What Should I Wear Horseback Riding
A helmet, long pants and boots with a small heel: what to wear horseback riding, part by part.
All 46 things to wear
On your head
On your legs
On your feet
On top
For a first lesson
For a trail ride
Leave at home
On your head 4
Helmet certified for horseback riding The mark to look for is ASTM/SEI, the US federation says. US Pony Clubs require it. Helmet fastened every time you ride The British Horse Society’s advice: a fitted hat, done up, on every single ride. Long hair braided or tied in a low ponytail So it sits comfortably below the helmet, Britain’s equestrian federation says. Riding helmet that fits First on the national equestrian federation’s list of what to bring to a first lesson.
On your legs 7
Comfortable jeans The US federation’s sheet asks for pants or jeans that are comfortable and let you move. Fitted sweatpants or joggers Britain’s federation suggests fitted tracksuit bottoms. One British school says joggers. Jodhpurs or riding pants Jodhpurs are trousers made for riding, the British Horse Society explains. A beginner can do without. Leggings or yoga pants A Maryland stable says either works, and that covered legs stop the saddle rubbing. Long pants that cover your legs What Maryland’s horse industry board asks for in its guide to trail riding stables. Slim or straight-leg jeans with some stretch A Colorado guest ranch’s pick. Baggy legs bunch up inside a boot. Strong pants with no seam on the inside leg Fine for beginners, the British Horse Society says. Inside seams can pinch in the saddle.
On your feet 7
Boots with a small heel Britain’s federation gives the reason: a heel stops the foot going through the stirrup. Closed shoes that have a small heel What Maryland’s horse board asks of trail riders. California’s state parks also want a small heel. Footwear that covers the ankle US Pony Clubs want it entirely closed, securely fastened and a good fit as well. Heel at least half an inch high The British Horse Society’s minimum for a riding boot. Paddock boots or jodhpur boots Short riding boots. The British Horse Society calls riding or jodhpur boots the best choice. Sturdy ankle boots with a heel Fine to start in, a Maryland stable says, if you do not own riding boots. Western boots On US Pony Clubs’ list of sturdy footwear for working around the barn.
On top 7
Comfortable top you can move in All a California riding program asks of the top half. Jacket that fastens Done up so that it does not flap, the British Horse Society says. Layers that come off A Maryland stable notes that barns run cool early and warm up by the middle of the day. Shirt with long sleeves First of the tops the British Horse Society recommends for riding. Shoulders covered on a hot day One British school asks for it, against sunburn and grazes. Sweatshirt in place of a jacket Named by the British Horse Society beside the long-sleeved shirt. Waterproof jacket Some lessons are held outdoors, Britain’s federation says, so dress for the weather.
For a first lesson 5
Body protector, if you go on to jump One British school requires one over fixed jumps. Another says ordinary lessons need none. Boots borrowed from the riding school Some schools lend them, the British Horse Society says. Ask when you book. Close-fitting gloves with grip on the palms The British Horse Society suggests a cheap stretchy pair for learning to hold the reins. Clothes you already own A Maryland stable says a beginner almost certainly has everything a first lesson needs. Helmet borrowed from the stable Lesson barns sometimes keep some for students, the US federation says. Ask before you buy.
For a trail ride 7
Hat that ties under your chin The only kind of hat one Grand Canyon outfitter allows on its mule rides. Hi-vis jacket or vest, riding out The least the British Horse Society recommends whenever you ride out, on the road or off it. Light jacket or sweater for the evening A Colorado guest ranch says to pack one and to layer when the weather calls for it. Long pants and solid shoes, on a canyon mule ride One Grand Canyon outfitter says riders must always wear both. Phone in your own pocket On you and not on the horse, Maryland’s horse board says, in case you are separated. Rain jacket rather than a poncho A Grand Canyon outfitter suggests rain gear and asks for no ponchos. Riding gloves for a long ride Optional, a Colorado guest ranch says. They add grip and spare your hands blisters.
Leave at home 9
No backpack or purse on a canyon mule ride One Grand Canyon outfitter bars both, and shoulder bags. A camera or binoculars may come. No baggy or flapping clothes Two British schools and a Maryland stable all say to avoid them. No boots with a heavy tread A deep tread can catch in the stirrup, the British Horse Society warns. No dangling jewelry It could catch on something while you ride, Britain’s federation says. Take it off. No high-heeled shoes On one British riding school’s list of shoes to avoid, beside flat soles. No long, loose scarf A Maryland stable says to skip it. One British school says tuck scarves and hoods inside. No sandals or flip-flops Open toes are barred on one Grand Canyon outfitter’s rides and at two riding schools. No second-hand helmet The British Horse Society advises against one, because hidden damage does not show. No shorts A Maryland stable says they chafe and pinch.
How this list was compiled
The 46 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-13; no list was copied. Each row follows what a riding body, a state agency, a riding school or a trail outfitter publishes for its own riders, read on 2026-10-13. Riding bodies: US Equestrian, Your first lesson, a reference sheet (https://files.usef.org/assets/TZsjrbR98Jo/first-lesson-reference-sheet.pdf ); British Equestrian, Your first lesson (https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/getInvolved/participation/your-first-lesson ); the British Horse Society, What to wear, with its pages on hats and helmets, footwear and boots, gloves, body protectors and being visible (https://www.bhs.org.uk/go-riding-and-learn/riding-out-hacking/what-to-wear/ ); United States Pony Clubs, Prepare for your first Pony Club meeting (https://blog.ponyclub.org/2021/01/27/prepare-for-your-first-pony-club-meeting/ ) and Equipment needed to get started in Pony Club (https://blog.ponyclub.org/2021/05/21/5-21-nyb-equipment-needed-to-get-started-in-pony-club/ ). State agencies: Maryland Horse Industry Board, Saddle up Maryland, a guide to licensed trail riding stables (https://mda.maryland.gov/horseboard/pdf/saddle-up-maryland-brochure-FINAL.pdf ); California State Parks, horseback trail safety tips (https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30047 ). Schools and stables: Stepping Stones Riding Program, Camarillo, California (https://steppingstonesridingprogram.org/lessons/ ); Solitude Stables, Harwood, Maryland (https://solitudestables.com/blog/what-to-wear-first-horseback-riding-lesson/ ); Parkview Riding School, Britain (https://www.parkviewridingschool.co.uk/what-to-wear ); Lavant Equestrian, Britain (https://lavantequestrian.co.uk/faqs/ ); Northland Therapeutic Riding Center, Holt, Missouri, rider policies (https://www.northlandtherapeuticriding.org/rider-policies ). Trail rides: the mule ride outfitter at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, vital information for mule riders (https://www.canyonrides.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/G-Vital-Information.rtf.pdf ); Sundance Trail Guest Ranch, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado (https://www.sundancetrail.com/blog/what-to-wear-horseback-riding-dressing-right-for-your-dude-ranch-trail-ride-adventure ). Every barn, school and outfitter sets its own rules, so ask yours before you ride. Left out on purpose: brands, prices and anything about body shape. Licence: own work
How it works What should I wear horseback riding? A helmet, long pants and closed shoes or boots that have a small heel. These 46 things follow what riding federations, state agencies, riding schools and trail outfitters tell their own riders.
Read the full guide
Why riding bodies ask for a heel
Clothes differ from barn to barn. The advice on shoes hardly does. Britain’s equestrian federation, Maryland’s horse board, California’s state parks and US Pony Clubs all ask for a heel. The reason, as California’s parks put it, is the stirrup: a heel keeps the foot from going through. The British Horse Society adds that the sole should run unbroken from heel to toe, with nothing to catch, and that the stirrup should leave half an inch of room beside the widest part of your foot. A riding instructor can tell you whether the pair you own will do.
Before you buy anything, ask the barn one question from the US federation’s first-lesson sheet: do you have helmets or boots for lesson use?
Questions and answers
What should I wear to my first horseback riding lesson?
Things you own: long pants, a top you can move in and closed shoes or boots with a small heel. The barn can often lend the helmet. One California program provides helmets to riders who arrive without, and a British school lends its hats free.
Can you wear jeans horseback riding?
In the US, yes: the national federation lists comfortable jeans, and a Colorado ranch calls sturdy jeans right for a trail ride. The British Horse Society prefers pants with no seam on the inside leg. One British school says jeans are fine too.
Can you wear sneakers horseback riding?
It depends on who runs the ride. A Colorado guest ranch says tennis shoes will work in place of boots, without big waffle soles, and a Missouri therapeutic riding center accepts them. Two British riding schools refuse trainers, and the federations ask for a heel.
What should I wear for a horseback trail ride?
Maryland’s horse board gives trail riders a short list: long pants, closed-toe shoes with a small heel and an equestrian helmet. It says to ask the stable beforehand whether helmets are provided. A Maryland stable adds sunscreen and bug spray in warm months.