Suggestions for attire in this situation?

[cassie]

I don't know, what you describe is what everyone I know that works with horses wears. I think that if any of my horse friends walked into a barn and saw anyone working there who looked "spiffy" they would turn around and leave lol That doesn't mean that you go to work looking like a slob, you just dress in a way that is practical for what you are doing. and even if they look nice, anything other than a plain t-shirt is going to have people raising eyebrows. Not because it doesn't like nice enough, they are going to be wondering "who in their right mind wears something nice to work in a barn???" Go to wal-mart in the men's section and buy a couple packages of undershirts. They generally come in white or black. Black will be hot in FL but it will hide almost any dirt. You're going to be sweaty anyway but unless you are spending hours in the direct sun, the black will be better. If it gets too hot, just make sure you are wearing a tank top underneath and pull off the thirt

As others have suggested, a nice pair of jeans. Some muck boots that can be hosed off. A pair of riding boots that you can slip on when you go from working to riding. A tank top under a light t-shirt for when you are working, pull off the t-shirt and slip on the button-down if you need to "clean up"

There is spiffy and there is spiffy. You can look nice without being all duded up. As I said, I used to wear jeans (with a nice leather belt), a western cut chambray work shirt, a bandana to tie my hair back and keep it out of my eyes, and some earrings and minimal makeup so they could tell I was a girl. I usually wore steel toed rubber boots. The ones I had were comfortable, fit well, and looked nice. I never rode a horse with them but I suppose you could. If the weather was uncertain I would put on a tank top under my shirt, and a sweatshirt over the top of everything. Then I could remove clothes as the temperature dictated. If the conditions were really sloppy, I wore coveralls. This attire served me well. It was comfortable, practical, and I always looked presentable.

I worked as a cow milker for many years, and also as a DHIA tester where I took milk weights and collected milk samples from individual cows for production records. I was working around cows, not horses, and dairymen, not horse people, but I don't see how that would make a difference. Bottom line, you have to wear what works for you and what you are comfortable in. I purchased my entire wardrobe, except for the tank top, in a store that catered to working men.

 

[newfoundland]

I think jeans are the very last thing I would wear. They are thick, take forever to dry and far too hot for the warmer months. What you need is something like those light weight walking trousers that are very easy to wash/dry, don't hold moisture and are finely woven so don't snag. They can be very hard wearing too. I think a tee shirt of your preference is perfectly acceptable, a spare one in the car might be an advantage.

My daughter worked with horses for years. Between three people they cared for anything up to eighty horses, most of them riding school or livery and a large collection of rescues. The horses are not bedded on shavings but have rubber mats covered with shredded newspaper. Shavings would be far to expensive for an organisation like this. The stables are mucked out using a rake and long handled bucket contraption known as a 'poopa scoopa' here. Using wheel barrows the manure are then taken to the manure heap. When the heap gets to a certain size it is shut off and allowed to rot down, then people buy it for the garden. A new heap is of course created. My daughter was well able to muck out eight stables an hour this way. While she lived at home I can tell you that she never came home that dirty. I think the way you are mucking out is the cause of the problem, but of course I realise you can hardly tell the boss he is doing wrong! I wonder what my daughter's old boss would have made of this, she is real old school, Victorian almost.

 

[cassie]

I had to laugh at your comment that jeans are too hot. I lived in the San Joaquin Valley of California where the summer temperatures are often over 100 degrees and stay that way. Guess what construction and farm workers wear there. Jeans. They may wear tank tops and muscle shirts in the heat, but they wear jeans. Never saw anybody wear anything else. Bottom line. A person has to wear what they are comfortable in and what works for them.

 

[galanie]

I had to laugh at your comment that jeans are too hot.  I lived in the San Joaquin Valley of California where the summer temperatures are often over 100 degrees and stay that way. Guess what construction and farm workers wear there. Jeans. They may wear tank tops and muscle shirts in the heat, but they wear jeans. Never saw anybody wear anything else. Bottom line.  A person has to wear what they are comfortable in and what works for them.

It's true, even here with our horrible humidity most wear jeans to work in. Everyone from construction workers to stable hands to truck drivers. Lightweight trousers are cooler, but they just don't last like a good pair of Levi's do.

 

[Ribbit]

If you want to look fairly smart but not overdressed and have clothes that can take a bit of a beating then I'd recommend a polo shirt, below knee wellies (matching wellies with jacket colours always looks nice), semi waterproof trousers and a fleece jacket. All should be fairly easy to find in hiking/outdoorsy shops. If you want to be a bit more colourful than just black, dark green etc pick coloured wellies and a coloured fleece jacket.

And if it's not too hot, wear some other trousers underneath that you can quickly change out of if you don't want the cat seats mucky on wet days.

 

[SourRoses]

Thank you everyone for the very good advice! I appreciate it

Being Florida and already topping 80 degrees and soon to be hotter... I have to choose the cooler options. Except Jeans of course, will probably be good for pants. I would like cool thin breeches, but I keep imagining them getting stained or ripped and I guess I think of them as pretty fragile. I might try to find an inexpensive pair and see how they do. Any idea on brands or sources for in-expensive ones?
I like the dark polo idea.... the undershirts would have been good too, except for the heat. I think Im going to try to find a nice hat to protect my hair a bit... as the humidity will have it all fuzzy by noon anyway.

Thanks everyone for helping me imagine some different outfits.. it helps my imagination a lot!

Newfoundland, that is very interesting about the barn you mention. I think here, though, that shredded newspaper is more expensive than shavings... as hardly anyone collects newspaper and hardly anyone has a shredder.. Shavings is pretty normal and a pitchfork is the norm for cleaning with. Personally Im a big fan of those pine pellets on rubber mats as they cut the work in half... but I guess some people like their horses to have a deep bed.

For now I have to be moderate in what I purchase... but I will keep some suggestions in mind (liking having more than one pair of boots!!!!) for later.. so if anyone has any additional insights, they would still be very appreciated.
I also have to budget to get a farriers apron, since he is teaching me to trim and eventually shoe...I know Im going to be starting soon sans apron so Im pretty sure my jeans will be taking a beating! LOL

I still love the idea of just throwing overalls and a coat on... I would be SO CLEAN underneath... but I think to do that and survive temperature wise, I would have to move to a northern state!

 

[cassie]

One other comment. Try to stay away from most synthetic fabrics. They are hot in summer, cold in winter, and don't wick moisture away very well.

 

[newfoundland]

I am very interested that you will be recieving farriery training. Here it is illegal for anyone but a registered farrier to shoe or trim horses hooves. In order to be registered, you must complete an appreticeship which can only be under the supervision of a master farrier. This includes periods of time at college as well as on job training. The apprentice must study the construction of the legs and feet and understand the complexities of appropriate trimming and shoeing. There are very many conditions that affect the foot and remedial shoeing can help to protect and mitigate a less than perfect confirmation. An example of this might be pedal bone rotation caused by laminitis. Correct supportive shoeing can help this condition and good farriery is essential to the management of laminitics. If I were you i would check the legal position of this training, it may be perfectly acceptable to train like this, but best to be sure. You can probably do this online.

 

[MaryMouse]

I work with horses everyday, and have done so my entire life. I wear riding breeches. They are VERY comfortable, sturdy, long lasting, and come in dark colors as to hide stains. I find you do alot of crouching, bending, squatting, etc and they are made for this. They move with you and dont bind in the knees. A well made pair last along time (about 3 years). I love jeans but they only last 1 year for me. I put the knees out and blow out the butt. Riding breeches cost about 80-125 bucks, jeans cost me 65 bucks. So the better deal in the long run for me is the breeches. Some of the breeches I have are 5 plus years old, and they are starting to look alittle tired but hey I wear um till they die. I also find they are supportive to my old tired banged up legs, much like suport hose, so if you plan on doing this as a lifetime thing like I have, your looking at many many miles of walking, so any support helps.

While on the subject of how many miles you end up walking and hours on your feet, the most important article of work wear is your footwear. Get a well made boot with a steel shank, made of good leather. This protects your feet, as horses will step on you. A well shod big horse that steps on your foot on pavement hurts, so try to lessen the pain with a well made boot. The steel shank is supportive and helps your feet and your back, believe me I know , at the end of the day you can be a little achy.

For riding apointments in front of clients etc, a dark polo will be fine. I suggest a duffle bag with a quick change for such occasions. No matter how fancy a place is, if the people there have horses or work with them at all they realize, horse slobbers happen. So even if you have a small spot or slight stain, it will be graciously ignored. Most horse people care way more on how you treat their horse than what you look like.

Good luck and enjoy your future working with horses.

 

[SourRoses]

Thanks guys for the additional suggestions

Newfoundland, not to worry, my trainer is a master farrier who did feet professionally for 22 years and has a very good name.
There are no college requirements in the US... of course that would help someone professionally, but who one learned from or what kind of network you have has more impact.

I WISH I could go with the change clothes option! But with the amount were skipping around... I would be constantly excusing myself to change my clothes. I know thats why the tank top was suggested and a great idea... I guess Im still too shy for that kind of changing, plus the extra heat.. in any amount... might be enough enough to do me in..... LOL I am so pooped!! Yesterday I went home with copious amounts of horse hair in my bra from an intense grooimg of a grey that came in from up north..... today it was hay in my bra that I wouldn't/couldnt fix in front of my trainer....
I guess not everyone understands completely though... I know what its like to get "so dirty" around horses... hay/hair/shavings/slobber/ect.. and even bath days... but thats mild compared to full speed large barn care... I seriously have poo in my hair still (going to the shower ) and I didnt have to do anything extra-ordinary to get it there.
I'll have to settle for a change of shirt in case I get any serious soil... the baby wipes idea might be good... the breeches sound nice.... well at least if I went in there looking nice, the poop and hair and hay would look like an accident... an every day accident... hehehe