Women's Breeches

Why are breeches necessary?

For the fashionable equestrian, the perfect riding outfit is as elegant as it is comfortable. The choice of pants can make or break a riding experience, and every passionate rider wants to be fully at ease on the saddle. Riding breeches are pants made for horseback riding sports.

The horse and the rider should move as one. That is why riding in regular pants – with thick fabric and stiff seams - is unacceptable. These trousers leave little room for leg movement, making it challenging to communicate with the horse. Such pants create lots of discomfort around the knees and crotch and eventually wear out due to friction.

Breeches come with non-slip fabric around the knees and seat area to provide much-needed grip. The extra grip is especially important for beginners who are still learning to be stable on the saddle. Additionally, women’ riding pants are made without an inside seam to prevent chaffing.

Comfort is not the only benefit that women's riding breeches offer. They are also made with reinforced fabric to protect against the hazards that come with riding - scratches from tree branches and thorns, insect bites, and fall injuries. Hobbyists and professional riders alike want a beautiful outfit that complements their figure. And brands such as Animo and Pikeur, make sure there is a perfect pair for everybody type and riding style.

Ladies breeches in different designs and fabrics

Ladies breeches come in different designs; all made with elastic fabric to fit snuggly against the body. Even while being close-fitting, women's breeches should never be constricting and squeezing. The most common design is the front -zipper with belt hoops, which are especially useful and stylish. In place of belt loops at the waist, pull-up breeches make use of a wide elastic band. Side-zipper breeches have a flattering sporty-chic look. Breeches also come with back and front pockets, for the lady who likes to carry a few things with her.

In the past, cotton breeches were the most common. But nowadays more advanced microfibers have come up are gaining popularity due to their stain resistance and moisture absorption. Nowadays, cotton is mixed with synthetic fibres to provide better absorption. These cotton-synthetic blends are perfect for riding in the summer due to their breathability.

Real leather and suede leather were the original grip fabrics used. However, modern breeches have also evolved to use silicone. In knee-patch breeches, silicone is applied in strips, along the knee area and heavily layered to achieve an almost sticky effect. Riders who need to maintain a two-point jumping position find this effect ideal.

The grip patterns in silicone grip breeches give a flattering sporty chic look. To find a good grip pattern, look for one with small widely spaced shapes. Such a design is necessary to keep the grip from becoming too sticky.

For riding in cold weather, breeches made with softshell with an inner lining of fleece are the best. Winter requires wide thermal breeches, worn over other breeches, for extra warmth. Thermal breeches are entirely adjustable so that they can go over pants of all thickness. Whatever the fabric, the ideal is a hard-wearing, breathable, elastic, and waterproof pair that will allow for maximum comfort.

How to find the right breeches for any sport

Women's riding breeches need to have both good design and a perfect cut. That’s why we have breeches to suit any equestrian sport. Full-patch ladies breeches, knee-patch, denim pants, and jodhpurs are all available.

Dressage riders prefer full-seat breeches for maximum grip on the saddle. These breeches come with non-slip fabric added along the entire inner length of the trouser. Show-jump riders, on the other hand, prefer knee-patch breeches. The non-slip layer in knee-patch women's breeches only runs along the knee area, where show- jump riding stresses the most.

Originating from India and inspired by polo, jodhpur breeches were initially baggy from the waist to the knee. However, that changed when better cloth fibres became available. While standard breeches extend to the calf area to fit inside tall riding boots, modern jodhpurs extend to the ankles, flaring at the end so that they can go over paddock boots. This design gives the appearance of longer legs.

Jodhpur breeches are worn with garter straps just below the knee to keep the pants from riding up. Garters come in black and brown to match the color of the paddock boot.

The waist height is another factor to consider when buying breeches for women. Some women prefer high waisted riding pants because they encourage one to keep a straight posture. They also allow one to bend down comfortably. On the other hand, women seeking a comfortable pair of breeches for taking lessons, prefer the low waist design.

Color matters when it comes to women's equestrian pants - some sports prefer specific colors. Choose white and light-colored breeches for jumper classes, and dressage eventing. Earthy tones such as grey and beige are best for hunter classes.

Whatever the preference, a good rule of thumb is to buy one or two sizes larger than usual. That’s because breeches for women generally come in small sizes. Just in case the pants don’t fit well, getting an exchange is easy.

Shopping for women's riding pants at fundis-equestrian.de

Fundis-Reitsport stocks all sizes of ladies breeches; the regular sizes ranging from 34-44 and extended sizes from 72 to 84. Check the unisex category for even more designs and brands. All women's equestrian pants are machine-washable, at 30°C.

Different styles, colors, and fabrics are available all from name brands such as Animo, Cavalleria Toscana, Kingsland and Equiline. In addition to women's breeches, there are stylish boots, vests, competition shirts, jackets and more to complete any riding outfit.

Have fun browsing through the collection of women' riding pants finding the perfect pair.