Jodhpurs are an eastern, oriental kind of riding pants brought back to England by the British who were stationed in India. Made fashionable in the mother country by polo players, jodhpurs became accepted for hacking and informal hunting. Flared at the hip to allow free movement when astride, the pants fit closely below the knee, protecting the lower leg from rubbing against the leather of the saddle and stirrup straps. They were designed to use with low boots, known as paddock boots.

Jodhpurs differ from breeches in that they are meant to be worn with short boots, so they extend to a cuff at the ankle, may have a strap that passes under the instep to keep them from riding up, and are reinforced to protect the inner leg from rubbing against the stirrup leathers. Breeches extend to mid-calf and have no cuff. They are designed to be worn with tall boots that come to the knee. They used to be considered more formal than jodhpurs and were seldom worn by children.

Modern jodhpurs have little in common with those worn until the 1970s. The modern stretch fabrics have made it possible to have close-fitting pants that are flexible enough to allow unrestricted movement of the hip and upper leg. There is no flare at all in ladies riding pants now, and traditional colors of rust and tan have completely gone by the board. Today riders can show in bright pink to support breast cancer research without anyone blinking an eye.

Color has come into its own as well. The full range of white, beige, cream, tan, rust, grey, black, brown, and blue is compounded by two-tone designs, racing stripes down the leg, and designer names in bold lettering. Functional knee patches can be long or short, and full seat styles have the entire inner seat and leg made of a clingy material. These patches can be unobtrusive or wild enough to stop traffic when you gallop by.

Jodhpurs, once strictly functional and proper, now have sex appeal. If the mere fact that they hug every curve is not enough, there are ones with brightly contrasting colors, wild seat patches, and stripes down the leg. Designers make their fashionable lines and even put their name on here or there. Even full-figured ladies sally forth in skin-tight riding gear that fits like a glove.

The full seat models can have panels that match the rest of the outfit to be unobtrusive or can be in wild contrast, as if to shout “Look at me!” Those pants are decidedly sexy. There are classic styles as well, for the times when personality must take a back seat to professionalism. All of the styles can be seen online, as the manufacturers have photo galleries and details with a click of your mouse.

Ordering is done with a waist measurement and inseam length. There are many fabrics and blends, from cotton cord to all sorts of patented stretchy stuff. You will find many international riding clothes suppliers eager to give you exactly the style of ladies jodhpurs you are looking for.

Jodphurs are ankle length riding pants. The Jodphurs we have are really fashionable, yet nice to wear both at the same time. It is something you need to try out.

The Seattle Slew story started at a public auction in Kentucky–not exactly a venue expected to produce a future champion. Slew, in particular, was an unlikely heir to greatness. He was somewhat clumsy looking due to a front right forefoot splay and had a shuffling gait at trot. Slew wasn’t a beautifully majestic creature like his Triple Crown winning predecessor, Secretariat. In fact, he could have been considered borderline ugly–to the extent that he was nicknamed ‘Baby Huey’ by the Keeneland staff. What wasn’t apparent at the time was Slew’s mixture of championship intangibles–competitive desire, toughness, heart and enthusiasm. His owners had unwittingly stumbled onto an equine Muhammad Ali, and his competitive fire quickly became apparent to his trainers and jockeys. His first race came at Belmont Park in’76, and he entered–and won–three races as a two year old giving a glimpse as to what like ahead.

Slew became the Kentucky Derby favorite by winning his three prep races as a three year old, including prestigious Wood Memorial. In the Derby, Slew got off to a terrible start as he stumbled from the gate much like War Emblem did in the 2002 Belmont. Unlike 2002′s Triple Crown contender, however, Slew was able to recover from that miscue and basically force his way through a pack of other horses to position himself at the front of the field at the quarter mile pole. Slew would win the Derby by a length and 3 quarters. He took another tough victory at the Preakness before clinching the Triple Crown with a 4 length victory in the Belmont Stakes.

Slew ran in a few races as a 4 year old but in the pre-Breeders’ Cup days there wasn’t as many opportunities for an older horse. He retired to stud in’78, where he sired champions such as the aforementioned Swale and’92 Belmont Champ AP Indy.

In some ways, Slew had much in common with the heavyweight championship reign of Larry Holmes. He came so quickly on the heels of such incredible excellence–Slew was forever in the shadow of’73 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, Holmes on the heels of Muhammad Ali–that he never gained the appreciation he deserved during his prime. In hindsight, however, it has finally been noted what an exceptional horse he really was. Jockey Angel Cordero, who rode Slew during the twilight of his career noted “If I had a chance to take any horse in the world, if someone said your life is depending on riding one horse to win, I would take (Slew). I rode 44,000 horses, but he was special, he was different. He was muscled, like a wrestler. He ran different than any other horse. It was like he came from another planet.”

Slew was laid to rest at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, under a statue.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.