Engagement/wedding rings & riding?

[morganpony86]

My SO and I are engaged and looking at wedding bands, and I want to get an idea of how others handle engagement/wedding rings at the barn.

I’m an amateur with a non-horse 9-5 job, but I do have several horses and spend a LOT of time at the barn. I currently take off my engagement ring while there, and I’m wondering if I should even wear my wedding band (once I get it) to the barn. But I’d rather not have to take my ring off whenever I’m at the barn or at a show, especially considering the time I put into the activity. But I’m hesitant of exposing it to the “rough and tumble” of the barn. I’ve always taken off all my jewelry when riding.

What do others do?
Does your ring have stones in it (pave diamonds, for example)? Is it just a simple gold ring? Or another, more sturdy, metal? Do you just take it off? Or wear it anyway? (mine are/will be insured)

[spotteddrafter]

I take my wedding band and engagement ring off every single time - there’s no way I’m gonna risk damaging or losing them at the barn. However, what I did do was get a tattoo on my left ring finger. It’s a very simple 2-7-04 and can’t be seen when I have my rings on. Although my husband doesn’t like tattoos (good thing I keep getting them, lol) he actually does like the idea that I have a permanent ring.

Edited to add - my engagement ring is good sized and my my band has diamonds all around it.

[xQHDQ]

Congrats!!!

I always take off my engagement ring. Almost always I take off my wedding ring except for horse shows. I consider it my good luck charm. However, my ring is just a simple platinum band - no stones.

The barn is hard on jewelry.

[SarahandSam]

I never take either ring off… no damage to either yet, knock on wood!

I did look into titanium instead of gold when looking at wedding bands, but the jeweler informed me that the problem with titanium is that it can’t be cut off if the finger’s swollen/broken/etc… so I just got a cheap white gold band. I’d be sad if it was damaged or ruined, but it’s just a symbol to me, and I would be okay with replacing it.

My engagement ring does have a diamond sticking up, which I worry about sometimes, but I don’t really see anything at the barn specifically being more dangerous to it than anything else I do…

[Belg]

my wedding band is tungsten… I’m not about to try it, but I’m pretty sure I can hit it with a large farrier hammer and not dent it… it comes off while doing electrical work, but that’s about it.

[morganpony86]

[QUOTE=spotteddrafter;5783524]
However, what I did do was get a tattoo on my left ring finger. It’s a very simple 2-7-04 and can’t be seen when I have my rings on.

Edited to add - my engagement ring is good sized and my my band has diamonds all around it.[/QUOTE]

My engagement ring is a center stone with pave diamonds around it and on the band, so I will likely get a matching pave wedding band too. I’m thinking it’s not barn-appropriate, so thanks for that confirmation.

@Belg;5783529

my wedding band is tungsten… I’m not about to try it, but I’m pretty sure I cna hit it with a large farrier hammer and not dent it… it comes of while doing electrical work, but that’s about it.

We actually looked at tungsten for my SO’s band, but the jeweler said that while it’s the heaviest metal, it’s also very brittle. He said if you drop it, onto a tile floor, for instance, it’ll easily crack (and dent the floor!). It’s also apparently practically impossible to fix, whereas the lighter metals are easily welded.
My SO had his heart set on tungsten until we heard all this. Thankfully our jeweler apparently has a “buy a gold band, get a tungsten one free”, so he can have both.

[onelanerode]

I have a bridal set with engraving and stones set into both bands. The engagement ring is a pretty high setting, so while it appears to be quite secure, I am not going to test it out.

I used to wear just the wedding band to the barn, but it was taking a real beating, and the milgrain edging was starting to get flattened.

So for Christmas one year I requested a thin (2 mm) comfort-fit platinum band, and that stays on all the time for everything. It’s a little dinged up now (more than four years later), but it’s quite comfortable. The bridal set gets worn to work and social functions but not the barn, while I’m doing yardwork, etc.

[Belg]

@morganpony86;5783534

We actually looked at tungsten for my SO’s band, but the jeweler said that while it’s the heaviest metal, it’s also very brittle. He said if you drop it, onto a tile floor, for instance, it’ll easily crack (and dent the floor!). It’s also apparently practically impossible to fix, whereas the lighter metals are easily welded.
My SO had his heart set on tungsten until we heard all this. Thankfully our jeweler apparently has a “buy a gold band, get a tungsten one free”, so he can have both.

I dunno… mine’s been pretty tough. It’s got plenty of scratches from farm work but no damage :=)

[EventingJ]

I always take my engagement ring off, but my wedding band stays on. My engagement ring has a center diamond and then 2 smaller diamonds, one on each side, and then smaller diamonds after those. I am afraid of getting it caught on something, or damaging it, and there is just no need for it at the barn My wedding band lays flat and has small diamonds that match the small ones on the engagement ring. I don’t worry about getting that one caught/damaged so it stays on.

[Personal_Champ]

I wear mine all the time. I have a 1 carat princess cut solitare with a X style wedding band that has a bazillion little diamonds. They are both yellow gold.

I have them insured and I get them inspected regularly at the store because they have a lifetime diamond warranty. They get FILTHY - poultice, hair, etc. - but I have never had any trouble with them at all.

[IronwoodFarm]

I don’t any jewlery around horses and in the barn, save some very small inexpensive post earrings. I always considered jewlery to be a safety hazard, plus why take the chance of breaking/losing it. Basically I don’t wear anything that I care about at the barn.

[sketcher]

I lost my expensive wedding band while picking up a load of hay. I think it probably flew off my finger when I was throwing the bales down from the loft. It was never found. I lost my next band (and much cheaper, plain band) in the ocean which swimming. I’m on my third…no more expensive rings for me.

[cute_lil_fancy_pants]

Only one solution really, hock them for a nice custom saddle!

[hasahorse]

I have a solitaire engagement ring with two wedding bands on either side of it. After nearly loosing the solitaire at a horse show a couple of years ago sliding a stall door closed, I no longer wear it to the barn on a regular basis and absolutely don’t wear it at horse shows. I have a plain white gold band that I wear instead - actually I wear it if I have to do any kind of heavy work, not just at the barn. Compared to what my engagement/wedding ring is worth (it was a family heirloom - the solitaire was hand cut in Europe in the early 1900’s), I can afford to lose the plain band.

[Lori_B]

This topic was discussed on here a couple years ago, and a couple of folks chimed in about how wearing rings was dangerous, as even the plainest have the potential to catch on a halter or lead or bridle and lead to very ugly hand / finger injuries. (injuries related to ring wearing were recounted in gruesome detail, yikes!)

I see it just like they told me in baseball when I was 12: no jewelry on the playing field, for safety.

Just my $0.02.

I keep my rings in my wallet, locked in my car, when I ride.

[VCT]

I didn’t get an engagement ring… I got a saddle :uhoh: heheheh

And my wedding band is inexpensive and plain, so I wear it. I wanted a tractor more than a nicer ring…

[HydroPHILE]

[QUOTE=SarahandSam;5783526]

I did look into titanium instead of gold when looking at wedding bands, but the jeweler informed me that the problem with titanium is that it can’t be cut off if the finger’s swollen/broken/etc… so I just got a cheap white gold band. [/QUOTE]

That is actually incorrect information. Titanium bands can be cut just as easy with a jeweler’s saw as gold or any other metal except that it requires more than one cut.

http://www.snopes.com/weddings/horrors/titanium.asp

I have never taken my engagement ring off while at the barn, etc. It’s not monstrous. It’s a simple three-diamond (diamonds from my great-great grandmother’s, great-grandmother’s, and grandmother’s engagement rings) band though

[wcporter]

I always take my engagement ring off when I ride/go to the barn/swim/work out, ect; I just dont want to take the risk.

But I’m thinking once I’m married I’ll leave the band on…and still keep the other at home.

[GreenEyes]

I always wear my engagement ring to the barn. I think it would be easier to misplace it than to lose it, although I do have it insured. I have a princess cut diamond with a pave band. I definitely recommend insurance, it’s nice having the piece of mind.

[4wdNstraight]

I have a diamond ring and a band with small diamonds on it. I take the diamond ring that sticks up off and wear my band everywhere. I have been very abusive to this band but it is fine! I worry about the diamond ring, and don’t like riding in it, but don’t notice the band.