Hand in Glove

Back when I was endurance racing, I rarely wore gloves. When the weather was really cold or raining, then, and only then, did I wear gloves. Gloves were hot and tended to get very dirty. We frequently sponged the horses' necks with water from buckets, streams, or troughs, so gloves would have gotten dirty-wet which would have been very uncomfortable. 

No gloves.

Besides being uncomfortable, gloves are something that are easy to drop and lose. As it was, I rode with so many other things attached to my saddle or myself that one more thing might have broken the camel's back. 

Lots of hanging stuff.

My regular race day gear included (for the rider):

• helmet with over-sized visor
• windbreaker/light jacket worn or tied around my waist
• trail boots and half chaps
• a rear-facing fanny pack filled with snacks and a water bottle
• chapstick clipped to the breast collar​
• ride card and bag (rider/horse information) attached to the breast collar
• sheepskin saddle cover

Even more hanging stuff.

For the horse:

• an endurance headstall clipped to a rope halter
• a lead rope connected to the halter and threaded through a fanny pack at my waist
• breast collar
• running martingale
• crupper 
• sponge and water scoop clipped to the breast collar
• cantle pack filled with emergency equipment for horse and rider with two water bottles
• easy boots in bags hanging from cantle pack
• rump rug attached to the cantle pack in the winter​ (first photo)

Even Speedy packed "stuff."

Those days are long past though, and today, I can't ride WITHOUT gloves. Even with gloves I fight callouses and rubs. At the last show we did, the skin on the ring finger on my left hand was throbbing. When Izzy gets locked in the neck and poll, I have to move the bit around in his mouth a lot which means a lot rein contact for me. Not only is there a lot of movement on my part, but Izzy jerks the rein, pulls, and generally tries to avoid contact. The skin and knuckle on my left hand pay the price.

And that was after it had shrunk a bit.

With a new callous blistering and growing, I gave my beloved white Roeckl's a close examination and discovered they were looking much worse for wear than I had thought. They had gotten quite thin in places, especially between the pinky and ring finger. I school in a different pair of Roeckl gloves, but I replace my schooling gloves as needed. My show gloves had been on duty for more years than I can remember.

The fingers used to be covered in a textured fabric.

Last week, I ordered a new pair, but instead of Roeckls, I went with Noble Equestrian™ Ready-to-Ride Gloves because they have a reinforced area between both the pinky/ring finger and the thumb/pointer finger. They were cheaper than the Roeckl's which was a bonus, but I don't know if I will like them. They were supposed to be here last week, but they got lost somewhere in Chicago. Dover is sending another pair with the understanding that I'll return the first pair if they ever show up.

Noble Equestrian™ Ready-to-Ride Gloves

I am leaving for a show on Thursday, so the customer service rep said she would try to expedite the shipping. My fingers are crossed that they'll get here on time and that I like them. I am cringing at the thought of having to use my old pair again. My fingers are only just now recovering from the last show.

To say I have a hand in glove relationship with my gloves is true on several levels.