Half Chaps - important? Or not.

[CaliforniaSyndrome]

This is a pretty petty topic but there is a good reason behind it. How important do you feel half chaps are to a rider (tall child)who is at a point where they are ready to start jumping. Or in general a rider hoping to progress in lessons.

Edited to add- as opposed to just jeans, or just breeches.

This is more of a polling question, yes or no and why.

[dags]

hmm, important? I'd guess I'd have to answer no, more along the lines of no, they're not necessary for cantering and beginner jumping. Useful? Yes, probably. But I think when you consider all of us that grew up in jods showing, probably not important.

(course I have a grief- my parents kept me in jods till I was 11, on a 16.1h horse, and showing Childrens Hunters, in a desperate attempt to cling to hope of it all being a "phase". I looked ridiculous.)

[Quin]

OP: as opposed to what? Is the kid wearing breeches/riding tights with knee patches? Or floppy blue jeans? The half chaps are a lot more important for the kid who is riding in street pants that are climbing up to her knees as the lesson progresses.

For a new lesson rider, I'd try first to get them in proper paddocks (as opposed to 'anything with a heel'). Then their own helmet, rather than using a school helmet. Then half chaps. Then riding gloves. Then some type of schooling tights or breeches, still with the half chaps.

I do feel half chaps are important. Some of it is probably a mental thing - if I think my leg is grippier, it is. If I think I'm going to ride better, I do. What a concept! ;)

[goeslikestink]

those that use half chaps wear them as they are easier to wear with jodpur boots and muckers rather than ride in long riding boots meaning you can swapp your boots easier
those that compete dont often wear half chaps its normally the real thing as in long leather riding boots pr short ones but might use them over x/c with small jodpur boots as they are easier to take oof if wet and can then still ride in another fispline with clean boots
half chaps saves wear and tear on them

[enjoytheride]

I wear half chaps all spring - fall because the leathers pinch my legs in breeches or jeans. They don't really do anything to keep me on top though. In the winter I don't wear halfchaps, my winter paddock boots are too bulky to fit them over and my winter breeches/long john combo is thick enough to keep me from being pinched.

[CaliforniaSyndrome]

OP: as opposed to what? Is the kid wearing breeches/riding tights with knee patches? Or floppy blue jeans? The half chaps are a lot more important for the kid who is riding in street pants that are climbing up to her knees as the lesson progresses.

For a new lesson rider, I'd try first to get them in proper paddocks (as opposed to 'anything with a heel'). Then their own helmet, rather than using a school helmet. Then half chaps. Then riding gloves. Then some type of schooling tights or breeches, still with the half chaps.

I do feel half chaps are important. Some of it is probably a mental thing - if I think my leg is grippier, it is. If I think I'm going to ride better, I do. What a concept! ;)

That's what I think, jeans in almost all cases should be accompanied by half chaps. I wear half chaps no matter what, unless I'm riding western.
anyway, I guess this is more of a poll. Not an advice seeking question, thank you for your answers everyone!

[Ambrey]

Well, I don't jump but... between the discomfort of the leathers and what I feel is a slippier leg, I feel very uncomfortable without them.

[goeslikestink]

Well, I don't jump but... between the discomfort of the leathers and what I feel is a slippier leg, I feel very uncomfortable without them.

ambrey if you read my helpful links and alter your stirrups to the correct lenght
then a- they wont pinch and b-- your legs will stay a tad still
rather than be like a pendallium clock

[Ambrey]

Thumper's rule...

[Defying Logic]

I always ride in jeans and never wear half chaps. I have never owned a pair and have no problems.

[GettingBack]

I wear them when wearing jeans to prevent a pinch, and also to keep me feeling neat(er) and tidy even when riding casually. I wear them when wearing breeches when I don't want to wear my tall boots. Are they important? Well, no, probably not important. But they do keep the pants in place and keep pinches from happening, as well as make one tidier.

Why do you ask?

[EAY]

I think it's better for children to ride with just jods and paddock boots, especially for lessons and if that's what they show in. Otherwise they can become overly dependent on the increased grippiness of half-chaps, particularly the suede ones that you usually see children using.


For the older child who is too tall for jodpurs, then yes they should use either tall boots or half chaps for lessons.

[Pally]

I think I made it through 1 or 2 rides in an English saddle before I purchased half chaps.....pants hitting the leathers (so not directly pinching, but just twisting and bunching, etc) drove me crazy. Now I wear them pretty much all of the time, including most of the time that I ride Western (I'm a little pant challenged there too).

I guess they aren't essential if the rider is comfortable (but maybe they just don't know what they are missing). I'm guessing this post is in regards to asking/encouraging a lesson student to buy some. Honestly, I don't see a big problem with this, as there are some very cheap schooling chaps out there, which they could get and then be set to ride in any pants they want, even just old jeans or cheap workout pants from Target or whatever. Saves the need to get very particular breeches (long and have patches, like Kerrits).

[Ambrey]

For kids, I'd agree that they are not essential but they are nice to have. My daughter was riding for a year, I think, before I bought hers. She had breeches, a helmet, and boots from the start.

To tell you the truth, the purchase that had the greatest positive impact on her riding was her own, well fitting saddle. Most parents probably aren't up for that one. And the one I put off too long was gloves- she hates riding without them now.

[Vandy]

Definitely important if the kid is wearing jeans. Actually in my barn, the kids are not allowed to ride in just jeans - we provide half-chaps the first few lessons, then they are expected to purchase their own. My reasons include neat/tidy appearance, security, and comfort (prevents pinching/jeans riding up etc.)

[amastrike]

It depends. I wear half chaps because I hate my pants bunching up, and I hate the stirrup leather pinching me. Grippiness really isn't a factor. If the rider is comfortable without them, then they aren't necessary. If her leg isn't stable without half chaps, she should be doing lots of good no-stirrup work, not starting jumping.

[PonyHunterz]

I always wear chaps, full in the winter and half in the summer and never ride in jeans.
I tend to get terrible rubs from the stirrup leathers, riding in schooling breeches and chaps prevents this from happening.:yes:

[make x it x so]

I wouldn't recommend half chaps for anyone who is going to be showing in jods still. The half-chaps offer grip and protection from rubbing that you don't have with just jods, and it can be really disconcerting to switch back at a show. I know that I have become dependent on my half chaps and when I don't wear them I need to ride without my stirrups to avoid being pinched by the stirrup leathers.

[CaliforniaSyndrome]

Oops, whoever NewyorkNewyork is (apparently we're at the same farm and use the same computer because you left your user name signed on). Anyway!

Believe me, my kids do no stirrup work! In fact this is one of the main reasons half chaps were suggested. As a matter of fact, they are going to be required for a majority of the older out of jod's riders - after all this but taking this situation specifically at hand - yes, my kids all do no stirrup work, quite a bit of it actually and in this case with jeans especially half chaps are NEEDED. I feel bad for that child who still wears jeans and by the end of the lesson they have ridden up to their knees, and I do not use the word NEED lightly. Honestly, beyond the extra support or WHATEVER the list may have that half chaps provide, it also provides a much neater look, appearance plays a big part to me, as it should to everyone. I wish my kids to want to look their best! Half chaps accompany a neat and tidy look.

[BeaSting]

When I was in the Navy, I always carried my helmet, gloves and half-chaps on board ship. What ever port we hit, it was easy to tuck them into my backpack when I went out to find a horse to ride. (I always wore denim jeans at the time.) I'm still using the half-chaps.

[Paragon]

I always wear half chaps. They're just part of my standard gear.

[copper1]

Half chaps can be fairly inexpensive and takes longer for a kid to grow out of. You always ride better if you have correct attire and I always encouraged the beginners to get paddock boots and half chaps and then on to jodphurs and breeches. I don't think the half chaps add that much security to your leg but they do keep your pants from riding up or the slipperiness of breeches and socks. Many times when parent were bringing kids for lessons they were off to something else afterwords and easy to slip off the chaps than pants. Any kids that were going to show were required to wear jods or breeches for severak weeks prior.

[Hunter Mom]

DD rides in half chaps at home, but shows in jods. Her schooling tights don't always stay down, and sometimes she rides in jeans, too. I have scars on my calves from riding without half chaps, so don't want her to have those too. She has no problem going to jods only at shows.

I also agree with Ambrey - a saddle is a big investment, but worth it. I bought her a new saddle last year (14") and it made a huge difference. The best part is that little saddles are easy to resell - someone at my barn spoke for hers the second or third day she had it!

[Ambrey]

I also agree with Ambrey - a saddle is a big investment, but worth it. I bought her a new saddle last year (14") and it made a huge difference. The best part is that little saddles are easy to resell - someone at my barn spoke for hers the second or third day she had it!

Yep! :yes: The smallest saddles they had at her training barn were 16", and the difference when she started riding in the 14" was amazing (we also had her sit in many different saddles, and chose one that was comfortable for her).

And small saddles get snapped up on e-bay very quickly- I got it on sale, and doubt I'll lose more than $75-$100 on it.

[billiebob]

I've recommended half chaps to some of my lesson kiddies that are tall and skinny. We don't require them at our barn but as a tall person whose pants are almost always too short I personally love them! I always ride with either half chaps, full chaps, or tall boots. Never without something on my calves because of the pinching and rubbing.

And I have to say, when I bought a new saddle in October that actually fit me, my position got so much more secure. Even when riding in other people's saddles!

[Trixie]

For me, very. I get killer rubs without them.

If a kid was to be riding in just jeans, I definitely wouldn't do boot cut or the like lest they ride up.

[vxf111]

I can remember a time when half chaps didn't exist. I rode without as a kid and I managed to live to tell the tale.

Are they helpful. Sure. Easier than boots. Yes. MUST every kid have a pair? Last I checked, it wasn't ABSOLUTELY necessary for riding. Even on the A circuit. If the kid doesn't care and likes to ride in jods, what is the big deal? If she wants a pair, and she sees the other kids in them-- maybe she'll buy a pair. Maybe she doesn't care? If she's comfortable, shouldn't you be happy that there's ONE kid who cares more about riding than fashion!?

[CaliforniaSyndrome]

I can remember a time when half chaps didn't exist. I rode without as a kid and I managed to live to tell the tale.

Are they helpful. Sure. Easier than boots. Yes. MUST every kid have a pair? Last I checked, it wasn't ABSOLUTELY necessary for riding. Even on the A circuit. If the kid doesn't care and likes to ride in jods, what is the big deal? If she wants a pair, and she sees the other kids in them-- maybe she'll buy a pair. Maybe she doesn't care? If she's comfortable, shouldn't you be happy that there's ONE kid who cares more about riding than fashion!?

Not the scenario. However I agree!