Q&A

Q: Why do riding tights, breeches and jodhpurs have grips in different places? And which ones should I buy?

A: Grips on riding tights, breeches and jodhpurs are a great way to get a bit of extra stability in the saddle. Where these grips are placed will affect where you get the extra ‘stickiness’.

If you do lots of dressage and flatwork, then ‘full seat’ grips are handy as they go across the whole seat and inside of your legs. Lots of the movements in dressage rely on you having a good seat and contact with your pony’s back through the saddle, and these ‘full seat’ grips can help you to achieve this.

On the other hand, if you do a lot of jumping, you probably won’t want ‘full seat’ grips as you need to get out of the saddle easily to clear fences. You are likely to find that having grips in just the knee area is helpful. If you prefer, you can also get tights, breeches and jodhpurs with no grips at all.

Ultimately, however, the most important part of the choice comes down to personal preference. Do you like your legwear to have plenty of grips or not? Is the style you have chosen comfortable for you? Provided you feel secure and you are comfortable, you don’t need to worry too much about which ones you are wearing! Choose whatever you prefer!

Q: My pony has started to drag his back feet in the arena. It’s a new problem. What could be causing it?

A: There are many reasons that a pony might start to drag his hind feet. Hind feet are dragged when there isn’t enough flexion in the hindlimb to allow the pony to lift his feet high enough to get off the ground. This inability to pick up the hind feet properly could be caused by pain, weakness, fatigue, neurological problems, physical abnormalities or laziness.

It is crucial to get in touch with your vet as your first port of call. They will probably want to do a few tests to narrow down the list of potential causes for hoof dragging. They might suggest changes to the work you do with your pony or want additional investigations to look deeper into the problem.

Once your vet has determined the reason for the hoof dragging, they’ll be able to suggest the best way to treat him and how you can manage it going forwards.

Q: How do I know if my pony needs a breastplate?

A: A breastplate is used to stop the saddle from slipping back and can provide an extra safety measure because it has a neck strap that you can hold onto if you feel unbalanced. However, it restricts shoulder movement, so it should only be used when needed.

If you notice that your pony’s saddle is slipping, do not go straight to buying a breastplate. Saddle fit is very important in ensuring your pony is comfortable in their work, so if the saddle is slipping, there is a problem, and you need to chat to a qualified saddle fitter. The qualified saddle fitter will check if your saddle is fitting as it should. It might be that the saddle needs altering as your pony has changed shape, and you don’t need a breastplate. In some cases, however, your pony may benefit from a breastplate, and the saddle fitter will be able to advise you of this.

NOTE: Breastplates can restrict the movement of your pony’s shoulders, so make sure to ask your saddle fitter and instructor to check the fit of the breastplate before riding in it.