Equestrian gloves: me in a huge variety, different sizes, colors and fabrics. We use riding gloves for protection from the reins and warmth in the colder months. Leather gloves have always been the standard for a proper horseback riding glove.  Many horse people use gloves for work around the farm or stables as well. Most riding gloves have reinforcement between the ring finger and the pinky.  Thisdouble leather is to give the glove extra strength where the reins sit as you ride. Years ago, when everyone used a Pelham bit on their bridle, we were forced to ride with two reins.  We carried our curb rein outside of our pinky and the snaffle rein between our ring and pinky fingers. As the popularity of the Pelham bit faded and the snaffle bridle gained in popularity, riders continued to ride leaving the pinky outside of the single rein.  Many trainers claim that it creates a softer hand in contact with the bit in the horse mouth.  The reinforcement between the fingers are a sign of a riding glove.

Gloves are sized by measuring your hand around the knuckles.  The inch measurement translates to the glove size.  Most women riders wear a glove between 6” – 8 ½”. Men’s gloves are sized between 8 ½” – 11”.  Children can wear in lead line as small as 3” and older children can wear up to a 6”.  The fingers are shorter in the overlapping sizes between children and ladies, ladies and men’s.  They are available in half sizes in some styles. All leather English riding gloves are sizes in full and half sizes because they will not stretch to fit a larger size. Many gloves have Lycra between the fingers and some even offer stretch material at the knuckles for comfort. These gloves are sometimes sized XXS – XXL.
Ribbed stretch cotton, cotton with pimple grips, leather-Lyca combination, neoprene, all leather, mesh back, crochet back, tackified and washable synthetic are just a few kinds of materials that horseback riding gloves are offered in. Each rider has his or her own preference.  I school in stretchy, durable, and comfortable easy to wash SSG riding gloves.  I work around the barn in a crochet back, goatskin glove that is the correct riding glove for Fox Hunting.  I like how it feels as a work glove.

Winter gloves are a must for every horseback rider. Many of the gloves are lined with Thinsulate for warmth.  Other gloves are called magic stretch, are wool like acrylic with a pimple grip palm.  We also offer a thin version of a ski glove with reinforced fingers and a fill for warmth. These gloves are not expensive and very warm. What ever you choose there are gloves for every rider available.