Quick advice - riding gear for 2week camp

[Anonymous]

My DD plans to ride horses every day at a 2 week camp. I know we need riding helmet, jeans or long pants and some kind of boot. Should we go to a horse store (seem very expensive)? Or is there a cheaper alternative?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

She will be fine with a "paddock boot" or the LL Bean type duck boots. I'll try to find some links.

[Anonymous]

A helmet and boots should be bought new for safety reasons but breeches or chaps you can get on consignment.

And yes, everything about horses is expensive. Pray that she doesn't enjoy it.

I would suggest full chaps or breeches instead of just jeans b.c she will chafe in jeans riding every day.

[Anonymous]

I rode in duck boots for years but they don't offer much protection if you get stepped on. So it depends on how much horse experience she has and if she k ows where to stand to avoid getting stepped on.

[Anonymous]

My daughter rides at camp too. I buy inexpensive boots (amazon). All of her camps provide helmets. This years camp says that leggings, yoga pants, or stretch pants are fine. No expensive riding clothing required.

[Anonymous]

Statelinetack.com

We got paddock boots there for $35. They were perfect.

[Anonymous]

Yoga pants/leggings are fine for a beginner, so are any boot like bean boots or wellies as long as they have a small heel but not a raised one (no wedges). I used to run camps and don't expect kids to buy horse-specific boots and pants. But you need a helmet that fits! Take her to a tack store and have her fitted. Best, take her to middleburg tack exchange and they might have boots and leggings on consignment for cheap. You do not need new boots for safety reasons, that is absurd. Helmet, YES.

[Anonymous]

What size is your DD? I have a pair of nearly-new paddock boots and good condition jodhpurs in the "post on Craigslist" pile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yoga pants/leggings are fine for a beginner, so are any boot like bean boots or wellies as long as they have a small heel but not a raised one (no wedges). I used to run camps and don't expect kids to buy horse-specific boots and pants. But you need a helmet that fits! Take her to a tack store and have her fitted. Best, take her to middleburg tack exchange and they might have boots and leggings on consignment for cheap. You do not need new boots for safety reasons, that is absurd. Helmet, YES.

I guess I was assuming she would be out catching the horse, then grooming, tacking up etc including picking hooves. That's why I suggested new boots of a leather type like paddock boots for safety. But I never got to go to riding camp so perhaps you just ride not do all the other horse-care.

I did get stepped on in duck boots once ...on concrete. Not pretty!

[Anonymous]

13:09 here: We will just have to disagree, I wear Bean boots every day to do barn work on my farm. I only switch into paddock boots and chaps after my horses are tacked and before I get on. I find them more forgiving because paddocks are just leather and even though mine are expensive, they aren't as comfortable to wear for chores as duck boots. Cheap ones would be even worse.

Nothing feels particularly good when a horse steps on your foot on concrete so I'm not sure I would rule them out based on your previous experience. I've broken toes wearing an astounding array of proper footwear, that tends to happen when 1400 pounds of spooking animals jumps on your digits.