If you’re looking for the best sports bras for horse riding you’ve come to the right place. Studies have shown that less than 35% of female horse riders in the UK wear a sports bra compared with the vast majority of runners, despite the impact not being all that different. Three in four riders also reported that they wanted an improvement in bra support, style and fit for riding and breast pain was found to be the fourth-greatest barrier to riding for women.
Wearing a sports bra can reduce breast movement by 80%, while a normal bra only achieves a 38% reduction. Reducing movement prevents breast pain and damage to the breast tissues, so a good sports bra should be an essential part of your riding kit.
The good news is that as well as being practical, lots of equestrian brands have designed sports bras that look great – and don’t show through competition shirts, either.
Choosing the best sports bras for horse riding
Firstly you need to decide on what style bra is best for you. The general rule is that encapsulating sports bras (where each breast is encapsulated separately, such as the Pure Lime high impact bra) are better for larger breasts, whereas compression bras (that squash the breast tissue into the chest, such as the Shires Aubrion Dagenham sports bra) is preferable for smaller breasts.
It’s important that your new sports bra fits correctly – follow these steps for a good fit…
Straps – the shoulder straps should not be too tight or dig into the skin. Adjustable straps are ideal.
Cups – there should be no bulging or gaping and the top or sides.
Underband – this shouldn’t slide around your chest, but neither be too tight, uncomfortable or cause flesh to bulge at the edges.
Front – this is the lower edge under the breasts (and sometimes between the cups) and should sit flat against the body.
Underwire – if the bra is wired, it shouldn’t rest on any of the tissue (including in the centre, under the breast or arms)
When it comes to colour, if you’re worried about it showing through a white competition shirt you’re best to choose a nude or white. Otherwise the world’s your oyster when it comes to fun colours and prints. Finally, to check that the bra is offering you enough support for the level of impact you need, try jumping up and down in it to assess how it might stand up to the job.
Best sports bras for horse riding
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Shires Aubrion Dagenham Sports Bra
Colours: Black, dark green or patterened | Sizes: XXS–XXL | RRP: £22.99 | H&H Review: 7/10 |
This medium-support sports bra from Shires has removable padding and a cross back design. It’s made of quick-dry fabric and has a fun look.
Colours: Black, white or dress blue | Sizes: 28B–44GG | RRP: £50 |
Made of a moisture-wicking, breathable fabric, this compression bra has isolating and encapsulating cups so offers all-round support. It has a soft and wide elastic underband as well as wide, padded and adjustable shoulder straps that feature a slider hook for a cross-back option.
This bra from Derriere Equestrian is designed deliver superior support with both compression and encapsulation. It has a low, wide torso band that sits deeper than the average sports bra to give thoracic core support, while the angled padded straps are designed to alleviate neck and shoulder pain. It has completely seamless areas to minimise rubbing, and it offers full zipped entry, which makes it easy to get on and off, and the racer back style prevents straps falling down.
Colours: Black or pink | Sizes: M C/D – 3XL E/F | RRP: £24.99 |
This high-support bra is designed for C–F cups and high-impact cardio sports. It has multiple adjustment points – at the straps, front zip and hooks – to help aid fit. It’s made of a breathable, quick-drying fabric to keep you dry as you exercise.
Made from a soft, seamless fabric this LeMieux sports bra offer gentle support for lower impact sessions while letting you move freely. The wicking material help you stay dry and feel fresh.
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Georgia is Horse & Hound’s deputy website editor and equestrian products expert. She curates content across the website with a particular focus on upcoming equestrian events horse care and buying advice. She also manages all the ecommerce opportunities that allow us to give you easy access to the best products at the lowest prices via our buying guides. Georgia has first-hand knowledge of all the equestrian brands and their ever-evolving product lines, having been working with them closely since she started in equestrian media in 2015.
