Daily yard attire

When I was an undergrad (in the US), I kept my horse at the uni's stables. It had a large riding school and about 30 boarders (or liveries, as you would say here). The riders ranged from serious competition riders to happy hackers who just liked pottering, and most of us were somewhere on the continuum. And it was a nice atmosphere. Then between my 3rd and 4th year of uni, the old barn manager moved to Florida, and the uni hired a new one. Right before the start of term, new YM (who was a serious dressage rider and showing I1 or something in that FEI ballpark) sent everyone a letter which expressed how excited she was to take on her new role, yadda yadda, and then went on to say something along the lines of, "The barn represents __ college [remember, everything is called 'college' in the US], and is often people's first impression. As such, you should make sure you and your horse look professional." She then proffered a list of rules, which included gems like, "Your horse MUST be clipped and its mane trimmed according to your discipline," and "Lesson riders are required to wear tan jodhpurs with a belt (a belt?? why??), brown or black paddock boots with leather half-chaps or tall boots (alas, I had no purple muckboots at that time), and a fitted shirt. No hoodies."

I didn't touch my horse's mane nor face, and when she asked me about that and said, "What's your discipline?" I said, "Trail riding." What was she going to do? I also schooled dressage but I'd quit showing, so there wasn't a lot she could do. I reckoned the most sensible response to the dress code was to buy more hoodies and forego using any and all solid-coloured saddle pads and exclusively ride in the ones with galaxies and tiger stripes and stars and NYC subway graffiti and polka dots, etc. etc. Which is why every photo of me has one. Because it's all I own.
 
My attire for morning hay is currently - my dressing gown. Then if the weather is hot linen trousers and a t-shirt with a fleece if necessary, or if it's cooler, tracksuit bottoms and a jumper with a fleece. I save my breeches for riding and the horses are at home.
 
Oddly enough this subject has been much on my mind .Over the last I dont know how many weeks ,it has started to seem like groundhog day for me , The alarm goes and I get up and answer the endless phone calls and messages and set off delivering essential supplies to the masses. Essential being garden sleepers for raised beds.
Trust me , my customers ,suitably supplied with sleepers , dont venture out ,they just dig holes in the garden . Possibly I am singlehandedly saving south london. But what has that to do with yard fashion you tedious git ,I hear you cry .
Well.... I finaly get to the yard . They are used to my wardrobe . Dealer boots Tracky bottoms (Black) and Blue T shirt. In fact they think I have only one set of clothes . But sadly my wardrobe is wearing out and even I am reaching my tidiness threshold . My boots have had to have major surgery , using "Tiger seal "glue but no the leather has holes in it. T shirts have more holes than i can accept . Today I burned holes in my tracky bottoms whilst welding trailer (see above,delivering essential supplies) I am running out of options. My hair ,I like it short (jethro Gibbs from NCIS short) I tried to trim it with a set of fine clippers I bought for Bobs chin stubble (not whiskers ,never trim them) Bob thought the result hilarious and mostly the yard were too polite to comment ....Mostly!
I have reached rock bottom of scruffiness and I need you ladies and gents to help me through rehab into a smart yard acceptable ME . So all suggestions welcome.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
My attire for morning hay is currently - my dressing gown. Then if the weather is hot linen trousers and a t-shirt with a fleece if necessary, or if it's cooler, tracksuit bottoms and a jumper with a fleece. I save my breeches for riding and the horses are at home.
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See I cant be doing with wearing bedwear out on the yard. I may keep my bed t shirt on to do the mornings but it will go in the wash basket once I get back. Also dont you find hay gets stuck to it??

Same with fleeces, I haven't worn a fleece for about 10 years , EVERYTHING gets bloody stuck to it ? Also how does everything get so many holes or rips in their clothes??
 
Leggings and old tops. But for winter I’m going to invest in some Proper riding leggings even though I won’t be riding lol!
 
I like regatta pull on tops for the Farm. Not too thick, smart but very affordable. Think mine were £9.99 each in various colours. I also like their quick dry t-shirts. Again, very smart but cheap.
They go really nicely with breeches/riding tights. Worth a look if anyone is after yard clothes.
 
i was in aldi last week and bought three sets of ski trousers, one set of fishing trousers and two sets of merino wool ski under things, all reduced, quite looking forward to next winter.

last ear i bought loads of colourful leggings for riding, various t shirts and two very smart quilted jackets, after years of never knowing what to wear, its glorious to be spoilt for choice after years of worzel gummidgeness
 
I am not riding at the moment so I usually just wear jeggings of varying degrees of fabric thickness and t-shirt with an old pair of canvas trainers (this time of year) If it's wet I have some walking trainers or those gardening clogs or whatever they're called. tbh, I'd wear the jeggings too if I was riding.
 
Breeches and t-shirt, jumper, coat in the winter, breeches and shirt in the summer (too hot for anything tight like a t-shirt, burn too easily for a vest top).
Despite my best efforts invariably look like the Michelin man or wurzel gummage.
 
Maybe I’m not too dated then- I’m usually leggings/riding tights with a polo shirt and hoody or a base layer/roll neck and hoody in the winter. I really like the sound of the technical tops, I’ve seen ariat and le Mieux ones which I’d love, but a bit pricey!
 
All credit to people who manage to look smart and put-together at the yard! Sadly, I'm just not capable of it. Whenever I see people who've matched their t-shirt to their jods to their jackets to their saddlecloth to their bandages to their bonnets, I'm stunned that they've managed to get everything of the same colour clean at the same time.
 
Generally, if I'm riding then it's some kind of technical top depending upon the weather, riding tights and riding trainers.

If just yard work then at the moment it's trainers, shorts and a vest top.

If I'm just popping in - then whatever I'm wearing at the time!
 
MuddyMonster said:
Generally, if I'm riding then it's some kind of technical top depending upon the weather, riding tights and riding trainers.

If just yard work then at the moment it's trainers, shorts and a vest top.

If I'm just popping in - then whatever I'm wearing at the time!
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Beginning to think that maybe I am at the shabby chick end of fashion
 
Bob notacob said:
Know how you feel .Got binned from RAF Cranwel for simply not looking the part. (ran rings around the guys they kept)
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Bob notacob said:
Know how you feel .Got binned from RAF Cranwel for simply not looking the part. (ran rings around the guys they kept)
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Thanks pippity. they had a vote aftervthey had binned me ,for the cadet tthat most represented the spirit of the course, I was packing my bags when they told me that the course had voted me for that honour. But of course that couldnt be . so they were made to voted another , But god bless their hearts , they made it clear that they had voted for me , amazing.
 
I’m no fashion queen but I am mildly horrified by the number of you that are going out in holey pants!

Mine live at home so I don’t actually have to be seen by anyone. I usually wear a technical top of some kind and jeans/shorts to do farm and horse chores. I ride in breeches with a belt. I am fair skinned so for me, long sleeve technical tops are worth the money because then I don’t have to worry about applying sunscreen all day. I do have a very shabby hand me down flannel coat that I wear in the winter for chores.

Currently I am 8 months pregnant and can’t fit any of my ‘good’ clothes so have to wear my husband’s. I feel like an absolute bum! Can’t wait to fit my own jackets again.
 
What works for me is a pair of overalls i.e boiler suit, a "Buff", and a load of disposable nitrile gloves. You can stick this on over your joddies and nice tops and it will save you a fortune. I have four overalls in total: two summer-weight (and smaller, as you are not wearing so many clothes underneath and therefore have more room); and a couple of larger, more heavyweight ones for winter so you can put all your winter warmers underneath and still have plenty of room.

What inspired me to adopt this particular apparel was going to see a horse a few years ago and there was a girl at the yard who was obviously one of the Super Organised bridage. She'd been checking her horse and had worn a boiler suit, Buff around her head, and a pair of disposable gloves. She was just about to get in her car and wow! Off came the boiler suit, off came the Buff, off came the gloves - and there she was all dressed up for an evening out! A flick of a comb, a slick of lippy and pair of nice shoes and there she was, all sorted!

I came home and ordered a few boiler suits and Buff's after that! Best thing I ever did. Wearing overalls has saved me a fortune in clothes and washing expense!
 
holeymoley said:
What do you wear to the yard? I feel my equestrian wardrobe could do with an overhaul, I’m sure I’m about 10 years out of date!

Inspire me! ?
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I buy cheap t shits from T .cos, but the mens ones as I they are more practical than female ones, also my livery introduced me to these stretchy jeans, great for chores.
 
I know I must be 20 years outdated, as I just worked out that my precious checked jacket was purchased in 1999! It has many holes, but that improves the pocket size as the pockets now lead to the whole lining. The buttons no longer do up though.

I have resisted technical fabrics after work changed our cotton polo shirts for technical ones and they smelled even after washing, whereas the cotton ones were fresh (even when they were so old that the black ones had turned brown!). Even at 60, with a bio washing powder and smelly granules, the niff of sweat was still there. The cotton ones simply were better.

I have upgraded my breeches though, have some lovely ones from eBay, cotton rich but also technical, silicon grip. A revelation!
 
Riding tights and long sleeved running top. In winter this plus fitted polo neck fleece.

I keep my horses about 3 miles from home so often take a change of clothes or at least a change of footwear if doing field maintenance after riding. Yesterday I was painting a bit of a field shelter so my painting jeans and old T shirt.
 
Red-1 said:
I have resisted technical fabrics after work changed our cotton polo shirts for technical ones and they smelled even after washing, whereas the cotton ones were fresh (even when they were so old that the black ones had turned brown!). Even at 60, with a bio washing powder and smelly granules, the niff of sweat was still there. The cotton ones simply were better.
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YES! Technical stuff really holds onto the whiff of stale sweat. Whenever I've worn one, I'm checking my armpits even though it's fresh from the washing line. I'm a bio washing powder fan, but it's no match for technical material.
 
Usually an oversized t-shirt, 3/4 length denim leggings, and my jod boots in warmer weather. My temperature control is practically non-existent thanks to Fibro, so I'm all about light, flexible and breezy.

Winter, swap the leggings for jodhpurs and the jod boots for wellies or countryboots, maybe add a coat if it's raining, but I'm usually still in a t-shirt if I'm doing chores, I'm a sweaty chimp!
 
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