Riders call for better bras
Most riders want a better bra, a recent study has found, while having “too big” breasts is a major factor preventing women from riding.
The research, led by Dr Jenny Burbage and Lorna Cameron, follows on from their previous findings that breast pain is putting some women off riding.
The pair set out to establish the impact of bra design, fit and breast size in female riders.
Out of the 1,324 women who took part, 75% wanted an improvement in bra support, style and fit for riding. A quarter of participants also reported one or more breast-related barriers to riding.
“This is the first research to specifically explore breast health issues and bra concerns in horse riders and the results highlighted the need for more consideration in bra design for this group of women,” said Dr Burbage.
“Many horse riders were dissatisfied with their current bras, the breast was often a barrier to them riding as often as they’d like to, and breast education levels were low.
“Targeted educational initiatives for this population are justified and further research is needed into the demands of this activity on the breast biomechanically.”
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The top request from participants who wear a size D-cup or above was “need better support”, this was followed by “better style” with “better fit” in third.
Across all bra sizes, 44% said their current underwear did not fully meet their needs.
A total of 19% of larger breasted riders reported that they were embarrassed by excessive breast movement and 15% did not like the look of their breasts while they exercised.
“Breasts too big” was also cited as the fourth highest barrier to riding — above the cost of taking part in equestrian sport.
Article continues below…
You might also be interested in:
Want to beat the bounce? New guide on the best bras for riding
The free guide on how to pick the best riding bra for you has been published after research found 40%
Does a good bra equal good riding? Research intends to finds out
Academics are hoping to find out whether there is a link between good breast support and good riding
Breast pain puts some women off riding
Forty percent of women taking part in a survey reported having breast pain while riding
Ms Cameron said the results establish riders are “dissatisfied” with their current bras.
“Further study is needed to measure specific breast movement in horse riding and address these barriers to physical activity within the female population,” she added.
The researchers now plan to analyse data collected from horse trials and to investigate equestrian-specific breast displacement, compared to other sports.
Dr Burbage and Ms Cameron have also been working with the British Equestrian Trade Association and the British Equestrian Federation in recent years to produce the Horse Riders’ Guide to Bras.
The free six-page leaflet offers guidance on how to know if a sports bra fits correctly, and some simple checks that can be done in the changing room to quickly find out it will be suitable for riding.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.