3 Companies That Excel at Outfitting Equestrians of All Sizes

Some things will always be consistent on the hunter/jumper circuit: fashion trends grab attention with innovative designs and intricate details, and life will throw a curveball to your plans.

Right now, a lot of trendy attire comes from Europe. Technical fabrics and micro-crystals have squeaked into tradition. There are tons of colors available and seemingly infinite ways to customize your turnout. Big warmbloods and tiny European breeches—that’s “the look,” right? While they have endless options for trim, details and color, many of the popular European brands are a lot less inclusive in terms of sizing. The advice from the tack store is usually, “Size up,” but unless you’re already a small size, there’s not much room to go.

That curveball I mentioned? It doesn’t just apply to surprise abscesses and bad weather. Our bodies, especially women’s, take a beating. There are injuries, babies, genetics—so many reasons we have a hard time fitting into those beautiful (but extremely unrealistic for some of us) European breeches. The International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education revealed that the average size of an American woman is now between a 16 and 18. Yet, despite the knowledge that fitness and riding talent prevails at a wide variety of sizes, it’s still hard to find breeches larger than a 32 at many equestrian retailers.

Topical fashion piece about the average size of an American woman changing from a 14 to a 16/18, and how this affects the equestrian apparel industry. Published in The Plaid Horse magazine, September 2019. Read entire article.