Horse Riding

[Ronnie1234]

My 10 year old is now obsessed with horse riding & for Xmas wants a few matchy matchy sets! Any recommendations please? She wants a Le Mieux set which I'm happy to get one but they are quite costly!!

I would move this to the Tack Room. Plenty of knowledgeable folks there.

Le Mieux are the best tbh. A few sets would be very expensive and overkill if she doesn't have her own pony.

Don’t go to matchy horsey. I got totally ripped off by them (and I’m not the only one if you look on horse and hound)

HKM do matchy items as well I believe. But if she doesn't have her own pony she will look a bit 'all the gear and no idea' at her riding school.

I understand the temptation though...

Le mieux will almost certainly be the one she covets, if you're considering running to more than one, then I'd look at Shires, Weatherbeeta and premier equine for alternatives. Which would be the brands I'd go for over LM.

Stockinjur also do the sets. Aztec Diamond and Mochara popular with teens.

I'd just get her a base layer and hat silk and not the saddle pads if she's at a riding school.

Spottybumpony Rather judgemental and unpleasant comment.

I'm not sure a riding school will allow you to use your own saddecloths/boots/ear bonnets so you are definitely better off sticking with a hat silk and base layer. If she has her own pony then go for it - just be prepared for a change of colours every 6 months!

Is it though? I'm trying to spare a young girl feeling excited and chuffed about having something she thinks is cool and then finding herself out of place and people judging her for it.

I know, I've been there as the person feeling out of place after begging for something.

I also did answer OP's question about brands which offer matchy matchy

Just to add as a riding school rider from age 7, I begged my mum for the Robinsons jods that had the coloured stripes up the side and she would never let me have them. It was navy blue all the way and she was right

@SpottyBumPony

Just to add as a riding school rider from age 7, I begged my mum for the Robinsons jods that had the coloured stripes up the side and she would never let me have them. It was navy blue all the way and she was right

I know some people find the matchy sets really naff but my first two dds loved them and competed to a high level and had their own ponies Dd15 wouldn't be seen dead in matchy!

You can't rock up to riding school with saddle cloths etc. They'll mostly be tacked up from the previous lesson. I have never seen anyone do this.

Base layer, silk and jods if you want. I'm still kitting mine out in decathlon as they are growing so fast. They have a few silks that they change when they want.

Clearly there’s variety in riding schools.

Where we go you tack up the pony at the start of the lesson, and kids do use their own saddle pads etc. You wouldn’t be sneered at for having your own when you don’t have your own pony.

Maybe things have changed a bit since Covid and more are inclined to bring their own saddle pads

Thank you all! I will post in tack room too! Yes just leggings, base layer, hat silk at mo! She had toggi leggings which she loves with a le mieux base layer & hat silk for her birthday in July just after another set(s) s seeing what's about!

She has normal yard clothes too for mucking out, knocking about! Just mountain warehouse or whatever on offer on Amazon!

Her riding stables let children go for the day to experience all sides of riding! As for her riding skills she started a year ago & is now jumping 2ft 9 jumps so take out the lockdowns she couldn't attend I'd say she's doing alright!! 😆

Does she have her own back protector? That would be a good present if she's jumping and using the riding schools one.

@Pippi1970 yes she's been given a second hand one off one of the older girls!

Coloured stirrups? If she's allowed to swap them? I rode at a riding school for a while and took my own stirrups (and leathers so it was quicker to change them) becauze I have dodgy knees, a funky pair of flex ons or free jumps would be very bling!

Woof Wear do matchy sets as well but Le Mieux are definitely the 'in' thing amongst youngsters.

Hy equestrian are doing some matchies at a less absurd price

Although I am in for a matching set of sodding LM. Limited colours though 😓 as most OOS.
We won't be buying ear bonnet or boots though, I don't approve of putting things on wholly as accessories and DD's pony doesnt need an ear bonnet/boots/bandages. I will be getting pad, hat silk, head collar and top.

Out of interest, does she follow youtubers such as ThisEsme? That's one channel sponsored by that brand who uses the phrase matchy. She has many saddle pads etc!

(horse obsessed niece here)

@DistrictCommissioner

Clearly there’s variety in riding schools.

Where we go you tack up the pony at the start of the lesson, and kids do use their own saddle pads etc. You wouldn’t be sneered at for having your own when you don’t have your own pony.

Same here. Dd has a loan at the yard but uses all her own tack apart from saddle. Most of the older girls do.

A grooming kit? Or a quilted jacket and saddle cloth/numnah in same colour?

WOuldn't a really nice pair of boots and some quality gloves not be better than matchy matchy? Or jod boots with some nice chaps?