Riding gear for a 4 year old - recommendations?

[BrightenMyNorthernSky]

I have just arranged a share in a pony for my 4 year old DS (am a horse owner myself and have been since childhood, but equipment has moved on a bit since then!).

I want to get him some gear for Christmas - just the minimum, really, but some nice comfy bits as am hoping he'll enjoy riding and it will be something we can do together. So I'd like recommendations for comfortable, warm jods for a child (we live in Scotland - so it's cold for a large part of the year!), and anything else which might be good (I was thinking decent quality gloves, maybe some warm boots and half chaps, some thermals?). He'll need a hat too - are the dial adjusted ones any good? I've never had one myself but instruct for RDA and we use them a lot there (but are not doing anything too adventurous with our riders - are they still OK for e.g. jumping?).

Any recommendations, or thoughts on what I should get as the minimum kit, gratefully received. For the next year or so (if all goes to plan!) I'm just going to teach him myself and I've no plans to do Pony Club or similar in the near future.

[mrslaughan]

I got my ds jods on ebay - and then put thermals under them. He has jodphur boots, but with it getting cold he has just started ridinf in his neoprene lined hunters with ski socks.
Because he is a novice and rides only once a week (plus grows out of everything really quickly at the mo) everything is muli-purpose - uses ski gloves if wet and cold, though he does have thermal gloves with grip on the palms and fingers, but these aren't waterproof, hence the ski gloves as standby - I just layer him up, depending on the weather

[BrightenMyNorthernSky]

Thank you, yes I can see that layering will be key! Might get him some decent snow boots which he could ride in too, I have childhood memories of freezing feet when riding, to the point where it hurt to get off... don't want to put him off for life!

[CMOTDibbler]

DS has woofwear boots, which are super warm, so I'd recommend those, wears thermal leggings under his jods, plus ski socks and on top thermal long sleeve, then sweatshirt, body protector, down jacket, buff tube, and magic stretch grip gloves. Apart from the jods, he uses everything else as general purpose clothes. Obv this is his coldest weather outfit, just subtract from it - fleece or combo jacket instead of down etc.
We have a dial helmet for visiting children, and its fine, but ds does have a proper skull cap too. But likes the lightness and ventilation of the dial one, esp in the summer.

DS favours dublin jods for comfort, preferring a pull on style

[mrslaughan]

Oh I was looking at the wolfwear boots and thought when DS gets a pony those would be the thing to have.
I think key is making sure they are warm, so it's still fun.
DS rides in the rain etc with no complaint b/c he has the right gear - doesn't put him off at all.

[BrightenMyNorthernSky]

Thanks all, that is really helpful. I've bought him a proper skull cap this morning, and am going to try to find some small Dublin jods (the horsey shop that I use has almost nothing for small boys, it turns out - all children's jodphurs were pink / purple....). The Woofwear boots look fab but don't seem to come any smaller than a size 11 and he's only a 9 (he's a fairly small 4 year old) but I'll keep them in mind for next winter.

[cedmonds]

I think you can get the short woof boots for smaller feet i had some for ds a few years ok and his feet are only a 12 now. Ds rides in waterproof trousers if wet or cold and he wears them else were as well.

[CatPussRoastingOnAnOpenFire]

Personally, I've never bought anything new. Boot sales and eBay are my friends! I'd go for nice warm boots and a ski type suit for the foreseeable! Once summer comes, a dinky pair of half chaps and some Joggers would do. They grow so quickly when they're small, they grow out of expensive new kit too quickly for me!

[KTK9]

Hands and feet seem to be the coldest for DD, (just 8, but has been riding since she was 5), I got some thermal glove liners from a ski shop, they are light and thin to go under normal gloves and the same for socks under normal socks.

[KTK9]

Oh, I should have said that Aldi have a brilliant range of kids thermals, which are cheap and should last two seasons.

DD also rode in her ski trousers a couple of times, they were a bit puffy and thick, but she was only really sitting on board at that stage, not sure she would be able to now, as she is a more active rider. Might try it though!