Equestrian accessories are the best
If you’re a horse riding aficionado, you already know that helmets are, probably, the most important accessory when it comes to your beloved sport. The headgear has been specifically designed to protect your head and is slowly, but surely, making its way into national conscience, as shown by the fact that some American states, like Florida and New York require by law that people under 14 use helmets when riding.
But if they are still optional when it comes to civil use, equestrian riding helmets are a requirement as far as competitive riding events go, especially the ones where the rider along with his horse must jump certain obstacles or run at very high speeds. Therefore, we have compiled for you a list of the equestrian helmets and accessories on the market, so that you can be both safe and stylish while riding.
Helmets
Here are the best equestrian helmets and the brands that produce them, complete with details and prices.
#1. GPA – we’ve chosen the First Lady Helmet. It’s all black, with a very fine glittery finish and it has been especially designed to protect you from the sun, because it has wider than usual visor, which will keep the damaging UV rays away from your skin. Its head liner is made of aerated foam and it’s removable. The chin pad is anatomically correct and comes with a self-locking buckle, for extra security. The First Lady markets for $699 but GPA also have equestrian helmets for sale.
The First Lady helmet
#2. Troxel is another great riding helmets brand and we specifically like the Troxel Spirit Helmet, because it comes in both lovely and girly pink and in mint and with a very special prancing horse design on the side, which Troxel has dubbed ‘Dreamscape’. Apart from that, it’s incredibly light, as it weighs only 14 ounces, it has a removable Flip-Fold liner and it adjusts easily for growing kids and their forever changing hairstyles. Troxel has the Spirit Helmet out on the market for $49.95.
The Troxel Spirit helmet
#3. UVEX equestrian helmets is our number three choice as far as riding helmets go. And they sell the beautiful Perfexxion Active Helmet, which is our favorite. It comes in three colors, black, brown and anthracite and in different sizes. It offers superior ventilation and greater than normal impact absorption, which is why it made our list. The double x in its name stands for the fact that the helmet has an x-fit memory foam, which helps relieve pressure points at the rider’s forehead. This aerodynamic pretty helmet retails for $299.
The Uvex Perfexxion helmet
Accessories
Now that you’ve established what particular brand and type of riding helmet to buy, let’s move on to accessories. This is a fun category of riding gear to browse through and then shop for, so here are a few hints that might help you on the way.
#1. Boots. The equestrian theme and style has long broken through the paddock barriers and made it into full-fledged fashion realm. Riding boots are usually made of leather, they come in either black or browns, but you can choose other colors as well, if you’re feeling daring and they can be worn with an entire array of ensembles. Apart from riding, you can wear them with biker skirts and dresses, classic pants and jeans. The usual riding outfit consists of riding boots, tight pants or leggings, dark jacket and helmet.
Fashionable riding boots
#2. Gloves. Another important accessory when riding is gloves. Specifically designed to make you feel as comfortable as possible in the saddle and to help avoid sustaining any injuries, riding gloves can be made of leather, fleece, suede or deerskin. You can also purchase a waterproof pair if you know you will be caught in the rain while riding. Prices vary according to brand, starting from $7, but you can usually find them on sale, mostly in online shops, so remember to check those as well. Riding gloves come in an immense variety of colors and patterns, so that you can accessorize your riding outfit in the most stylish way possible.
#3. Shirts. When going horseback riding, your shirt should be all about the comfort, safety and durability. Pick a shirt made of cotton or one that is fleece lined, if the weather is cold and make sure it is well tailored. A shirt made of synthetic material and that is too tight or too loose will make you sweat unnecessarily much and cause you great discomfort. Remember horseback riding is a tasking sport and you need to make your body feel at ease while doing it. Of course, you can also look great during the ride, while still keeping comfortable. Ralph Lauren, for example, has created some beautiful equestrian themed shirts, which you can use as an inspiration.
Equestrian shirts are always in style
#4. Scarves. Unlike boots and helmets, scarves are optional while riding, as far as practicality is concerned. If you feel the need, you can wear them for extra protection against the cold, the wind and the rain. However, should you choose to wear a scarf while on horseback, be extra careful when wrapping it around your neck. Make sure there are no loose ends that might get caught in the harness or that might be blown away by the wind and accidentally cover your face. This might lead to serious injuries.
Keep it classy with a riding scarf
#8. Jewelry. Since the equestrian theme is such a loved one for fashion designers and fashionistas alike, many jewelry lines and collections have been created to show our love for horses and horseback riding. This means you can find fantastic pieces almost anywhere and no matter what your budget is. However, the same as with scarves, try to choose small pieces of jewelry, that won’t fall off, get tangled in your hair or in your clothes or sparkle too much. When it comes to rings and bracelets, you should be aware that they could very easily get caught in the horse’s mane.
Saddle up and get going!
Although we know that horse riding doesn’t need much embellishment to be loved, because it already is, adding a touch of style, elegance and high sense of fashion has never hurt anyone. Don’t forget about equestrian helmet covers and equestrian helmet bags and you’re good to go!
Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8