Those dodgy tan lines
This one must come at the top of all lists of dilemmas for riders during the summer months, because, ultimately, we’ve all been there, right?
When you throw on a t-shirt to ride your horse in the sunshine, it is easy to forget about the dodgy tan lines on your arms that will result (or worse the “burn” lines). They tend to only become noticeable once you’ve had a shower and pull on that nice summer dress for a BBQ. Oh dear… Fake tan or not, they are tricky to hide. Wearing a strappy top to ride is probably a better option, however, a sports bra is a necessity.
A pin dilemma
Riders’ legs stay wrapped up under breeches for perhaps 99.9% of the summer, which means that female riders can become rather lax when it comes to maintenance of hair on said legs; again we’ve all been there…
There is nothing perhaps more stressful than being in a rush getting changed into a summer dress before looking down at a pair of hairy pins! Pulling out the razor and slapping on some fake tan is usually the answer — but quickly regrettable once the tan develops into some rather unsightly streaks.
Blimin’ breeches
Sticking with the theme of legs… there is nothing more frustrating than riding in the morning before chucking on a dress — but being mortified by the lines left by your breeches going down the inside of your legs. No amount of shaving or tanning will ever hide those babies.
Bad barnets
While all your non-horsey girlfriends boast luscious locks during the summer months, riders face a constant battle with the barnet. If chucking it into a bun under your hat every day doesn’t cause it to become a tangled mess, then it is the sweat from your brow that makes it a flat greaseball. Thank goodness for dry shampoo is all I can say…
Hot mitts
During the winter our hands are kept cosy in gloves, but come the summer months, it can get a tad too hot for your mitts to be wrapped up 24/7 while riding or mucking out. As liberating as hand freedom can be, it can play havoc with your nails and most riders accept that perfectly manicured nails are just not going to be “a thing”. After all, horsey hands demonstrate proper hard graft, right?
Shorts are NOT for riding in
Having moaned about white pins, riders should not find the solution in riding around wearing SHORTS — this is a big no-no! First of all, it’s not a great look, and, secondly, why would anyone opt for blisters, pinches and rubs as a reasonable sacrifice to get tanned legs? Hmmm…
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