Cannot ride my horse due to static electricity....

I find it interesting too. I'm a very staticky sort of person. I remember my hair going mad when we did that experiment with the Van de Graaf generator in school. I have really boring, poker-straight hair so it was the first interesting thing it had done! I get a lot of static shocks at home - particularly from a couple of light switches and the cooker (it's definitely static and not dodgy electrics as nobody else gets it). I've got into the habit of touching the wall first and running my hand up it to the light switch and the same with the kitchen cupboards for the cooker. That works. It's worse if I have my slippers on but still happens without. I went through a phase of giving Archie shocks too, I'd have to touch the gate or the bolt on his stable door before touching him.
 
I've got into the habit of touching the wall first

I do this too - same with my horse when I'm taking off a fly rug. I take the rug half way back and then run my forearms over his withers before taking the rug off his back. Seems to help.

I also get horrible shocks from the metal handrails at work - so I can often be seen standing at the top of the stairs gingerly feeling at the rail with my elbows or wrists before actually taking hold of it! Somehow a shock to the arms or elbows is not nearly as bad a a zap to the fingers.
 
I do this too - same with my horse when I'm taking off a fly rug. I take the rug half way back and then run my forearms over his withers before taking the rug off his back. Seems to help.

I also get horrible shocks from the metal handrails at work - so I can often be seen standing at the top of the stairs gingerly feeling at the rail with my elbows or wrists before actually taking hold of it! Somehow a shock to the arms or elbows is not nearly as bad a a zap to the fingers.

Now that you mention it, the handrails on the stairs in work were the worst! If I could walk on the wall side it was ok because I'd do the wall thing first but more often than not there'd be someone in the way and I'd have to walk on the well side. There was no way of earthing myself on that side and I'd get a big zap. We had metal filing cabinets too on the ends of our rows of desks which were pretty bad.
 
What are you wearing on your feet? I have one pair of wellies that are awful for creating static
I've got a pair of shoes I cant wear at work as I get static shock from all the metal cabinets! They were my favourite make and I've had loads of pairs (slip on suede ones from cotton traders, cheap and extremely comfy...) but they have changed the soles from traditional rubber to more of a plastic feel... So OP definitely try changing your footwear...
 
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