You have to have the close-fitting leather seat breeches, or you will wear your skin off the inside of your thighs in about an hour of hard riding. The high leather boots are to protect the inside of your calf. I have permanent burn scars where the skin was frictioned off about halfway up my calf, where the stirrup leather crosses the lower leg, when I forgot my high boots and tried to get along in blue jeans and a couple of ace bandages (big mistake). The long stock on the white shirt is for use as a sling or bandage in an emergency, and the close fitting black wool Melton coat keeps you from getting hung up in twigs or branches in the woods (the long skirts on the coat are because, yes, sitting in a saddle makes your butt look big - also protect your upper legs from rainwater, nobody stops hunting for a little rain). The hunt cap is to protect your valuable brain (at least, I value mine!!)
What I've really always wanted to do, though, is hunt on a sidesaddle. My mare is fairly elderly though, with the swayback that comes with age and having lots of babies, and a horse has to have a perfectly straight back to carry a sidesaddle.
