What to wear

Equipment

When starting riding there’s no need to go out and buy all the equipment, first of all see if you enjoy it and then gradually you can gather the necessities.

For your first few lessons you can wear:

Shoes

If you don’t have riding boots then don’t worry, a boot with a small heal is fine, wellies are also ok. Try to avoid shoes with laces as they can get caught, and trainers or shoes that don’t cover the ankle as these give little support.

Trousers

Your legs must be covered, even if it is boiling outside. If you don’t have jodhpurs then leggings or jogging bottoms are the next best thing. A soft trouser is better than a jean as the seams will rub your legs and also scratch our saddles. Long socks over the top of your trousers will help stop them riding up as you ride and also give your calves extra protection against the stirrup rubbing.

 Tops

Clothes for the weather on your top half, your shoulders should always be covered, and ideally have long sleeves on. Waterproofs are an essential item of any rider’s wardrobe; these need not be expensive and can be brought from your local outdoor store but will make riding in wet weather much more be arable. Layers are ideal as you’ll start off cool but warm up as you ride; remember you’ll be wearing a riding hat so layers that unzip rather than pull off over your head are better and easily removed. You’ll probably sweat so breathable sports layers are best, in the winter micro fleece and base layers are better .

 Hats

We provide riding hats for you to wear when you first start with us, but highly recommend that as soon as you decide that horse riding will be a hobby then this should be your first item you invest in as nothing ever fits you as well as your own hat. If you have your own hat it must be a riding hat and adhere to bsen1384 & paso15 standards. You’ll find these in the lining of the hat. When buying a hat these must be fitted by a qualified hat fitter…do not buy hats off the internet or from supermarkets these hats are unsafe and will not be guaranteed to protect the head in a case of a fall.

 Gloves

We recommend gloves for grip when riding and working around the horses, to start with these can be a cheap pair of magic gloves  Again once you’ve been riding for a while you’ll probably want to upgrade to something more long lasting

Hair

Make sure if your hair is long it is tied back at the nape of your neck this stops it getting in your eyes, or caught in anything. You will get a sweaty head when you ride so be prepared for the ‘hat hair’ look once you finish.

 Body protectors

These are recommended for all horse riding activities and can be brought from a local saddler; they must be fitted so we don’t advise them to be brought off the internet. For your first few lessons these are not a necessity but it’s up to you.