Horse Riding Clothing For Kids - Costly Mistakes Beginners Make


Whether you're a new rider or the parent of a new rider, you've no doubt already discovered one of the most enduring truths about riding horses: horse riding clothing is expensive. And confusing. There's so much of it, in so many different styles, for so many different types of riding, it's hard to know what to buy. And once you finally do pick out a few items, the prices are so shockingly huge you begin to think it might be better to forget about the ponies altogether and get into scrapbooking instead.

But don't give up yet! ByВ avoiding the most common mistakes that beginners make, you can save yourself lots of time, money, andВ frustration.В В 

Horse Riding Clothing Mistake #1: Buying Everything

When first starting out,В many new riders think they needВ to own every piece of horse riding gearВ under the sun. They loadВ down their shopping carts and wipe out their budgets only to eventually discover they didn't need half of it, orВ they bought the wrong kind. Or, worse yet, their interest in riding was only a phase and all that expensive equipment is now sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

To make sure you avoid this mistake, just keep in mind one simple phrase: You don't need all that stuff. All you really need when starting out are three simple things:

a horse riding helmet

a comfortable pair of pants

some horse riding boots.

And that's it. With just those three items, you can take your first riding lessons, learn the basics,В and figure out whether or notВ riding horses is something you really want toВ do before you throw piles of money at it. This, of course, brings us to...

Horse Riding Clothing Mistake #2:В Buying the Wrong Helmet

There are many different kinds of horse riding helmets, all designed for very specific disciplines or skill levels. Unfortunately, many of them look the same and it would be very easy for a beginnerВ to spend way too much money on the wrong one.В To avoid this common mistake,В all you really need to know aboutВ are two differentВ types: show helmets and schooling helmets.

Show helmets are exactly what they sound like: helmets you wear to a show. They're very formal and very expensive, often reaching several hundredВ dollars apiece.В  Now here's the good news: Until you reach a level where you're ready to compete in front of judges, you don't need a show helmet.

Schooling helmets are also exactly what they sound like: helmets you wear while schooling, or lesson riding. Schooling helmets are wayВ less formal andВ way less expensive;В a decent one can be gotten for around $30-$40. They're alsoВ muchВ more durable and easier toВ clean, meaning the wear-and-tear of weekly lessons won't be such a strain onВ your time or pocketbook.

Horse Riding Clothing Mistake #3:В Buying theВ WrongВ Breeches

Breeches are those stretchy pants you see professional equestrians wear. They're made of a special material that allows for freedom of movement andВ wicks moisture (aka sweat) away from the skin. They also have very soft seams specially stitched to keep from chafing the rider's legs at the points where they make contact with the sides of the horse's body. These are all good things.

When you shop for breeches, you'll find many different kinds with many different names: knee patch breeches, full-seat breeches, low-rise breeches, etc.В The kind you ultimately need will depend on which style of riding you get into, but, in the beginning, you can easily get away with a nice, cheap pair of schooling tights.