Being a horsey person in a public place

No one bats an eyelid round by me. I do feel quite guilty if I stop at the local shop on my way home from the yard. It's often about to close and they've mopped the floors, then I stomp in in my wellies. Luckily, as it's the village shop they know me quite well so I apologise profusely and ask for the mop but they've never let me do it!
 
LHIS said:
I'm sure many of you have experienced the same - but I'm staggered each time it happens.
This evening on the way back from the yard I popped into my local little tesco to pick up some milk - and you'd think I've got two heads. One woman stopped and mouth open looked me up and down a good few times before toddling off, a bloke in the queue kept sneaking sideways glances at me. I am usually in jods or leggings, a hoody, ear warmer head band and muck boots, usually with a dusting of hay strands and a bit of muck but nothing too bad.
The area I live in is pretty horsey, so it's not like it's a novelty.

Why oh why is it such a spectacle?
Click to expand...

God knows :lol:
 
Sukistokes2 said:
Shay said:
Ditto Haphazardhacker - no-one looks in Waitrose! I did get asked to leave a local tesco's as I was wearing "sports gear" - until I pointed out the sweaty lycra clad cyclists also going in. (I hadn't been to the yard yet and wasn't muddy or smelly -well not any more than usual!)

I'd of left and NEVER gone in there again!!! They are there to sell food not to be fashion critics.......bloody cheek!!
Click to expand...

Bloody cheek indeed >:(
Click to expand...
 
case895 said:
The only time was post competition in white breeches and tall boots. Couple of women ogled me and 1 of their husbands gave me a dirty look.
Click to expand...

Haha, reminds me of when I walked into a cafe in our local town on Boxing Day last year for a hot chocolate before we set off hunting - I was in my full hunting attire apart from my hat, and as soon as we walked in everyone had their mouths wide open staring, and I saw a few smirk as we walked past - don't now why, didn't they know a hunt was on!
 
I was in the queue at local supermarket in town and a young couple were giggling stood behind me in my riding gear. Ignored them but it wasn't until later I realised I had my tee-shirt on from a riding camp I had recently attended that said in big letters on the back 'ADULT CAMP' so guess their imagination had run wild at what goes on at adult camp lol..
 
Well I am currently on the tube on my way to the yard to ride. Breeches are clean, jacket not so much. Nobody is batting an eye, or pulling any odd faces at the jacket!
 
I go into my local sainsburys garage every day in horsey gear. I did get some stares at the services on the A34 when I went in full hunting attire though and queued at the McDonald's...
 
Yea it's good fun, I went into our large local ASDA in my jods riding boots and half chaps, what made me laff was the chavvy women weighing about 15 stone in overtight undersized pants and cardy with their muffin tops making a break for freedom, think they may have also had the whole camel in there as well, not just it's toe, and they look at me like I was from another planet, maybe they don't have mirrors in their house, I found it rather amusing.
 
I have been asked in wide-eyed amazement "what happened to your coat" twice now - once in the lift at Waitrose (am too posh to use stairs obvs) and once in a garden centre. Coat in question is my favourite coat and I caught it on a nail - I am contemplating telling the next person that I had to fight my way out of a zombie apocalypse.
 
The local shops round here are used to the smell of horse with a scattering of mud but I was asked what dog I had one time - it was only when I looked at my top later that I realised that where I'd been cuddling small white terrier was a thick layer of dog hair.

I was embarrassed in Tescos once when I looked behind me and realised that all the clumps of mud had come from the soles of my wellies...
 
I'd changed my boots and coat before going into the supermarket on the way home so I thought it wasn't too bad. Only when I went to get my money out and give it to the cashier did I notice that my hands had hardly any skin showing through the dried mud.
 
Gloi said:
I'd changed my boots and coat before going into the supermarket on the way home so I thought it wasn't too bad. Only when I went to get my money out and give it to the cashier did I notice that my hands had hardly any skin showing through the dried mud.
Click to expand...

I had this too the other day - memo to self - leave gloves on! My hands were pretty grim.
 
I don't normally turn heads wearing jobs in the shops but once on the way back from showjumping me and my 6"7 yard owner strolled through tesco in full competition clothes. Matching black jackets, me in a competition shirt and him white tie. White matching breeches and our black riding boots still complete with Spurs. We made so many people look that we contemplated going into another shop with our whips and helmets too!
 
skewbaldmillie said:
I don't normally turn heads wearing jobs in the shops but once on the way back from showjumping me and my 6"7 yard owner strolled through tesco in full competition clothes. Matching black jackets, me in a competition shirt and him white tie. White matching breeches and our black riding boots still complete with Spurs. We made so many people look that we contemplated going into another shop with our whips and helmets too!
Click to expand...

:D
toppoints.gif
:D
 
No one round here seems to bat an eyelid but then again I may just be oblivious normally it's a nip into budgens and people I think wonder where the heck my wellie's got so caked in mud, but one of the ladies at Tescos self service actually asked where she could get a pair of my sisters hunters from and how she loved my I'm Not fat I'm in show condition hoodie it took a trip or 2 for me to realise she owns horses now we have the odd char if we see each other. I always try and walk through a puddle or 2 before I go into a shop though because I feel slightly quilty.
 
People might stare but I don't care enough to notice lol.
Ive had one or two people sniff I just say it's my perfume au de cheval wee wee and that it costs a fortune ☺
 
Try being a Surrey mum, picking up your kids from school.... I always felt like 'Pig Pen' while all the mums had spent the day in the Spa and salon lol
 
_HP_ said:
Try being a Surrey mum, picking up your kids from school.... I always felt like 'Pig Pen' while all the mums had spent the day in the Spa and salon lol
Click to expand...

It's the same here, my mother in law is an out-for-lunch then to-the-spa type, couldn't be more different. We went for a meal on Sunday night for her birthday and she commented how nice it was to see me wearing 'normal' clothes but I had hay in my hair. ☺️
 
Never any looks whilst in my riding gear with jods, boots etc. However I often change out of my riding boots and into my converse before I drive (in some failed attempt to keep my car cleaner) and then get looks when I waltz into tescos with knee high thick socks, jods, converse and thick jacket...
 
tankgirl1 said:
Never heard that anywhere else before! 'Up to the knees in sticky ******* mud that usually ends up in you either losing a wellie or slipping on your arse' is what it means round here!


Fec'ing HATE clarty mud!!!!
Click to expand...

it's a great word tankgirl - sounds like it is - claaaarty as you heave your boots out :-)
 
I will only stop in my local shop if I have been to my horse as I am currently COVERED in mud when I get home and look like a reject from Last of the summer wine. I had no problem when in riding gear but my yard wear is strictly on a need to know basis...as I am also liberally dashed with hay and pawprints as well as my dogs LOVE coming down to the fields with me.
 
Going against the flow here but I posted on a similar thread a while ago. Horses are at home so clothing is irrelevant, but when I was on livery for a while I always had a pair of jeans and trainers to change into. It takes a minute, and despite having horses myself I don't want to stand next to someone in a queue who stinks and leaves a trail of mud and hair behind them. Besides, when I see people in Tesco in riding wear, I tend to assume they like the attention and want everyone to know they're "horsey". Its what kids do when they start going to riding lessons. Or when you see spectators at competitions using leadropes as dog leads...Plus, on a yard there's an element of basic hygiene in changing footwear on departure.

Sorry!
 
Hmmm I don't doubt your observation certainly applies to some. I don't get changed at the yard because there is no where to get changed - it's a private yard (just me and the owner of the house, land and stables - 4 horses in total), unless I got changed in the car, or took liberties and helped myself to the owners house (don't want to do that). I generally do all I can to avoid going anywhere in my yard clothes, it's not a good look in general for me - usually no make up and dirt on my face from pony kisses, with mostly tatty clothes on. So I don't think I could fall in to the category of wanting to advertise that I am horsey. There's plenty of posy types where I am but I'm not in that category.
My husband, a volunteer police officer in his spare time, recently pulled over a horse box because a brake light was out. Upon speaking to the driver (a lady) she told him 'we have horses don't you know!', much to my husbands amusement. ☺️
 
I once shopped in Tesco one stop and was in the queue and two lads behind commented on the funny smell 'like baby sick'. At the time I was plastered in remnants of yard haylage that had a very horrible smell. It was mortifying.
I don't care what people think now I am older. I often walk into shops in my joddy boots covered in mud and bits of hay without a second thought.
 
keri66 said:
People might stare but I don't care enough to notice lol.
Ive had one or two people sniff I just say it's my perfume au de cheval wee wee and that it costs a fortune ☺
Click to expand...

I was queuing at my local Spar on my way back from yard, and the owner sniffed very obviously, then proceeded to spray air freshener all over the queue (and me). How rude!!!
 
I'd love to have somewhere to get changed but isnt an option I already have to get changed from work clothes to yard clothes in the car which I hate but don't have time to get changed at work etc. Although mine is just mud on boots or a smear/splatter up the back of my jeans etc I don't do it to be horsey I do it because I'm sick of most of my clothes being covered in mud etc due to the horses so try and keep it to 1 pair a week and wash at the end of said week. With how horrible this weather has been 1 wrong foot and your covered in it and mine at on 24/7 turn out access fields etc bound to be covered after it all haha
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top