To help every lesson go as smoothly as possible, you must ensure that your child shows up properly attired for the day. This means being outfitted from head to toe with a helmet, shirt, jodhpurs, horse riding boots, and other necessary safety equipment specifically designed to prevent injuries to young riders. Here’s a brief overview of the basic items you’ll need to buy.

Equestrian helmets
Most barns don’t let children anywhere near the horses unless they’re wearing ASTM/SEI approved equestrian helmets. There are many different styles of equestrian helmets for children that are intended to make young riders comfortable while providing full protection. The most innovative manufacturers incorporate a Dial-Fit System (DFS) that allows the rider to adjust the fit of the helmet simply by turning a dial. This ensures that the helmet will sit snugly on the rider’s head, thereby increasing its effectiveness.

Many equestrian helmets also feature moisture-wicking materials on the inside to keep riders cool even in hot weather, while others have vent strips for improved air flow.

Sport or show shirts
A sport or show shirt is another important piece of apparel to wear to lessons. We offer fitted shirts in breathable fabrics that allow for freedom of movement while protecting sensitive young arms against sunburn, scrapes, and chafing.

Jodhpurs and riding chaps
Instead of breeches, most young riders wear jodhpurs while in the saddle. Jodhpurs fit over horse riding boots and come in pull-on, front-zip, or side-zip styles. Some children like a traditional fit, while others feel more at ease in the low-rise variety, so asking your child’s preference before buying can save you from having to make a merchandise return later on.

We recommend wearing half-chaps with jodhpurs for additional protection while mounted. Form-fitting chaps or half-chaps not only keep the rider’s jodhpurs in place, but also allow him or her to grip and feel the horse better. Riders cannot achieve the same amount of contact with baggy pants or jeans, so that type of apparel should be avoided altogether.

Horse riding boots
Next to equestrian helmets, horse riding boots are the most critical piece of safety equipment in the rider’s habit. They protect the toes, feet, and ankles from injury, and also help keep the rider in place on the saddle by allowing for better leverage and grip in the stirrups.

For lessons and casual practice sessions, it’s acceptable for youngsters to wear low, paddock-style horse riding boots. But as riders progress to the teen years or start competing in shows, they ought to graduate to tall horse riding boots and breeches.

As your child waits in anticipation for that first wondrous day on horseback, take this opportunity to explain some safety basics and to make it clear that certain items, such as equestrian helmets and horse riding boots, are nonnegotiable and must be worn at all times. The last thing anyone wants is for an injury to dampen the enthusiasm of a new rider, so be sure to make “safety first” your mantra!

TIP #1: Determine specific needs. The type of riding boots you will need to buy depends on how they will be used. If the primary riding discipline is English, then tall English riding boots would be your best bet. TheEquestrianCorner.com has many options which all come in a vast array of styles. For example, the Mountain Horse Supreme Ladies Field Boot provides the closeness and control you may need as well as comfort in a classic design.

TIP #2: Consider the type of weather, time of year and hours spent in the saddle. Many boots are designed to be good for more than one thing, so it’s possible to purchase boots that are waterproof with good traction that are also very comfortable while riding. If riding during the snowy months, consider Tuffrider Snow Rider Tall Boots.

TIP #3: Set a budget. Riding boots come in a myriad of styles and price points. It’s good to set a range of how much you want to spend prior to making the final decision. Ovation Ladies Finalist PRO Field Boots provide comfort as well as an elegant design. These boots are a great buy!

TIP #4: Know your size. When measuring for tall riding boots, put on the breeches and socks you will use most often. Use a cloth tape measure while sitting in a chair with your knees at a right angle. To find the height of your boot, measure the floor by your heel to the break in the back of your knee. Make sure to add at least a 1/2 inch for the drop. Calf width should be measured around your calf at the widest point, adding 1/8 inch for comfort. Accurately measured boots will be just a bit too tall the first time worn, and the boot tops will hit the tendons behind the knee. After a few days of breaking them in, the ankle area will soften and crease and drop approximately a 1/2 inch.

TIP #5: Do some additional research. There are many name brands to choose from, as well as more economic brands. Pay close attention to customer reviews to get a good overall opinion.

Finding an excellent pair of riding boots that will last a extended period of time is indeed a possibility if you take the time to establish what you need, set your budget, know your size and do some research. It may be a little more work during your initial period of determining which boots to buy, but the results are well worth the effort.

This one event has three very different disciplines, all testing the limits and abilities between a horse and their rider. Before you put on your riding helmets, take a look below at some important things to know about ‘Eventing’ at the Rolex Kentucky:

1. DRESSAGE: Held in the outdoor stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park, this event tests the gaits, agility and compliance of the horse through a series of assigned movements. While judging the on the first day is based on detailed criteria by experienced judges and riders, it’s basically explained as an evaluation of beauty of movement and obedience. Anyone can judge these characteristics and the spectator’s opinion often agrees with the judges. The number of competitors may require that Dressage be held over two days but it remains the first competition day.Keeping score: The judges keep score by four sets of collective marks. These marks are awarded from 0 to 10 by three judges. 0 is the worst (not executed) whereas 10 is the best (excellent). The good marks are added together for each judge, deducting any error of course of test. The test has to be completed from memory. Errors or a wrong sequence, whether corrected or not, are penalized. The first error will cost the rider 2 points, second error 4, and 3^rd error means elimination.

1. CROSS-COUNTRY: With this event, thousands will gather to watch horses and riders hurtle over four miles of the difficult terrain, at speeds up to 25 mph, while navigating through obstacles, water hazards, banks and ditches.Keeping Score: Faults at an obstacle are penalized if in the official is concerned they are attempted or connected with one of the numbered or lettered obstacles on that course. A rider can also exceed time limits and will be penalized for that as well. “Optimum Time” is achieved by dividing the distance by the required speed.

1. JUMPING: This is the final phase of the Rolex Kentucky and always seems to bring energy and accuracy to the outdoor stadium. The event is over a course which is 500 – 600 meters in long and has over 11-13 obstacles with 16 maximum jumping endeavors at 375 meters per minute.Keeping Score: Some penalizations include knocking down an obstacle or fist disobedience which constitutes 4 penalties. Other faults include falling off of the horse, jumping an obstacle in the wrong order, and/or error of the course not rectified which all eliminate the competitor.

Now that you’ve taken a look at the main 3 events at The Rolex Kentucky and how they keep score, it’s time to put on your equestrian boots and get ready to go!