After a few lessons, you'll often want gear of your own, but not all at once. Some equipment is best bought right away; other items you can safely put off until you're sure you're sticking with it. This guide walks through what takes priority, what it costs roughly, and what the riding school still takes care of for you in the meantime.
What the Riding School Usually Provides
Before you buy anything, it's worth knowing what the riding school already provides. Most riding schools make a horse available for lessons complete with saddle and bridle, so you don't need to buy that tack yourself. Many riding schools also keep a bin of loaner helmets in various sizes.
A loaner helmet is fine for finding out whether riding is for you, but not as a permanent solution. A helmet that's been on several heads rarely fits well, and after a fall a helmet may no longer be used — with a loaner helmet, you never know whether that's already happened. That makes a helmet of your own the first serious purchase to make.
What to Buy First
Start with the gear that affects your safety and your grip on the horse. In this order:
| Item | Price Indication | Why First |
|---|---|---|
| Riding helmet | €60–€150 | Protects your head; a helmet of your own fits better and is unused |
| Riding boots or jodhpurs with chaps | €40–€120 | A firm sole and smooth shaft; prevents rubbing and slipping in the stirrup |
| Riding pants | €30–€90 | Prevents chafing on the inner leg; far more comfortable than jeans |
| Riding gloves | €10–€30 | More grip on the rein and no blisters |
The helmet is the one item you don't cut costs on. Check for a valid safety standard when buying (in Europe, certification to a current EN standard is common) and have it fitted at a shop that knows what it's doing. A helmet that wobbles or pinches protects less well. More on helmets and body protection is in the guide on riding helmets, vests, and airbags.
For your feet, a boot with a smooth, uninterrupted shaft and a small heel is enough to start — so your foot doesn't slide through the stirrup. Cheap rubber riding boots or a pair of jodhpurs with separate chaps do the job fine until you know whether you're sticking with it.
What Can Wait
A large part of the tack shop isn't needed yet for a beginner. These are things you buy only once you're riding more often or have a regular horse to ride:
- A body protector or airbag vest. Worthwhile if you're going to jump or ride outside, but not the first expense for your first lessons in the arena. Discuss with your instructor when it fits your type of riding.
- Your own saddle and bridle. A saddle has to fit both the horse and the rider. For a rotating riding-school horse, a saddle of your own makes no sense; this only becomes relevant with a horse of your own or a regular care-lease pony.
- Grooming supplies (brushes, hoof pick, halter). Only relevant once you're caring for a horse you ride more often, such as through a half-board arrangement (sharing use of a horse).
- A riding crop and spurs. Aids you learn to use under supervision. Buy them only once your instructor indicates you're ready; spurs used incorrectly do more harm than good.
A Realistic Starting Budget
For the gear you need first, you'll land roughly on the following:
| Package | Items | Indicative Total |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal | Helmet, jodhpurs with chaps, riding pants, gloves | €140–€250 |
| Complete beginner package | Helmet, riding boots, two pairs of riding pants, gloves | €200–€400 |
These are guide prices for new, entry-level items; brand-name clothing and specialty shops cost more. For a beginner, the entry-level segment is more than sufficient — the pricier lines are mostly about comfort and looks, not better safety.
New or Secondhand
Buying secondhand can save you a lot, but not on every item.
- Helmet: always new. With a used helmet, you never know whether it's ever taken a fall. A helmet that's been dropped or taken a knock may no longer protect properly, even if you can't see anything from the outside.
- Boots, pants, chaps: fine secondhand. Clothing and boots are safe to buy secondhand, as long as they fit and the sole and seams are still intact. Marktplaats (a Dutch online marketplace) and tack-shop sales are handy sources.
- Gloves: new, but cheap. A small amount, so it's usually not worth the effort of hunting secondhand.
With secondhand clothing, pay close attention to size and fit. Riding pants that don't fit well chafe just as much as jeans.
Watch Out for Buying Too Early or Too Much
The most common beginner mistake is buying a complete kit before it's clear whether riding sticks, or before you know which direction you're headed. Someone who stays recreational in the arena needs different gear than someone heading toward trail rides or competitions.
A workable approach: at the start, buy only the helmet and something good for your legs, and ride in that for a few weeks. If you notice you're sticking with it, add a second pair of riding pants and better boots. Hold off on big or horse-specific purchases — saddle, vest, grooming supplies — until you're in a settled situation. Many of the terms you'll come across in the shop, by the way, are in the glossary.
In Short
Start with a well-fitting helmet of your own and solid leg protection (boots or jodhpurs with chaps), add riding pants and gloves, and put off the rest until you know you're sticking with it. Buy the helmet new; clothing and boots can be secondhand. Budget roughly €140 to €400 for a first set. Want to know what a first lesson actually involves? Read the guide for complete beginners or check out the Level: Just Starting Out.
See also: Horse Riding for Complete Beginners · Riding Helmets, Vests, and Airbags · Level: Just Starting Out