Breeches Breeches are specifically designed for equestrian activities. Traditionally, they were tight in the legs, with buckles or laces in the calf section, and had a pronounced flare through the thighs. However, with the advent of new materials such as spandex, modern breeches are skin-tight. The flared style is making a slow comeback, however, and is available to cavalry and other military reenactors.

There are four types of riding breeches:

• Jodhpurs: which are commonly placed in a separate category other than breeches. They are commonly worn by children. They are also worn by adults in riding lessons and casual riding as well as in the show ring in the UK and Australia. These riding pants have elastic "stirrups" to fasten under the rider's boots, which prevents the pants from rising up. They are meant to be worn with "jodhpur boots," which come up to the ankles, and some also are worn with garters, to prevent them from rising.
• Knee patch: having grippy material only in the knee area. These are the only type of breeches worn by hunt seat riders. Show jumpers, eventers, endurance riders, and pleasure riders also often use the breeches. They are designed to be worn with tall boots, which come up to the knee, or half chaps.
• Fullseat: Having grippy material from the knee, up the inner thigh, and on both sides of the buttock. These breeches are popular in dressage, who prefer the "sticky" seat to help them grip to the saddle as they sit gaits. They are also worn by eventers and other riders. They are designed to be worn with tall boots or half chaps.
• Kentucky Jodhpurs are full-length riding pants used exclusively in Saddle seat style riding. Like Hunt Seat jodhpurs, they are close-fitting from waist to ankle, but differ in that they are much longer, ending with a flared bell bottom that fits over the jodhpur boot, usually extending longer than the heel of the boot in back, and covering the arch of the foot (but not the toe) in front. The overall look gives the impression of a rider with a long leg, a desired equitation standard. Like the hunt seat jodhpur, they have elastic straps that run under the boot to help hold the pant leg in place.

Color is important in selecting breeches for competition, which should always be conservative. White is common in dressage, and is also seen in show jumping. Beige is seen in all equestrian disciplines. A greenish colour is currently popular with hunt seat competitors. Eventers wear conservative colours for the dressage and stadium phase, but less classic colours may be seen on the cross-country course (especially at the lower levels) to match the "colours" of the rider.

Breeches may be front or side zip, as some competitors believe the side-zip to give a cleaner appearance and to be more flattering. Styles are also developing to match the trends in clothing, including low-rise breeches.