Specialist leg wear for riding has been developed to help overcome the common problems normally associated with riding in ordinary trousers or jeans. Loose fitting leg wear without reinforcement will often lead to chafing, rubbing and even pinching of the calves particularly by the stirrup leathers. The problem is far more common with English saddles with their thin stirrup leathers, than with the wide straps of a western saddle, with which is it usual to wear jeans.
The vast majority of riding in the UK is English style, and jodhpurs and breeches are the accepted leg wear for women riders, and male riders, and child riders usually wear jodhpurs as opposed to breeches.
The difference between jodhpurs and breeches is the bottom of the leg; breeches finish at or above the ankle bone (but always below the knee) and fasten with a button or hoop and loop closure. Jodhpurs should finish below the ankle bone with a turn up of approximately 1”.
Breeches are more suited to wearing long boots or half chaps and gaiters as they dramatically reduce the bulk around the ankle.
Jodhpurs are ideally for use with short boots such as jodhpur boots, and they can be secured with jodhpur clips to keep them in place. Jodhpurs and jodhpur boots are the correct dress for young riders as it encourages correct leg position and grip and allow a riding instructor to see what the child is doing with their heel.
Both jodhpurs and modern breeches are most usually made from a 4 way stretch material, with reinforcements at the knees called knee patches. Both jodhpurs and breeches are made to fit closely to help avoid the material twisting or rubbing, and should be comfortable around the waist when in a sitting position. The usual fastening for riding leg wear is a hook and bar fastening with a zip for ease of fit, but pull on style jodhpurs and riding breeches are also very popular.
The peewee bit is a revolutionary horse bit produced in Australia, but invented by a horseman in America called Peewee Stevenson. The Saddlery Shop imports this nifty little bit and we wholesale and retail the peewee bit, as well as offering a hire service for the peewee bit.
The mouthpiece of the Pee wee bit is a fine mullen mouth, which allows the horse plenty of space for his tongue, and being made from sweet iron also encourages the horse to salivate and keep a soft mouth. The Peewee bit is generally constructed from stainless steel for strength and durability, and has two small arms that enable the rider to communicate far more effectively with the horse without using the horses mouth directly. The side bars put pressure on the side of the horses jaw when activated by the riders signals, and encourage the horse to turn and listen without discomfort being imposed on his mouth.
The peewee horse bit can be used in two different positions, the standard and correctional position. When in the regular position, the pee wee bit sits passively in the horses mouth and follows the curve of the horses tongue. When pressure is applied to the rein, the bit merely pushes down on the tongue and bars evenly and without excessive pressure in any one place. The lack of joint prevents the bit from jabbing the roof of the horses mouth or causing a nutcracker effect on the horses bars. In the correctional or remedial position, the peewee bits’ mouthpice sits in a curved shape up the horses tongue, which helps to prevent the horse from attempting to put their tobgue over the bit. When the bit is activated through the riders rein, the bit rolls down slightly more into the tongue which gives a slightly stronger signal than in the regular position.
The pee wee horse bit is very popular bit for use on Thoroughbreds and Arabs, particularly in the endurance and racing world. TB’s and Arabs tend to have very petite mouths with a large tongue, thus not allowing a lot of space for a bit to sit comfortably, hence the slenderness of the Peewee bit is ideal for such a mouth conformation. The pee wee is currently available in two sizes; standard and large but will also be available in a medium size in 2009 for horses smaller than 6” but bigger than 5 ½” (or with fleshy lips).
The Hackamore is one of the options for horses that need a method of control that does not involve a bit in the horses mouth. Also known as a bitless bridle, at The Saddlery Shop we stock the two most popular and readily available forms of hackamore, the English and the German hackamore.
Both the English hackamore and the German hackamore are used on your existing bridle with the noseband removed, and the hackamore attached to the cheeks as you would a traditional metal horse bit. The control is achieved by the use of nose and poll pressure, and as such care must be taken when fitting the hackamore bit to ensure the noseband is fitted above the soft cartilage of the horses nose to prevent nerve and cartilage damage from occurring. The hackamore should ideally be fitted approx 2 fingers width above the last soft part of the horses nose- it is equally important not to fit it too high or the rider may find a lack of control!
The English hackamore is regarded as one of the least severe forms of the bitless bridle, and has a relatively short shank. The back strap is either leather or a combination of leather and a chain, the latter being slightly more severe in its action. The nose of the English hackamore is usually padded with fleece on a wide leather strap to minimise pressure.
The German hackamore has a much longer shank and a chain style noseband and curb. It is often advised to use a thick noseband cover to prevent pressure and rubs, and as with any hackamore, the German should in particular be used with care by an experienced rider.
There is no doubt some horses prefer the communication achieved though nose pressure to the relatively invasive action of a traditional meal horse bit, but they tend to work best on relatively well schooled horses that respond well the leg aids as it is common to experience some loss of steering compared to a metal bit.
The vast majority of riding in the UK is English style, and jodhpurs and breeches are the accepted leg wear for women riders, and male riders, and child riders usually wear jodhpurs as opposed to breeches. 