Most of us know jodhpurs mainly as riding pants and actually may have thought they'd disappeared from the scene. The distinctive flared pants were once familiar sights in the hunt field, at military and police headquarters, and on Hollywood movie sets. Today, however, styles have changed and the long riding pants are now form-fitting.
A jodhpur pant has always been tight-fitting from knee to ankle but flared or loose-fitting above the knee. This gave freedom of movement to the hip and thighs while helping a rider cling tightly with the legs. Modern stretch fabrics have caused the distinctive flare to be abandoned, and today's riding pants conform to the rider's shape from the waist down.
The distinctive pant spread to England in the late 19th century, when Sir Pratap Singh of Jodhpur brought his polo team over for the Queen's Jubilee and won many contests. The Indian team wore their traditional riding pants, which caught on with novelty-loving, trend-following English players. They came up with breeches, which had a flared hip but stopped at mid-calf and were worn with tall boots, rather than the low shoes worn in India.
The English adaptation became the norm for formal equestrian wear in England and then in the rest of the world, especially as women began to abandon the sidesaddle and ride astride. Perceived as upper-class wear, it became a symbol of military and police authority as well, being used in many uniforms. Hollywood movie directors liked to strut around in them, too.
Full-length pants are good for children, because they grow too fast to make buying high boots practical. Instructors also say that this style of riding pant lets them see the position of the leg, thus helping children learn the correct position. The riding world is fairly strict on etiquette, and many horse enthusiasts prefer to see children dressed in jodhpurs even if money is no object.
The long pants can be used with half-chaps or leggings, which cover the lower keg and strap under the paddock boot. This helps prevent rubbing against the stirrup leathers and give a neat look to a rider when mounted. The practice of wearing informal clothes for training and exercising saves expensive, highly-polished tall boots from excessive wear.
A jodhpur pant is made with seams on the outside, to minimize leg irritation, and a reinforced knee panel to help the rider grip the saddle. Some also have seat patches of leather suede or some other non-slip material. Many modern styles feature complete seat and inner leg insets. New fabrics enable four and five-way stretch construction to give maximum comfort to the mounted rider; these non-binding fabrics have led to the loss of the traditional flare. Todays styles are form-fitting from waist to ankle.
The most common colors for jodhpurs include beige, cream, and white, although saddle-seat riders wear flare-cuff styles in dark colors. Today, riding gear for casual wear comes in many colors, but competition generally calls for traditional beige or white. Go online to see styles, colors, and variations that follow the current fashions.
A jodhpur pant has always been tight-fitting from knee to ankle but flared or loose-fitting above the knee. This gave freedom of movement to the hip and thighs while helping a rider cling tightly with the legs. Modern stretch fabrics have caused the distinctive flare to be abandoned, and today's riding pants conform to the rider's shape from the waist down.
The distinctive pant spread to England in the late 19th century, when Sir Pratap Singh of Jodhpur brought his polo team over for the Queen's Jubilee and won many contests. The Indian team wore their traditional riding pants, which caught on with novelty-loving, trend-following English players. They came up with breeches, which had a flared hip but stopped at mid-calf and were worn with tall boots, rather than the low shoes worn in India.
The English adaptation became the norm for formal equestrian wear in England and then in the rest of the world, especially as women began to abandon the sidesaddle and ride astride. Perceived as upper-class wear, it became a symbol of military and police authority as well, being used in many uniforms. Hollywood movie directors liked to strut around in them, too.
Full-length pants are good for children, because they grow too fast to make buying high boots practical. Instructors also say that this style of riding pant lets them see the position of the leg, thus helping children learn the correct position. The riding world is fairly strict on etiquette, and many horse enthusiasts prefer to see children dressed in jodhpurs even if money is no object.
The long pants can be used with half-chaps or leggings, which cover the lower keg and strap under the paddock boot. This helps prevent rubbing against the stirrup leathers and give a neat look to a rider when mounted. The practice of wearing informal clothes for training and exercising saves expensive, highly-polished tall boots from excessive wear.
A jodhpur pant is made with seams on the outside, to minimize leg irritation, and a reinforced knee panel to help the rider grip the saddle. Some also have seat patches of leather suede or some other non-slip material. Many modern styles feature complete seat and inner leg insets. New fabrics enable four and five-way stretch construction to give maximum comfort to the mounted rider; these non-binding fabrics have led to the loss of the traditional flare. Todays styles are form-fitting from waist to ankle.
The most common colors for jodhpurs include beige, cream, and white, although saddle-seat riders wear flare-cuff styles in dark colors. Today, riding gear for casual wear comes in many colors, but competition generally calls for traditional beige or white. Go online to see styles, colors, and variations that follow the current fashions.
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