Being a horsey person in a public place

[Crosshill Pacers]

I once walked into my local Asda having gone straight from the field where I'd been jumping around in mud with six horses...and one of the workers followed me around clearing up the lumps of mud and mucky footprints I was leaving behind me.

That's the first, and probably, only time I've been slightly embarassed. I can quite happily walk into my local betting shop on a Saturday afternoon between jobs in my 'working' clothes and feel right at home though, nobody in there seems to mind me stinking the place out!

 

[Nakipa]

I did a one day Dressage training day last Saturday and for lunch they all decided to go to the local Chinese all you can eat buffet. I was last to ride in the morning session and once horse was in the stable with hay off we went. 25 of us and at least 18 were wearing jods, boots and some still wearing spurs. We all trooped in and we did get some funny looks at the restaurant is bang in the middle of a big shopping complex and it was 3 weeks before Christmas.
I had already done my riding so ate what I wanted but I was shocked at how much the others ate when straight after we left they would have to ride! We live in rural France and they all had several pichets of wine, red and rose with their meal and then it was back to work. It is apparently against the law to eat a meal without wine!

We left the restaurant and no one batted an eyelid and they all got back in their cars and drove back to the yard. And they wonder why the fatal accident rate is so high here!

 

[LKKB]

I frequently pop into Asda or the co-op in my horsey gear, I dont see it any different to folk wandering round in their gym gear (which I also do!). Can't say anyone has given me funny looks, but I do always feel guilty handing the cash over and hope they dont notice my fingernails! The worst one was when I managed to cut my thumb, didnt have a plaster so taped it up with bright green vet wrap....the poor girl must have thought I was mental!

I did take slight liberties the other day and ended up in TK Maxx in my horsey gear, not too gross, but still. Went to try stuff on and a flurry of shavings fell out my boots! I wonder what the person after me must have thought!

It's not agricultural round here, but it's fairly normal to see guys in their coveralls at lunch.

 

[vam]

Not sure anyone has ever paid much attention, if I do get a look it’s normally people clocking my bright, pattern socks! I always left my boots at the yard and would wear trainers in the car so my socks would be on full display. People where probably thing I should grow up rather than clean up.
I won’t wear dirty, muddy boots in my car. It’s the one thing that bugs me, I used to have a box in the boot to put them in when I was stabled up a farm and had to leave the car and walk down a muddy track but otherwise they get left at the yard. I’ll wear my trainers to and from, it helps reduce the mess in my car and the smell. I would hate to trail round mud.
I also won’t change if I need to pop into the shop on the way home, I know it only takes a minute but I would change from horse gear to work gear in my stable in the morning and then from work to horse gear after work again in my stable. I quite honestly wasn’t going to change again to only then change when I get home. It’s a waste of time and in the winter I was not prepared to get into cold clothes.

 

[Deltaflyer]

I often pop in to the Tesco Express on my way home. Although 5 miles from where I live is very horsey, where I actually live isn't. I don't think half of them know what a horse is. I used to get looks at first but they've kind of got used to me now. TBH I see far worse sights when I pop in there LOL

I did go into John Lewis once on the way home from the yard and the staff looked appalled. I didn't leave mud or shavings on the floor, I just hadn't spent the previous two hours tarting myself up beforehand like so many women seem to do before they go shopping.

My ethos is that my money's as good as everyone else's

 

[minkymoo]

Me neither! Maybe it says more about Tescos & it's considered quite clean!

 

[MagicMelon]

It drives me nuts, I live in a very rural area too yet every day I have to change from my jods and scruffy hoodie (normally grease stained, how I have no idea) into CLEAN jeans and a nice jacket and shoes to drop off and pick my 3yo up from school nursery! I once rocked up in running gear and the other mums looked horrified (although to be fair, it wouldnt have been a pretty sight), so I daren't show up in horsey stuff - no way! I even have to go to the effort of WASHING my hair every single day because of this nursery situation, honestly its ruining my life... lol.

 

[Laurac13]

A couple of years ago I was out with my mum one Sunday we stopped for some lunch in a restaurant the waitress said to me you smell really nice followed up with I love the smell of horses !!!!! I had had a shower before going out and wasn't even in horse gear the horse smell must be ingrained !!!!

 

[Tiddlypom]

It takes only a few seconds to change mucky boots for a clean pair of trainers in order to enter a food shop. I laugh to myself at the horsey set who tramp round a supermarket in half chaps and muck encrusted boots, and as for those in full hunt or competition attire including spurs, well, they're there to be seen !