Instructor teaching in flip flops !!!!

Flip flops are SO dangerous around horses. I'd rather see someone barefoot because at least then they can move fast if they need to (still very inadvisable though obviously). There was a photo doing the rounds of facebook recently of a girl's foot after she'd been trodden on while wearing flip-flops. the skin from the entire top of the foot had been peeled off in a horrific way. Not totally detached, could be pulled and stitched back in place I think, but utterly grim.
Also, totally unprofessional for an Instructor, no?!
 
I have taught about three days this year in shorts and trainers, and only then because it was absolutely roasting! I am normally in jodhs and boots whatever the weather. I would never ever wear flip flops around the horses, in fact I can't walk in the sodding things at the best of times, so you rarely ever catch me in a pair!
 
I have taught in shorts and my short riding boots when its been so hot. Cant imagine why any one would run the risk of being troddden on, saw that photo on face book it was minging !
 
Shorts and Dubarrys MINIMUM!!

I'd e petrified id lose my toes!

My big toenail is black just now from being stood on through my Jodphur boots, hence always wearing my Doobs for anything around horses and jod boots on just before getting aboard!!

Ouch ouch OUCH!
 
I once had a vet turn up wearing ballet shoes in the middle of Winter to look at my lame horse! She was worse then useless!
 
The ONLY 2 situations in which I could see this happening would be of someone has been drafted in at the very latest of minutes and has come straight from somewhere (why I almost always have boots and a hat in my car) OR an injury which means there is nothing else which will go on a foot - I have been in this situation recently having demolished my ankle and having been only able to get on certain footwear. Whilstever this has happened I have always apologised to my clients and/or explained to kids why it is not appropriate.

I would be having a word with the DC. It is a completely unacceptable example to set to the kids and would probably be used as an argument by an insurance company to invalidate insurance if they wanted to do so.
 
Am surprised the chief instructor or DC let her carry on :confused:
No way would I let an instructor teach at PC who is not properly kitted out.
After all, the children (or parents ;) ) make an effort to have riders & ponies/horses well turned out, so why should an instructor be in inappropriate dress? :confused:

Terrible manners - and as the PC uses senior members and BHS trained persons for teaching, then anyone doing so should know what to wear in the 1st instance.
 
Just incase anyone thinks comments about footwear are OTT, have another example.

My horse spooked in hand landing on my foot. Although i was wearing leather boots, it took 5 months for the bruise to disappear.
 
Our old horse broke my toe once when i was leading him wearing flip flops. He was barefoot luckily. My fault though as should have had proper shoes on! I'm really surprised they'd let an RI at PC teach in flip flops though. Not really setting a good example of safety!
 
Can't believe this... how disrespectful for the PC?!

I must admit I have taught in A flip flop before, after Morris broke my foot, but it was bandaged up beyond belief & wouldn't fit in anything else! The other foot was in my normal boot and gaiter, and I was wearing breeches..

I think this is a definite sign of the times... I hate seeing instructors teaching PC in hoodies, dirty boots, holey breeches etc, but you see it so often. I was brought up wearing a hairnet, shirt and tie to teach in!! I don't wear these now (other than for exams etc) but I always look smart...
 
My instructor has been known to teach in a bath towel- but admittedly from the safety of her bathroom over looking the jumping arena!

That said, I too am amazed. When I did PC, instructors wore breeches, gaiters and usually Ariat boots! In winter, Dubarry's and jeans often appeared.
 
Hardly sets a good example to the students who have to turn up with the correct dress code and tack. I am very surprised to DC did not say something.

When I was a child (long time ago!) we had to wear jacket, hair net, black hat (with elastic to hold it on! (just shows how old I am!)), pony club tie , white shirts, jods and paddock type boots not allowed chaps or full length boots till a senior. Can remember Mum stitching the black elastics to hold jods from riding up. Instructor inspected all the tack and ponies before the lesson (rally) could start. Heaven forbid your tack or pony was dirty. Instructor was always dressed smartly in riding kit including hat. Boy did we cook at the summer rallies. If the instructor was kind we might be allowed to remove jackets!
 
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I think the days of dressing very smart for teaching are over, but I always advocate being dressed appropriately for 'work'

I think jeans / jods/ with boots and gaiters / dubarrys can look very smart, even with a hoodie as long as it's clean, and its workmanlike. You have to be comfortable! But the kids look up to you, so you have to set some sort of example.

If it's warm, I tend to wear a poloshirt of a vest top undernath a shirt, hair tied back etc. If it's cooler, hoodie / blouson jacket.
 
I have first hand experience of being trodden on whilst wearing flip-flops- not expecting to be in yard I popped in to say hi and was stood on by a loose horse thank god he wasn't shod still my baby toe separated from my foot with just a small piece of skin holding it together. 2 years later I still can't wear heels/ tight shoes.
Pictures if anyone would like to see!
Lesson learnt and I would be horrified to see an instructor teaching KIDS especially in flip flops.
 
That is ridiculous. The PC I teach for would have gone ballistic if one of the instructors had turned up in flip flops! At the PC I teach for, all instructors have polo shirts, sweatshirts and a jacket with the name of the PC and 'Instructor' written on the back, which you must wear. I then wear decent breeches (which match!) and my Dubarrys. The only time I deviated from this was when I had broken my ankle and had to wear some mucker type boots as they were the only thing I could get on my foot!
 
When I was about 12 I was at a friends house watching her ride her horse, it's was the the middle of the summer holidays and absolutely baking, I'd gone out onto the yard in flip flops, mainly as her mother/my mother weren't there to ******* me and make me put boots on - was putting up a jump and dropped the heavy wooden pole on my foot, breaking it. Was in absolute agony for the rest of the summer holidays, never done it since! I often do the yard in shorts and dubarrys but if I've driven up in deck shoes and don't have my dubarrys in the car I'll always put my riding boots on (complete with gaiters and spurs as the all stay on boots) even if I'm just putting him put in the field.
 
Completely unacceptable - I would write to the DC in the strongest terms. Bad enough when teaching adults but totally thoughtless when teaching kids.
Even in the hottest weather ariat joddy boots and cotton socks are bearable - if she can't dress appropriately she shouldn't be teaching pony club.
We wore proper cowboy boots, jeans and long sleeved shirts to trail ride in 35deg in the USA becase is was correct, safe turnout for what we were doing.
Sorry, I might be over-reacting but I too have seen a sandalled foot smashed by a horse - the mum of a friend, wearing completely the wrong thing at a show. She was in agony and her daughter was so upset, ruined the whole weekend.
 
Yuck, wish I hadn't looked at that picture, that is nasty. In this weather I sometimes do my horse in flipflops but only lead her to the field, never a full groom or much handling or I would put shoes/boots on. She is barefoot and a small, polite elderly pony who is good at staying out of my space. More to the point, I keep her at a farm where there is no one around but the farmer and my boyfriend to witness my idiocy.
My instructor always turns up in proper riding clothes (ok, she doesn't wear a hat, even if she gets on) but I would drop dead with shock if she ever wore a hoody or strappy top and the worst I ever do is jeans and ariats for her lessons if I'm really late, usually the fact that she is smart makes me wear breeches and clean pony.
 
It's a bit odd - don't see why you'd want to! Your feet would get hugely dirty, for one thing.

My non-horsey husband often goes to put on his sandal-type things, then whinges "you're clearly going to make me hold a horse or something, aren't you" and fishes something more solid out.
 
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