Description: The patent-pending Fun In The Saddle horse riding breech combines 29 percent Lycra with All Season MicroFibre, flat-seam construction, and a hidden "ab" panel to maximize comfort and performance while flattering your stomach and hip areas. A deerskin full seat is sewn on in segmented panels to enhance range of motion, while tiny perforations provide breathability and create surface resistance against the saddle. Powernet on the inner calf eases the task of pulling riding boots on and off, and increases the contact between horse and rider.

The test: These horse riding pants were tested by Gloucester, Massachusetts, horse owner Fran Jurga, owner and publisher of Hoofcare & Lameness Journal. "I found a pair of breeches that makes me look 10 pounds slimmer — and helps me ride better than my out-of-shape legs can allow," she says. "I tested these pants with a riding vacation in mind. If I’m headed off for a multi-day ride, I want all-weather versatility, durability, easy-to-clean material, comfort, and good range of motion both in and out of the saddle. I also want plenty of length from waist to crotch, for comfort.

"To my surprise, on the way to the barn, the pants stuck to my leather car seat. The same effect in my leather hunt seat saddle was confidence-building. The pants were a bit loose, but even so, the fabric clung to me and didn’t bunch up or wrinkle. (Tip: You don’t need to order a large size to get a comfortable fit.) Best of all, after six weeks of wearing them twice a week, the knees and seat have kept their shape!

"FITS pants get around the bunchy seat-seam problem by applying the leather in patches, so that there are small gaps of stretchy fabric in between," Jurga continues. "The lightweight leather is like a mesh, covered with tiny air holes. This means that even a vintage rider like me can easily swing a leg to mount and dismount. I was also comfortable working around the barn and grooming. On a riding vacation, I could wear these pants day in, day out, in the saddle and on the ground. I’d be comfortable and well-protected."

Cost: $199.99.
Contact: Fun in the Saddle, (888) 360-FITS [3487]; www.funinthesaddle.com.