oh my! I'm so nervous! and a reccomendation please...

[MissCandy]

Well next week I start riding lessons and its 5 years since I even sat on a horse and at least 20 years since I had a lesson! Eeeeekkk!

Somebody give me some reasurance quick before I ring to cancel...

And the recommendation I want is for suitable (cheap) riding gear as all I own at the moment is yard stuff (jeans & muck boots etc) which riding boots are best for winter? Its only a 30 minute lesson to begin with but can't stand cold toes!

I would at least like to look like I know what I'm doing!

 

[Kat]

Wow good luck! You'll be fine, it will all come flooding back when you get on, although be prepared to ache!

I wouldn't worry too much about kit, they will have plenty of people turn up without the right gear. If your muck boots are the sort suitable for riding in then I'd wear them, plenty of people do wear them for lessons.

You can always borrow a hat until you get a new up to standard one. Joddies are easy to buy cheap but not that important.

I'd suggest robinsons as a great place to get cheap gear, requisite jodhs are less than £20, they have pretty cheap boots, gloves etc too. Alternatively shires and dublin are decent makes for lower price ranges with decent quality.

You can either go to a tack shop or buy online for anything other than your hat which you should get professionally fitted. Most makes will have a fairly cheap children's skull cap in their range (children's ones aren't different they are just VAT exempt, and often have a cartoon on the lining to show they are for kids for vat purposes) that should be less than £50. The make depends upon your head shape, generally people fit either charles owen shapes or champion shapes, there are other makes that fall into one shape or the other in general. You can pay more for a hat but a basic one will do the job. Get a silk for it to avoid looking a plonker

 

[sheep]

I always ride in cheap jeans / denim leggings from Primark.. they cost about £7 and last reasonably well, and they are very comfy. Might do you for a quick fix until you get jods, but make sure you have long boots or chaps otherwise your legs will get pinched

Have a great time in your lesson. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Cop-Pop]

Ditto riding in jeans - skinny jeans are loads cheaper than jods I wear long boots or chaps over them, just make sure you pull your socks over them or they ride up the leg (or mine do anyway). Tesco stuff seems quite cheap but not sure about the quality.

Have fun

 

[MissCandy]

So I wont look a complete div if I turn up in muck boots and skinny jeans then? Good! That'll save a few pennies

I already have a hat I bought a couple of years ago - never been used as I bottled it then!

I'm hoping it will all come flooding back quite quickly and I'm definitely anticipating aching muscles!