# Explain breeches to me



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

So, I've been riding for about a year now, and doing mostly English since April / May. I ride in whatever is comfortable and can get dirty -- like track pants or hemp/cotton pants in the summer, corduroys in the winter, and whatever shirt is comfortable. Dover had a sale so I just bought a pair of breeches. I don't get it. They are like a ponte knit pant, tight but stretchy, and thick. They are thick enough to no doubt be unbearably hot in the summer, and tight enough so that I think I'd quickly lose body heat if it were cold. They have a patch of fake suede in the inside knee.

My question is, aside from shows where there is a written dress code, why would I wear these things rather than comfortable pants? I mean, what is the point? This isn't a rhetorical question -- I am honestly wondering, am I missing something? If I don't ever want to show, is there any reason I would buy breeches rather than continuing to wear normal pants?

While I'm asking, when I look at breeches online I see there are different styles, like full seat. Anyone want to explain that to me?


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I can’t answer the question as I only ride English for fun occasionally. I do have breeches though! I have a blue pair that is actually very warm. It also has some sort of stickies in the seat and legs. If I ride English on a cold day I use them. They are very comfortable.

I have another pair that is so cool in the summer I wish I wouldn’t feel like a moron if I rode them just riding. They were made to be cool and it is like the breeze just goes right through them! I love them.

I have a couple other pairs that are give or take. Really I don’t know why I own any, as all my English riding is just for fun, but they are comfortable.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I love my breeches. But all breeches are NOT created equal. I did buy a pair of breeches on sale, and absolutely hated them. Maybe you got one of those pairs  

I have about 6 pairs. Two are winter weight, 4 are summer. But I'm gradually losing them to my daughter because we wear the same size now. That's ok, she's only 14, and will probably get taller so I'll end up with all her hand-me-downs from now on. 

Once I put on my breeches for riding, I wear them all day. That's how comfortable they are to me. They're like wearing yoga pants. 

I only have one pair of full-seat breeches since most just have the knee patches. I like the knee patches, but don't feel the full-seat breeches give much added grip really. And this is coming from someone who has ridden through, and fallen off, her share of spooks. So when I buy them, I don't care about the full-seat ones. What I do look for is really stretchy material. Not that sorta stretchy fabric. 

But really, ride in what makes you comfortable. I like my breeches a lot. So much so, that I'd wear them everyday if I could. They're like leggings to me. But if you prefer riding in something else, then do so.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I'm not crazy about knee patch breeches. I don't think knee patch breeches really give you any more advantage than any pair of stretchy tights. 

But a pair of nice full seat breeches are super comfy, protect your bits somewhat, and can help make you feel a lot more secure in the saddle. I have three pairs of full seats that I loooooooooovvvvvvve, and I don't ride in anything else. Ideally the fabric is snug enough that you don't have any bunching or chafing happening anywhere, which is a real advantage instead of something like jeans. Also, with the snug fit of breeches, you can use them with half chaps or tall boots, which help you ride comfortably in English saddles, as they don't have stirrup fenders like Western saddles. Trying to get half chaps or snug boots on over not-tight pants sounds awful.

This is the brand of full seats I have. They're pretty affordable, as they go, and they are comfy, grip well, and all the ones I've bought have lasted me this far. (Photo shows the knee patch version, but this IS the link for the full seats!) 

https://www.picovs.ca/product/tuscany-premium-pearl-full-seat-breeches-discontinued-colours/
https://www.picovs.ca/product/tuscany-premium-pearl-full-seat-breeches-free-boot-socks/#!prettyPhoto


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

@SteadyOn so full seat breeches have sticky material in the seat to help you stay on? If so, would that make posting more difficult?

Also, the link you sent, do those run TTS? If I have a 26 inch waist, I'd buy the size 26?

@Knave could you possibly post a link to those breeches that feel like the wind is going through them? It might make riding almost bearable here in the summer. Or tell me what brand they are and where I could find them? My hemp/cotton pants are lightweight and narrow cut enough to put half chaps over, and they are pretty cool in the summer, but what you are describing sounds even better.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I’ll look and see if I can find them on my order history on Amazon. I think I just bought them before last summer. Let me check for you.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

These are them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LNNVLOW/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_inactive_ship_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are out of stock right now, but it looked like different colors might be available.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

@Knave thank you so much!


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

ACinATX said:


> @SteadyOn so full seat breeches have sticky material in the seat to help you stay on? If so, would that make posting more difficult?
> 
> Also, the link you sent, do those run TTS? If I have a 26 inch waist, I'd buy the size 26?


Not actually sticky, just textured. These have a suede-like material that just gives you extra friction in the saddle. Not a _ton_ of extra grip, but sometimes just that little bit extra can make a difference in a hairy moment! I've never had an issue with posting in them, or with shifting my seat around intentionally.

There are silicone grip ones out there too, which I would think would have more of an actually sticky feel, but I have yet to try them!

I haven't measured my waist in ages, but I think they're pretty true to size.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Full Seats are designed for dressage, to help you keep your rear stuck in the saddle at a medium and extended trot. Breeches are designed without seams inside the leg and crotch....this is important when you are riding many miles in one day!

I am not crazy about full seat....I find then hot, and uncomfortable, since I don’t ride those gaits anymore, and do a LOT of barn cleaning and walking wearing breeches. 

I don’t like cotton in the summer. It stays sodden and gets hotter and saggier as the day goes on. My best summer breeches are from tropicalrider.com. I am fine with no kneepatch, but I choose them out of the clearance section, and beggars can’t be choosy....stay away from the deerskin, as it gets stiff if not given special care.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

They are comfortable and help grip the saddle with the knee patches or full seats. I wear my breeches all the time, even if I'm just grooming or working. I've got different styles, some really think ones I only wear when it's really cold, others for summer. My full seats aren't as comfortable as my knee patches, so those ones are either show or riding only.


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## MissLulu (Feb 3, 2019)

greentree said:


> My best summer breeches are from tropicalrider.com. I am fine with no kneepatch, but I choose them out of the clearance section, and beggars can’t be choosy....stay away from the deerskin, as it gets stiff if not given special care.



I went on the website. What breeches do you like? I have been riding in jeans but once the hot temperatures arrive I know that won't be comfortable. And, like you, I will be just buying from the clearance section.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

I used to ride in scrubs or yoga pants in summer and jeans in winter... But the seams were not kind to my skin (I have chronic eczema) and rubbed me raw on several occasions.
Tried out regular breeches and while they were ok, I discovered knit breeches for cooler weather (I like the smartpak piper knits). They are like yoga pants - and I have been wearing them around the house too, they are _that_ comfy... The only disadvantage? They are too warm for the hot, humid summers in Mississippi. For summer I wear Kerrits IceFil tights. First I thought the cooling claims were just a gimmick - but they actually work! They have some sticky silicone in the seat, that help a bit with teleporting horses, but not sticky enough to hinder you in the saddle...


Oh, and I am the one riding in breeches and roper boots :biggrin:


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

Besides the knee flaps for stick there's another difference I don't see posted. 

That's where the stitching is. Most breeches I've ridden in have the stitching only on the outside of the leg, and never on the inside. They may have a different crotch pattern as well (think full seat). 

This does a couple things, one is that it means there's no stitching between the saddle and your leg, and two it keeps the saddle in better condition. 

I find some jeans really comfy, but they wreck saddles if you do enough riding just from the stitching rubbing on it all over. Plus I gotta get the super skinny leg ones if I want to get my half chaps on.


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## MissLulu (Feb 3, 2019)

SwissMiss said:


> I used to ride in scrubs or yoga pants in summer and jeans in winter... But the seams were not kind to my skin (I have chronic eczema) and rubbed me raw on several occasions.
> Tried out regular breeches and while they were ok, I discovered knit breeches for cooler weather (I like the smartpak piper knits). They are like yoga pants - and I have been wearing them around the house too, they are _that_ comfy... The only disadvantage? They are too warm for the hot, humid summers in Mississippi. For summer I wear Kerrits IceFil tights. First I thought the cooling claims were just a gimmick - but they actually work! They have some sticky silicone in the seat, that help a bit with teleporting horses, but not sticky enough to hinder you in the saddle...
> 
> 
> Oh, and I am the one riding in breeches and roper boots :biggrin:



I appreciate the suggestions. I have a pair of Fat Baby boots that my husband bought me years ago and I never wore because I always wore Reeboks Now, with a horse in my life, the Fat Babies are my best friend and I bought three more pair of boots to help with my life with my little horse. Can I wear Fat Baby boots and breeches?? Is that OK??


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

So, I am a western trail rider (so you'll know where my ignorance is coming from) but are they REALLY that much different from leggings or yoga pants? 

Remember back in the late 80's when stirrup pants were "in?" I used to ride in those things all the time! Like riding naked! Very comfortable! Then I guess the stirrup pants went out of style, but now, when I'm not riding in jeans, during the hottest part of the summer, I ride in leggings or yoga pants. The only thing bad about them is they get snagged on tree limbs very easily (since I'm riding in the woods, that's a consideration). I love riding in those leggings that look like jeans, except they are really stretchy. I get them at Kmart/Walmart. They look similar to breeches but without the patches/seats. 

Is there really any reason not to ride in those? I mean, I will ride in them anyway because I'm cheap(!) but are breeches really THAT much better? 

And, I guess this is sort of personal, but do they make them for overweight people? I wear a size 22-24 in women's pants. I doubt they make breeches to fit me.....right? It's kind of hard to tell, because the times I've seen them advertised in places like SmartPak they don't seem to come in a sizing system that I am used to.

Anyway, like I said, I am a western trail rider. But I just have always been curious about breeches too.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

MissLulu said:


> I appreciate the suggestions. I have a pair of Fat Baby boots that my husband bought me years ago and I never wore because I always wore Reeboks Now, with a horse in my life, the Fat Babies are my best friend and I bought three more pair of boots to help with my life with my little horse. Can I wear Fat Baby boots and breeches?? Is that OK??



That's funny because I always used to ride in sneakers. I never found boots to fit me. Then I discovered a thrift store nearby that would get in lots of western boots. I discovered I can wear a men's size 11 (wide feet I guess) and have boots that fit me! So now I own about 6 pairs of boots. After riding in sneakers for 20+ years! And yes, I wear my boots with my leggings. I'm not sure it looks right, but out on the trails, who cares! The best thing I've found with boots is they are like armor for my ankles. Back when I used to ride in sneakers I would always get my lower legs and ankles scratched up because there was a gap of protection between my shoes and my jeans. The tree limbs seemed to sense my weakness and always scratched me there. Now with boots, I feel like I have ankle armor!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

@trailhorserider there are a few choices for us bigger girls. My absolute favorite are the Buckwild breeches, the Curvy Mare Collection is for us. I resisted buying for the longest time, because of the price, now I only ride in them,the quality and customer service are worth it. I have one pair of winter weight, two pairs normal weight, and 3 pairs of their bootcut jeans. Recommend each and every pair I own!
@MissLulu you can wear whatever you are comfortable in. I ride Western in either cowboy boots, with breeches tucked in, short boots and half chaps over breeches, or mybootcut riding jeans. Moral of the story, wear what’s comfortable, safe, makes you feel good, and doesn’t damage the saddle.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

There is a difference between breeches and jodhpurs. 

Breeches are not long in the leg, they are usually a thinner material from a few inches below the knee. These are designed to be worn with long boots hence the thinner material lower leg. 
Jodhpurs go down to the ankle and can be worn with short boots. 

Best jodhpurs I have ever had I bought in the US, they were a very stretch material, thickish and warm in winter. They had no zipper. I bought about forty pairs and did a great deal with the vendor, mailed them home and sold them on my return. 

They didn't do breeches in that material but I cut the legs off a couple of pairs and made them into breeches for hunting. Still have some!


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I don't like breeches, because in my opinion they accentuate everything on a person that shouldn't be. For comfort I ride in stretch jeans, which are a thinner material than regular jeans and have flat seams with no stitching to rub on the saddle. I like the pull on variety with a wide, flat waistband and real pockets. They fit well under half chaps due to the thin material, and I can feel normal walking into a store after a ride just by taking my half chaps off. I like having pants that fit looser rather than tight. You get some strange looks if you go shopping in full seat breeches, that's for sure. If I'm not showing, I like pants that look like jeans but ride like breeches.
There are many types of fit, from loose to snugger.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Proper denim will scratch an English saddle. I can't speak on Westerns because I don't ride Western but it mustn't be that big an issue considering basically every Western rider I've ever seen rides in jeans.

Additionally, the WORST stirrup rubs I have EVER had (I'm talking rubbed raw and bleeding, it was awful) have happened when I was wearing jeans.

I now ride in running tights. Breeches are expensive here and jodhpurs just don't sit well under my tall boots. I wouldn't ride in running tights without half chaps or tall boots though, you'd pinch nearly as bad as being bare-legged. Running tights are cool in summer, and our winters don't get THAT cold so a pair of thermal running tights will do the job for winter too.

Cheaper than breeches, easy to find in fun patterns, can even get them with nice big pockets for your phone/keys/wallet... Yeah, I love my running tights.


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## Volvo (Feb 11, 2019)

I wear breeches cos they're comfortable and I can feel my legs on the horse. I wore jeans in the beginning but got terrible chafing.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

blue eyed pony said:


> Proper denim will scratch an English saddle. I can't speak on Westerns because I don't ride Western but it mustn't be that big an issue considering basically every Western rider I've ever seen rides in jeans.
> 
> Additionally, the WORST stirrup rubs I have EVER had (I'm talking rubbed raw and bleeding, it was awful) have happened when I was wearing jeans.


Stretch jeans with flat seams don't scratch english saddles. Regular denim will scratch western saddles too, but most have seats that are different material such as suede that don't show scratching. I don't think it's the material itself, but the pockets, hardware and seams that scratch. Some jeans such as Wranglers have flat seams because they are made for riding. Just make sure they don't have low pockets with bling if you're going to sit on nice leather or you'll scratch it.

The seams and looser fit are also why jeans will give you stirrup rubs if you don't wear half chaps and ride English. If you try riding English in regular jeans and no half chaps, your pant legs will work their way up the leg too.

Something to think about when wearing stretch pants or yoga pants and riding english is that a slick seat and slick pants can make you fall off much easier. My friend actually made a rule, "no slippery pants" because she fell off unnecessarily wearing dress pants a couple of times.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

trailhorserider said:


> So, I am a western trail rider (so you'll know where my ignorance is coming from) but are they REALLY that much different from leggings or yoga pants?
> 
> Remember back in the late 80's when stirrup pants were "in?" I used to ride in those things all the time!


I've ridden in leggings, tight-fitting thermal mountaineering pants (great in cold weather), stretch jeans, and riding pants. All can be comfortable, as long as they are the right sort. The main thing for me is no seams in the wrong places, no studs or bling to scratch the leather, not loose because bunching causes chafing, and a comfortable fabric.

This is a pair of $5 op-shop stretch jeans:



Works well, like riding pants or leggings, with my short riding boots (I don't do long anymore because too warm and uncomfortable in Australia).

This is a new pair of riding pants I bought last year, after a decade of not buying such a thing as the ones I had wore well. The two-tone made me a bit sceptical at first, but they didn't have unicolours in these, and I bought for comfort. These are zipless and stretchy and with a cotton-rich, heavy, comfortable fabric - I can't handle most synthetics on my skin.





Notice the hiking boots? This is 4 months ago, when I was rehabilitating triple metatarsal fractures in the foot, 10 weeks post-fracture. I was walking in them everywhere from 6 weeks post-fracture, and they were so comfortable, including to ride in, that I have yet to return to using "proper" riding boots!  Good thing there's no footwear police in my area! :Angel:




> Like riding naked! Very comfortable!


Urrrr, really?  I mean, all power to Lady Godiva and all that, and maybe I'm constructed differently to you, but I would find it extremely uncomfortable to ride naked, extrapolating from riding bareback and barefoot in gym shorts as a teenager, when the West Coast summers near Perth were sweltering and I still wanted to go riding. The hair and dirt and sweat on tender inner leg skin are already icky in feel and require hosing off along with the horse post-ride. :rofl: I don't even want to imagine that stuff on more delicate bits. And I think direct contact with a saddle would chafe... :shock:

Having said that, I hear there was a Lady Godiva Ride in London which had quite a few (presumably teflon-coated) participants! :charge:


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

gottatrot said:


> Something to think about when wearing stretch pants or yoga pants and riding english is that a slick seat and slick pants can make you fall off much easier. My friend actually made a rule, "no slippery pants" because she fell off unnecessarily wearing dress pants a couple of times.


I ride bareback on a VERY tricky horse in all kinds of running tights. The cotton-feel ones are no more slippery than self-seat breeches. The lycra type can be a bit slippy but after years of riding difficult horses I still stay on.

My horse has an extremely short, fine, sleek coat, so riding bareback is waaaaay slipperier than riding in a saddle, even though my saddle is just a cheap Wintec.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

SwissMiss said:


> For summer I wear Kerrits IceFil tights.


OK so that's another question I forgot I had, LOL. What are riding tights? When I think of tights, I think of something that's like hose but thicker, or thin leggings with feet attached.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

ACinATX said:


> OK so that's another question I forgot I had, LOL. What are riding tights? When I think of tights, I think of something that's like hose but thicker, or thin leggings with feet attached.


That's what I figured: breeches have a zipper and tights are pull on (aka no zipper).


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

ACinATX said:


> OK so that's another question I forgot I had, LOL. What are riding tights? When I think of tights, I think of something that's like hose but thicker, or thin leggings with feet attached.


I've always thought it was about formality and "properness"- you'd wear breeches in a show, but outside of that, anything goes. 

I think tights are a whole different thing from jods or breeches...and happen to be my riding preference! I have an old pair of breeches somewhere, they are thick, stuffy, and scratchy. Riding tights are all I wear- they come in any number of weights, so I have the Kerrits Ice Fils for summer (love them) and the heavy fleece lined option for winter, and then just the regular old tights for everything in between. They do have knee patches, and I have a couple of pairs that are full seat. They are also making most of them with side pockets that fit a cell phone, which I appreciate as I mostly solo trail ride. As far as weight, the regular "all season" version has a little more stretch than the yoga pants I have, and are probably a little bit thinner. But definitely not like "stockings" that you'd wear under a skirt or dress. 

Ice Fils, full seat: https://kerrits.com/collections/rid...l-tech-tight-full-seat?variant=22687356387386
Fleece lined: https://kerrits.com/collections/win...eece-lite-riding-tight?variant=14395319124026
Plain old tights: https://kerrits.com/collections/new...rise-performance-tight?variant=22589706731578

I think I've gotten every pair I own during an end-of-season sale from one of the big online tack shops, and if you don't care what color they are, you can generally get them half price or even cheaper! Like anything, every brand is cut and fits differently, and Kerrits are pretty much the only ones that fit me. It sucks being really short but not thin enough to buy kids pants! English riding apparel is definitely built for tall women!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I am with @egrogan, I wear riding tights exclusively, and mostly Kerrits. Also agree about being short and breeches -- just no go. I do have a couple pair of real (petite size) breeches I got used because I wanted to try them out, and although they are "stretch" I could barely move in them compared with riding tights. I wear them with half chaps and Ariat trail boots. Half chaps help with chafing, grip, and going through brush and brambles, the trail boots are comfy and have a good tread for leading a horse on rocky trails. 

Unlike a dressage rider in an arena, in which the image of erect immobility is an ideal (hence those dressage saddles that feel like you're strapped in), a trail rider needs to be able to twist around to get something out of a cantle bag, hang off the side of the horse to miss a branch, mount from the ground -- and your pants have to not inhibit all that. 

I can't ride in jeans at all. They bunch, rub, pinch, bind, and drive me nuts.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

https://www.stickyseat.com/

LOVE my Sticky Seat Riding pants. They have the silicon stickies full seat. Not hard to move in and they do give a little more grip to your seat when you want to dig in. My only complaint is, even when ordering the short version, I STILL have to take them to the seamstress and have her take off a significant amount of leg because they're so long.

Forgot to add the "Why breeches?" bit. I don't ride in breeches or even riding pants every day. However, I do find they're more comfortable than most jeans. I've never had rub problems with jeans, even 501s back in the day. Never had a problem with my jeans scratching up an English saddle either, as long as I was careful not to slide down the side of the horse on dismount. Levi's have/had metal brads in them that WOULD tear the fire right out of your saddle but if you dismount properly it wasn't an issue. When I rode hunt seat I did wear breeches and tall boots and a polo shirt, kind of as a mental thing. You act more professional when you dress the part, same thing when you ride.


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

Agree with @egrogan and @Avna, I only ride in riding tights (rides) or yoga pants (at home) and usually Kerrits. I've had a few Irideon tights but I think Kerrits are more comfortable. I like the added stick and any seams start to rub after about 15 miles and make you miserable for the last 10-15.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to the US was that the breeches sold for summer wear (as in not padded or fleece lined) were very thick and stiff compared to UK breeches - it still seems odd considering the summers in the US are on average 10 to 20F degrees hotter than in the UK!
For everyday riding I wear stretch jeans or cord, in the summer I wear stretchy cut offs because that's what I wear for barn work and gardening- all with half chaps when riding
The riding tights sold in the US are OK for casual summer riding, my DH buys women's riding tights from Dover Saddlery - Kerrits I think - because they're cooler and way more comfortable than mens breeches or he buys breeches when he's visiting the UK on business trips


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

When I briefly leased a horse in 2012, using the owner's English tack, she saw me in jeans and told me I could only wear breeches/tights to ride. She said jeans would ruin the saddle (and it was a Wintec). I suddenly remembered WAY back that I had ruined a pigskin Corbette saddle and I never could figure out why the flaps looked like I had sandpapered them. Must have been the jeans I always wore to ride. Most jeans have a double seam on the inner thigh. I suppose if one could find jeans seamed like breeches, they would work, but English saddles tend to have softer leather and can more easily suffer abrasion, so softer material would probably save the leather. If I ever rode a western saddle I would still wear breeches/tights s to me the are very comfortable.

Different brands fit differently just like any other clothes. I just sent back 5 pair of a certain brand of breeches that were a fantastic price as no matter what the size, they just weren't cut right for my body. It appears Ovation and Kerrits fit me best.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I wear jeans in my western saddles. They are both hard seat and I am sure there are a million scratches, but you don’t actually notice. Hmm... the leather is much sturdier and made to be tough.

The English saddles I own (one is a narrow thing I bought from COWCHICK77, which fits Bones perfectly and is a nicer saddle, and the other is wide and cheap but works great on the fjord) I have used jeans on when I was in a hurry, but I don’t like how they bunch under the tall boots. Seriously I have no idea how you guys ride english without tall boots or half chaps!! I jumped on in my western clothes and thought my calves might be bruised up crazy. That said I have super thick skin!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I only get bruising problems on the inside calves if I'm wearing pants that don't fit the calf tightly, or have flimsy fabric. The main issue not wearing tall boots for me is that the part of the pants below the saddle gets sweaty, but they're washable, and so am I! ;-)


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

I remember being young first starting out riding lessons in English and When I didn't wear breeches You get pinched or abrasions, sortta like a saddle rub from the stirrup and saddle on the inner knee. Once I bought my first breeches I realized that's what the knee patch was for. The comfortability and utility of the pant. Like anything Quality over quantity if it had come down to it.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I well remember the jodhpurs of old! They were cavalry twill, a wool fabric, thick so warm in winter and hot in summer, itchy all year round! They ballooned out on the sides and had leather pads by the knees. 

They were difficult to clean and when you did the leather went stiff and hard. I suffered these for many years until the nylon jods came in.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

blue eyed pony said:


> Proper denim will scratch an English saddle...


Depends on the leather. I had two Bates saddles, used jeans with them 100% of the time, and no wear on the saddle. I gather many English saddles use a softer leather, and some use 'covered leather' - with a soft leather covering the primary leather of the saddle. I liked my close contact Bates but the lower leg of my jeans were soaked with sweat riding in Arizona's heat. Washed out OK.

Wrangler jeans - the cheap ones from WalMart - have smooth inner seams. My 501s have a heavier seam although I honestly never noticed any problem. Trail riding, though.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Foxhunter said:


> I well remember the jodhpurs of old! They were cavalry twill, a wool fabric, thick so warm in winter and hot in summer, itchy all year round! They ballooned out on the sides and had leather pads by the knees.
> 
> They were difficult to clean and when you did the leather went stiff and hard. I suffered these for many years until the nylon jods came in.



I remember the old Jodhs like that, I also rember the sheer joy of my first ever pair of creamy yellow stretchy nylon ones, I thought I was in heaven.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

...yes, I always wondered about the ballooning - was that a safety feature? Sort of like a parachute?

PS: There's a prize for guessing who this is. @Foxhunter surely knows! ;-)


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Like any other article of clothing, different manufacturers have different patterns to cut from...
Different fabrics also have different warmth or cooling factor, stretch-ability or not, breath-ability or not...
I've had everything from Harry Hall to Tailored Sportsman and Devon-Aire in brands.
As a young teen I had jodphurs that had a self-fabric knee patch and a elastic band that went under the sole of the shoe to keep the pant down over the boot or slip up they did too.
My Harry Hall breeches had goatskin knee patches, they never ever got stiff from washing and washed up time after time beautiful...I wore holes in them and could not find them ever again sadly in the same fabric.
My Tailored Sportsman were full seat "white"...was a gift given and you not look a gift horse when "FREE" is attached to new and in my size.

Sizing_ does_ vary between brands as cut is different.
I've worn tiny sizes in very stretchy fabric or they would sag, bag and fall off...to actual sizes in breeches that do not have as much give to them.
All my breeches though gave my legs protection from the dreaded stirrup leather pinch that left blood red welts and pinch marks.
Today, I ride more with my western saddle than English...
In all honesty, I grab my breeches and my Ariat barn boots when I'm planning on a long trail ride...just more comfortable than in my jeans.
_I don't care how I look, I care to be comfortable._
I've never ridden in leggings or tights, don't own any either.
I know my chaps, 1/2 and full length zip easily over my breeches, with jeans a bit of effort is needed.
I ride in what makes me comfortable...not a fashion statement nor do I care what others think.
After a ride if I need to hit the store, in I go.


My breeches are more respectable in covering modestly than many today walk around in public in...
I will not say that about some in leggings or tights...not thinking those that make the "This is today's Walmart shopper" are wearing anything comfortable but sadly trying to make a statement...they did! :icon_rolleyes:
I also do not ride in slippery fabric pants especially bareback as slip-sliding away I've done too... :rofl:
As a kid I never rode in shorts nor bathing suit...but my jods or with jeans paid the price of pinched legs...
If we took the horses swimming, in we went in our riding pants shoes removed at the shoreline...we dried off going home.
:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

SueC said:


> ...yes, I always wondered about the ballooning - was that a safety feature? Sort of like a parachute?
> 
> PS: There's a prize for guessing who this is. @Foxhunter surely knows! ;-)


OK, now I need to know, why WOULD they stick out so very far? The word suggests an Indian origin, maybe they took their style cues from Indian clothes, which can be quite baggy? Maybe that's what it would look like if you took an Indian salwar and tucked it into riding boots?

My daughter has a pair of "jodhpurs" I bought from Brooks Brothers several years ago when they were on sale and well before we got horses. They have the knee patches and everything. But turns out they are tight and stiff and completely unsuitable for riding -- guess it's just a style thing.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

^^Hint: 13th birthday

"In the late 1800s Sir Pratap Singh, who was the Maharaja of Idar and the Regent of Jodhpur, was dissatisfied with the style of breeches he had to wear when he played polo. So he set out to produce a garment more suited to the needs of the game. He modelled his template on the ‘churidar ‘which is a traditional Indian long pant. The Churidar are tightly fitting trousers that are cut wide at the top and narrow at the ankle. He retained the basic style, the tight fit from the calf to the ankle, but he increased the baggy aspect by flaring the garment along the thighs and hips. This gave riders much more freedom of movement while riding. Do bear in mind this was before the invention of stretch fabrics. In addition, he reinforced the fabric along the inner calf and knee to protect them from rubbing and wearing while riding . The first pair was tailored in Jodhpur in the year 1890 and was made from thick cotton twill cloth. They were quickly adopted by the other Polo teams in India."

https://www.equus.co.uk/blogs/community/15158909-the-history-of-riding-jodhpurs


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Did you know her mother-in-law was a nun, and attended her wedding in a habit? I didn't, until I saw a documentary on that last night!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

When I first started riding English I had a pair of those old style jods. Not quite as big through the thighs and hips, but still had what I called "pucky pouches", so when the horse scared the …...pucky out of you, it had somewhere to go. Never did like the look but I gotta say that fabric could BREATHE in So Cal Desert Summer and they were very comfy for riding. Much better than the first stretchy ones they came out with. I wouldn't go back though....LOL!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

SueC said:


> Did you know her mother-in-law was a nun, and attended her wedding in a habit? I didn't, until I saw a documentary on that last night!





OK...now you have to put up out of our thirst questing need-to-know pain....


I was going to say .... but that MIL thing threw me totally...
Can you tell have no idea... :frown_color:


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

It’s a very young Queen Elizabeth.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Correct. Did you know about her MIL? It was a nice story, actually. I think Princess Alice got in trouble as a young woman for being religiously unorthodox, and in the end she founded her own religious order in Greece. I'm saying "I think" because I was also cooking stuff while the documentary was on, so didn't hear everything.

Anyway, @bsms and @Golden Horse both knew who this was, and I'm sure @Foxhunter will as well when she wakes up, so here's a nice prize for you to share! The contest is a dead heat between at least three people. If any more knew, more ribbons can be awarded.


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## MissLulu (Feb 3, 2019)

Golden Horse said:


> It’s a very young Queen Elizabeth.



I knew this the minute I saw the photo but didn't want to be a "Know it all". So glad you posted.  My oldest lives in London so I feel I'm obligated to be savvy on British culture!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

For you, @MissLulu! ;-)


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I could so eat some roasted rainbow carrots, they look awesome @SueC


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## MissLulu (Feb 3, 2019)

Thank you! @SueC I appreciate my award!


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

:bowwdown:

Hmmm, I'd hoped for a more Japanese bow instead of genuflecting, but you get the drift. You're all welcome. And aren't heritage carrots nice?


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I grew rainbow carrots last year, just a few left to dig up to make some soup with! 

I knew who it was.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Yes, I was sure you would! 

On-topic PS: I was also thinking about another factor that causes people's calves to bruise when riding English in short boots. Some people actually don't realise that the stirrup leathers are meant to be oriented a specific way - there's a right way and a wrong way to turn the stirrup to put your foot in it. If you turn it the right way, the leathers lie flat along the saddle, then twist outwards. If you do it the other way, you create a skin trap. I tried it today when riding just to see how big a difference it made. Significant difference, even with my nice, smooth leathers with rounded, slippery edges.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Golden Horse said:


> It’s a very young Queen Elizabeth.





I thought that was who it was but MIL really threw me a huge curve....
Had no idea and thought my thought totally ridiculous after that tidbit shared of trivia.
:runninghorse2:...


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

SueC said:


> Yes, I was sure you would!
> 
> On-topic PS: I was also thinking about another factor that causes people's calves to bruise when riding English in short boots. Some people actually don't realise that the stirrup leathers are meant to be oriented a specific way - there's a right way and a wrong way to turn the stirrup to put your foot in it. If you turn it the right way, the leathers lie flat along the saddle, then twist outwards. If you do it the other way, you create a skin trap. I tried it today when riding just to see how big a difference it made. Significant difference, even with my nice, smooth leathers with rounded, slippery edges.


Absolutely! I always wondered why people complained about being pinched by English leathers as I have never had that problem and often ride without my half chaps. I don't remember being shown specifically both ways to turn the leathers, only the apparently "right" way so I must have retained some smidgen of knowledge over the years. I automatically turn the leathers the "right" way before mounting.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I was taught and ride with my leathers turned correctly but still can get leg pinches... :frown_color:

_Those pinches hurt!! _:evil:
:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

My instructor kept telling me to get half chaps but I balked because of the cost. One day I was doing a lot of posting trot, and maybe I had the stirrup leathers wrong (I didn't know that there was a right and wrong way) and I ended up with half-dollar-sized bits of flesh rubbed off on both inner calves. It hurt so bad I was afraid to even look at it. It was a raw bloody mess. I bought half chaps the next day and I've been fine since. Next time I ride, I'm going to mess with the leathers and see if I can tell which is right and which is wrong.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Pinching is also affected by where you place your foot in the stirrup. The commonly taught ball of foot position (IIRC) brings the strap across the lower leg nearer the calf. When I rode English/Australian, I used the "home" position. That has the strap come across the leg lower down. Combined with cowboy boots, the straps wrapped around the shaft of my cowboy boot - thus no rubbing I could feel.

Anther well known person, jumping in the old style jodhpurs:


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

​


horselovinguy said:


> I was taught and ride with my leathers turned correctly but still can get leg pinches... :frown_color:
> 
> _Those pinches hurt!! _:evil:
> :runninghorse2:...


They do indeed. 

It’s so strange to think that people might ride with their leathers turned the wrong way, it’s just so automatic to make sure that they are ‘right’


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

I place my foot on the ball, no pinching ever. Lots of fast work, rising trot.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

bsms said:


> The commonly taught ball of foot position (IIRC) brings the strap across the lower leg nearer the calf. When I rode English/Australian, I used the "home" position. That has the strap come across the leg lower down.


Of course when you shove your foot against the branches of the stirrup iron the stirrup leather will interact in a different location

I tried to ride that way... :icon_rolleyes: 
I lost my shock absorber ankle and the "flex" it is supposed to do...
Also had diminished ability to "silent cue" my horse easily...
And it was uncomfortable on the arch of my foot to have that pressure applied.
Heeled shoe/boot or not, shoving my foot that far into my stirrup would also give me fear of being dragged should I have a unexpected dismount and the ability to quickly kick free is gone...
_No thanks..._
Glad it works for you but there are truly reasons why you are asked to place your foot on the stirrup tread as you are...
You actually are the one who started that thread about foot placement back in 2011 -2012 wasn't it... 

I remember reading it and your references to Julie Goodnight...:wink:
Foot placement has much to do with discipline and activity being ridden and where...
For some using "home" works, for others it does not... :neutral:
:runninghorse2:...


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Whinnie said:


> I place my foot on the ball, no pinching ever. Lots of fast work, rising trot.



*I wonder if the pinching has anything to do with calf size... :think:*

My calves are extremely muscular from years of riding and doing very heavy, hard physical work.. 
My calves are rock solid but easily more than double the size of my ankle...so it may just get in the way and *zap*....a nasty pinch!!
My thighs are much the same way...rock solid.
My legs, think most riders have muscle delineation we could give a body builder a run for the money with sculpting. 
My breeches or jods_ must_ be stretchy material to fit over my thigh/calf but they are also loose at the ankle...I always need to wear a high boot sock or knee-highs over the outside to keep the wrinkles away and not slide my breeches up when pulling on my tall boots...no I_* do not*_ own boots with "cheater" zippers. 
:runninghorse2:...


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

SteadyOn said:


> I'm not crazy about knee patch breeches. I don't think knee patch breeches really give you any more advantage than any pair of stretchy tights.
> 
> But a pair of nice full seat breeches are super comfy, protect your bits somewhat, and can help make you feel a lot more secure in the saddle. I have three pairs of full seats that I loooooooooovvvvvvve, and I don't ride in anything else. *Ideally the fabric is snug enough that you don't have any bunching or chafing happening anywhere, which is a real advantage instead of something like jeans*. Also, with the snug fit of breeches, you can use them with half chaps or tall boots, which help you ride comfortably in English saddles, as they don't have stirrup fenders like Western saddles. Trying to get half chaps or snug boots on over not-tight pants sounds awful.
> 
> ...



Ya'll must be riding in some really bad jeans - I see this a lot here and I don't get it. LOL I have _one_ pair of el cheapo jeans I hate riding in. Because of all the spandex, they DO bunch and gap and ride up at the ankle and generally feel bad against the skin.

I have another pair that are el cheapos, thin denim with very little stretch - they are PERFECT summer weight jeans. I will weep when they finally tear up, but I've had them for FOUR YEARS! Can't believe they're holding strong.

I have several pairs of Miss Me jeans I ride in... always comfy, don't ride up, don't gap, don't bunch.... Unnnnlesssss I don't wear a belt. That goes for the summer weight el cheapos too. Belt is mandatory, but also useful.

I know nothing about breeches, but am so relieved I don't feel the urge to wear them, because folks - this butt and these thighs, in a pair of what are essentially footless tights, would be a horrible thing to behold. LOL


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## AndyTheCornbread (Feb 3, 2019)

SueC said:


> Notice the hiking boots? This is 4 months ago, when I was rehabilitating triple metatarsal fractures in the foot, 10 weeks post-fracture. I was walking in them everywhere from 6 weeks post-fracture, and they were so comfortable, including to ride in, that I have yet to return to using "proper" riding boots!  Good thing there's no footwear police in my area!


I wear cheap lace up packers for the same reason. I have a very bad injury to my left lower leg and ankle from doing something really stupid on a horse when I was younger. I need the lace up support on that side so I wear packers to ride. So long as you water proof them, with something like Kenetrek waterproofing boot wax they last a really long time and you don't have to worry about getting hung up in a stirrup due to having no heels. These are the cheap ones I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RQAV8A/

As far as breeches go I have never worn them but I am not going to lie, some ladies look really good in them. They are also way more tasteful style and modesty wise than a lot of the yoga pants I see when I go into the city that looked like somebody ran the girl through a sausage stuffer and out into some lycra. The breeches may be why so many guys from my unit ended up married to the girls who worked at the stables near our barracks in the UK. At 18 to 19 years old I am pretty sure none of us Marines ever considered that they might also be functional not just eye catching. I never thought about the seams thing as I ride in jeans. The only thing I dislike about jeans is the really comfy ones to ride in, ride up on my calves sometimes and that can be annoying.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

horselovinguy said:


> ...Heeled shoe/boot or not, shoving my foot that far into my stirrup would also give me fear of being dragged should I have a unexpected dismount and the ability to quickly kick free is gone..._No thanks..._
> Glad it works for you but there are truly reasons why you are asked to place your foot on the stirrup tread as you are...


Wasn't trying to convince anyone to use the home position. I currently ride about halfway between ball of foot and home. Just noticed the home position changed the place where the stirrup strap wrapped around my leg, putting it just low enough for my Red Wing cowboy boots to protect me from rubbing.

For any interested in the advantages and disadvantages of various foot placements - and its history - Jim Wofford wrote a good article:



> "Remember, Caprilli was interested in getting men and horses safely across country, which meant security was a prime concern. The lower-leg position that developed due to his influence was a very strong and secure position, but it was fixed rather than supple. Caprilli did not view this as a defect...Under Chamberlin’s influence, the foot was no longer home in the stirrup; instead, the stirrup rested beneath the arch of the rider’s foot.
> 
> ...By 1956, U.S. Show-Jumping Coach Bert de Némethy was meticulous about the placement of the foot in the stirrup despite the fact that it was not the same placement that earlier generations of riders would have been comfortable with. The increased competitive demands for control of the horse’s speed and length of stride required a very supple, sophisticated lower-leg position."
> 
> The Evolution of the Lower-Leg Position by Jim Wofford


"_...the first rule of good riding is that of reducing, simplifying and sometimes, if possible, even eliminating the action of the rider. If the hands are used to turn and check a horse, and the legs to make him move forward and to give him resolution and decisiveness this is enough..._" - Caprilli

Since my goals in riding have more to do with Caprilli than show jumping, and since I've spent most of my time riding spooky horses, I tend to emphasize security over finesse. But my approach would be harmful for the goals of many other riders. Still, the devil is in the details. The brand of jeans (or jodhpurs), the shoe or boot, how one lies to position the body or leg or foot, one's goals, the type of leather used in a saddle - these all result in different experiences although we superficially are doing the same thing.

From 2011: https://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding/question-stirrup-position-ball-foot-mid-74556/


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Your post made me laugh...and laugh some more.






















Sometimes I am screaming inside my head....
_Buy a mirror and use it!! Open your eyes and really look...







_





AndyTheCornbread said:


> The only thing I dislike about jeans is the really comfy ones to ride in, ride up on my calves sometimes and that can be annoying.


So, years ago they made a elastic band with alligator clips on each end...actually they still do..








Attach to pant leg, slide under the shoe/boot sole near the heel and attach on other side of pant leg bottom...
No more do the pants ride up... 

Or if you tuck your pant legs in, clip then put on the boots and pants stay put where they are supposed to be.:smile:
_https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hold-Em-...o1432ECU1xYg9NGUSAkCpRKwVA6V2zqxoCBiMQAvD_BwE_
:runninghorse2:


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

Never worn tights in my life.
Never worn yoga pants or jeans, either.

I am a breeches girl, born and raised. I have all types: polyester, thick cotton with lycra, cotton without lycra, full seat, knee patch, etc. But I have never used the silicone ones - sort of defeats the purpose of having an independent seat, doesn't it? Plus, when your pelvis rotates at the canter (ice-cream scoop action) in a silicone seat, I assume that the breeches would stick, and your personal parts would rub back and forth against the fabric, n'est-ce pas? Yee gads!

I also remember being told as a kid that you didn't really know how to ride until your seat bones wore a hole through your breeches. That still holds true with today's cotton ones (anyone else an expert darner?), but I have yet to wear a hole through the poly breeches.

My biggest problems with breeches is that they are all too big in the ankles! The sock-bottom ones are simply mammouth, and the velcro bottoms almost go around the ankle twice. What gives? So, I have to be careful wrapping the extra fabric towards the outside of my ankle, leaving the inside flat. More than once, I've had to have my trainers "re-dress" me while in the saddle. A big wad of extra fabric digging into your tibia while posting is torture.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

horselovinguy said:


> *I wonder if the pinching has anything to do with calf size... :think:*
> 
> My calves are extremely muscular from years of riding and doing very heavy, hard physical work..
> My calves are rock solid but easily more than double the size of my ankle...so it may just get in the way and *zap*....a nasty pinch!!
> ...


I, too have very thick, muscular calves and thighs.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

AndyTheCornbread said:


> ...also way more tasteful style and modesty wise than a lot of the yoga pants I see when I go into the city that looked like somebody ran the girl through a sausage stuffer and out into some lycra.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I love this forum. It's the perfect antidote to so many other places these days where not only are people not giving a cracker about correct spelling and grammar, but they're writing shorthand like gr8. And, as they have no imaginations, just cloning tools, they'd never write great descriptions like this...

This is a memorable one! And calls for another: Twenty years ago, I heard the male body-builder physique described as being "like a condom full of walnuts." :rofl:




Spanish Rider said:


> But I have never used the silicone ones - sort of defeats the purpose of having an independent seat, doesn't it? Plus, when your pelvis rotates at the canter (ice-cream scoop action) in a silicone seat, I assume that the breeches would stick, and your personal parts would rub back and forth against the fabric, n'est-ce pas? Yee gads!


:rofl: :dance-smiley05: :loveshower: :hug:



> I also remember being told as a kid that you didn't really know how to ride until your seat bones wore a hole through your breeches. That still holds true with today's cotton ones (anyone else an expert darner?), but I have yet to wear a hole through the poly breeches.


:clap: :clap: :clap: Great rule of thumb. And to wear a hole through poly breeches, you could try sharpening your seat bones up a little, with a round file perhaps. ;-) Poor saddle though. I can't wear poly. If I rode in poly breeches for any length of time, I'd be having to roll up to the dermatologist with a baboon bottom. Transported on a stretcher lying on my front. :eek_color:


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

THIS, my dear, is why cyclists invented Chamois Butt'r. https://www.chamoisbuttr.com/


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

https://www.antimonkeybutt.com/about-anti-monkey-butt/


https://www.antimonkeybutt.com/our-products/women/


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

I really can't wear synthetics, even if I plaster myself with creams!  Natural fabrics solve that one for me. My current riding pants are 95% cotton, 5% lycra and so non-irritating.

But I've always laughed when I've read some of the names of those creams! :rofl:

And I can see why cyclists use them... marinating in sweat like that, plus friction /pressure...


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Quote:
Originally Posted by *horselovinguy* View Post 
_*I wonder if the pinching has anything to do with calf size...







*

My calves are extremely muscular from years of riding and doing very heavy, hard physical work.. 
My calves are rock solid but easily more than double the size of my ankle...so it may just get in the way and *zap*....a nasty pinch!!
My thighs are much the same way...rock solid.
My legs, think most riders have muscle delineation we could give a body builder a run for the money with sculpting.








My breeches or jods must be stretchy material to fit over my thigh/calf but they are also loose at the ankle...I always need to wear a high boot sock or knee-highs over the outside to keep the wrinkles away and not slide my breeches up when pulling on my tall boots...no I* do not* own boots with "cheater" zippers. 







..._




Whinnie said:


> I, too have very thick, muscular calves and thighs.


I was thinking about this, and about the variables in the situation. Here's a few:

- amount of subcutaneous fat people have for cushioning extremities - decreases especially after middle age, when for some reason the fat wants to go to other places :angrily_smileys:

- elasticity of the skin - people with really stretchy skin get trapped more easily - as do people with loose skin

- gear-related, the types of stirrup leathers you use - I've never looked back since buying a set with nicely rolled edges and a slippery surface

- the angle at which this attaches to your saddle, with a particular rider - stirrup leather length - riding long versus riding with shorter stirrups etc

- the fit, fabric etc of your riding apparel in that place

- the surface characteristics of your saddle, and how flat the leathers lie on it

@Golden Horse, the question about which way are you turning the stirrups didn't occur to me at the start of the discussion, because it's such autopilot I can't even remember where I learnt it. And after a while of riding new leathers in that position, they shape themselves so that the stirrup is already hanging correctly in relation to them... but yeah, some people do ride with leathers hanging the wrong way, and get pinched badly...


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## WillfullyEccentric (Jun 16, 2018)

For me, the thing about breeches, is that the seams are not on the inner leg. Rather they’re placed differently so there’s no rubbing. 

When i initially tried to start riding in like... 2005? Ish? I wore jeans. The rubbing against my leg, combined with a twisted stirrup and a saddle too small for my more ample than currently (still large but not *as* big haha ) rear end led to a bruise that ran from my inguinal crease to my knee. It was horrifying. 

I didn’t ride again until over 10 years later it was *that* bad. When i started riding again, my first few weeks before I bought breeches, id’ get raw on my inner legs. 

Now, take from this what you will. While I’ve lost about 100lbs, I am still someone Freddie Mercury and sir mix a lot would write a song about. (I literally am a 6/8 on top, and a 10-14 depending on brand on bottom) 


The breeches i currently have- i have 2 pairs. One is really similar to thick bathing suit/yoga tights, but the seams are in the “right” places for riding and the other pair, is my winter pair, fleece lined made of similar fabric and seams to the first.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

On the internet, we can make any claim that we want, and there is nobody to prove you wrong. So I will say that I also have thighs and calves that have greatly sculpted musculature. 

Now if I can figure out how to get all of the adipose tissue that covers those fine sculptures to go away...........

Oh to be 19 again. I did look killer in those riding pants.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Celeste said:


> On the internet, we can make any claim that we want, and there is nobody to prove you wrong. So I will say that I also have thighs and calves that have greatly sculpted musculature.


Oh yes, me too. That's why I don't wear breeches, or yoga pants. I don't want other people to be jealous of how great I look, and feel badly about themselves (ha ha).


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

@Celeste , and I have 6-pack abs. I just keep them well protected.


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## apachetears6 (Jun 7, 2018)

ACinATX said:


> So, I've been riding for about a year now, and doing mostly English since April / May. I ride in whatever is comfortable and can get dirty -- like track pants or hemp/cotton pants in the summer, corduroys in the winter, and whatever shirt is comfortable. Dover had a sale so I just bought a pair of breeches. I don't get it. They are like a ponte knit pant, tight but stretchy, and thick. They are thick enough to no doubt be unbearably hot in the summer, and tight enough so that I think I'd quickly lose body heat if it were cold. They have a patch of fake suede in the inside knee.
> 
> My question is, aside from shows where there is a written dress code, why would I wear these things rather than comfortable pants? I mean, what is the point? This isn't a rhetorical question -- I am honestly wondering, am I missing something? If I don't ever want to show, is there any reason I would buy breeches rather than continuing to wear normal pants?
> 
> While I'm asking, when I look at breeches online I see there are different styles, like full seat. Anyone want to explain that to me?



I ride trail and down a long series of country back dirt roads.
I wear normally what is called Battle Dress Uniform style surplus military pants, they are loose, baggy they have a lot of big deep pockets with good closures.
They are long enough to cover my boots and are not too hot or too cold in the weather.
The colors are somewhat not Horsy though being Camouflaged woodland, Digital green and desert but they wear well and if they get torn or dirty it doesn't matter. I also have the same in a baggy jeans I wear just for riding.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I grew up western, riding in jeans. Recently, though, I've started wearing riding tights because on long rides I get saddle sores from seam rub. I like that the tights don't have inner seams. One of my musts while buying is that they have to have at least one pocket large enough for my phone and secure enough that the phone can't go flying if I do since I ride solo most of the time. 

I still ride in jeans if I'm just doing a short ride (under 5 miles), but anything longer and the seams have to go.

And because I grew up western in jeans, I just don't like the look of tight ankles on me. I try to buy boot cut. I also ride in hiking boots or sneakers because I can't find comfortable boots (low ankles, high arch). Didn't even know what half chaps were until a couple years ago. Don't use 'em (yet). Even at 61 I won't say never will.

Oh - and what I don't like, nor understand, is why riding breeches and tights are so doggone expensive.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Breeches are a no for me since I no longer show, but I love my riding tights. I find synthetic materials to be much cooler than anything mostly cotton. Finding the type that suits you may take a bit of experimentation, as every body is a different shape.

Personally, I can't ride in the Ice Fils that others raved about for more than 10-15 miles or the little silicon carrots start rubbing the insides of my knees (they also catch on the seat seam in one saddle I ride, which caused some really horrible rubs on the backs of my thighs - now I don't ride that saddle in those tights at all!). Personally, I think how much a person toes out also can change where and how badly the leg is rubbed - I toe out badly and often wind up with rubs from the edges of a narrow knee patch seam as that part is contacting the horse!

I have found my Irideon tights to be the most comfortable and the most durable.. durable to the point that I have no excuse to replace my older ones with more current versions that have cell phone pockets. My winter tights are tropical riders and they have held up almost as well.

I have several friends that do their training rides in yoga pants and I am keeping my eye out for some on clearance to try, as I really like having a cell phone pocket.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I have a few breeches. I used to show, but not anymore. Sometimes I wear them during lessons. They are pretty comfy, depending on what brand. I don't spend an arm & a leg...I wear the Devon Aire ones.

I wear leggings 99.9% of the time when I ride. They're comfy. 
I buy cheap ones from H&M, they last me about 6mos or so. I have a ton of them. :lol: I wear them all the time anyway, so I just go riding in them too!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Spanish Rider said:


> @Celeste , and I have 6-pack abs. I just keep them well protected.


I also keep my 6-pack abs well protected. With a keg........


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Obelix has really strong abs. Has to, since he's carting menhirs around all day!


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## AndyTheCornbread (Feb 3, 2019)

Speaking of breeches Platinum performance sends me these brochures ad nauseam with beautiful models in breeches but what makes me go "_hmmmmm looks staged to me_" is they are always leading the horse or like on page 32 of this most recent brochure they have a vet checking the horse with a stethoscope under the horse and the other end is around her neck not in her ears....."_hmmmm thinking probably not a real vet_". Plus I have never seen an equine vet that looks like that either. Mine is in his late 60s and looks tougher than boiled rawhide. All the pictures with actual professional riders in breeches they are all wearing very similar breeches including the men, if I was ever going to get a set I would find out what those professional riders are wearing as they have probably tried everything in the book and settled on something that really works. I think the rest probably have more to do with catching the eye than riding the horse. 

Like most things horse related there is probably a cheaper solution that while possibly less fashionable works equally well. Multiple women on here have commented that tights work as well or better for them and don't cost an arm and a leg. 

Reminds me of flags for training / desensitizing you can buy the $50 - $100 ones from your local tack shop / money thieves or do like the trainer who used to work for me(_now retired which is why I started having to train my own horses_) and tie some bailing twine to a bunch of shopping bags and hang it off the end of a light broom handle for free.


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## Aprilswissmiss (May 12, 2019)

I've been riding and showing English for 10 years, and I've never been a huge fan of breeches. The tack shops near where I grew up had them for $50 at the cheapest (and those were the stained used ones on consignment). I have bought no more than two pairs of "show-worthy" breeches in my life, and instead ride in jeans - the "jeggings" that are stretchy and form-fitting like leggings but the appearance and texture of jeans. I only ever put on breeches if I was showing.

Breeches get dirty _so_ easily. Even at shows, all it takes is a horse with a mouth full of grass to rub up against your leg and your brand new white-beige breeches are ruined. They are ridiculously expensive for a showable pair, at least where I grew up. And to me, they don't offer any better grip than jeans do.

One time when I was a working student at a very high-end stable (only working student there - everyone else my age had imported warmbloods their parents bought them), one of these imported-warmblood-owning-teenagers said to me very condescendingly, "Where are your breeches? Aren't jeans awful to ride in?" and I said "No, they're fine." But I wish I could have said "I'm sorry I can't afford to wear a different set of breeches for every day of the week..." I don't like being rude, so I held my tongue. To me, riding in breeches in every lesson and every hack sometimes - not always, but sometimes - just seems like a rich girl thing. No hate to anyone who does! I've just had a lot of experiences that have created this image.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Poor college kid here:
I have always been a jegging fan. That being said Full seat breeches are super nice to ride in. I also never buy new and I refuse to pay full price for anything. I haven't bought new clothes in a shop for years. So for breeches- I leave a "saved search" on eBay. Ie- type in "women's 24" breeches" and I get notifications whenever a pair gets listed. If it's a really good deal in a style (tredsteps are my favorite) I know fits me I buy them. I have yet to spend over $25 for breeches, which is about on par with the cost of a decent pair of jeans if you buy them new. 

So if poverty is the objection- I'd recommend this route. It's worked for me. Also a great way to get show clothes, though I'm lucky- I'm a size everyone's preteen kid is growing out of.


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## Finalcanter (Apr 15, 2013)

I ride in breeches, and get my breeches mostly from smartpak now. I'm looking for tights in the summer for when I go back to riding but I'm very stingy with the prices. I have the regular breeches and the knit ones (which are a little slippery but I like them.) They changed their formular for the knit--or my first pair was 'defective' (my first knit pair is quite thick and great for cold days. Subsequent knit breeches I've brought are a little thinner in material). 

Anyway, I used to ride in jeans but they pinch a little, and I do not have enough 'sturdy' jeans in my closet. They're getting more expensive and the material denim is getting cheaper where I'm at. I used to just use my sturdy jeans to work in the barn or go on a trail ride. I never worried about the saddle- I worry more about the jeans rubbing and wearing out (getting thinner and lighter in color)/rubbed out jeans. So I weak knee patch breeches mostly. They don't provide 'stick', but I don't have to worry about them being rubbed out. I find them pretty comfortable- especially the knit jeans from smartpak which are my favorite. They aren't stiff and feel like sweatpants. Unfortunately they don't have a lot of fun colors like the original.


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## txgirl (Jul 9, 2010)

I prefer to ride in breeches, even when riding western. I will wear breeches under my chaps or shows because it makes zipping the chaps so much easier. Try getting jeans off that are wet! For me, breeches are cooler and easy to get off when wet or sweaty (Texas gulf coast weather!). If it is cold, then I am back in my jeans.


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## RidingWithRuby (Apr 18, 2019)

Finalcanter said:


> I ride in breeches, and get my breeches mostly from smartpak now. I'm looking for tights in the summer for when I go back to riding but I'm very stingy with the prices. I have the regular breeches and the knit ones (which are a little slippery but I like them.) They changed their formular for the knit--or my first pair was 'defective' (my first knit pair is quite thick and great for cold days. Subsequent knit breeches I've brought are a little thinner in material).
> 
> Anyway, I used to ride in jeans but they pinch a little, and I do not have enough 'sturdy' jeans in my closet. They're getting more expensive and the material denim is getting cheaper where I'm at. I used to just use my sturdy jeans to work in the barn or go on a trail ride. I never worried about the saddle- I worry more about the jeans rubbing and wearing out (getting thinner and lighter in color)/rubbed out jeans. So I weak knee patch breeches mostly. They don't provide 'stick', but I don't have to worry about them being rubbed out. I find them pretty comfortable- especially the knit jeans from smartpak which are my favorite. They aren't stiff and feel like sweatpants. Unfortunately they don't have a lot of fun colors like the original.


I recommend Kerrits Ice-Fil tights for summer riding. Pricey but they do seem to help wick moisture away. I douse mine in water before I ride and they stay nice and cool until they dry out.


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## Finalcanter (Apr 15, 2013)

@RidingWithRuby 

Thanks I'll look into those when I get the chance! I love kerrits and have several shirt designs by them. I also used to have a tight by them too but I grew out of them haha.


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## kambcba (May 25, 2019)

There's no rules. I wear full seat breeches but you can wear whatever you want. Comfort is more important. For shows/ competitions though, you will need beige/cream breeches. 

I only wear certain brands though. Some I feel very uncomfortable in. I wear Ovation Euro Melange full seat in the colder months and Kerrits Ice Fil full seat in the heat. Have to say the Kerrits are like wearing leggings. Unbelievably comfortable and they keep you a lot cooler.


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## Feathers7 (Jun 11, 2019)

SteadyOn said:


> Not actually sticky, just textured. These have a suede-like material that just gives you extra friction in the saddle. Not a _ton_ of extra grip, but sometimes just that little bit extra can make a difference in a hairy moment! I've never had an issue with posting in them, or with shifting my seat around intentionally.
> 
> There are silicone grip ones out there too, which I would think would have more of an actually sticky feel, but I have yet to try them!


Those silicone grip breeches have a LOT of grip. As in, you sit in that saddle and you're not moving. As per my post in another thread, I had a funny test-ride in a new saddle where I had purchased new stirrup leathers. The stirrup leathers were too long, even at the shortest setting (my fault, I thought I measured my leg and bought the correct length but alas, no. I used the leather punch later.) But I didn't know they were still right on the edge of too long until I was in the saddle. And there I STUCK for my test ride. Adjusting was certainly a chore - that's how much stick you have. So silicone breeches I consider to be somewhat of a training aid. If you can get your leg and seat in the right position to not move, vices like knee gripping, etc. become a non-issue, letting you focus on other aspects of what you're doing. It also forces you to use the correct muscles to keep yourself upright. I suppose if you want grip on the trail or during times of speed, that might be a good option. Just don't let it hinder your mobility when you need it, particularly if you need to dismount or take a safety dive.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

Feathers7 said:


> Those silicone grip breeches have a LOT of grip. As in, you sit in that saddle and you're not moving. As per my post in another thread, I had a funny test-ride in a new saddle where I had purchased new stirrup leathers. The stirrup leathers were too long, even at the shortest setting (my fault, I thought I measured my leg and bought the correct length but alas, no. I used the leather punch later.) But I didn't know they were still right on the edge of too long until I was in the saddle. And there I STUCK for my test ride. Adjusting was certainly a chore - that's how much stick you have. So silicone breeches I consider to be somewhat of a training aid. If you can get your leg and seat in the right position to not move, vices like knee gripping, etc. become a non-issue, letting you focus on other aspects of what you're doing. It also forces you to use the correct muscles to keep yourself upright. I suppose if you want grip on the trail or during times of speed, that might be a good option. Just don't let it hinder your mobility when you need it, particularly if you need to dismount or take a safety dive.



LOL!! I eventually discovered all of this for myself! :lol:
https://www.horseforum.com/barn-riding-wear/silicone-full-seats-804051/


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## Feathers7 (Jun 11, 2019)

SteadyOn said:


> LOL!! I eventually discovered all of this for myself!
> https://www.horseforum.com/barn-riding-wear/silicone-full-seats-804051/


Hilarious!!! Yeah, that's about how it goes. I really miss On Course breeches. I know people who had theirs for over 5 years, myself included.

I've ridden in jeans, "jeggings", yoga pants, breeches and riding tights. You can ride in whatever you want, but just as with all things in life, there's something to be said for *well made* tools of the trade. And it does help if you find the tool you feel was 'made for you' (or literally was made for you, in the case of custom items). It makes me chuckle when people mention the purpose of English apparel is to look conservative, neat and tidy. Much of English riding tack and apparel is about minimalism for athletics and communication between horse and rider, while maintaining comfort and support for both. That just happens to go hand in hand with conservative, neat and tidy. Breeches and riding tights are supposed to offer the rider a 'second skin', meaning close contact (for all the usual reasons close contact is a factor in English riding) and flexible support. Knee patches and full seats offer additional grip and reinforcement that doesn't get in the rider's way. Furthermore, breeches and riding tights allow judges and instructors to see your leg clearly and assess your riding position. So far, I've only been able to achieve all of that with breeches or riding tights. Some jeans offer much of that checklist, and many don't. and you end up with uncomfortable seams, fabric bulges, fabric riding up, and weird restriction in movement due to lack of stretch. Sometimes, you have to feel it to believe it. BUT yes, just like with any clothing, you do have to find the right breeches/tights for you...in a world where style, fabric, and sizing are all over the place. Fortunately, if you like jean material, some brilliant person thought of jean breeches, including full seat and bootcut...so those now exist. I haven't tried them yet, but I'd certainly like to.


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## pbourgeois (Aug 8, 2019)

The difference between breeches and "regular pants" is that breeches were designed for riding. The don't have a seam on the inside of the leg which helps reduce chafing. many people, including me, prefer to ride in breeches because it can give you some extra grip (knee patch for hunter/jumper and full-seat for dressage). If you feel more comfortable riding in athletic pants or cotton pants and are not doing a competition then I would say keep on doing it. Breeches are expensive and oftentimes the lower priced breeches can feel bulky, weird, and uncomfortable. You can however get some breeches that are thinner and more comfortable to ride in. My favorite are the 'Ovation SoftFLEX GRIP-TECH' breeches. They come in both full seat and knee patch for a pretty reasonable price (about $60). They are thick enough to retain heat in colder weather and are thin enough to keep you cool during the summer. If you prefer athletic pants you may find that you like riding tights better. They will give you that free movement feel like athletic pants do but with added grip where you need it. Many people suggest Kerrits and even though I have never ridden in them, several girls at my barn ride exclusively in them, so they must be good. They can however be a little pricey.


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