Horseback Riding Gear: Helmets, Safety Vests, Boots, Gloves and Recovery

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Six-thirty on a summer morning, before the heat. The tack room smells of leather and fly spray; your helmet hangs on its hook, gloves stuffed inside, paddock boots by the door with yesterday’s arena dust still on them. Most horseback riding gear belongs to the horse, but this page is about the rider: the horse riding safety equipment that protects you (a certified helmet, a body protector, boots with a heel), the clothes that make riding comfortable, and the recovery gear many riders keep for the morning after a long day in the saddle.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

The quick checklist: a riding helmet certified to ASTM F1163 with the SEI tag (or PAS 015, VG1 or Snell); boots or shoes with a distinguishable heel; riding gloves; breeches, tights or jeans without thick inside seams; and, for jumping and cross-country, a body protector vest. Western riders add a Western hat for the show ring, or wear a helmet instead. Ask whether your lesson barn lends helmets to beginners.

Our top picks

Riding helmets: ASTM F1163 and SEI

The helmet is the one piece of gear every rider needs, English or Western, kid or adult. US Equestrian requires one for anyone mounted at its licensed shows (Western and reining divisions excepted) and accepts these standards: ASTM F1163 certified through SEI, PAS 015, VG1 01.040 and Snell. ASTM F1163 tests helmets in heat, cold and water and against a flat surface and an “equestrian hazard” shape. A certified helmet has the SEI seal and date of manufacture under the liner. A bike or ski helmet isn’t tested to this standard.

Fit is everything. US Equestrian advises having a helmet fitted by someone qualified and trying it on rather than buying blind online, even if you’ve had the same model before, because heads and sizes vary. So use our picks as a shortlist: try them on at a tack shop, then buy the exact size that fits. To find your size, measure around your head about an inch above the eyebrows (Troxel’s sizing advice); the helmet should feel snug all around, with the harness buckled every time.

Replace it after a fall. Troxel says equestrian helmets are made for one impact, so replace any helmet that’s been in an accident even if it looks fine, and replace it every five years anyway. Riders often don’t: in a study of college equestrians, 78% said they wouldn’t replace their helmet after every fall. The same study found no difference in head-injury rates between helmet brands, or between helmets with and without a MIPS liner, so a certified helmet that fits well matters more than the brand.

The Troxel Spirit is the classic everyday schooling helmet: a low-profile, full-coverage shell, a DialFit adjuster, vents and a removable, washable liner, in sizes from extra small for young riders up, for about $79. Troxel says all its helmets are ASTM/SEI certified. The Ovation Deluxe Schooler is a lightweight ABS-shell helmet certified to ASTM F1163-15 with SEI, with an adjustable dial, vents and a removable liner, for about $59; the listing pitches it at riders 12 and older.

Check the Troxel Spirit price on Amazon

Body protectors and air vests

A body protector is a padded foam vest that cushions the chest, ribs and back in a fall. In eventing, US Equestrian requires one for cross-country and its warm-up, and it recommends vests that meet ASTM F1937 (the US standard for body protectors in horse sports) or are SEI certified. Any rider may wear one in any class without penalty.

Air vests (airbag vests) use a gas cartridge to inflate around the rider in a fall. In US eventing they’re allowed on cross-country only over a body protector, and on their own in dressage and show jumping. Be realistic about what vests do: a 2025 review in Sports Health found vests may protect the chest but weren’t linked to fewer spinal cord injuries, and that riding experience also plays a role in lowering injury rates.

The Tipperary Contender is the maker’s lower-priced ASTM vest: dual-density EVA foam, a zip front, elastic laced sides and adjustable shoulders, with a back panel that flips up to clear the saddle; it’s ASTM F1937 and SEI certified. Expect about $260 to $280 depending on size. Tipperary’s pricier Eventer Pro is a little less bulky, the maker says.

Check the Tipperary Contender price on Amazon

Boots with a heel

US Equestrian requires boots or shoes with a distinguishable heel for anyone riding on show grounds (a few saddle seat and breed divisions are exempt), and most barns ask for the same in lessons. English riders wear short paddock boots, often with half chaps, or tall boots for shows; Western riders wear cowboy boots. Skip sneakers and hiking boots with chunky lugs.

The Ariat Heritage IV Zip Paddock Boot is a long-running barn favorite: full-grain leather, a zip, a 4LR stabilizing shank, a cushioned insole and a Duratread sole, at a list price of about $160. There’s also a waterproof men’s version for about $170.

Check the Ariat Heritage IV Zip Paddock Boot price on Amazon

Gloves, breeches and what to wear

Gloves protect your hands from rein rubs and rope burns and help your grip in rain and sweat. SSG Digital riding gloves have a textured “digital” palm that grips even when wet, smooth seams between the fingers for holding several reins, and they’re machine washable, for about $40.

Breeches and riding tights have no thick inside seam to rub and usually a grippy knee or full-seat patch. A budget pair like the TuffRider Starter pull-on breeches (cotton-spandex, knee patches, about $30) is fine for lessons. Western riders usually ride in jeans. Show attire depends on the discipline: dressage, hunter and jumper divisions each have dress codes in the US Equestrian rulebook, and the Western division requires a Western hat (a helmet may be worn instead without penalty).

Tack, briefly: the saddle, bridle and pads belong to the horse, and a saddle that fits both horse and rider is a safety issue. Have an experienced trainer or saddle fitter check it. At US Equestrian shows, nothing may be attached to a saddle with a rigid upward hook that could catch a rider getting off.

Horseback riding gear compared

Product	Type	Standard / key feature	About price
Troxel Spirit	Helmet	ASTM/SEI, DialFit	$79
Ovation Deluxe Schooler	Helmet	ASTM F1163-15 + SEI, low profile	$59
Tipperary Contender	Body protector	ASTM F1937 / SEI	$260–280
Ariat Heritage IV Zip	Paddock boot	Heel, 4LR shank	$160
SSG Digital	Gloves	Grips when wet, washable	$40
TuffRider Starter	Breeches	Pull-on, knee patches	$30

Recovery gear for riders

A long ride or a show weekend can leave riders with tight hips, inner thighs and lower backs, and sore feet from a day in boots. Many riders use a small massage gun like the Theragun Mini on the back, glutes and legs, a TriggerPoint GRID foam roller for hips and thighs, and the OOFOS OOahh Slide once the boots come off. They’re for comfort, not treatment: back pain that lingers, numbness or pain after a fall needs a sports medicine doctor or physical therapist. More in our massage gun guide, foam roller guide and recovery shoe guide.

How to choose horseback riding gear

• Helmet first: look for the SEI tag (ASTM F1163) or another US Equestrian-accepted standard, and get fitted in person.
• Replace after any fall where the helmet hit, and every five years, per Troxel.
• Heels on every boot you ride in.
• Vest for jumping: required for eventing cross-country; look for ASTM F1937 or SEI.
• Buy safety gear new: you can’t know a used helmet’s history.
• Check your show’s dress code in the prize list before you buy show clothes.

Back to the horseback riding hub, see horseback riding rules and safety, our guide for parents of young riders and the injuries page. Comparing sports? See our soccer gear guide.

Horseback riding gear FAQs

What gear do I need to start horseback riding?

A certified riding helmet (many barns lend one at first), boots or shoes with a heel, long pants and gloves. Add breeches or riding tights when you ride every week, and a body protector if you jump.

What does ASTM/SEI certified mean?

ASTM F1163 is the US performance standard for horse riding helmets; SEI, the Safety Equipment Institute, certifies helmets to it through independent testing. Look for the SEI tag inside the helmet.

How often should I replace my riding helmet?

After any fall or accident where it took a hit, even if it looks fine, and every five years otherwise, as Troxel recommends. Equestrian helmets are designed for one impact.

Is an air vest better than a body protector?

They’re different. US eventing rules allow air vests on cross-country only over a body protector. Research suggests vests may protect the chest but haven’t been shown to prevent spinal cord injuries, so neither replaces good riding and a suitable horse.

Can I ride in sneakers?

It’s not a good idea, and US Equestrian requires boots or shoes with a distinguishable heel on show grounds. Paddock boots or Western boots are the standard choice.