# Acrylic Nail tips and horses ......



## Eaglestone (2 May 2009)

I have been thinking about having some Acrylic Nail Tips (or something along these lines  
	
	
		
		
	


	








) and wondered how people cope with them, when they have to do everything around horses i.e mucking out, field maintenance as well as grooming, tacking up and riding etc etc  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Someone told me that it takes a long time to get used to them and that being around horses may be a problem, as I would be breaking them off and they may get in the way  
	
	
		
		
	


	









I have always had very short nails and if I grow them they do seem to get in the way, then they break off anyway ....... I am so ashamed of my hands as they are dry, have splits around the nails and you can sandpaper a wall with them  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Thanks in advance, for your advice


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## Bowen4Horses (2 May 2009)

i've taken mine off now i'm doing lots of horse care... when i was just riding every now and again, it didn't matter, but they get so filthy now and need replacing soooo often...

i guess some people manage... but i just couldn't handle the dirt. i had them for years and years... so it wasn't that i wasn't used to wearing them (but yes, it will take a couple of weeks to get used to them, and not almost tear your fingertip off every few minutes!)

try it out, you can always have them removed (have it done properly though cos pulling them off yourself can damage your nail).


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## Bowen4Horses (2 May 2009)

p.s. have gel, not acrylic. they are slightly sturdier IMO. x


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## Eaglestone (2 May 2009)

Oh dear, it looks like a big no no for me then, as I am such a tom boy around my horses and into everything and always filthy dirty


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## SecretSquirrell379 (2 May 2009)

I have acrylic tips and have had for years. I don't have any problems with riding, tacking up or grooming, in fact they can come in handy for getting mud off in the winter!! They do get dirty but a good scrub with a nail brush and if they are really bad underneath then I just use a little bleach on an old toothbrush. As good as new in no time  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I'd say go for it and see how you get on, as i said I have no problems at all


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## LittleSoph (2 May 2009)

My mum is a nail technician, fairly newly qualified. So as you can imagine, when she was studying, I was her guinea pig. I had allsorts on my nails from fibreglass, to acrylic, to gel...

After a lot of trial and error Mum now ONLY works with a certain type of gel called 'Calgel'. (If you google it you'll find out more.) Not only does it make your nail look good, lasts for ages, but it's also good for your nails, so if conditions them rather then wrecks them.
I have the gel tips on 24/7, but keep them short and neat, and I rarely have a breakage. Obviously it suits me, living with Mum, that when one does break I can just get it sorted that evening. Most of the time I have a dark colour to hide the dirt, lol, but I do love to have french manicure...

But honestly, if you're thinking of having tips I'd strongly recommend finding a Calgel technician in your area. You'll have strong, lasting, healthy nails.

If you want to know anymore, feel free to PM me.


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## Eaglestone (2 May 2009)

Tricksy and LittleSoph ..

Thank you for your advice, I will take everything on board.  I really would like to see my nails nice, even for a short time, so may report back


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## Slinkyunicorn (2 May 2009)

I trained as a nail technician so I could earn some extra money when I was between jobs. Would only recommend gel - for acrylics they use acid bases which wrecks your nails long term. Find a decent nail bar/technician and have gels. To start with keep them short as that way you will get less breakages, find a decent pair of gloves (I use Atlas Equestrian gloves) which you can wear ALL the time when doing horsey stuff - washing, grooming, tacking up, riding etc. You also need to wear gloves when washing up etc too. You may decide to keep them up in which case you can leave your nails longer/shorter to suit you. I have always had long nails so still keep them long and change the gel regularly ( it is recommended every 2 -3 weeks so can get expensive!) but obviously it costs me nothing but time!! I live on a farm and do my horses everyday but having gel on my nails means they look smart and clean for my 'day' job where I can't have scuzzy 'horsey' hands!! To keep them clean wear gloves all the time with horses and invest in a 'hard' nail brush to keep them clean. The only way is to try - but do work out how much time and money they will cost to maintain as they are time consuming.


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## SecretSquirrell379 (2 May 2009)

Look, broken hand but my nails still look nice LOL  
	
	
		
		
	


	




  how they didn't break I have no idea!!


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## Cobbysmum (2 May 2009)

Ooh that looks painful.  I did that once, tried to balance on my ring finger when hitting the floor after horse refused.  Have you got a finger splint for it.


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## Daffers (2 May 2009)

Flipping heck......seeing your hand like that has brought tears to my eyes (In pain)......
I had acrylic nails once, never again when involved with horses, was competing when horse decided to cat leap a fence, my hand came thumping down onto her neck, oh my god the pain....took my glove off, held it upside down to see many fragments of nail fall out!!!! Tips of my fingers where so sore, later found out i had broken 5th metatorsel (sp) in plaster for a month from said tip of fingers to elbow!!!


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## Boxers (2 May 2009)

I have gel overlays and they are really sturdy. I don't have any problems with them riding or mucking out etc.

As I type alot for my job I don't have my nails too long and they never break.

I have them done every 3 weeks for £20.

They do get a bit dirty underneath - but a scrub with a nail brush soon sorts that out.


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## Eaglestone (2 May 2009)

Oh no Tricksy you hand looks so sore .... but your nails look lovely


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## SecretSquirrell379 (2 May 2009)

My hand is fine now  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 that happened down the beach last year. Cropi fell over and I ended up underneath her, we think she stood on my hand trying to get up. So so glad that I never ride with my rings on  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 had to have my wedding ring made 2 sizes bigger as the swelling has never gone down properly, don't have any probs with it now. 

Daffers - I've broken a nail on her neck before after she put in an emergency stop!! ouch your break sounds painful


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## Eaglestone (2 May 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
I have gel overlays and they are really sturdy. I don't have any problems with them riding or mucking out etc.

As I type alot for my job I don't have my nails too long and they never break.

I have them done every 3 weeks for £20.

They do get a bit dirty underneath - but a scrub with a nail brush soon sorts that out. 

[/ QUOTE ]

It looks like a good nail brush is required, by all accounts


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## BobbyMondeo (2 May 2009)

I have them, it took me a few days to get used to it and now its fine


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## skye123 (3 May 2009)

My friend had them done went down the yard and instantly broke two while tacking up her horse  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 she's vowed never to have them done again while she's around horses as it's a waste of money when you have horses


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## DiablosGold (3 May 2009)

I never have a problem with my acrylics at the yard or anywhere else, although I have them fairly short (not like horrible long claws).  Just ask the nail technician to have them quite short


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## Eaglestone (3 May 2009)

Thanks everyone, as all your replies have been very helpful


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