Leggings?! And other tech newness

[sarahmac77]

Having returned to riding after a 20-year break one of the new additions to riding equipment is riding little leggings. They didn’t have those in 1995!
My question is, what’s the difference between them and gym leggings? Unless they’ve got some sticky bum on them of course… I literally can’t see the difference and wondering if I’m missing something?
There is so much new stuff since I quit and started back again two years ago. The last time I rugged horses I was still using New Zealand rugs, jute rugs, surcingles, and there was only two types of stirrups, safety and, ‘stirrups’.
And matchy wasn’t a thing. for better or worse ?

 

[HeyMich]

I think it's to do with where the seams are on the inside of the leg - normal gym ones might chafe if you ride in them for too long.

 

[Uliy]

There’s not a huge difference, but gym leggings are thinner and tend to get more rubbed than riding leggings. Riding leggings (depending on the brand) seem to have a slippier material. I do still ride in gym leggings occasionally, but I do notice a difference in comfort!

 

[Floofball]

Being of a certain age I thought it would be wholly inappropriate for me to wear leggings ? BUT bored in lockdown I bought some and they are THE comfiest, most flattering things to wear. Thankfully it’s too cold to wear them at the moment so I haven’t been seen in public in them yet ? but I am wearing them for my online exercise classes whilst desperately trying to lose 2020 weight gain!!

 

[Pippity]

I think it's to do with where the seams are on the inside of the leg - normal gym ones might chafe if you ride in them for too long.

Yep, this. Which is why I now wear riding leggings for lounging around the house! The lack of an inner seam makes them far more comfortable.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Daughter gave me some walking tights, so I thought I'd ride in them as I hate sticky bum riding tights and only use the ones with grippy knees.
It was a mistake but incredibly funny. Slipped around in the saddle and had to rely on the goodwill of my horse to stop myself being catapulted over his head.

 

[greenbean10]

I ride in my gym leggings a lot but also have lots of riding leggings. My gym leggings are just as comfortable to ride in but definitely thinner which makes me think they won’t last very long if I keep doing it!

 

[mini_b]

I thought leggings were
a fad and stuck to my breeches but I have been converted!!

- no inside seam
- pockets! Little pockets all over!
- phone pocket
- don’t dig in or roll down at the waist
- summer ones or fleecy lined ones

I do not like grippy bum ones, some of mine have a slight grip on the knee but seriously I am converted.
I balked at the price of them but they are so much better made than (what I thought were expensive) gym leggings.

The cut of the bum on a lot of them are more flattering than gym leggings as well and they tend to have a higher waist.

 

[tatty_v]

I must admit I’m a riding leggings convert too, mainly because they come up nice and high whereas I used to really struggle to find some non low rise breeches. Plus the pockets!

 

[sarahmac77]

Ok, I'm sold! Let me know which ones you liked...? Also - I'm never going to spend over £60 on any leggings, to be honest, in case anyone recommends something crazy!

 

[tatty_v]

I’ve got a pair of eqcouture ones in the winter variety. They were reasonably priced and a sensible colour! They’re not quite as thick as I would like for winter leggings but still very comfy.

I’ve also heard good things about pepperell leggings (there was a thread on here recommending them recently) but they haven’t got navy back in stock yet so I have resisted!

My livery wears Dublin and pikeur ones, although I suspect they might be at the pricier end of the spectrum...

 

[w1bbler]

Another convert here. Love my horseware ones

 

[mini_b]

Ok, I'm sold! Let me know which ones you liked...? Also - I'm never going to spend over £60 on any leggings, to be honest, in case anyone recommends something crazy!

right. For summer - ariat eos are amazing. Pockets!! But they are £75ish. I’m a skinflint but I am really happy with them.
Horzehoods do some lovely thermal ones which are about £60 I think.

 

[mini_b]

I must admit I’m a riding leggings convert too, mainly because they come up nice and high whereas I used to really struggle to find some non low rise breeches. Plus the pockets!

new breeches seem to be lower rise as standard. My friend gave me some super high waist kingsland ones which I was very impressed with.
I also can’t cope with the tight feeling around my lower leg where the Velcro is on breeches now that I’ve been wearing leggings!

 

[Pippity]

new breeches seem to be lower rise as standard. My friend gave me some super high waist kingsland ones which I was very impressed with.
I also can’t cope with the tight feeling around my lower leg where the Velcro is on breeches now that I’ve been wearing leggings!

Look for breeches with knit legs, rather than velcro. I switched to them (Shires Wessex, because I'm a big spender) and they're so much more comfortable.

Regarding riding tights, sadly, my faves are the Noble Outfitters which a) are expensive, and b) I don't think are available in this country any more. I picked up a couple of pairs on clearance and love them. They're the only ones that hold my phone securely in the thigh pocket!

The Pepperell are probably more comfortable for me (big arse, skinny legs) but are let down by the thigh pocket not having a fold-over at the top so not as secure.

Shires Aubrion - horrifyingly thin fabric for someone with my build! Have to make sure I'm wearing a giant top (preferably down to my thighs) when I'm wearing them.

 

[CMcC]

Riding leggings are the work of the devil as I discovered this morning.

I love riding leggings and have been wearing them for months. This morning I decided I would wear a pair of proper breeches. Couldn’t get them on! The leggings have disguised weight gain caused by lockdown/Christmas/insert another excuse here.

So choice is continue wearing leggings or give up the twice daily chocolate bar!

 

[Pippity]

Riding leggings are the work of the devil as I discovered this morning.

I love riding leggings and have been wearing them for months. This morning I decided I would wear a pair of proper breeches. Couldn’t get them on! The leggings have disguised weight gain caused by lockdown/Christmas/insert another excuse here.

So choice is continue wearing leggings or give up the twice daily chocolate bar!

Continue wearing leggings, obviously.

 

[Iznurgle]

I am in love with Horsewear riding leggings; a pocket on each side, part or full seat, and they have lovely full seat ones in WHITE, which are dead easy to keep clean and very comfortable. Pepperell Equestrian had a sale on recently and I picked up two pairs, and they are delightful, again, pockets, but also lightly fleece-lined, so they're lovely and warm (but not too warm). I'm a total convert, now my thicker cotton jodhs are for freezing days, and honestly the range of movement in them is almost stifling by comparison.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I would love some but what puts me off is the amount of spandex/elastine in them as they make my skin come up in blotches and then I itch like mad.

So if anyone finds and anything below 5% of the above, for some reason I can cope with that amount, I would be eternally grateful.

 

[oldie48]

I've got a couple of pairs of Dublin riding tights and love them. Even though I'm 72 they still look OK (I think) so comfortable and much more substantial than the leggings that I wear for pilates.

 

[dogatemysalad]

new breeches seem to be lower rise as standard. My friend gave me some super high waist kingsland ones which I was very impressed with.
I also can’t cope with the tight feeling around my lower leg where the Velcro is on breeches now that I’ve been wearing leggings!

Kingsland are my favourite pair of riding tights so far.

 

[JJS]

I’m another convert. I live in my winter riding leggings from Kramer! The downside is that they’ve now stopped shipping to the UK because of Brexit, so I can’t buy anymore ?

 

[Kaylum]

We were doing matchy matchy 30 years ago it certainly is not a new thing but we were doing it even better with coloured rubber on the reins. I remember ordering my english leather reins with purple rubber on. I was so excited to get them. My horse was called the Purple Peril. Everything was purple, I even had a reversible purple puffa jacket with zip off sleeves, that lasted years.

 

[muddybay]

I love my aztec diamond leggings I always thought I never would wear them but am a total convert! Being able to have my phone in my pocket and wear normal clothes over the top is amazing and they're just so comfy! All my old jods are hanging up in a wardrobe now after barely being used

 

[mini_b]

Kingsland are my favourite pair of riding tights so far.

oooo will have to look for some tights, as I’m so impressed with my hand me downs.

 

[mini_b]

Look for breeches with knit legs, rather than velcro. I switched to them (Shires Wessex, because I'm a big spender) and they're so much more comfortable.

Regarding riding tights, sadly, my faves are the Noble Outfitters which a) are expensive, and b) I don't think are available in this country any more. I picked up a couple of pairs on clearance and love them. They're the only ones that hold my phone securely in the thigh pocket!

The Pepperell are probably more comfortable for me (big arse, skinny legs) but are let down by the thigh pocket not having a fold-over at the top so not as secure.

Shires Aubrion - horrifyingly thin fabric for someone with my build! Have to make sure I'm wearing a giant top (preferably down to my thighs) when I'm wearing them.

I got some lovely knit leg breeches but they had a sticky bot which I hate but I wear them because they look nice.

I need to find some knit leg, suede seat breeches now ?

 

[Pippity]

We were doing matchy matchy 30 years ago it certainly is not a new thing but we were doing it even better with coloured rubber on the reins. I remember ordering my english leather reins with purple rubber on. I was so excited to get them. My horse was called the Purple Peril. Everything was purple, I even had a reversible purple puffa jacket with zip off sleeves, that lasted years.

Whoops, are we not supposed to do coloured reins any more?

 

[thea009]

Having returned to riding after a 20-year break one of the new additions to riding equipment is riding little leggings. They didn’t have those in 1995!
My question is, what’s the difference between them and gym leggings? Unless they’ve got some sticky bum on them of course… I literally can’t see the difference and wondering if I’m missing something?
There is so much new stuff since I quit and started back again two years ago. The last time I rugged horses I was still using New Zealand rugs, jute rugs, surcingles, and there was only two types of stirrups, safety and, ‘stirrups’.
And matchy wasn’t a thing. for better or worse ?

i always wear mine- in fact wearing them right now ? they’re so so comfy and really help you grip!

 

[sarahmac77]

We were doing matchy matchy 30 years ago it certainly is not a new thing but we were doing it even better with coloured rubber on the reins. I remember ordering my english leather reins with purple rubber on. I was so excited to get them. My horse was called the Purple Peril. Everything was purple, I even had a reversible purple puffa jacket with zip off sleeves, that lasted years.

Well yes. I mean we all had ‘colours’ right?! I had a red yellow green and blue quartered eventing shirt and I would do one of each colour b bandage on each leg! But I mean there were no ‘mocha Frappuccino Le Mieux’ sets available to buy and we didn’t call it matchy as a ‘thing’! ?

 

[Kaylum]

Well yes. I mean we all had ‘colours’ right?! I had a red yellow green and blue quartered eventing shirt and I would do one of each colour b bandage on each leg! But I mean there were no ‘mocha Frappuccino Le Mieux’ sets available to buy and we didn’t call it matchy as a ‘thing’! ?

Do you know what I had all matching colours purple crop, purple brushing boots, overreach boots, purple martingale stop. Purple jods, grooming kit, buckets the list was endless. Probably didnt call it matchy but we were better than that everything matched and the challenge was to find it all in the appropriate colours ?