Appropriate Clothes for a Riding Lesson
If you are new to horseback riding, you may be confused about what you should wear for your first lesson. While many farms have specific regulations for riders, some riding instructors are less exacting in their requirements. Even if your instructor has no specific rules, however, you should dress comfortably and practically to ensure a safe and pleasant ride.
- Long pants- Jeans or jodhpurs, made of a stiff material, are a good choice. Shorts or sweatpants do not offer appropriate protection and will not be comfortable when you are learning to ride a horse
- A shirt with long or short sleeves- You need to wear a well fitting shirt in which you can change position easily. Your shirt should cover your upper back and be long enough to cover your stomach and lower back. Too much exposed skin is uncomfortable and inappropriate for a riding lesson. Also, the more skin you expose, the more area you put at risk for abrasions in the case of a fall.
- Boots with a heel of at least one inch- Some riding teachers recommend boots with smooth soles, because smooth soles allow you to more easily adjust your foot in the stirrup. Hiking books and boots with treads made for gripping are not good choices for riding. Tennis shoes are completely inappropriate, because they do not offer any protection for your feet.
- An ASTM-SEI Certified Riding Helmet- You should never get on a horse without a properly fitted helmet to protect your head in case of a fall. Your helmet should fit over your entire skull , and the front should be no more than an inch and a half above your eyebrows. While it should not restrict movement, your helmet should be snug enough so that when you shake or nod your head it does not slide around.