Equestrian Clothing Fabrics
In horse riding, there are two kinds of apparel: equestrian clothing and everyday clothing. Most horse riders don’t wear it just to be different. The majority of horse riders will be wearing the same attire, whether riding dressage (a style of dressage) or trail riding. In both disciplines, the outfit is worn for practical reasons and as a means to keep equestrian health at optimal levels. However, equestrian clothing provides the wearer with an aura of safety and security that other kinds of clothing do not provide.
Equestrian clothing is made from a blend of materials that have been specially selected for their ability to wick sweat away from the body. This means that when you’re riding, your feet aren’t absorbing the sweat that your upper body is perspiring from the heat of the environment. A good example of this is the PVC (polyvinyl chloride) boots that most riders wear. These boots are designed to work better with perspiration than regular leather boots, making it a much more pleasant experience.
Another highly important aspect of equestrian clothing is that it can help prevent irritation and injury during training and actual competitions. One major complaint of riders is that they have very sensitive skin and tend to have problems with chafing, calluses and blisters that can easily happen if their skin doesn’t breathe properly during training. A big problem that you will hear repeatedly from people in the horse world is that poor fitting clothing results in discomfort and injury. If you have had any sort of equestrian training and competition before, you know that if you have a problem with your clothes, it is because you’re wearing them in the wrong way.
The most common equestrian clothing item that most riders will wear is a riding shirt. These shirts come in a variety of styles to fit both men and women, and generally are short or long sleeved. You’ll also find riding shirts that come in two different fits: tight or loose. Men tend to wear tighter riding shirts; for women, loose riding shirts tend to look better. For both men and women, there are many different styles of riding shirts, such as:
Other important equestrian clothing items include chaps and show coats. Show coats are worn by riders to protect their lower bodies in case of a fall. Show coats come in a variety of colors and styles, including: basic black, classic black polka dots, floral prints, Jacquard, and velour. A lot of riders prefer to wear show coats over chaps because show coats look better under the clothing and riding pants look better on show coats. For riders that don’t care too much about their appearance, one quality riding pants item that they can invest in is a quality pair of leather riding pants.
Other popular equestrian clothing fabrics include: nylon, spandex, and a breathable, cotton blend. Nylon and spandex are very good materials for most riders, especially if they’re not afraid of getting wet or warm – that’s where nylon comes in. Breathable fibers are a great option if you spend a lot of time out in the cold weather. Breathable materials will dry very quickly, and you won’t feel the cold or wetness against your skin.