How to Make Horse Back Riding Chaps

Chaps may be made of leather or denim.

While chaps aren't a necessary part of horseback riding, they are ideal to wear in order to protect the legs and pants from weather or riding through brush. Chaps add an extra layer to the pants, so that they are not torn or scratched when riding. Chaps also allow riders to have a better grip along the horse's side, giving them increased control due to the leather or denim fabric. Making your own inexpensive denim chaps is easy to do and require only a pair of old or new jeans and a sewing machine.

Things You'll Need

• Jeans
• Seam ripper
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• 8 denim straps

Instructions

1. Select the pair of jeans you will use for the project. If you purchase new jeans or have an old pair, make sure they are baggy in the leg, waist and crotch area, since you will be wearing them over your own pants while riding.

2. Remove the entire length of inner and outer seams, starting from the leg hems and working your way up to the waistband. A seam ripper is an ideal tool to use because it features a forked head with a small blade in between the forks, allowing you to rip out stitches without damaging the surrounding area. Place one end of the forked head underneath a stitch in the seam, and gently push it through the string, severing it. Continue to use the seam ripper to remove the back panel of the jeans from the pant hem up to the waistband. Once you are done, the front of the pants will still be attached to the waistband, with the entire back panel (seat and legs) removed.

3. Clean up the hems from the front of the pants. Fold over 1/2 inch from both the inner and outer pant leg seams, and run them through the sewing machine to secure the hem.

4. Cut eight straps out of the back portion of the pants (seat and legs) you removed. These straps will be used to secure the chaps to the legs while horseback riding. Cut each strap from the pant legs, measuring approximately 1 1/2 inches wide and long enough to go around your leg. This measurement will vary. You will want enough to tie around your leg and have excess for a knot or bow.

5. Hem the straps by folding over 1/4 of the denim, and running them through the sewing machine. Stitch the hem approximately 1/8 from the folded edge of the denim. Do this to each side of all eight straps.

6. Secure the straps to the chaps. You will need four straps per leg, placing two on the inner seam and two on the outer seam. Place one set of straps at the calf, and the other set at the thigh to create a secure fit with the chaps. Sew one end of each of the straps to the denim chaps, and leave the other end open to tie later.

7. Put the chaps on like you would a pair of jeans, and tie each of the straps around the leg to secure.

References

• Western Saddle: Cowboy Chaps