HARTPURY researchers have broken new ground by examining how different types of breast support can affect female horse riders, including their comfort, position and symmetry in the saddle.

The study, involving Hartpury University, University Centre Sparsholt and the University of Portsmouth, is believed to be the first to measure breast movement in female riders in three dimensions.

Researchers compared breast movement during riding with running in the same participants, providing new insight into whether sports bras designed around commonly studied activities meet the specific needs of equestrians.

Despite women making up a large proportion of people involved in equestrian sport, researchers said female-specific studies remained relatively limited.

Twenty-one female equestrians took part in the project, riding an equine simulator at walk, trot and canter before running on a treadmill.

Each participant was tested under four different breast-support conditions: an encapsulation sports bra, a combination sports bra, an everyday bra and no breast support.

Motion-capture technology was used to measure breast displacement and rider position, while researchers also recorded exercise-induced breast pain and bra comfort. Participants were additionally asked about bra performance and appearance.

The study found the type of support worn meaningfully influenced breast pain, rider position and symmetry.

Both sports bras reduced breast movement and pain during trot and running compared with an everyday bra or no support.

Researchers observed improvements in torso position during trot when sports bras were worn, while riders were most symmetrical in the encapsulation sports bra.

However, individual preferences around comfort varied, highlighting the difficulty of identifying one form of breast support suitable for every rider.

Lorna Cameron, senior lecturer at Hartpury University, said the team was “incredibly excited” to see the research published.

She said: “Breast health and appropriate support can have a very real impact on women participating in sport, but there has historically been relatively little research investigating specifically the needs of equestrians.

“What makes this study particularly exciting is that we have been able to establish relative breast movement in three dimensions during riding and compare it directly with running in the same participants.

“That gives us a much better understanding of how the demands of riding differ from an activity on which much existing sports bra research and design has been based.”

Ms Cameron added that the findings showed breast support was not simply a matter of comfort, with the type worn associated with differences in pain, rider position and symmetry.

The research was carried out by academics from Hartpury’s Equine Sciences and Sport and Exercise Sciences departments alongside colleagues at Sparsholt and Portsmouth.

It builds on previous collaborative work examining breast pain, bra concerns, barriers to participation and breast-health education among female equestrians.

Researchers said larger, longer-term and field-based studies would now be needed to build on the findings and contribute towards better information and products designed specifically for riders.

The study, The Biomechanical and Perceptual Impact of Breast Support during Riding and Running in Female Equestrians, has been published open access in the International Journal of Equine Science.