Horse Pilot X-Perform Breeches Review: Are They Worth $322?

Horse Pilot calls the X-Perform its "second skin" riding pant, and for once the marketing isn't far off. Founded in France in 2010 and now a B Corp-certified brand sold in more than 25 countries, Horse Pilot built its reputation on technical apparel that fits closer to outdoor sportswear than the stiff competition gear most of us grew up in. The X-Perform is the line that best captures that approach — a full range of riding breeches designed to move with you from the warm-up ring to the prize giving.

Here's the thing, though: there are two distinct X-Perform models in the range, and they're close enough in name to trip you up. The X-Perform Iconic is the classic of the line, while the newer knee grip version uses Horse Pilot's Organic grip. Both are knee grip — neither is a full seat — and the differences are subtle enough that plenty of riders buy one expecting the other.

This review covers both: how they fit, how they ride, what the sizing actually means in Australian terms, and which one deserves your money first.

Reviewed in this article

Horse Pilot X-Perform Iconic Riding Pants

5 women's colourways · 3 men's · knee grip · high waist · phone pocket

$322 AUD

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What Exactly Is the X-Perform?

The X-Perform is Horse Pilot's flagship riding pant — the model the brand has become known for on European circuits and increasingly at Australian venues. Both versions share the same skeleton: a shaped, ergonomic cut designed to sit close without restricting, a high waist that stays put through sitting trot work, a fitted leg bottom that disappears neatly under a tall boot or half chap, a phone pocket on the thigh and two hand pockets.

That last detail sounds trivial until you've ridden at an EA-affiliated event with no pockets. Having a phone pocket that doesn't drag the waistband down or bulge at the thigh is genuinely one of the features riders tell us sold them on the line.

What separates the two models is the grip. The Iconic carries Horse Pilot's original knee grip — a soft, dense silicone-textured grip panel that gives you security where you need it without locking your leg in place. The competition breeches rider who wants a more glued-down feeling in the jump saddle usually finds it plenty. The newer knee grip version uses Horse Pilot's Organic grip, which is exactly what it sounds like: a grip material developed with a lower environmental footprint, in keeping with the brand's B Corp commitments. It feels marginally tackier fresh out of the wash and softens a touch faster than the Iconic's panel.

Both carry the same shape-through-the-seat and the same leg finish, so from the rail at a show nobody can pick which model you're wearing. The choice is really about grip feel and price, not silhouette.

How Does the X-Perform Fit? Sizing Explained

Horse Pilot sizes its breeches in French sizing: women's from 32 to 44, men's from 36 to 48. If you've never bought European-sized breeches before, don't assume your usual number — this is the single most common mistake we see with first-time Horse Pilot buyers, and it's why the return counter at bricks-and-mortar stores does steady business in this brand.

The cut is deliberately snug. That second-skin effect is the whole design brief, so the X-Perform fits closer than a traditional cotton-poly show breech. Our honest guidance from kitting out a lot of riders:

• Between sizes? Size up if these are your everyday training breeches — you'll appreciate the extra ease on a 35-degree day. Stay true to size if your priority is a sharp competition silhouette.
• High waist means high. The waistband sits above your natural waist. If you hate anything high-rise, this line will test you; riders who love it say it's the reason they stopped fidgeting in the saddle.
• The white colourway is not forgiving of the wrong size. Any tension across the seat shows in white. If you're between sizes and buying white, take the size up.

One gotcha worth flagging: because the fabric is a technical stretch weave, the X-Perform feels dramatically different in the saddle than it does standing in front of a mirror. We've had riders buy a size up after a changing-room panic only to find the larger pair bags at the knee after a month of riding. Buy for the saddle, not the mirror.

Iconic vs Knee Grip: Which X-Perform Should You Buy?

Side by side, the differences come down to grip material, colourways and $7. Here's the honest breakdown:

Feature	X-Perform Iconic ($322)	X-Perform Knee Grip ($329)
Grip	Horse Pilot classic knee grip	Horse Pilot Organic knee grip
Women's colourways	Vintage Indigo, Black, Hunter, Iron, White	White, Dark Night, Hunter
Men's colourways	Black, Hunter, White	White, Dark Night, Hunter
Sizes	Women 32-44, Men 36-48	Women 32-44, Men 36-48
Pockets	Phone pocket + hand pockets	Phone pocket + hand pockets
Best for	Everyday training + competition, classic look	Riders prioritising the eco Organic grip
Where to buy	✅ iRide EQ	✅ iRide EQ

Our take? For most riders the Iconic is the smarter first purchase. The colourway range is broader — five women's options including the Vintage Indigo, which photographs beautifully on a winter's day — and the classic grip panel is the one Horse Pilot has refined for over a decade. Choose the Organic grip version if sustainability credentials matter to you or if you prefer a slightly stickier feel in the first weeks of wear. Either way, the full range for both men's and women's is available through our men's breeches and women's collections with fast Australian delivery.

How Do They Actually Ride?

Two seasons of feedback from our riders, plus my own mileage, points to the same conclusions.

The grip holds without gripping too hard. In the jump saddle, the knee panel gives you a quiet, secure feeling over fences — the leg stays where you put it through a related distance without the sticky, suction-cup lock-in of some full-seat silicone breeches. Dressage riders report much the same: enough texture for sitting trot on a big-moving horse, not so much that you can't let the leg breathe in the walk work.

The high waist is the unsung hero. It's the feature riders mention first once they've worn the X-Perform for a fortnight. No plumbers' crack moment sitting the trot, no waistband rolling under a riding belt, and less lower-back chill on an early-morning winter start at a country Ag show.

The fabric dries fast — a real advantage in an Australian summer. I've come off a February clinic looking like I fell in a creek, and by lunch the breeches had dried out enough to sit in comfortably for the afternoon session. Traditional cotton breeches never manage that.

Now the caveats, because no review is honest without them. The second-skin cut means these are less forgiving after a winter of comfort eating — they fit the body you have now, not the one you're planning. And the light colourways, while gorgeous, mark up at the stirrup-leather rub line like any white technical breech. If you're hard on gear or ride multiple horses a day, start with Hunter, Iron or Dark Night.

Caring for Your X-Perform Breeches

Treat them like technical sportswear, not like the cotton breeches you chucked in with the towels. Machine wash cold or lukewarm on a gentle cycle, inside out, with regular detergent — skip the fabric softener, which coats grip panels and kills their tack over time. Hang them in the shade to dry; the stretch weave dries fast enough that a dryer is never worth the risk to the elastane.

For the white colourway, deal with stains the same day. Dust and manure marks lift easily with a soak in lukewarm water and a rub of laundry detergent directly on the spot — I've saved a pair of white knee grips the morning of an EA dressage day with nothing more than that and a car windscreen to dry them on. Sun-bleaching white breeches on the Hills Hoist is an Australian tradition for a reason, but keep it to a few hours; prolonged UV exposure eventually degrades elastane too.

Store them folded rather than on a hanger to keep the waistband elastic relaxed, and if you ride most days, a second pair in rotation will make both last longer. The grip panel is the first thing to show wear — a smooth, shiny panel that's lost its texture is your cue to retire the pair to hacking duties.

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