthy lifestyle should be accessible to everyone and a fair number of sports require, or at least are a lot more comfortable and enjoyable in, purpose-built, well-fitting gear. Body measurements are a ridiculous barrier for entry.
You too, makers of high-end workout gear. Show up. (Props, Athleta, you’re doing a decent job here.)
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I agree on pricing and extending sizes. The new performance fabrics are great, for everyone else. They do not fit me. It also seems to me that if you are sold out of L and XL, but always have medium and small in stock, you might want to take that into consideration.
Because I am not the normal size female, I am forced to have most of my show clothes custom made? Sleeves are never long enough, shoulders not wide enough. Also as a rider if a certain age, stretch everything is not always flattering. Riding garments that have a little structure but breathe well and stretch would be amazing!
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Shirts and breeches with structure for plus sized women. I am really tired of looking like a bursting sausage in the current offerings.
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These tights could be worth a look:
I would love more variety in off the rack half chaps offerings. Some contrasting trim, fringe, or something! Some models don’t even come in brown anymore.
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$100ish breeches that fit (I’m petite), aren’t made of garbage fabric, and come in colors other than tan, black, navy and gray! I’m thrilled I found the Elation girl’s breeches as they make a great show breech in my size for $80 but I’d sell my soul for a nice dark green or a rust color.
Similarly, show shirts - I started showing again this summer and was so annoyed that I could only find one or two short sleeve show shirts under the $70 mark (all very plain, nothing cute at all).
For schooling, I don’t wear equestrian brand tops at all, just generic running clothes from TJ Maxx or Amazon or Nike/Adidas tops from Poshmark.
I was recently looking for a fleece-lined white mock neck for winter hunting and my options were buying a proper hunt shirt from England for $70 plus shipping, a similar one for $45 from Shires… or a $22 shirt from Baleaf on Amazon that is perfect and just doesn’t have buttons, which I don’t care about.
I worked in equestrian retail for years and designed/priced breeches so I understand the hesitation to bring in a “interesting” color you might have to mark down or a size you aren’t sure will sell through. I also think 95% of riding apparel is a huge rip-off and you can get a identical thing from a non-riding brand for half the price. But I think there would be a big market for a Uniqlo-type model for simple, affordable, classic riding basics in a decent range of adult colors in XXS - 3XL.
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This. It’s something that’s really lacking in equestrian apparel. I don’t mind paying more for quality, sustainable, and fair trade items.
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More tall boot combinations for off-the-rack boots. I’ve griped about this on a few other threads but it needs to go here too. Apparently I’m a weird combo of large-ish foot size, skinny ankle, large (really??) shapely runners calf, and a tall shin. Find a flattering pair of boots in this combo for any less than near custom price. Seriously, do these boot manufacturers think that a “full” calf means your entire leg is just a stove pipe top to bottom??
There have been brands and models I would love to try but they don’t offer the right combos of size options. I’ve been dying for Mountain Horse to update their size charts but I can only get 2 out of the 3 measurements to happen; I refuse to wear a boot that is too short (sloppy looking), too big in the foot (also sloppy looking), and obviously I cannot squeeze the damn calf in to anything smaller than a full. So Monacos are my only option without going fully custom.
And don’t get me started on the sub-size 0 barbie doll calved Parlantis. And the lack of size options to actually TRY ON in the stores (in any brand)…
Yes to everyone saying boots need to be better about sizing. Do riders not ever have calf muscles? I’m a runner with apparently monster calves. But I don’t really have this problem in non-equestrain brands so I don’t think I’m that crazy shaped.
For shirts and socks I just use running gear. I can buy nice athletic shirts for half the price.
Love the ovation slim secret breech fit. Wish they came in more colors.
Riding tights should be better about hiding cellulite.
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I have always found Ariat to be good about this. I’m a wide in their boots but they taper nicely to the ankle, at least for my conformation. I am not particularly dainty in the ankles so that helps.
I have two ideas that I’ve been holding on to for a long time. I am neither a clothing designer nor an entrepreneur, but if someone else is and wants to make these ideas a reality, you have a volunteer to help. 
- Schooling and show shirt bodysuits. Girls and women like bodysuits as streetwear because they create a sleek, consistent appearance that is difficult when tucking in regular shirts. No riding up in the back, no creases visible beneath your pants, no uneven tucking as the day goes on. I find these problems to be especially apparent with breeches, particularly the issue of seeing fabric creases from my shirts under my breeches. Bodysuits could also eliminate the perennial issue of visible panty line if the bottoms were a seamless fabric or a thong.
Edit: I have just discovered these exist! They are made my a company called Free x Rein.
- A clothing line that specializes in riding apparel for tall women. All tops and breeches would come in multiple extended sizes so riders could ensure that everything fit properly. No more accepting breeches so short their knee patches are halfway up your thigh! No more having to tailor shirts and coats because you have to buy multiple sizes bigger to get the sleeve length! I realize lots of brands make tall sizes, but they do not do this for all of their products and their tall version may only be an inch longer. I want to see one stop shopping for riding clothes for those of us 5’8 and up.
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I’ve had the body suit idea too! If i can ever find a way to make one without severe underwear lines it’ll be revolutionary lol
You beat me to this. I religiously buy Uniqlo long-sleeved Ts and the lightweight merino sweaters to ride in. A line that sold those things, a pair of well-designed breeches, and something else simple, like good socks, would have my business.
I run and we have a lot of wonderful, smaller brands like Tracksmith and Oiselle. The equestrian community could learn from them.
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Yes on the boots, it astounds me that my 17" by 22" tall calf is apparently so unusual that I only found one off the shelf boot that works for me. Shopping for horse clothing is so unbelievably depressing. I feel so unwanted in this industry. I am 6 foot tall, with wide shoulders, long limbs. So according to horse clothing manufacturers, I do not exist. I buy XXL (when available) shirts that fit in the shoulders, let down the sleeves and then have about a foot taken out of the waist. Breeches are a tad easier as long as I want tan or white. Then I can expect the knee patch to be in a weird place and cut me in the back of the knee. Show coats are a bigger problem. I can only buy socks, helmets, gloves and belts off the rack.
Surprisingly almost all saddle manufacturers can accommodate me, it seems like they have got taller riders figured out. I attribute that to saddles being unisex. Western clothing is also easier as more men’s and unisex clothing is available. English riding clothing is very specialized and not all unisex. I have found men’s show coats that fit wonderfully, but sadly cannot wear those.
I see more and more tall juniors, maybe as our population grows, clothing manufacturers will catch up.
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