You should listen to the more experienced horse riders when you are starting off on your journey and make sure that you choose your clothing and equestrian equipment very carefully and precisely, so that you really enjoy your activities, perform well and remain safe. Cutting corners during any of this process is not a good idea, as you focus on your clothing and equipment. You must realise that to get the ultimate satisfaction from your horse riding activities, whether they be largely informal or a pastime or designed for competition, you will need to make a fairly considerable commitment in terms of time and resources. As such, you should pay particular attention to every item of equipment and clothing that you select and remember that, as in most cases in life, the “weakest link” may cause a problem in the future.

Look for expert construction and the use of long-lasting, high-quality materials when you buy equestrian equipment. After all, you not only want to look professional and well put together, but you also want to be comfortable and know that, when the chips are down, everything is going to perform as it should. We must always remember that whether you are riding casually or in competition, safety is a big concern here.

Choose your equestrian clothing with care as well. You will put every effort into making sure that your horse looks spectacular, so you should also concentrate on your stunning appearance as well. Wearing too baggy or too tight clothing is never a good idea anyway, as it can compromise your safety. There’s a long list of items of equestrian clothing that you will require, including socks, jodhpurs, boots, spurs, chaps, shirts, gaiters, jackets and helmets. Furthermore, if you’re going in for some kind of active, competitive involvement, you may well need to buy additional, performance related gear.

Looking at essential equestrian equipment, project what you will be doing with your horse and determine all potential situations and conditions accordingly. Your pride and joy will need a lot of care and grooming and the long-term health and well-being of your animal is most definitely in your hands. Start off by selecting your grooming equipment, your blades, scrapers, combs, sponges and brushes and always follow best practices when it comes to proper maintenance and grooming during the various seasons of the year. When talking about seasons, remember that temperature and weather changes can significantly affect your horse and you must have on hand the right sheets, blankets or rugs and any other protective items, especially if you intend to ride often in bad weather.

Regarding your horses equestrian potential will be entirely dependent on how you treat them and how you choose your equestrian equipment. Determine your use before you select your saddles, liners, bridles, stirrups or leathers. If you intend to take part in dressage events for example, then you must understand that your tack will be very different than if you intend to use your horse to take part in a local hunt meeting.

You owe it to yourself and to your horse to choose top quality equestrian equipment and clothing at the very beginning, so that you both have a great experience.