Rider equipment

Riding equipment: try the pieces on together

Try on a riding hat with your hair done as for riding. A bun placed too high stops the shell from sitting down properly, and the hat that seemed perfect in the shop tips once you are in the saddle. For riding boots, take your measurements wearing the thin sock you will wear underneath, not an everyday sock. Half chaps are measured with your jodhpur boots on, over your breeches. As for the airbag vest, adjust it to the season's outfit: polo shirt in summer, sweatshirt or softshell in winter.

Head and torso

Our riding hats come with a classic peak or, from KEP, with a polo peak. For the torso, two types complement each other. The foam cross-country body protector protects at all times; the airbag vest stays supple and inflates when you leave the saddle. Both are presented on the page for airbag vests and cross-country body protectors.

Legs and feet

Tall leather riding boots, such as the Ego7 Aries, Orion or Contact, give the best contact with the horse. The jodhpur boots paired with half chaps (Ego7 Lyra, T de T Schubert, Privilège Napoli) are easier to take off between tests and can be worn all day on the yard. For stable work, waterproof yard boots and Husky thermo boots keep your feet dry.

What wears out and needs replacing

A riding hat that has taken a knock must be replaced, even with no visible crack. Its inner foam, however, can be washed, and we stock the GPA Global Collection replacement foam. After it has been triggered, an airbag vest is rearmed with a new cartridge suited to the model: keep a spare in the trailer.

Socks wear at the heel and calf, where the boot rubs. Choose them thin and long, with no thick seams: merino from E.L.T, technical fibres from Le Mieux, Equiline or Harcour, or the Sellerie de Marigny sock.