Burn

There are clothes I wear for barn chores and riding, that I don't wear at other times. For instance, I try to make sure I don't have hay in my hair when I go to work, and don't wear my barn boots.

Some years ago we looked at a boarding barn that had a list of rules. One of the rules was no baby-buggies. Another was not loud talking, also no running. There was a rule about always wearing a riding helmet. We thought this was hilarious. I will admit there was a couple times I did wish I had on a helmet in the barn. I wouldn't have had a knot on my head if I had!

Another mandatory article of clothing for me is gloves. Even in the warmest weather I wear leather gloves. The gloves do 'age' my nail polish, but saves my skin. Lifting full water buckets without gloves gives me compression marks on my hands and fingers. I can't pick up a bale of hay without my gloves on. My skin is thin and doesn't bounce back like before.

I also don't use leather reins. I swapped out the leather for marine rope. All cotton, soft rope. If the rope has a .000% of nylon it will burn your skin. I've learned that the hardest way. Learn from my mistakes.

Even the all cotton marine rope will burn, when it is running through your hands at full speed. Zip. Zing. Burn.