The rules have been changed and driving gloves are no longer an option for the 4-H driving classes. I am looking for some inexpensive gloves that we can order to fill the need but not break the bank. I am of the personal opinion that the only thing you can do well with gloves on is wet yourself. I wear gloves of most any type only when it is extremely cold or abrasive conditions. As in under 10 degrees and more abusive to hands than loading hay. Anyhow, any suggestions that can help without breaking the bank? LF
Any type of riding glove should suffice, and for working at home I drive in deerskin work gloves most of the time. The knit riding gloves with pebble grip are usually pretty cheap ($2 a pair here http://www.horseloverz.com/Weatherbeeta-Track-Gloves-pr-183237.html). For those that need to show in gloves they should make a habit out of always wearing them at home so they are used to the feel of them.
Roeckl® Chester Riding Gloves
I am a stickler about gloves, because I have smaller hands and hate bulk and ill fitting gloves.
These gloves are amazing! Just read the 15 reviews on Dover…
http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-3959&ids=799695592
If you search ebay, you can pick them up much cheaper but they aren’t cheap. My ones that I use for riding, have lasted FOUR YEARS. I go through leather gloves about every four months.
I bought my driving (brown) ones a year ago and no wear is on them whatsoever. They also machine wash.
Also, they make them quite large (but Dover doesn’t sell very large -as in mens sizes -only the sizes that MOST people want). Search ebay and you can find sellers that sell smaller and larger sizes than Dover.
They come in brown for driving.
Five and a half bucks a pair.
They won’t last forever, they aren’t leather, but they are gloves.
I would look at cheapy brown leather work gloves, see what you can find for the kids that fit. Maybe at the Farm Store? Carmel color is always a nice neutral brown. I like gloves that have a little cuff after wrist, so no gap between glove and sleeve edges. You could add a velcro strap at the wrist (like a roper glove) with sewing machine, snug the wrist down so they can’t pull off.
Another thought with the cheaper gloves, is to turn them inside out, seams cut edges on the outside. Small, soft kid hands blister quickly. The seams inside the glove fingers, can make big lumps rolling under the reins in their hands. Blistered MY fingers pretty quick, riding with cheap gloves on a cold day. I think the seams outside, sueded leather finish outside, add a little drag on reins, which helps kids who don’t have strong fingers for holding on firmly. I have been turning my cheapy riding gloves inside-out for a while now. Smooth leather inside, no lumps, does feel nice!
Not sure if I mentioned it before, but skiving the reins narrower, can be helpful for those little hands. Edges of reins rounded for comfort like store bought, not left square cornered like a knife cut them. Reins are not thinned top to bottom to stay strong. You just don’t keep reins 5/8" wide or wider, for short fingers to reach around. Should fit inside the knuckle length if possible to fold finger around comfortably. We just narrow reins up a short distance in front of dash and back thru the handhold area, where the kids will be holding on the reins. People with big hand can hold wide reins comfortably, kids need their reins modified for small hands. Just lots less tiring to drive for a while with reins that fit!
I have lightweight brown pigskin out of preference for doing anything smart. I do also have some deerskin and some man made modern fibre ones that look like suede but are just very warm. (not for showing classes those though)
In truth I actually don’t like wearing driving gloves at all. I’d much rather be bare handed.
Don’t forget that a good pair will last a lifetime though and they need to be very generous fitting… not tight… so buy a size bigger than normal.
I thought that the basic brown leather gloves here looked fine and good value:
Just remember, though its not written anywhere in the rules, you need brown gloves for competition. What are you looking for in “won’t break the bank” in price? Idea on sizes etc. We have a ton of tack stores in the area and can scope out who might have what on sale. Happy to look around if you want. I’m assuming this is for the kids driving group you guys started out there.
Also, if you are buying in quantity, you might be able to cut you a deal with the tack shop.
Oh, I know they are not cheap, but I am totally coveting a pair of these gloves. I think a pair just MIGHT find its way to me this summer…
[QUOTE=Drive NJ;4757754]
Just remember, though its not written anywhere in the rules, you need brown gloves for competition. [/QUOTE] Really??? Are you absolutely sure that brown aren’t de rigueur
Thomas
Nope, for some reason they never add it into the actual rules, I wish they would as it would make it simpler for new drivers. The only place glove color is addressed is for the grooms.
LF did say that no-gloves idea in Driving is not an option anymore.
"The rules have been changed and driving gloves are no longer an option for the 4-H driving classes. "
Sounds like gloves are required now. I expect low price is wanted because a lot of those kids just can’t afford to have gloves that could “last for years” with the high price. Counting all their dimes and dollars because there just is NO MORE money to be had for showing. I see this often in our local 4-H horse activity.
The quantity buying idea is a good one for better pricing.
Better buy several pairs of matching gloves.
My experience with children says that after about a day, one glove goes missing.
I just bought a really nice pair of a brand name (but forgot it already) riding glove but I bought them on ebay. I bought a size up and they might be ok for riding but the fingers aren’t any too long for driving. And those pesky finger seams make them too bulky - so I’m not using them. But I will try them inside out and see if that helps. Thanks to whomever suggested that!
I rarely ride in gloves either, so it makes sense that they would bother me for driving. I am not a glove-person.
It may be obscenely shoking to some of you folks, but brown gloves are not in the rules or normal for most of the breed driving classes. And in my experience 4-H rules from state to state are usually written either to be all encompassing of any kid that may want to show, or they follow the AQHA rule book.
I just found the rulebook that LF will be going by and it says
gloves (may be black or brown, but brown is traditional)
I would put fit and affordability first. Sometimes finding black gloves that fit decently and allow a child to still use their hands effectively can be a challenge, and there are a lot more black gloves to choose from.
[QUOTE=Renae;4760138]
It may be obscenely shoking to some of you folks, [/QUOTE]
Renae, Is there some reason you feel so angry at this forum? Your tone is often so…mean and you seem to try hard to demean.
