What should I wear for horseback riding?

Looking for advice on what to wear when you go horseback riding? Here's some advice from International Eventer and Kerrits Team Rider and International Eventer, Jessica Heidemann

When people start riding, one of the questions I get quite a bit is what they should wear when they go horseback riding for the first time.

Ultimately, the very first, most important thing you have to wear is a helmet. It has to be an ASTM/SEI-Approved helmet, a bicycle helmet is not enough. You absolutely do not sit on a horse without a helmet, it's extremely important to protect yourself.

The second most important thing to wear is a shoe that's sturdy, that has a heel. You don't want to use a tennis shoe or anything like that because it doesn't have a heel and your foot might actually slip through the stirrup and you can get caught and it would be really dangerous. You never want to wear open-toed shoes when you're the barn, horses are big, they wear metal shoes for the most part, they step on you and it hurts so you want to protect yourself.

The other thing you want to make sure you wear is a long pant. Ideally you would wear a breech or riding tight of some sort. A lot of breeches or tights have different levels of stickiness on the seat and you can do what works best for you. A company like Kerrits has multiple levels of stickiness. Some of their tights have barely any stick so it just gives that feeling of you're sitting in the saddle and you're not just sliding back and forth on the leather, and they go all the way up to a really sticky seat that really gives you security so that if you're jumping or running cross-country, you feel like absolutely you are on that saddle, you're on that horse, and you're not going to move.

Lastly I recommend a long sleeve shirt or a shirt at least with some type of sleeve. If you do take a fall you don't want to wear a tank top or sleeveless shirt because often times it is our shoulders that hit the ground first and our elbows second so you want to protect yourself that way.

I hope that this was helpful and that you have fun riding horses for the first time!

- Jessica Heidemann

About Kerrits Team Rider, Jessica Heidemann

Jessica has been riding since she was a young girl, and started off competing in dressage at the age of 13. At age 15, she discovered eventing, and never looked back. She graduated from Western Washington University in 2002 with a degree in Management Information Systems, all while successfully riding and competing at the highest international level. 

As a trainer, Jessica has a gift for seeing a project through and persevering no matter how big the obstacles might seem. She is dedicated to the success of both her horses and her students and understands that communication between trainer, horse, and rider is vital to success. She tailors her training programs to meet the specific needs and desires of each of her clients (both equine and human) and encourages active participation, whether the goal is a safe riding partner or an international competitor.

Jessica understands that dressage provides a strong foundation for all riding and that it is vital to success in eventing. Her understanding and commitment to the training scale allows her to help each horse develop to their full potential. She loves bringing horses and riders along and seeing them succeed through the levels. She has experienced great success at the international level and has the dedication and commitment to help horse, rider, and owner, achieve whatever their dream may be.