Horse Riding Clothing: What Should You Buy When Your Child Decides To Love Horses & Ponies  

Having had two pony-mad girls, I know riding can be an expensive hobby.

But, when your child is a complete beginner, it needn’t be as costly as it might at first appear. 

I started riding when I was eight years old, so I’m familiar with all the gear and equipment associated with the sport. 

Birthdays and Christmas were when things like new boots, jodhpurs and riding jackets came my way. 

I never progressed to owning a horse because family friends owned a farm, and there was always a horse for me to ride there. 

Now, due to a serious riding injury, I ride no more, but we have some excellent riders in our family and horses through their ownership.    

For parents who’ve never ridden, I advise not to spend large sums of money on riding wear until they’re sure their child likes riding and wishes to continue. 

That’s because a fall or two can abruptly end your child’s new hobby. 

Falls understandably make them scared of riding.

But falls don’t always bring an end to a love of horses and ponies. Many young riders dust themselves off and get back in the saddle. 

That’s the time to reward them with a pony present. 

Ours include pony duvet covers, horsey design school bags or pretty horse lockets. 

Pony-mad children from homes without horses or a horse riding tradition fall madly in love with all things horse and pony, most often between the ages of 7 and 12. 

They see ponies as lovely, fun, sometimes naughty animals they can get close to and not just when they take their riding lessons. 

Young riders get to interact when mucking out, feeding or grooming or generally just being around the stables and horses. 

If your child is at this stage and is having their first riding lessons, they will probably be wearing a riding hat supplied by the stables. 

One low-cost way to make your child’s borrowed hat a bit more special and less like a beginner’s is to buy one of our riding hat covers. 

These slip over the top of the plain, dull riding hat your child will likely borrow, jazzing it up straight away. Plus, if you have it personalised, it helps the riding school trainer to learn your child’s name quickly!

Just check with the stable whether their hats have a skull design (which they usually do), as you will need a Fixed Peak cover. If their hats have a peak, then you’ll need one of our Pocket covers.

Riding boots and jodhpurs are unnecessary until you’re sure that your child has the riding bug and wants to continue. 

They should be able to learn basic riding skills if the shoes/boots they ride in have a slight heel. 

Riding in wellies is not recommended, as your foot keeps slipping out the stirrup. Although that does help improve leg grip!

To safe and happy riding!

Tracy

Click this link to see a huge range of riding hat covers

For more on beginning riding, click here.