Equestrian Clothing ~ Colour magic!

Colour magic!

Equestrian clothing used to be seen as purely practical - outfits that you were not proud to be seen in on the school run, or when popping to the shops, post-ride! But now, thanks to creative designers and advanced technological materials and styling, today’s riding tops, breeches and other items of horse-riding apparel are smart, sassy, fit-for-purpose and form-flattering.

But what about the colours? Surely horsey clothes in lighter colours will get dirty - so dark colours rule? And don’t technologically-advanced materials like Polyamide and Elasthane shrink in the wash, or become ‘bobbly’ after frequent washing? Not necessarily - choose a high-tech item, whether riding top or breeches, that washes well at thirty degrees, and hang your garments to dry instead of tumble drying, and they will last and last, and retain their shape.

Top style tips - matching your breeches to your accessories

Yes, we all know that colour coordinating saddle cloths, head-collars, bandages, ear bonnets and protective boots for horses and ponies are definitely still popular! And if you want to do ‘matchy matchy’ with your breeches, then Derriere’s gorgeous navy Treviso Training Breeches will work well with all of the equestrian accessories brands. As a grown up, you may not want to colour-match exactly, however - tonal dressing and coordinating is even bigger news than ‘matchy matchy’ - so why not start with your breeches, and work backwards from dark blue? Tonal coordinating means using multiple shades of the same colour. It gives polished and ‘pulled together’ look, and you can be sure than all tones within a colour will go together. It’s also a more grown up way to rock the single-colour accessorising, starting from your smart, dark blue Treviso Training Breeches.

Style advice - choose pretty pastels

Every spring and summer, the fashionistas declare that pastel shades are de rigour. Here at Derriere Equestrian, this is something we have known about for a long while! Pastels go with most human skin tones and work beautifully with the staple of equestrian dressing, the colour navy. We love the concept of colour blocking with lighter, solid shades against a darker shade, making interesting and complementary colour combinations with our riding wear.

A good example is wearing our navy Treviso Training Breeches with a turquoise ‘Pocket Skin’ riding top - the Pocket Skin garments not only look good, but provide all round upper body support, comfort and climate control technology, with their moisture wicking, all-way stretch fabric. You will be in good company if you choose this pretty, green-blue colour - turquoise is officially making a comeback (if it ever went away!), with Valentino and Nina Ricci highlighting this beautiful hue in their fall-winter 2017 / 2018 runway fashion shows; and the famous Pantone Spring 2018 Fashion Trend Report giving a nod to the colour as one of 12 ‘call out shades’. You will find Derriere’s take on the colour turquoise a beautiful, soft, wearable shade.

If you want a different look, stand out from the crowd in our lovely white Cannes Competition breeches; they’re designed to promote optimal comfort and performance (and, like all our breeches, work in harmony with the Derriere undergarments, to eliminate chaffing). Pair with a coral-coloured ‘Pocket Skin’ for a pretty, summery look that ticks the fashion boxes! Again, the Pantone Spring 2018 Fashion Trend Report highlights coral as a key colour, describing their favourite as ‘blush coral pink’, with ‘subtly alluring’ qualities and ‘an understated appeal!’

We’d love to see your summer riding looks, so do share your pics with us on our Derriere Equestrian Facebook page, or drop us a message via the page!

www.derriereequestrian.com 

The thigh’s the limit! The Dressage Rider's Thigh Position

The thigh’s the limit

The dressage rider’s thigh position is one of the first things we notice, when observing them ride; long, loose and relaxed, in a very good rider - or tense, forward and tight, in someone who is still learning their craft. A relaxed, long thigh, starting at the hip flexor, pulls the horse rider’s seat bones down into the saddle, creating a deep seat, and adding security in the saddle - it helps create an independent seat, which is imperative for influencing the horse. A good flatwork position sees the thigh lying flat against the saddle, with a slight inward rotation at the femur joint, e.g. at the top of the thigh-bone. The horse rider’s knees and toes can then point comfortably forward.

Conversely, in a less confident or experienced dressage rider, the thigh may be ‘gripping’, the upper leg may be positioned too far forward, and the rider may also have tight adductor muscles (situated at the inner thigh). This is actually extremely common in many riders, which is why many elite riders undertake activities like Pilates, Yoga and stretching, to improve flexibility, and combat tight muscles. This ‘gripping’ can push the rider off the saddle, rather than allowing the ideal, deep seat.

A relaxed thigh

Dressage rider and Derriere Equestrian ambassador, Avril Clinton-Forde, says that once you have achieved a long, relaxed thigh, there’s little that this area of the upper leg has to actually ‘do’. “Maybe it’s just my horse, but my thighs would rarely be consciously used,” she explains. “They need to stay relaxed, so that other aids can be effectively used. For my mare Duchess, my seat is really important, as she is so sensitive. 

In order to use my seat correctly, my thighs need to be relaxed, so my bum is deeper in the saddle... one reason why Derriere Equestrian underwear is as important to me as my hat, when I’m riding!”

So, what does Avril feel is the cause of a ‘grippy’ thigh when doing flatwork? “Gripping usually happens out of fear, and also being told to ‘sit still’. To do sitting trot for example, you need to move your pelvis with the horse, and flex your lower leg; you can’t do this unless your thighs are loose. If you grip, you prevent the pelvis from ‘rolling’, and you take away the power in your core; this ‘power’ helps the pelvis move. If you grip, your sitting becomes bouncier, you then grip more to stay on, and you make it worse! Also, by gripping, your lower leg will start to rise, the horse will go faster, and voila, you have a less than elegant dismount at speed!” she adds.

“Contact with the horse’s back is so important...”

Avril maintains that a relaxed thigh matters increasingly to us as horse riders as we move up the dressage ranks, in terms of allowing our lower back and pelvis to mobilise. “Contact with the horse’s back is so important, as naturally they respond to the pressures and weight changes from our seat. These tiny seat adjustments will help the horse move sideways, bend, speed up and slow down. For example, drawing yourself upwards from your pubic area (yes ladies, your ‘foofoo’!), and up into your core, to make yourself lift upwards, allows room for the rider’s back to mobilise. This will give freedom in the horse’s collected work,” she explains.

Finally, Avril adds that the rider’s hip flexors need to be free to use the leg aids. “Your legs guide the horse sideways, and if your thighs are tight, you affect the use of your hip flexors; these keep your pelvis loose while you put your leg aids in place,” she concludes.

If you want the perfect training breeches to compliment your dressage position, look no further than Derriere Equestrian’s streamlined Treviso Training Breeches. 

And don’t forget your padded riding underwear! “The Derriere Equestrian Performance Padded Panty has padding that cushions your bum and ‘lady garden’, making riding with your seat feel like silk knickers and summer breezes,” Avril says.

Avril Clinton-Forde contests dressage with her Irish Sport Horse mare, Grand Duchess - see her blog at http://duchessdiaries.ie/

www.derriereequestrian.com

Core beliefs By French dressage rider and Derriere Equestrian ambassador, Antoine Nowakowski

Core beliefs

By French dressage rider and Derriere Equestrian ambassador, Antoine Nowakowski

Without realising it, we all use our inner core muscles extensively, every time we ride our horses! These muscles are vital in establishing correct posture and position in the saddle, and are necessary for maintaining balance, especially if the horse were to trip or spook; therefore it is sensible to maintain fitness and flexibility in this area.

For example, when schooling, it is especially important to establish a correct, upright position in the saddle during downward transitions. It is very easy to slump forwards, drop the shoulders and look down, resulting in the horse tipping on his forehand, hollowing in the contact and often rushing and/or losing balance. If you feel your transitions are letting you down, revert to sitting trot, as this is almost impossible to perform well if your position in inadequate! To begin with, do it in bite size chunks, for instance between letters, or for half a twenty metre circle, so it is performed little and often; but what you do, you are doing very well. Once you feel confident and established, try to lengthen your time in sitting trot until it becomes second nature. This will improve your seat, balance, position and core muscles steadily over time; it will also make upward and downward transitions much easier to sit to, resulting in maintaining a soft outline and good rhythm.

Improving lower back strength

An excellent technique to improve lower back strength, inner core muscles and seat is to ride without stirrups. This will give you a deeper feel for the movement of the horse, and you will become more 'as one' with him. Again, little and often is the key; build up gradually to longer periods, and aim for the most advanced manoeuvres of upward and downward transitions without stirrups. If you can achieve this without loss of balance or bouncing, you can be sure that your inner core muscles are what you would wish them to be!

Exercising at home

You can help yourself further by dedicating even twenty minutes a day to simple home exercises such as doing planks, squats and sit-ups (obviously if your health, fitness and mobility allows), and you could join pilates or yoga classes. All fitness activities, e.g. running, swimming etc, although not solely useful for core muscles, will all help to achieve the level of fitness desired, as well as a more toned body. Horses are huge animals, and it takes many things to get the best from them and if you can achieve near-perfect control of your own body, that will go a long way towards managing the equine body beneath you.

As your fitness and core muscles improve, you will find your job in the saddle will become easier with less strain required; the whole picture will improve and the added bonus will be that your horse will be growing muscle and becoming a fitter more all round athlete, and better able to answer the demands needed of him.

Remember that when the rider is comfortable within the saddle, they can move more easily with the horse’s gait. Comfortable underwear and breeches are a must and the Derriere Equestrian range is designed for both men and women; it’s hard to find great riding underwear for men, but the DEPerformance Padded Shorty and the Performance Seamless Shorty both excel at their job, offering exceptional comfort and performance, in my experience!

www.derriereequestrian.com