It used to be that horse riders simply wore jodhpurs, but then riding pants got technical.

In general, jodhpurs have an elastic strap at the bottom of both ankles, which is worn outside of jodhpur boots. The strap should also stop jodhpurs from riding up the leg, and it’s because of this design that they are not worn with tall boots – breeches are.

Breeches tend to be closer fitting than jodhpurs and come with different levels of grip; knee or full seat. 

Knee patch breeches are popular with jumpers who require a light seat on the flat and over fences. In contrast, dressage riders tend to favour the full seat for its full contact and deep seat feel that allows the rider to tune in to the movement of the horse’s back

In recent years, breeches have evolved to enhance performance and comfort with technical fabrics offering more stretchiness, breathability and moisture control.

Of course, as most equestrians will know, the current trend is to wear riding tights, especially in warmer seasons and climates. Rather like breeches, riding tights often feature a full seat or knee grip, but they are super lightweight and they pull on, like a pair of tights. Most tights feature a sizeable waistband that provides a fairly supporting Spanx effect.