By APRIL BILODEAU
Last year, Amy Hassinger was busy getting ready to launch her new clothing line, one of her many business ventures under the Hassinger name.
Hassinger has a reputation of recognizing problems or gaps in the equine industry and inventing solutions herself. From better fitting earplugs, like the well-known POMMS, to Bit Butter, Hassinger is all about improving the things that equestrians use on a daily basis.
Her clothing line, AP Hassinger, was intended to improve upon breeches.
In 2022, Hassinger’s trainer Tori Colvin encouraged her to show in the jumper classic in Wellington.
“As soon as Tori brought up showing in the classic, I knew that meant white breeches,” Amy Hassinger tells The Plaid Horse.
As she set out for her search for whites, Hassinger additionally found issues with the fabric, breathability, and staining with several brands that she tried. While she felt she was being picky, her inventive mind started to take over to come up with a better, more flattering riding pant that would offer riders great quality and new features.
Breeches With Features
After that winter circuit, Hassinger spent time with her mother learning the ins and outs of the fabric industry.
“Before my mother passed, I told her about this problem as she had a background in clothing creation,” says Hassinger. “So from April to June I picked her brain about everything I didn’t know but she did, such as seams, fabrics, etc. Together, we put together prototypes. It was an incredibly special way to spend time with my mom.”
Hassinger wanted the breeches to feel like pajamas to offer all day comfort to riders. She also wanted to add appropriate patching in spots that would offer comfort and support to riders without tearing or scratching leather.
“I thought to myself, the knee touches the saddle 100% of the time, why is no one protecting the knee?” says Hassinger.
Her designs all feature a signature “AP” sticker on the knee right above where the top of your boot sits, offering a supportive grip that won’t rub your skin or your saddle.
She also created a new design and shape for the sock bottom that is looser, so it doesn’t pull the top of your pants like other breeches. All AP Hassinger breeches are a Comfort Rise fit, which sits right at your belly button for a flattering, comfortable fit, in either a front or a side zip based on a rider’s preference.
“The reality is that most people who design breeches are not riders,” says Hassinger. “As a rider myself, I understand the weak points in equestrian clothing and we’re implementing much-needed change.”
Breeches are available in several styles for the jumper ring, hunter ring, and for schooling. AP Hassinger offers breeches in an array of colors (including a very popular navy schooling breech with pink touches!), all featuring the buttery soft material that Hassinger made a priority in the creation of her breeches.
From Stable to Street
After a successful launch last year, Hassinger has been hard at work developing the next generation in her clothing line.
“For our new line, we designed our breeches to be able to switch style a bit so you can go to the grocery store after the barn and not look totally out of place,” says Hassinger. “Just throw on a different shoe and you’re good to go!”
Hassinger has also designed beautiful schooling tops and show shirts with the same versatility from the ring to a restaurant.
“We asked ourselves the same question, ‘What do we want in show shirts?’ So we designed something structured and feminine that you would want to wear out,” she says.
While they may be more stylish than most, the show shirts are even more functional, featuring a cooling material that can reduce your body temperature. The shirts have a cotton collar that’s a little taller so it looks nicer under your jacket with buttons in the back so it has a more finished front. Added bonus: Hassinger designed these shirts with the goal to bring embroidering back to show collars!
In addition to the unique shirts, Hassinger has also designed a blazer- style jacket to offer riders a stylish way of covering their show clothes, coming in colors such as Perfectly Pink and Tiffany Blue with the signature crystal AP Hassinger logo.
“It’s a versatile piece that you can put over your shirt to stay clean, or the darker ones you could get away with using in the show ring,” says Hassinger.
What’s Next
The AP Hassinger brand has grown tremendously in the last year of being on the market, but in true Amy Hassinger fashion, she won’t stop there.
The brand now features options for kids, offering the same great features as the adult breeches…with a couple of bonuses.
“No one really asks kids what they want, so we asked,” she adds. “They said they wanted pockets in the back so they could look like the big kids.”
In addition to their news kids’ line, Hassinger is also pleased to announce they are working on a men’s line: “It’s an adventure that is growing bigger than I could have ever anticipated.”
For more information on AP Hassinger or to view the collection, please visit www.aphassinger.us.
