Riding clothes suggestions for a hijab wearing woman?

[Cherryblossomss]

The hijab is the least relevant aspect to be honest, I just plonk the hat on top. But I’m not keen on the tight riding bottoms! I’m a beginner and only starting to think about my riding outfit. So far I’ve been wearing loose, thin joggers, which seem fine I think? But maybe they’re ok for now but will get uncomfortable if (hopefully when) I get more serious, do a bit of cantering etc.

Similarly, on top, I prefer loose clothing which is bum covering. I feel like I have a bit more flex when it comes to my top half whereas the riding world seems pretty set on breeches/jodhpurs (which isn’t happening unless I go down the old school flappy jodhpur route which would be entertaining for the yard I’m sure). Any ideas?? Can I just stick with my joggers? Would half chaps be a good idea?

Thanks!

*If revealing any shape to my body were a problem due to religious/cultural mores; I might be worried about there being males present, stable hands? Other riders? Owners? Anyone, really.

I think that if this possibility is real, to you, you might need to rethink horse riding.*

Fuck the predictable ignorance and stupidity on here . Very brave of you OP to post on here about hijab , but here come the 'the hijab means your life is over and you need to hide your existence from all men ' brigade , because of course you wanting to cover your bum means you must cease to exist altogether and end all activity .

I'd recommend getting a thin pair of riding tights then you can put some looser joggers over the top. Should work in all but the hottest weather. It won't matter if they ride up as your leg with still be protected by the tights. You can tick them in to long socks to help prevent this and it won't hinder your position or the instructors ability to see you properly. Flapping is a big issue for some horses and it's frequently windy. Long coats seem like a good idea but they can be a real faf and not ideal for canter and jump work

Nothing like the mention of a hijab to bring the MN racists crawling out of their shit holes, even in the tack room.

(No longer a rider myself as I got The Fear after having DD, but a lurker).

There’s a massive women’s horsey scene in India, OP, if you want some inspiration for cultural clothing. Also Princess Haya of Jordan of course, although I think she’s keeping a very low profile these days.

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a woman in sari riding.

@Unfucked

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a woman in sari riding.

This I need to see!

If the riding school is a BHS school they might not allow things like riding skirts.
I get so hot riding, even in winter unless it’s freezing I won’t wear a jacket when I ride.

Riding skirt - I think these are wonderful: www.klesarven.com/products/matilde-riding-skirt-grey

It's not strictly your OP, but on the back of your last reply, can I recommend Decathlon for really reasonably priced boots / chaps etc.

My current half chaps were £8 from there (mega deal in the sale down from £20ish) and were bought as a cheap stopgap until I managed to get to a tack shop to try some on. That was nearly 2yrs ago, riding a couple of times a week, and they're finally only just giving up the ghost!

OP ignore people saying a riding skirt will automatically spook a horse. Most horses are used to rugs these days and plenty of people (me included) ride with hi viz quarter sheets and experience no issues. I've been looking for a riding skirt for ages as I think they'll be lovely and warm in winter but haven't quite found 'the one' to take the plunge!

Those riding skirts are just too glamorous! I love them.

@Rivergreen I actually thought Decathlon has been closed all this time but I've just had a google and I see they're still open. I guess it's an essential shop?! I've seen the riding gear there before and will defo take a look. I've found some boots on Ebay that are perfect (I'm a shorty so I need to be careful about the height of the boot) so I think I'll go for those. They're good quality leather boots too and will last. I've also bought some jodhpur boots for the kids now (naught else to do but read about riding and enjoy a bit of retail therapy!)

But Decathlon will be good for some breeches for them and riding tights for me (for under my joggers).

Thanks @ApplestheHare, I have to say it did occur to me that I see horses quite often with cloths on their bottoms!

@Polkadotties

If the riding school is a BHS school they might not allow things like riding skirts. I get so hot riding, even in winter unless it’s freezing I won’t wear a jacket when I ride.

I can just imagine the reaction at our local riding schools if someone appeared in one

I'd take a very dim view of any establishment which didn't understand and facilitate the OP's situation if she wanted to wear a riding skirt. I've encountered some very old school yards where you might get a poor reaction, but equestrianism needs to move away from this sort of blinkered, Anglo-centric horsemanship.

Personally I always ride in loose jeans, unless competing in a traditional English discipline. If seams bother you (which they might until you're truly balanced and stable), you could look a polo jeans.

I'd also like to add that I see loads of awesome hijab wearing horsewomen on instagram. If you check out some of the horseback archery hashtags, you'll see a very broad range of international riders who wear modest (and, often, very beautiful) outfits, both modern and traditional. Might give you some ideas, OP, and some idea of what horses can be trained to cope with (which is, in my experience, just about anything!).

@DiseasesOfTheSheep

I'd take a very dim view of any establishment which didn't understand and facilitate the OP's situation if she wanted to wear a riding skirt. I've encountered some very old school yards where you might get a poor reaction, but equestrianism needs to move away from this sort of blinkered, Anglo-centric horsemanship.

Personally I always ride in loose jeans, unless competing in a traditional English discipline. If seams bother you (which they might until you're truly balanced and stable), you could look a polo jeans.

There’s old school yards and then there is the BHS

There’s old school yards and then there is the BHS

In fairness, I believe the BHS are fairly committed to encouraging diversity within equestrianism, and as such would want to work with the OP to facilitate her participation. Possibly by doing some additional training with a suitable horse / horses to ensure a positive outcome.

Of course there are some instructors / establishments which are old school, BHS, and incapable of moving with the times. But I'd like to think that, as a sport, we're moving away from that stereotype.

My riding school is great and serves a fairly diverse community really well! So I’m sure they will be open-minded and probably also have some good suggestions of their own.

I will have a search on Instagram! So far my feed is full of teenage girls and I’m definitely ready to ‘diversity’ my feed, in the broadest sense of the word Any decent horsey mum instagrammers out there I should follow (along with the glamorous hijab wearing horseback archers!)

Excellent, sounds like a great RS!

I'd recommend Kizzy and Ettie's Ponies on IG. Those kids are having a brilliant childhood. Though there's bound to be other pony mum IGers I'm not aware of...

If you follow Kizzy and error it will start bringing up other suggestions too. DD is obsessed with this esme but that's another teenager. Your dc might enjoy it though

Most people who ride out very little effort into ensuring that their horse is trained to wear a flapping hi viz exercise sheet on their bottom! A riding skirt would not be much different.

Wrt to horsey people to follow, there are loads! There are plenty of grown ups, not just teenagers and kids. Muddy Mayhem is basically Peter and Jane but with horses, and for real laughs Pontus Hugosson is hilarious 😆.

If you're handy with sewing you could always make your own riding skirt .. reconstructinghistory.com/product/rh1022-1910s-ride-astride-split-skirt/

or

www.minerva.com/mp/1238047/folkwear-patterns-sewing-pattern-big-sky-riding-skirt

But to be honest - I think any cullottes/gaucho style skirt pattern could be made to work, especially if you're going to wear riding tights underneath.

Just popping on to recommend Khadijah Mellah, the first jockey in the UK to wear a hijab, who famously won on her very first ride in a ladies charity race at Glorious Goodwood... there's a great short documentary made about her story called Riding A Dream and being a young person in her 20s she's pretty active on Insta too! Maybe worth a follow for some inspiration OP?

Love Muddy Mayhem's Instagram, this has just made my day! (and resulted in much procrastination at work today...)

I do have a sewing machine, gathering dust. Don't think I'm up to sewing myself a riding skirt sadly. But culottes to wear on top of riding tights is a great idea.

I'll check out Khadijah's instagram too! I have heard of her and I love how she got into riding.

muslim female jockey She is in standard riding wear here but maybe there are other pictures of her that might inspire you?

@Cherryblossomss

Love Muddy Mayhem's Instagram, this has just made my day! (and resulted in much procrastination at work today...)

I do have a sewing machine, gathering dust. Don't think I'm up to sewing myself a riding skirt sadly. But culottes to wear on top of riding tights is a great idea.

I'll check out Khadijah's instagram too! I have heard of her and I love how she got into riding.

Through an inner city riding school in london I think.

My lovely eBay long boots are finally here so I have my complete outfit ready - same joggers (they fit inside the boots luckily), long tunic top which is cut high at the sides, warm gilet. All feels perfect for riding and is clothing that I feel comfortable wearing, very happy! I’ve also bought some breeches and wide leg joggers to wear on top of the breeches for when my thin joggers no longer do the job. Can’t wait to go riding in a few weeks!