The 5 Best Equestrian Clothing Brands
Equestrian clothing needs to be comfortable, durable and safety-providing (for both you and your horse). It can also be stylish. In fact, equestrian clothing has influenced mainstream fashion sensibilities massively – think about how common knee-high boots are today!
The equestrian clothing market is a big business, which has created a wide range of equestrian clothing brands. Some of these brands provide quality horse riding clothes, while others don’t.
If you’re looking for equestrian brands that will definitely deliver on quality, we’ve compiled this list of the best horse-riding clothing brands.
The 5 Best Horse Riding Clothing Brands
To get right to it, below you’ll find our picks for the best clothing brands for horse riders. Among this list, you’ll find brands that cater to different budgets, disciplines, and personal tastes.
1. Ariat – Used By Professionals
Ariat is a clothing brand that you’ll find on nearly all horse clothing online retailers, and for good reason, too. This company is all about enhancing the quality of your riding.
They strive to make products that are comfortable, durable, and fashionable. They also ensure that each product boasts technical features to improve ride quality. For example, their Jodhpur range is made using the CFS™ (Calf Fit System). This ensures that riders have maximum support around their calves and ankles, allowing for an easier and more comfortable ride.
Many of their products also come with performance stretch, silicone grip and cool climate insulation.
It’s these technical features that make Ariat a popular brand among professional riders. It’s worth noting that Ariat is more of an investment than other horse-riding brands. If you’ve got a bigger budget and want to buy horse apparel that’ll last, go with Ariat.
2. Aztec Diamond Equestrian – Premium Yet Affordable
Aztec Diamond Equestrian aims to deliver the same premium quality as Ariat without the premium price tag. This UK-based company specialises in both equestrian clothes as well as gym wear. It started in 2014 and has quickly ascended to one of the most popular horse-riding clothing brands in the world.
The quick rise in popularity has been helped by the number of high-profile riders who have been seen wearing Aztec Diamond Equestrian gear at competitions. This includes Equestrian Olympian Charlotte Dujardin.
Aztec Diamond Equestrian sells clothing for women and young riders. Their product range includes breeches, competition clothing and base jackets, all of which are sold at reasonable prices.
To put the company’s affordability into perspective, it’s possible to buy quality riding leggings from Aztec Diamond Equestrian for as little as £40. You may find yourself paying more than double for the same degree of quality elsewhere.
3. Equinavia – Wide Selection
If you’re a fan of Scandinavian design, check out Equinavia. This equestrian brand has a 40-year history of delivering premium horse-riding gear that is both comfortable for the rider and healthy for the horse. The company started out designing clothing but later expanded to sell saddle pads, bridles and other horse tack.
Equinavia is a good brand if you like plenty of choices. On their website, you’ll find a wide range of breeches, show shirts and jackets. Plus, the Equinavia website doesn’t only cater to Equinavia products alone – you’ll also find items from other brands such as Horze and B Vertigo.
Although Equinavia can’t be described as a budget option, the company does strive to provide you with as much value as possible for each product you buy from them. It provides this by designing its clothing and tacks with premium materials to ensure maximum durability.
4. Asmar Equestrian – Eco-Friendly Option
Asmar Equestrian is another horse-riding clothing brand that has made a big impact on the market in a short space of time. Starting in 2011, this company is now a firm favourite among both male and female riders. The main reason behind the company’s popularity is its ability to combine both style and functionality.
All of the jackets, shirts and breeches in the Asmar Equestrian range come with brilliant cuts and impressive use of fabrics. You could easily use most of the range as casual wear. The clothes also come with a great structure and fit, to the point where it may seem as though the company has spent too much time on style and not enough time on function – however, this is not the case.
Asmar actually works closely with riders and trainers to try and resolve problems equestrians are experiencing. The company is really trying to move the possibilities of equestrian fashion forward. This is not only true in terms of equestrian wear design, but also from an environmental angle. The company works with sustainable materials as much as possible, while also trying to minimise supply chain waste.
5. Pikeur – Best Classic Brand
Pikeur is one of the most enduring equestrian fashion brands and remains one of our top choices for quality. Pikeur started life as Haefner & Co. and was originally founded in 1957.
Germany-based Pikeur were instrumental in creating modern equestrian outfit designs through extensive experimentation. Today, they haven’t let their reputation slip, and continue to design and provide premium helmets, competition jackets, shirts and waistcoats. They also offer a range of accessories, including belts, headbands, scarves, and loops.
For horse equipment and gaiters, check out Pikeur’s sister company ESKADRON.
Best Equestrian Apparel Websites
As we already mentioned, Equinavia isn’t only a brand, but also a website dedicated to the best horse gear from a range of brands. If you’re wondering what other sites that stock a range of riding apparel brands, look no further than here:
1. Equus
Equus is a relatively new horse riders clothing site, having started in 2013. The company wanted to make it easy for horse riders throughout Britain to find horse clothing easily. To do this, it created Equus as an online retailer for the most premium riding brands.
On Equus, you can browse through its extensive selection of breeches, tights, outerwear, and footwear. You can filter down these collections by choosing a specific brand to look at. Brands that are currently featured on the Equus website include Aubrion, Dublin, Fair Play and HKM.
2. Equestrian Collections
Equestrian Collections has probably the biggest selection when it comes to equestrian brands. They currently stock over 200 different equestrian brands, to be exact!
We’d recommend Equestrian Collections as an affordable alternative to other equestrian apparel websites. Within its wide range, you can normally pick up some bargains on items that you’ll find to be overpriced on other websites.
Brands that you can find on Equestrian Collections include Ariat, Equine Couture, Ovation and Equinavia.
Given its extensive selection, it’s worth noting that some of the products stocked aren’t exactly top of the range. Before buying a product, check if we’ve mentioned the brand in this article, or read as many reviews about the product as you can find.
3. Horse.com
You can find another wide range of horse riding products on Horse.com, which is a site that stocks everything from Western show clothing to equestrian underwear.
Like Equestrian Collections, you can find big brands for low prices on Horse.com.
4. State Line Tack
State Line Tack is a company that focuses mostly on tack but also designs and sells its own horse-riding clothing. State Line Tack started in 1980 as a single outlet for riding gear in New Hampshire. Now, it ships the best in American-styled equestrian gear internationally.
On top of apparel and footwear, you can also find horse blankets, sheets and stable fencing, as well as supplies.
5. Just Riding
Just Riding is another retailer of premium equestrian brands such as Equiline and Parlanti. This company focuses mostly on quality products with a premium price tag, so you may struggle to find cheaper brands on this site. They cater extensively to male and female riders, as well as young riders.
Just Riding is a great option for gifting horse lovers. In the site’s gift section, you can find luxury equestrian hampers, mystery boxes, gift cards and (of course) riding apparel.
6. Corro
Corro is primarily a retailer for other horse riding brands such as Belle & Bow Equestrian. However, you can also find some Corro own-brand products and apparel, including official Corro riding socks.
7. Breeches
Lastly, you have Breeches – a website that focuses on promoting and selling the very best breeches on the market. On the site, you’ll also find boots, jackets and vests, as well as outerwear and casual wear.
8. Amazon
Like most things, you can find an extensive selection of equestrian brand clothing on Amazon. Amazon is a good option if you’re looking for cheap clothing options with fast delivery.
Considerations When Buying Equestrian Clothing
When it comes to buying individual items of clothing from the equestrian brands listed above, make sure you consider the following:
Safety
Every single equestrian brand has a duty to provide safety for both the rider and the horse. The brands listed in this article can be trusted to provide safety; however, this cannot be guaranteed with cheaper and lesser-known brands.
Make sure that each item protects your body and provides enough coverage. For example, when buying riding boots, you need to ensure the heel and sole meet industry standards and come with adequate grip.
Quality and durability
Ensure that the product is made using high-quality fabrics and comes with reinforced seams and double stitching. This way, you’ll be able to ensure the item of clothing is durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of regular horse riding.
You need to buy products that last in order to get your money’s worth, especially when buying more expensive brands like Ariat.
Look for products that offer long warranty periods and even free repairs.
Comfort and fit
Ensure that the product allows you to move freely, particularly around the shoulders, hips and knees. Equestrian clothing options should be flexible and made to provide comfort over extended periods. An indicator of poor quality equestrian clothing is chafing and a restriction of movement. Look for clothing that fits comfortably on you without being too baggy or too tight.
Style
You should never have to sacrifice functionality for style. Choose an equestrian brand that combines both equestrian fashion and functionality equally. You’ll be spending a lot of time wearing the gear, so you need to feel comfortable and confident in them. Ensure that the equestrian brand focuses on creating practical clothing that also looks good, like Aztec Diamond Equestrian and Asmar Equestrian.
FAQs
How big is the equestrian clothing business?
In the equestrian world, the equestrian apparel market currently holds a market value of £4.9 billion. This figure is expected to increase to £8 billion by 2032. This reflects a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% between 2023 and 2032. So, it’s fair to say that it’s pretty big.
What is equestrian fashion style?
The essential components of equestrian fashion include a helmet, gloves, shirt, boots, riding pants and a riding vest. On top of this, some may choose to wear show jackets, skinny pants, a blouse or a blazer. Elegant but simple belts are normally worn to fasten the waist. In terms of other fashion items, you may find some wearers with horseprint scarves and stirrup-shaped buckles.
What should you wear to an equestrian competition?
If you’re attending an equestrian competition as a spectator, you should dress somewhat formally. If there’s a relaxed dress code, you should wear jeans, a collared shirt or a plain polo top. At more formal events, you should wear dress pants, a button-up shirt, and leather shoes. This could be topped with a matching suit jacket.
For women, good dress ideas include a skirt, slacks or trousers matched with blouses and shirts. It would be a good idea to wear comfortable flats.
