breeches or jods?

[kitkatt456]

hi i was wondering what would be better to get, breeches or jods? and how are they different? is one better then the other for more expensive?

[virtuallyhorses]

I have often wondered this myself - have no idea is it the cuffs? the front zipper? the belt loop? They always seem overpriced to me esp when compared to leggings which do the same job.

[Emma_G_NZ]

Breeches are to be worn with long riding boots..
Jodhpurs have a pad type thing on the leg, they are worn with short boots..

If you want to wear short boots, buy jodhpurs, if you want to wear long boots, buy breeches ;)

[Gracie]

I like jods! Personally!:) I like riding in paddock boots best!

[mikka]

I'm not sure of the difference, either. What is the pad? Is it just that the ankle bits are different - cuff, etc.?

[Emma_G_NZ]

There is an extra pad from the knee down to about half way down the calf, from memory that is!!
I think thats because that is where breeches would wear out the most, and maybe some other reason? Grip maybe? not too sure!
I guess, why do people wear long boots? lol, must be the same reason.

[cvb]

the ankle fastening is different too.

Jodphurs need to look 'finished' as they are outside and on view. So they have a turned over cuff.

Breeches need to fit snugly so they don't wrinkle inside your long boots, so they have a fold over flap, normally velcro fastening these days. Breeches are also often slightly shorter.

[Debby Riley]

I have just bought my first pair of breeches, and i am confused? I wear short boots with chaps, would i have been better off with jods? The tack shop i got them from said i could change them if i wanted too, help

[Emma_G_NZ]

Hi Debby,
Breeches and chaps are correct, but if you would like to ride without chaps then you go for jodhpurs.

:D

[$@R@H]

I got some breeches. I understood that they don't go all the way done to your ankel like jodhs do? I got mine 2nd hand:eek:
for about $40.00(Nz dollars)

[kelsey]

The tack shops around me don't sell jodhpurs for adults, only for children. (They wear them to show pony hunters with paddock boots.)

I am getting rid of all my old breeches and replacing them with Equissentials - they are pull-on style with full seats and the legs are finished like tights. They are much more comfortable and you can use them for showing.

[Debby Riley]

thank goodness i got something right !!! Breeches with chaps and short boots.

I had a lesson today wearing my new breeches called saddlehuggers, didn't do me much good, saddle hug they did not !! bounced around today, was off saddle more than on it, saddle hug they did not, suppose i can't blame breeches more my bad riding !!

My excuse for the bad riding today was getting over a migraine from yesterday and not feeling all that great (all out of sorts ) lesson was bad feel down about riding as i was doing so well up until now, infact hated every minute of it today, do you all get good and bad days ??

[galadriel]

Oh, yes, everybody has good and bad days!

And believe me, you wouldn't catch me in the saddle on the day after a migraine (unless for some reason it was a show I *could not* scratch--and I'd be just trying to complete it, not to do well ;) ). I find that migraines affect my sense of balance as well as my vision and well, my head!

[CobNut]

What's correct, IMHO, is whatever you're most comfortable with. But then, i don't tend to do the sort fo things where people get all stuffy and sniffy if you're "incorrectly" turned out.

Breeches have the advantage that they CAN be used with either long boots or short boots - but they'll not be too comfortable with short boots for more than quarter of an hour's riding or so unless you get some half chaps as well.

Being a man, I have to get used to paying a LOT more for ALL my riding clothes than you girls. But I have to say that in my experience, expensive breeches are well worth teh extra.

I have some Eurostars and some Cavallos, and they's both just SOOOO comfortable compared with bog standard kit such as Harry Hall. If your bank balance will stand it, I'd say kit yourself out with the more expensive stuff. (But if it won't, at all costs RESIST the temptation to try a pair on in the shop "just to see what they're like". Believe me, you'll be hooked!)

[snailspace]

I have breeches now, but I'm thinking of getting jods when it's time to buy new ones because I'm tall and there's about an inch of sock showing between my breeches and my paddock boots. It doesn't really matter when my half-chaps are on, but when I'm in the car, out in the pasture, running errands before/after lessons, I feel a bit silly with this bit of sock showing! And it gets COLD in the winter. You can still wear half-chaps over jods, right? Or would it be too bulky?

Kelsey: How much do those equissentials cost? I've decided that my next pair of whatever should be good for everyday AND ok for show, since I'm on a tight budget and am not totally sure I want to show yet.

[CobNut]

Half chaps will go over anything, provided they're not cut too tight. Wear the jods when you go to try the half chaps, and choose some that fit.

[kelsey]

Hi Snailspace - I paid $235 Canadian for mine (got them at the Royal Winter Fair) - I see there is someone on Ebay selling them for around $150 US. You get to pick your size (they come in long, short, and all different sizes). These are the full seat ones - the seat is deerskin and it is very very soft, I believe the seats are guaranteed for life and the stitching for either one or two years. I am asking for another pair for my birthday.

I have washed them a couple of times with Leather Therapy and they still look new.

You can easily show in these as they come in all colours - there is a knee patch version for hunters. I bought a pair of Eurostars for showing but I am selling them and replacing them with white Equissentials. (You have the option of having a fly front and belt loops added for a bit more.)

I wear half chaps over mine - the bottom is finished like a legging, you could still wear short boots if you wanted.

They are so comfortable I feel like wearing them around the house - they are four-way stretch. As an added bonus, they hold all the nasty parts in.

[virtuallyhorses]

Kelsey do you compete or something? I can't imagine paying that much for a pair of stretchy pants - deerskin or not! (we've got deer all over the place they're not that special)

I thought I was being carefree with my money when I paid $NZD70 (thats about $US30) for a pair of stickybum jods and I'll be damned dissappointed if the stitching on them doesn't last more than a couple of years! I've been wearing pairs of 'Target' (like K-Mart) leggings for the past 3 years @ $10 a pair and they're still going strong... obviously my Scottish mother has passed on her financial genes :)

[snailspace]

Umm, maybe I could find them on sale or something:rolleyes:

That's alot more than I can pay for one pair of jods, considering I could buy 2 pairs of what I have now for $100, if I catch a sale. Oh, well, maybe I'll come across the deal of a lifetime!

One of the reasons I balk at showing (besides the fact that I am not a competitor by nature and it scares me to death) is the cost. My instructor and I talked about it once, and, even if I go with several people and split everything (hotel, etc.) it's an insane amount of money for someone who's just going for the experience. Unfortunately, they don't have little local shows in dressage or showjumping around here, unless you're in pony club.

[kelsey]

Before I started riding some really BIG moving horses (and having a proper dressage instructor), I wouldn't have noticed the difference between these and the cheaper clarino seat ones, but I certainly do now. The sticking power is amazing.

I prefer to scrimp on other things and spend the money on really good quality horsy stuff. For example, I never go away (unless horse related), rarely go out to eat, rarely go to movies, etc etc. That's the same reason I paid over $2000 for a used dressage saddle rather than purchase a lower quality new one.

I guess its up to each person to decide what they want to spend their money on! I have become quite serious about my riding (with my trainer's encouragement) and aspire to move up as far as I can.

[soaring_eagle]

i have jods but only cuz i like them more, but that was about 4 years ago, i've only used them every weekend and they seem to have worn well, they're harry hall and i got them from the royal show here in the uk! places like that are good for sales! I know you mean about scottish genes, my dad's scottish!!! :)

[MyStIc139]

HIyaz i wear jods cuz they're lot more comfy but u can wear them wit long boots or short boots. But breeches u can only were wit long boots or chaps and are shorter and designed to make it easier and more comfortable to wear long boots well thats my opinion neways.
im gettin sum new long boots in while and sum new jods as well i like denim jods for everyday cuz they are comfy and look good and im used to wearin denim neways :D lol

[Tootsie4U]

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE - Over here jods are something seldom seen. I didnt even know exactly what they were till now. Seems they would suit me best. I have long legs and breeches just dont cut it. Half my leg hangs out while Im riding - they are too short.

I'll be checking Ebay for some -- usually I can find cheaper breeches on ebay.. maybe the same for jods :D

[virtuallyhorses]

Just regarding the big moving horses - I think I'd rather spend my money on lessons to learn to sit correctly and softly on a big moving horse than spend it on some special pants to stick me to the saddle

BTW if anyone's interested - the NZD is about half the USD so if you're looking for bargains, you can probably find them here (even allowing for freight) Just watch out for our foreign sizes :)

[galadriel]

Most of the jods I have seen are specifically designed for jod boots--that is, they are slightly thicker at the bottom or even permantly "rolled up," to go OVER the jod boots.

I am actually wearing a pair right now ;) (too tired when I got home to change). The ones I'm wearing have a suedelike knee patch that extends all the way down the leg to the bottom cuff. I have quite long legs, and these jods reach past my ankles (designed to go around the outside of the jod boots).

I would not be able to get tall boots on over these pants, nor over the other several pairs of differently designed types of jods I have.

[MyStIc139]

yeah i no *** u mean gladriel my old jods wouldent have fit even half way into long boots cuz they were rolled at the ankle but most average types of jods normally will fit into a long boots
Tho i suppose half chaps would be better....:)

[kelsey]

virtually - for your info, I have three lessons a week (plus give or take two lunge lessons a month) - I only switched from western three months ago and am now schooling medium tests - I have become quite passionate about dressage and, accordingly, I am equipping myself in the best way I can afford (including fullseat breeches - according to my trainer, every high level rider in Europe wears them, so I don't see why I should argue with that level of success! I also find them incredibly comfortable.)

According to my trainer, I am learning to sit the trot very well, so whatever I am doing must be working!

I am also planning to attend three clinics this year and go to Europe next year to train.

I am curious as to whether you feel the same way about seatsavers and wintec saddles! (I don't use either, just a plain Keiffer. Neither do I use a flash noseband, martingale, or any other kind of gadget.)

If you want to see the ultimate in riding gadgets, check out this website:

www.unisit.net

[galadriel]

Mmmmm, Kieffer.

[virtuallyhorses]

I'm sorry if my quick comment sounded like sour grapes- but for me that money would be a choice - either I spend it on jods OR lessons. I couldn't have both, as it sounds like you do. Therefore, I personally couldn't bring myself to spend $400 (NZ equivalent to the $200 you quoted) on a pair of pants no matter how good they were - this would buy me 11 extra lessons that I would gain more enjoyment from. Or 2 rugs for my horse, or a service for my car.

Please don't get me wrong Kelsey, I think its marvelous that you are getting the benefit of the breeches you've bought and see the value in them, but we'll have to agree to differ on that one, we're obviously worlds apart in our finances :)

Would I spend the money on a seat saver, better saddle or something like that? - yeah possibly. I have absolutely no problem with seat savers or softer saddles (I own a Wintec with the suede seat and love its comfort) - I absolutely agree with the idea that life is too short to live in discomfort and we just don't have the saddle-time these days to 'gain a seat' on rock hard leather saddles the old fashioned way.

Sorry If my post got up your nose, it wasn't intended to :)

[kelsey]

That's okay, viv! (I was in a bad mood earlier today because of work, anyway, so was a little harsh myself.)

Galadriel - oops, spelling mistake!

Someone, go and check out that website

www.unisit.net

and tell me what you think.

I think I would feel like an astronaut about to lift off!

[virtuallyhorses]

I did :D bloody hell!! I could've used one of them several times ;) :D :D I've already emailed this link elsewhere as its so entertaining ...

[galadriel]

I didn't care about the spelling mistake...I just love Kieffers!

I had seen the unisit thing in catalogs. Interesting, I suppose, maybe--can't really get my mind to work around it though. It seems like it would be so restrictive. Seems so *wrong*.

[kelsey]

viv - yes, I found it so unusual (to say the least) that I posted in on the General board.

galadriel - somehow it runs along the same lines as teaching ballet by attaching puppet mechanisms to little girls. (I love my saddle too, luckily my trainer had someone in Germany who owed her money, so she took the saddle instead and I got it for a great price.)

[galadriel]

Originally posted by kelsey
(I love my saddle too, luckily my trainer had someone in Germany who owed her money, so she took the saddle instead and I got it for a great price.)

Ack! Jealous :)

My Kieffer is probably about 30+ yrs old...it's still going strong, but it does NOT fit my "baby" (more a narrow-medium than a medium-wide :( )...wants a new one, yes, my precious, we wants a new one...