Best Horseback Riding Clothes

Upper Body Clothing

Warmer Seasons

During the warmer seasons of the year, the best shirts to wear horseback riding are form-fitting shirts made from synthetic materials, since cotton can take a long time to dry out when it becomes wet. Your upper body clothing should be form-fitting in order to minimize the risk of it getting caught in your tack.

My favorite shirt for riding in warmer months is the moisture-wicking polo from DRI-Equip (link to price on Amazon.) It looks really clean cut, which is good for horse clinics or other events, but it’s also comfortable enough for everyday riding.

If you’re looking for something to stay as cool as possible in the heat, this 100% polyester white TuffRider show shirt (link to price on Amazon) is my top choice. You can also find a long sleeve version of it here, (link to Amazon.)

Colder Seasons

A great piece of clothing to invest in for horseback riding in colder months would be a thermal base layer. This thermal base-layer shirt from Amazon is the same exact one that I use every winter. It does great at insulating your body heat and helps me avoid having to wear bulky and uncomfortable clothing while riding. I’ll typically wear a light sweater or coat over it.

For a budget-friendly lightweight vest option, I recommend this quilted padded vest (link to price on Amazon.) It isn’t rated for extreme temperatures, but layering it with a good base layer will keep you nice and warm.

If you want to go all out for your winter horseback riding clothes, you might consider this lightweight heated vest (link to price on Amazon.) It’s a bit expensive, but it has multiple heat settings, a battery life of up to 10 hours, and you can also use it to charge your phone, which is nice for longer rides.

As for a riding coat, my favorite is this hooded insulated jacket from Northface (link to price on Amazon.) It’s breathable, slim fit, and water-resistant. It will also keep you nice and warm like a down jacket.

Lower Body Clothing

 The best pants for horseback are definitely a good pair of breeches or jodhpurs. These pants are specifically designed with riding in mind, meaning they won’t have large inseams that can cause discomfort, and they’ll provide plenty of grip and flexibility as you’re riding.

My two favorite budget-friendly options for breeches are these Ribb Knee Patch Breeches (link to Amazon) and the full seat breeches from Ovation (link to price on Amazon.) Both of these options come with extra grip features, and the materials used are breathable and flexible. I currently wear the Ovation breeches for most of my daily riding, and they’ve held up great!

If you have the budget for some premium breeches, these Grad Prix Full Seat Breeches (link to Amazon) have an elegant look and are loaded with all of the features you could ever want from a pair of riding pants.

For the winter season, these wind and water-resistant breeches from Kerrits (link to Amazon) are my favorite option. Things can get cold really quickly if you plan to do much riding in the winter season, and these breeches were made to be as warm as possible without adding unwanted bulk.

Horseback Riding Chaps

 Chaps and half chaps are useful because they prevent you from being pinched from the stirrup leather of a saddle. If you plan on getting some chaps, here are my personal favorites:

For half chaps, I recommend these Peri’s Zipper Half Chaps (link to price on Amazon.) They’re a great value for the price and they’re made out of durable materials.

As for full chaps, these full chaps from Ovation (link to price on Amazon) look really nice, are water resistant, and provide extra grip.

Riding Boots and Helmets

You can see the boots I recommend here.

If you’re looking for riding helmets, I’ve got my top picks listed here.