First lesson clothing panic

[Northey]

In a rush of eagerness, I booked my first riding lesson for tomorrow night, and am now hit with the reality of kitting myself out at lunchtime/after work today.

The school will provide a hat, and I can pick up a pair of leggings easily enough (apparently they will be fine for a first lesson), but what on earth can I do about my feet? They said a shoe with a small heel, but what does that actually look like? I can only visualise boots.

And where could I get something suitable in central London?

Oh please help me become one of you :)

I only ride occasionally and wear a pair of long leather boots with a 1/4 inch heel.They aren't proper riding boots but do the job.

Have fun.

Forgot to say, get yourself a pair of gloves too,if you can,nothing worse than sore hands.Thin leather/wool or fabric ones will do the job.

How exciting! I started riding lessons a few months ago and I love it! I was a total beginner and now happily cantering around. It means the world to me because I have mobility problems so I'm thrilled that I now can borrow some 'spare legs' once a week and get into the fresh air. Of course I'm still very much a beginner but it's such a wonderful sense of freedom. And the horses are just lovely too.

I used wellies for my first few lessons, not ideal but fine for a few trial goes. When I knew I wanted to stick with it, I bough proper jodhpur boots and chaps - your riding instructor will be able to advise you about where to get these locally. They don't have to cost the earth.

Good luck, I hope you have lots of fun. Let us know how you get on.

wear long socks if you have any as sometimes the stirrup leathers can pinch your legs and you will get bruises, also comfy knickers, on no account wear a thong!
hope you have a great time.
(would have done a lovely smiley face there but have borrowed iPad for first go and can't find square brackets, think I'll stick to my laptop!)

I had a few lessons a couple of years ago. I dug out an old pair of ankle boots with a small heel (broad but low if that makes sense). But the school had some old jodphur boots available to borrow. Google 'jodphur boot' and try to get something with a heel and sole similar.

Call the place to see if they can lend them. I ride a lot and often wear hunters ( narrower than normal Welles) doc martens or biker boots. Those sort of broguey school shoe type things with a low heel would be ideal. Desert boots? If you decide to keep it up, try. Website called robinsons for cheap gear, also tesco.com and gooutdoors.co.uk

Where are you riding in London? I can point you to good shops.

Wellies would do for a start. My riding school doesn't like DMs/hiking boots as the deep tread is not ideal (could get stuck in the stirrup iron) but they would probably be OK for a first lesson when you won't really get out of first gear, so to speak. If you are large of nork, do not forget a decent bra!

If you haven't got a decent bra, wear two!
I second wellies for a start. They are slightly bulky, but if you did get stuck if you fell off, your foot would slide out.

she's not going to fall off in her first lesson! Good luck and don't forget to tell us how it went

(I ride every day, with rare exceptions, and never in proper boots unless it is some sort of formal thing - but think lots of yard/country boots double up nicely for riding, if you have anything like that, duBarry sort of boots?)

Sorry, I didn't mean she was going to fall off. I was just explaining he elf and safety reason behind wellingtons.

Ooh thank you, all.

horsemadmom, I work on Whitehall, but can get anywhere, within reason, for the purposes of buying something.

Sadly I really don't think I have any suitable shoes at all. No wellies :( Walking boots are too deep a tread, it seems. Work shoes definitely not suitable. Running shoes - no. Trail shoes - no. Gah. I will have to shop.

pixel, fear not, all my knickers are comfy and capacious.

And there will be NO falling off. No.

I ride every day too, and most days more than two lots. I wear jeans, long socks and paddock boots (think lace-up ankle boots with a smooth sole and a quarter inch heel. Wellies are fine, especially ones like Hunters because they are designed with the horse rider in mind (not that I would buy any now - overpriced rubbish sadly). I also always wear a thong - I don't possess any big knickers, and I only very rarely get rubs.

Don't worry too much, the emphasis should be on comfort and safety whatever you wear, and have fun.

Sorry, I said wellies are fine, but as Saggy has said, big cleated soles are really not fine at all as your foot could get stuck in the stirrup. Narrow wellies with a small heel and non or not to cleated sole (like Hunters in design) will be fine.

Please tell us you're not the Horse Swearer from the other thread!

The horse swearer? Not I. But I am intrigued.

This is she
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1510165-To-refuse-to-teach-this-woman-next-week

Ooh Callisto, I can't wear a thong even when I'm not riding, I'm sure they were invented as an instrument of torture. . Besides, I don't think my uncontained buttocks would be a very alluring sight nowadays .

Speaking of unalluring sights, I am currently gazing at my be-jodhpured self in a changing room mirror. Ummm....

Quick question, if anyone happens to be around to answer. In a choice between a slightly snug and a slightly loose fit ankle boot, is there one that a rider would always go for?

Hmm, well I'd like to know I could get extra socks on in the winter, your feet can get very cold when you are riding.

My jod boots are rather loose round the ankle if I wear them with jeans, but they are fine with jods as the elasticated material sort of holds them iyswim?

Wise words, both. I went for the looser ones, thinking of socks as a filling agent.

Now all I need is an air of effortless elegance and control.

how did it go?