We all started horseback riding lessons knowing nothing with parents who needed to learn the necessities in a hurry. We’ve talked to our young riders and their parents and put together the perfect list of essentials that your child will need at their first horseback riding lesson.
We’ve organized the products so it will be easy to shop through and pick what will be best. Below you’ll find the essential horse riding apparel and tack your child will need to get started. We’ve broken down everything from helmets to breeches to boots into “good, better, and best” to help you decide what is right for your child.
Whether you’re looking to outfit your child for their first lesson or they’re simply outgrowing their riding gear, find everything you need below.
The most essential piece of equipment your child will need for riding lessons is their own helmet. Some riding schools offer the use of school-owned helmets, and this is great for a starter lesson to make sure your child is going to stick with it. However, after that, we think it’s money well invested to get your child their own helmet instead of using one provided by and used by other students at the school. A helmet that fits your child properly. A helmet that properly fits your child's head is the best investment you can make to ensure their safety.
We love the Samshield line of helmets for their rigorous testing procedures, combined with the ‘shell and liner’ system. The shell and liner system offers three exterior shells, which are then paired with a variety of different liner sizes to create a customized fit. This system also has the ability to change to a bigger liner when your child grows, getting more value out of your purchase.
Wearing a helmet is an important safety precaution for horse riding because the purpose of a helmet is to protect your head in the case of an accident. Head trauma is a leading cause of fatality in horseback riding accidents. Wearing a horse riding helmet, one that fits you properly, significantly decreases your chances of a head injury.
We love these budget friendly paddock boots from Ovation because the synthetic Vega™ Leather can take whatever the kids dish out. The premium Perforated calfskin ankle and tongue are lined with a Cambrelle® wicking material that pulls sweat and dampness away from your childs foot.
The TuffRider Children's Starter Front Zip Paddock Boots are perfect for new and experienced young riders in any discipline. These synthetic leather boots have a punched toe cap for a classic show ring look. Plus they are water resistant and easy to clean!
Ariat Devon IV Children’s Paddock Boot. Although a bit more expensive, these boots offer better quality design and construction. In addition, Ariat has a built-in extra footbed for kids growing feet. This footbed is removable and allows for an extra half size, allowing you to get more use out of these boots before your child outgrows them. Currently awaiting more stock from Ariat.
The Tuffrider Starter Lowrise Pull On Knee Patch Breeches are great for first time riders. The cotton fabric is comfy and breathable, perfect for riding in all seasons. These breeches feature classic belt loops so are appropriate for schooling and showing while the boot sock bottom helps them stay in place under paddock boots and half chaps.
Kerrits Kids Crossover II Knee Patch Breeches are very popular with kids and parents for their economical price point and solid good looks. These comfy riding pants deliver durability and tailored, classic style. Durable, stretch-woven Dynamic Extreme™ fabric stands up and holds its shape ride after ride, wash after wash.
Most children start out in jodhpurs or paddock boots, so they are most comfortable in a pair of jodhpurs. The paddock boots are worn with socks, the jodphurs come along the exterior of the paddock boot and fasten with an elastic strap in front of the heel to hold the pants down while riding.
GooTuff Rider Pull On Starter Jodhpurs are perfect for early equestrians just starting out. The pull-on nature makes it easy for kids to dress themselves, and the sewn-in elastic jod strap makes keeping track of them a breeze, parents also love the price point of this jodhpur!
These classic jods help keep kids’ legs in place for an edge in style and function in the showring. Durable Dynamic™ Extreme fabric sheds dirt and pony hair for elegant coverage crafted with a tailored front fly. GripSoft™ extended knee patches help kids transition from schooling in half chaps to showing in paddock boots. Elegant lines, quiet legs—bring on the ribbons.
Young riders who spend a lot of time outdoors at the barn should be wearing one of the many UPF rated sun shirts we carry to protect their skin from the sun’s harmful rays. The Tailored Sportsman line of sun shirts offer sizes from double extra small in their line of sun shirts which is a perfect fit for most children, up through ladies extra large. The Icefil cooling fabric designed with a ¼ zip, mock collar, and vented sleeves make this lightweight shirt perfect for warm-weather riding.
Buying a saddle for your child is an investment in your child's development as a rider and should not be taken lightly. Not every saddle is designed for the young rider, a saddle that is too big will leave your child struggling to find their balance, leaving their leg and upper body unstable. A saddle that is too small may correct the rider's leg but the balance is still an issue, and the leg is often in the wrong position pushing the rider backward or forwards in the saddle. Here are three saddles that we recommend for kids.
We love the Wintec all purpose english saddle for a great option as a starter saddle for kids. We like this saddle for young riders just starting out because the shorter flap and a semi deep seat, allow for the rider to naturally find the right position. Making the struggle to find balance, and stability easier as the rider learns the basic fundamentals or riding. This budget-friendly saddle needs very little care as it is designed with synthetic materials that make clean up, care and storage a breeze, just hose and go!
For the novice level rider showing some dedication to furthering their riding education, the Henri De Rivel Club Close Contact saddle is both affordable and well designed for the child rider. This leather saddle also features an appropriate flap for a childs leg, the seat is not as deep, encouraging the rider to develop confidence and an independent.
Our best-selling and most popular child’s saddle is the Pessoa pony saddle. This model is designed to put the rider in the correct position from the get-go with very little break-in period. This is our best-selling saddle for youngsters, trainers agree this saddle helps kids excel quicker due to its thoughtful design.
Your saddle is the connection between you and your horse. An improperly-fitting saddle can make your ride uncomfortable and can cause sores to develop on your horse. When selecting a saddle, you want to choose one that is suitable to your riding discipline and is a good fit for both you and your horse. An English saddle is a bit different from Western saddles, so it’s important to know the proper way to measure and fit one. This guide will provide you with the information you need to measure an English saddle for an optimal riding position for comfort and effectiveness.