how on earth can people ride without gloves!

I too wear gloves the majority of the time.
Nothing to do with my contact on the reins but because I don't want my hands to get rough!

I once went on a sponsored ride with around 30 horses across moorland and my horse got very excited to say the least! I had to borrow a pair of gloves or my hands would have been ripped to shreds. Yes, she was pulling like billy-o and no I wasn't going to let her tank off just so 'my contact was soft' and they were the rubber grip reins too, they really hurt! That was years ago and since then I wear them for most things.

OP, I shouldn't take what other posters have said to heart. Horses are amazing creatures that don't act like robots and so by only assuming it is to do with the rider's grip or pulling, and has nothing to do with weather, reins, the mood of the horse, sensitivity of your hands or personal perference is IMO more insulting to the art of horses and riding!
 
I always wear gloves because I get eczema on my hands and I would rather not make it 100x worse! I just wear the cheapy £3 grip ones off ebay but was thinking of getting a nicer pair!
 
horserider said:
Your posts give plenty of clues as to why your hands were ripped to shreds but as you do not want advice as to the cause, just put some antiseptic cream on the blisters and remember your gloves next time.
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I know what the cause is and it's not my inablility to ride or the fact that I was supposedly riding heavy handed. The cause is that I was riding with rubber grip reins without gloves, the friction of them moving through my hands cause the blisters. The only resolution I can think of is wearing gloves which is what I usually do. I regularly have lessons and this happened during a lesson and I am not listening to everyone saying I urgently need lessons as I am hurting my poor horse, as I am regularly doing this and I didn't ask people to criticize my riding ability therefore I am ignoring any 'advice' given about my ability. Yes, this may anger some people, but I didn't actually ask for it in the first place. If people actually read things properly instead of jumping to conclusions then this forum would be a nicer place for all.

When I started this thread I asked for blister cures not a slagging off session of my riding ability
 
hate rubber reins with a passion, and i never wear gloves! I used to when i was a kid, learning to ride etc, but i hate riding with gloves on!

saying that, i use leather reins, and have a very light contact with my horse- she is not heavy in the hand etc.

i only wear gloves for showing... and i HATE every minute of it! :D i put the gloves on at the last minute and they are the first things off once the class is over!

my hands arent tough by any means... but as said, my horse moves off the leg and voice more than the rein.

with blisters; do not pop unless absoulutely necessary! popping blisters leaves the door open for infection. if you must pop it, then use a sterile needle, prick and drain. wash in salt water and keep dry and clean. for toughening up your hands (if you want to!!) use methalated spirit. (not something i would ever ddo, but is widely used by guitarists to toughen up their fingertips!!)

"Methalated Spirits
Supposedly, a good way to toughen skin used by walkers on blisters is to mix 9 parts Methelated Spirits with one part baby oil. If you have blisters it also dries these out. Best use Methelated Spirits from a Pharmacist as it is pure (rather than meths from a hardware store)"
 
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I've always worn gloves not only when riding but also when leading. I've felt the pain of rope burn and had blisters from horrid plaited reins when I forgot my gloves and it made me never forget them again.
Just because you wear gloves doesn't mean you have heavy hands and you can't feel contact, a thin piece of fabric around your hands doesnt mean you can't feel what's going on but can stop blisters, your hands slipping when the reins are wet, skin being ripped when a horse snatches his head and even splinters off gates whilst out hacking!!
 
I have done the same with surgical spirit ww, it works well!

My friend who used to ride a lot when younger came to ride my horse, she showed me where her skin has calloused
 
Oops sent too early..

She showed me these callouses, they were tough well established thick bits, she got on and after 5 mins her hands were shredded! Ouch! This was on a horse you would barely keep any rein contact with at that stage... Some people are just delicate :-)
 
Im another who feels naked riding without gloves, like driving a car without a seat belt on... just feels wrong to me :p


I usually have a few different pairs ready to go depending on the weather, but usually stick to the nice thin leather ones. The get stuffed inside my helmet :o

Although I've never had blisters from riding (if ive ever forgot gloves), cant imagine holding on tight enough to cause that - however, all of our hands are different, just like all of our horses :)
 
Caraphernelia said:
I know what the cause is and it's not my inablility to ride or the fact that I was supposedly riding heavy handed. The cause is that I was riding with rubber grip reins without gloves, the friction of them moving through my hands cause the blisters. The only resolution I can think of is wearing gloves which is what I usually do. I regularly have lessons and this happened during a lesson and I am not listening to everyone saying I urgently need lessons as I am hurting my poor horse, as I am regularly doing this and I didn't ask people to criticize my riding ability therefore I am ignoring any 'advice' given about my ability. Yes, this may anger some people, but I didn't actually ask for it in the first place. If people actually read things properly instead of jumping to conclusions then this forum would be a nicer place for all.

When I started this thread I asked for blister cures not a slagging off session of my riding ability
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The more you shout, the less you'll hear. I offered no advice having read your posts properly and seeing that you felt there was none you needed.

Apart from suggesting antiseptic cream. Large pots.
 
I am quite shocked that people get such damaged hands from not wearing gloves - what must the horses mouth at the other end of the reins be like!!!

I wear gloves as I hate my nails getting torn by the horses mane I also hate having cold hands and I find they help with grip when riding a sweaty horse. I would wear them hunting to protet my hands but that's it really. I don't really notice a difference whether I wear them or not as a general rule.
 
Caraphernelia said:
Thanks for your lovely comment I really appreciate it :rolleyes:. how about you try reading my earlier post to see what I said my horse was doing. My horses mouth is fine, he was choosing to pull like a tank yesterday and as I don't hold my reins tightly they kept sliding through my fingers and irritating my skin (shock horror I don't hold my reins to tightly :eek: ). I do have sensitive skin, whats the problem with that? everything according to here.....

Thankyou for making me feel like a cruel, heavy handed, rubbish rider. I best give up my horse as I obviously shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a horse!


For your information, I regularly have lessons with a variety of people and I have always been told that I have quiet, soft hands and would in no way be able to hurt a horses mouth as I am very gentle. You clearly don't know me or my horse so keep your opinions out of it. Look at your own faults before you criticize others.

As I am obviously incapable of treating a horse with care would anyone like a stubborn and strong welsh D?

I have posted on this forum before, I used to have an account and forgot the password. I knew what it is like but I didn't think it would get silly over a question about blister cures!

Please can we keep to the original question about blister opinions and leave your personal opinions about my 'incapability' to ride out of it please, thankyou.
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You must hold your reins tightly They shouldn't slip through your hands, if they are slipping through your hands then you need to hold them tighter. Soft hands are absolutely nothing to do with how tighly you hold your reins and everything to do with how loose your elbows and shoulders are.
If your instructor isn't pointing this out to you, then you need another instructor. You don't need a death grip on the reins but have not got a correct contact if you are constantly loosing the rein.

That is why you have blisters.
 
I always ride with gloves. You have to in a dressage test, so why not just get used to it. I have also ripped my hands apart on numerous occasions - with blisters, I leave them alone until the next time I ride, when I wrap my fingers in sports tape and put gloves on top.
 
I usually wear gloves but yesterday I set off for a pootle round the fields with my boy and realised when we got the yard gate that I'd forgotten my gloves. I took it as a sign of the milder weather and carried on :)
 
Urggg no i hate gloves!! They restrict movement in my hands and i hate it. I have very soft hands i have never got sore hands from riding any of mine... A friends horse was really hard mouthed and leaned a lot so i got a blister then but other than that i dont have rough hands or sore ones even after riding 6 horses in a day :)
 
OFGS why are some people still going on and on at the OP. I'm sure her riding and instructor are perfectly fine!!

oops, posted too early!

I tend not to ride in gloves in summer, and have rubber reins, but really soft ones that don't rip my hands. I always keep gloves in my pocket for the days when its cold or my mare gets a bit joggy and strong - which is nothing to do with my hands either, more to do with the fact that she hasn't been out for a few days and we are getting near a trot or canter spot!

I once forgot my gloves on Somerford Park Farm ride, she is a XC monster and shredded my hands so badly that they bled. And yes I was probably pulling back - she is not getting away with just ******ing off when she feels like it! I was due to have an operation a week later and was scared the hospital wouldn't admit me with these huge open sores that went yellow!

I would leave them to dry as much as poss. Putting plasters on changes what nature is trying to do..

ps, even though I don't ride in gloves for a lot of the year, I don't think its big or clever, and I think its actually more sensible to ride in gloves.
 
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siennamum said:
You must hold your reins tightly They shouldn't slip through your hands, if they are slipping through your hands then you need to hold them tighter. Soft hands are absolutely nothing to do with how tighly you hold your reins and everything to do with how loose your elbows and shoulders are.
If your instructor isn't pointing this out to you, then you need another instructor. You don't need a death grip on the reins but have not got a correct contact if you are constantly loosing the rein.

That is why you have blisters.
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Once again, do not criticize me or my horse and certainly not my instructor. You have never met any of us therefore you do not have the right to criticize us. No offence, but I would much rather listen to my qualified instructors than what you say, are you qualified? most likely not.

I never asked for 'advice' on my riding, I can ride perfectly well enough to do novice dressage tests and do senior newcomer double clears. So I would appreciate it if you could all stop being keyboard warriors and slagging me, my horse and my instructor off. Go and spend time fixing your own faults (perhaps your manners and reading ability for a start) before you start criticizing people you have never met or seen riding, for all you know you could have worse habits than I do but as you have never seen me ride and I have never seen you ride then I can't make judgments. If you lot are all so amazing and fault free riders then where were you on the Olympic teams?
 
Caraphernelia said:
Once again, do not criticize me or my horse and certainly not my instructor. You have never met any of us therefore you do not have the right to criticize us. No offence, but I would much rather listen to my qualified instructors than what you say, are you qualified? most likely not.

I never asked for 'advice' on my riding, I can ride perfectly well enough to do novice dressage tests and do senior newcomer double clears. So I would appreciate it if you could all stop being keyboard warriors and slagging me, my horse and my instructor off. Go and spend time fixing your own faults (perhaps your manners and reading ability for a start) before you start criticizing people you have never met or seen riding, for all you know you could have worse habits than I do but as you have never seen me ride and I have never seen you ride then I can't make judgments. If you lot are all so amazing and fault free riders then where were you on the Olympic teams?
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I cannot comment on your riding, obviously you believe it is faultless, however your manners are dire.
 
People BEHAVE

It's the week before Xmas and SANTA is watching - creepy stalker that he is!!

Don't critisise the OP - or tell her she is pulling on her horses mouth - she wanted to know how to deal with the blisters!

Salty water to make sure they are clean and definately keep covered while around the horses and ouch they do so hurt until they'vr dried up.

Something I've found that heals things fast is Chapstick - I rub it into wounds and things like blisters and cover with a plaster.
 
Caraphernelia said:
Once again, do not criticize me or my horse and certainly not my instructor. You have never met any of us therefore you do not have the right to criticize us. No offence, but I would much rather listen to my qualified instructors than what you say, are you qualified? most likely not.

I never asked for 'advice' on my riding, I can ride perfectly well enough to do novice dressage tests and do senior newcomer double clears. So I would appreciate it if you could all stop being keyboard warriors and slagging me, my horse and my instructor off. Go and spend time fixing your own faults (perhaps your manners and reading ability for a start) before you start criticizing people you have never met or seen riding, for all you know you could have worse habits than I do but as you have never seen me ride and I have never seen you ride then I can't make judgments. If you lot are all so amazing and fault free riders then where were you on the Olympic teams?
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as my hubs would say 'ohh someone's tired' :rolleyes:
advice is always freely given on this forum whether you ask for it or not;) you either learn to ignore what you don't want to hear or explode from frustration, :) having a strop and telling people what they can and can't say to you will get you nowhere;)
 
I always wear gloves. I use rubber lined reins and they HURT, my pony has a lovely soft mouth but the rubber really kills my hands which are quite soft. I like to use the very thin cotton ones to keep a close feel but I can't ride without them. I also lead my welsh a with gloves as he has a cracking spin and zoom when he is scared and I don't want shredded hands!
 
OP, as a newbie here, I cannot believe your ansty attitude when people are only offering advice :confused: If you ask anything on here, you must be able to cope with the thread going slightly a kilter, and by being aggressive in your answers, it comes across badly.

Wear gloves, don't wear gloves, who really cares anyway. This is boring.
 
The main reasons I don't wear them are 1. I can't work my iPhone wearing them and 2. I can't work my lighter wearing them :0 these 2 things are essential on long hacks! :)
 
my manners are not 'dire' thank you very much. Having numerous people slagging you, your horse and instructors off does not get you in the best of moods. I asked for useful tips (thankfully some people have actually given) not an opportunity to be slagged off. as for the comment of 'someone's tired' yes, yes I am. I have had just about the worst year possible and having numerous people telling you your an awful horse person and shouldn't be allowed near them does not help after everything that has happened this past year.

I wrote this thread asking for advice on getting rid of blisters and not providing a slagging off opportunity for all the keyboard warriors, therefore anyone doing that got told their 'advice' was not wanted. I also asked people many times to keep there opinions to themselves and stick to the original question of blister cures.

To the people that have given me cures, thank you very much. I have tried a couple of them and they are getting better.
 
Tnavas said:
People BEHAVE

It's the week before Xmas and SANTA is watching - creepy stalker that he is!!

Don't critisise the OP - or tell her she is pulling on her horses mouth - she wanted to know how to deal with the blisters!

Salty water to make sure they are clean and definately keep covered while around the horses and ouch they do so hurt until they'vr dried up.

Something I've found that heals things fast is Chapstick - I rub it into wounds and things like blisters and cover with a plaster.
Click to expand...

I have never heard about the chapstick one, I will try it later. Thank you.
 
Twinkle Shy said:
OP, as a newbie here, I cannot believe your ansty attitude when people are only offering advice :confused: If you ask anything on here, you must be able to cope with the thread going slightly a kilter, and by being aggressive in your answers, it comes across badly.

Wear gloves, don't wear gloves, who really cares anyway. This is boring.
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NO The OP should NOT have to deal with the comments about her riding or how she holds her reins - she did not ask for this type of advice. I'm not surprised she has come back spitting tacks - those posters were extremely rude.

Don't get at her - she did not ask for advice about her riding JUST HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BLISTERS. So please peole be pleasent if you haven't anything cinstructive to say DON'T HIT SUBMIT!
 
You know how they say that if a bunch of women hang out together for too long then their cycles all get into synch....... :)

Do you think there is a collective bout of PMT around this week? I have suffered both sides of it in the last few days ;)

Just saying..... :D
 
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