Riding Tights, Breeches & Jodhpur Care & Washing Guide

Equestrian Breeches and Horse Riding Tights get punishing treatment.

They may be the most harshly treated piece of clothing you own - used in all weathers, subject to friction and grime, worn in the saddle, during stable chores, and in the field.

And yet - we want our riding leggings and jodhpurs to look tidy, flattering and stay in good condition! We've gathered care and washing tips to help your riding tights last, and look good. Just like with your horse, your tack and your saddle, little bit of effort goes a long way toward keeping your riding breeches and tights in great condition, from stretch, to colour and grip.

Horse Riding Tights and Jodhpur Fabrics

All riding tights are normally crafted with stretch fabric to allow the rider to move with comfort. From elegant white show breeches to bright coloured training tights, your horse riding clothing is likely to feature areas of silicone or suede grip, different fabrics for pocket inners and lower leg 'boot sleeves', and often pretty touches like leather trim, diamantes or special button/dome details.

Riding Breeches and Tights Wash Guide

Let them breathe. After your ride, hang your riding tights over something to air out, don't leave them damp and crushed in the laundry basket. If it was a light ride on a cool day, maybe they can be used again the next day... less washes means longer life for technical fabrics.

Spot clean, don't soak. Pre-treat stains as soon as you get home. Ideally, choose a spray-on or dab with spot cleaner (don't rub) to attack stubborn stains. Leaving your joddys in a bucket of bleach can affect stretch, or corrode zips and domes. Also, chlorine bleaches can revive the natural yellow tones of the fabrics if they are soaked too long, dulling the white or yellowing the beige so if you do need to soak show jodhpurs, use a gentle oxygen-based whitening agent. 

Separate your whites. Like any other white or pale clothing, show breeches and hunting jodhpurs should not be washed with darker clothes if you want them to stay white and bright.

Prevent snags or rubs. Close zips, domes, hooks, and secure any velcro.

Turn your riding tights inside out. Washing breeches and riding leggings inside out helps keep colours bright, and protects silicone grip, trim and other details.

Only use a cold wash cycle. The stretch in riding tights is normally due to elastane, which doesn't last as well in hot water. Silicone grip can also be susceptible to heat, and suede really doesn't appreciate hot water. Use a cold cycle to avoid damaging fabric fibres and retain stretch in your riding tights.

Keep detergent simple!

• Fabric softeners can coat technical fibres which affects the breathability of your riding tights fabric, and traps odours.
• Avoid soaking your jodhpurs in bleach or strong stain removers, as these can affect fibres, stretch, and contribute to silicone dots/grip coming loose. 
• pH neutral laundry powder or liquid is gentlest.

Watch that spin cycle. Front loaders tend to stretch fabrics less during spins. Also, most machines can do a great job of removing water from horse riding clothing with a slower (less forceful/stretching) spin, as the fabrics are not normally designed to hold a lot of water. 

Air dry only. The heat in tumble dryers can damage silicone, elastane and any leather or suede details.

Don't iron silicone or suede. In fact if you hang your riding breeches out to dry nice and smooth, they will never need to see an iron. If you ever do need to iron jodhpurs, turn them inside out first.

In summary, to wash horse riding breeches, spot clean promptly, wash and dry inside out, use a cold cycle, and air dry out of direct sunlight.