# do half chaps improve riding performance?



## skye97 (Mar 15, 2013)

I'm new to this forum and tried the search option but couldn't find anything about this...if you happen to know of any similar threads feel free to point me in the right direction! 

Anyway, I started taking English lessons about 2 months ago and have been riding in tights and paddock boots. So far I feel okay with this set-up - I get the occasional pinch on my calves but nothing major (no bruising or anything), so as far as comfort goes I don't feel like I need half chaps. However, I'm wondering if they doing anything for riding performance? I'm still working on the basics of walking and trotting, and won't be doing anything fancy for quite a while. Thanks for any advice!


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

skye97 said:


> I'm new to this forum and tried the search option but couldn't find anything about this...if you happen to know of any similar threads feel free to point me in the right direction!
> 
> Anyway, I started taking English lessons about 2 months ago and have been riding in tights and paddock boots. So far I feel okay with this set-up - I get the occasional pinch on my calves but nothing major (no bruising or anything), so as far as comfort goes I don't feel like I need half chaps. However, I'm wondering if they doing anything for riding performance? I'm still working on the basics of walking and trotting, and won't be doing anything fancy for quite a while. Thanks for any advice!


half chaps do not do anything other than offer your legs a bit of protection. They won't improve your riding - they just stop the pinching. 

If you are fine in tights and boots, keep riding in them.  If you feel you want a little bit of extra protection, ride with long socks over your tights. I do it all the time.

In saying that, I also love my half chaps.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I ride in half chaps because they're more comfortable, keep my pants out of the way (I ride in basically leggings made from jean material), and I find the give a little extra grip for my lower leg.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I hate riding in half chaps because I can't feel how much leg I have on the horse. Also they just make my leg bulkier.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

If you were fat like me, you'd get the stirrup leathers pinching more than occasionally. half chaps end that, give a bit more grip and look cool. coolness factor can't be underestimated!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I like riding in tall boots, but I don't like wearing them all the time, so I wear half chaps, smoother against the saddle, less friction. As for ridng better, I guess if they remove the distraction of pinching or what not, then I sorta guess so.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

They make me feel better, if I feel better I ride better, ergo they improve my riding performance.:lol:


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## skye97 (Mar 15, 2013)

Thanks for all the quick responses - they've been really helpful! Tinyliny, I agree, they look pretty cool, so I'll take that into consideration.  But I think I'm going to hold off for now...I'd rather spend the money on another lesson or two at this point.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

I actually find a huge difference with wearing different boots while riding.
I find that my dress boots really stabilize my ankle from flopping out sideways, while soft boots or half chaps don't stabilize as much and in just paddock boots, or loose fitting boots I find my ankle to by quite floppy.
I have seen riders improve with the purchase of hard dress boots because the lower body becomes more stable.

However, with that said, at where you are now you wont feel much difference. But down the road, yes what boots you wear do make a difference!
Good luck!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

tall boots do stabilize the leg. I used to ride in them from time to time.
I have a pair, but shamefully, my calves have gotten too fat to fit in them.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I have a very VERY slippery dressage saddle, and my half chaps have suede on the inner leg. I find that purely for that fact they stabilize my leg because even a strong lower leg is going to struggle to stay still in a saddle as slippery as mine.

Also, they do offer a little support to the muscles, tendons and ligaments in your lower leg. For the inexperienced rider they don't do much but for the rider with a lower leg that is 'getting there but not quite there' they do help.

Example:

In jods with half chaps [do bear in mind this is a matter of different saddles as well]. Jump is 95cm according to the numbers marked on the standards. And yes, he likes to take off from WAY long, I hadn't yet figured out how to get him in deep to his fences. Now our striding is perfect 9 out of 10 times.










In jeans. No chaps. Jump is approx 1m.










BOTH ARE OLD PHOTOS, please don't crit my position! The 95cm vertical is actually an older photo, my chaps broke and then I got a new saddle and yeahhh. I've fixed my position again but don't have any recent pics. But it's more than clear that my lower leg is about a million times better in the older pic, with chaps!! Dork jumps a bit flat over the little stuff like this, once we get up to the bigger stuff [1m10 oxers and the like] he does have a lovely scopey bascule.


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## wetrain17 (May 25, 2011)

I prefer to ride in my tall boots. I do "retire" them for the season come late fall to early spring. My half chaps are a little too big so I can add more layers under them for warmth.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Like Anebel, I feel a huge difference in my lower leg/ankle depending I which boots I am wearing.
At home I generally ride in zip up Ariat boots with full leather half chaps so I dont wreck my toppies. If I'm feeling lazy and dont put chapson, there is a noticeable difference in ankle stability and I have to work harder to keep a stable lower leg.
For lessons, clinics and competitions I ride in top boots, and they immediately provide greater support to the ankle than half chaps, and I find I have more movement and feel in them. 

When you're starting out, you're not going to have a high level of feel or lower leg stability, so a pair of cheap suede half chaps will be sufficient to stop any rubbing/pinching. Plus when you're a kid you're supercool if you wear coloured half chaps haha
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ponylover08 (Mar 16, 2013)

The half chaps just protect your leg from rubbing. When you just have your riding pants and boots on, when you ride, the leg tends to get rubs. Happened to me!  The half chaps just gives you protection to prevent rubbing.


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## BornToRun (Sep 18, 2011)

I like tall boots, but I don't like the price of them. With forty dollar machine wash suede half chaps and it's almost like I have tall boots!


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

Even since I was a six year old with teeny stick legs, I found I had to ride in half chaps to prevent pinching, and never showed enough as I got older to invest in a pair of tall boots to make it worthwhile (after the age of jods, paddock boots, and spats + a polo were appropriate for schooling shows, I.e. see my kid show attire in my photo album entitled old photos, or something like that!)

As an adult returning rider, I couldn't imagine NOT riding in them! My trainer never wears them, and being a dressage and not a jumper rider/trainer since she was 19 (now age 50), she made the comment to me once that she had always thought they were sort of a "cheat" way to go, stabilizing the lower leg! 

I was shocked, as that hadn't EVER occurred to me, and I had ALWAYS had pinching with the leathers, thus, always hated riding without them as I'd get purple bruising from all the miserable pinching! I felt really dumb thinking she'd assumed I had been "cheating" my way into a stable lower leg until we clarified this!:shock:

Anyway, I have had all kinds, and the best IMO for "feel" without too much bulk are the all suede kind, though my current pair are all plain leather and I do find myself craving more "feel"...hope that helps!


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

I always ride in my half chaps... I would love a pair of tall riding boots, but my tiny feet (size 3) plus giant calves (I squeeze into a medium half chap at a struggle) means it would cost a bomb over here to get a pair - when I ride just for pleasure it just isn't worthwhile. I struggle to find tall boots of any description that will fit me, and if I do get a pair it's usually a size too big in the foot. 

My half chaps are cheap, but they do the job and look the part perfectly fine


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