How to Dress for English Riding

Like other sports, riding horses is easier and safer when the rider wears apparel and gear designed to protect him from injuries. A fall from a horse can occur at a speed of 20 to 30 miles per hour so not only should horse riding apparel be functional, it should protect the rider.

1 Choose your headgear by riding discipline or strictly for safety's sake. Beginning riders should wear a trail helmet at all times. English show riders wear helmets disguised under cloth caps. Western rodeo participants usually forego the helmet and wear a cowboy hat, despite the fact that it will not protect them from a head impact.

2 Select a tight-fitting shirt and tuck it into your pants. Long shirttails can catch on portions of the saddle, become entangled in the reins or snag on stable latches. Cotton fabric is cool and comfortable. In addition, long sleeved shirts with fitted cuffs protect your arms from sunburn and insect bites.

3 Pull on those long pants before mounting your horse. Even in swelteringly hot weather, shorts are inappropriate riding apparel. Your legs can easily chaff from the coarse sweaty hair on the horse's side. Boot-cut jeans fit into the top of riding boots and English riding apparel includes breeches that fit snugly around your calves. Baggy pants, like shirts, are not advisable.

4 Try on as many riding boots as needed until you find a pair that fits like a glove. Whether you choose a Western or English style boot, you will be safer. The heel of a riding boot is designed to prevent your foot from slipping too far into the stirrup and it will allow your foot to slip out should you fall. Avoid wearing tennis shoes when riding.

5  Remove any dangling jewelry or large rings when riding. Small stud earrings are permissible but loose jewelry can become entangled in the reins or on stable apparatus. In addition, large rings may catch on portions of the saddle, the reins or stable latches and, once caught, the momentum of a moving horse may unseat you or severe a finger.