Which do you prefer and why?
I’m looking at the SSG Show Pro Deerskin gloves and can’t decide between the two colors.
Has it really come to this? Are we now discussing shades of riding gloves on this site? Why not focus your attention on what the hounds are doing and keeping your horse under control? I am all for correct attire, but this is ridiculous. (Hunting since 1967, and I have earned the right to be crabby.)
well now holdhard, take a tug here…
Let’s say a Junior rider or brand new member to the hunt in their first season walked up to you and asked the same question. Would that be your response? In person, face to face?? The folks that have hunted since before some of us were even a gleam in our Daddy’s eye, are a bit intimidating to some, and your response is just one of the reasons. Perhaps, as with many things hunting, subtle differences can be obvious in the field and some desperately want to control the things they can, even as simple as the color of weight of a glove, stock or coat, to some, proper vs. acceptable “do” make a difference.
So instead of being “crabby” since you’ve “earned it”, how about either just rolling your eyes and going on to the next post that is proof that the hunt field is falling straight into letting hillbilly’s with black gloves ride walking horses, or, just politely answer the question.
Thanks, 2ndyrgal!
Many of the members of our hunt do wear black gloves, but I’m very aware it’s not considered “proper” so I’m simply looking for guidelines.
Hunting is rooted in tradition, so why not ask questions and get it right?
Here’s what you do Big Mick
Go to nearly any recognized hunt website and click “attire”. If you want a sterling example, go to the Horse Country website and peruse their catalog, the pictures will always be correct examples.
If you are polite, ride well, and are appropriate in attire, horse and tack, you’ll be welcome in any hunt.
Most hunts welcome questions in order to have a field turned out to make the Master proud.
I’ve done this and many sites mention brown or “wash” (which I assume is natural).
I’m on the Horse Country distribution list and even in the catalog I see both “acorn” and natural. Hence why I’m confused and asking here…
Given that many people in the local hunt aren’t sticking to tradition (wearing black), I didn’t want to raise the question and unintentionally call anyone out.
I was hoping for a quick answer between brown/acorn and natural, but it’s never that easy! 
Thanks for taking the time to respond!
Sorry, Big Mick,
Hold Hard must be having a particularly bad day.
There are those of us who are appreciative of your efforts, as you can see from our newbie coth threads.
Is acorn a dark brown and the other a lighter color? I think that both are fine. Just like one can have a dark brown or medium brown color on tack. After a length of time, conditioning, and adventures in the field, they end up the same color- mellow darkish brown. Even black lightens to walnut or lighter. What color goes better with your horse’s coat color? The closer the match, the less your hands show. (One less thing to worry about if one is shaking with nerves.:winkgrin:)
Bear in mind, JSwan’s favorite pairs of deerskin come from the farm supply store, so as you get comfortable with hunting, that’s a direction to consider. You aren’t competing in show ring hunter classes. You are hunting- We are out in the trees and bushes, galloping along, grin from ear to ear, and encouraging each other. It’s a whole new world of joy.
Not sure what color “acorn” is, but these gloves are quite popular with our riders:
I wear the creme crochet/brown palm ones, but, frankly, on cold days, no looks askance if I (or anybody else) shows up in black mittens or ski gloves. Formal days, though, those crochet ones look smashing. I think plain brown looks sort of … dumb … with a formal black coat/etc. I get it that black was formerly frowned on b/c it ‘bleeds’ on your sweaty/wet hands, but, hmfph, I just think brown gloves with a black jacket looks a tad like well fitting black jeans/shiny black paddock boots and a brown belt!
My own slightly (but not altogether) humble opinion …
JMHO!!
Yah…me bad too. Been wearing black gloves for 30 yrs of hunting & colors w/3 hunts…Never, I say never, has anyone…ever…said anything to me about my gloves!! Other stuff maybe yeah but not my gloves!!! :winkgrin:
It’s not about the gloves…nope…but if you’re gonna spend the money then do what you want; heck ! get several pairs of all shades of beige/tan/acorn/cream/light brown/fawn/ and some black ones for those days when you just wanna feel REBELLIOUS!!! :lol:…My problem is that I just keep finding sales on black ones thats all!! 
I think the acorn color looks nicer though as others have said, most hunts are flexible on glove colors. I must have 6 pairs of hunting gloves in my trailers dressing room- a couple pair of crochet, plain brown leather, brown leather and fabric and two pairs of brown winter weight gloves by Ariat, they are a thinsulate type. And yes, a pair of plain, unlined black gloves are in the drawer too.
It’s fun to pay attention to detail and respect the traditions, by choice.
We sold the heck out of the SSG 1850 Thinsulate lined trail/roper in acorn: http://www.ssgridinggloves.com/style-1850-lined-trailroper after ordering some for a customer. Probably had six or eight pairs bought in three days. I like the acorn, it’s a little less glaringly light than the natural. However, I agree with whicker, after some time being used on sweaty horses on rainy/muddy/whatever days, they all end up about the same color!
So I can wear my cream crochet/brown palm ones if it is a formal hunt?
I’ve started multi-tasking my riding stuff anyway-paddock boots for snow days, cream/brown gloves any time because they are so warm, etc.
Oh wait- I forgot! I can wear my shipping boots and be tres chic-just like on the NY runway!
Your crochet back glove are not for formal days
Brown leather, I usually either match my horse or go with the least worn pair.
The crochet backs are fine for informal days.
People confuse the leather palmed, crochet gloves with string. String gloves are for wet days, either season. I have a pair, they work well, but aren’t terribly warm if it’s under 40. I use leather gloves at that point, but I watch the weather and I switch to brown rubber reins.
I have never, even showing, owned a pair of black gloves. I watched friends with nasty looking fingers and nails from where the leather bled and decided I just wasn’t going there. I’ve worn brown leather gloves since I was 13.
Hardest thing for me is finding good quality ones, small enough to fit. I usually pay dearly, and buy each pair I can find.
Have fun. And when you are absolutely sure you are turned out correctly, you’ll only worry about how to get the grin off your face after your first hard run. Once you figure out you aren’t going to die, you won’t be able to wait for the next time.
I’ve had a wide variety of shades of brown/ yellow over the past 41 years. Nobody’s ever cared. Really, truly just a matter of what you like. My current pair for cool days are some cheapie yellowish elk skin gloves I got at the feed store. Oh. But my warm weather leather gloves are ultra-chic Hermes gloves, bought at their store in Paris (yeah, they do have good deals there if you happen in on a good karma day!).
What I really miss are the gloves I had in the 70s- the pigskin gloves with the knit liners. Which is to say I think I still have a couple of those in a trunk in the garage- but they are both for the right hand. So if anyone out there finds a left one send it to me!
SSG all weather gloves
Here is one of my favorite gloves.
http://www.ssgridinggloves.com/style-8600-the-original-one-ssg-all-weather
It also comes in a winter version that works for Va hunting. Wears like iron, washes in the washing machine, dries fast.
I like the “touch” it gives you without twisting. It doesn’t bleed on your hands, either. It comes in brown and black. I have lots of outrageous colors for lessons with instructors with a sense of humor. Also handy for being noticed if I’m hacking out and get either separated from my horse or to remind the deer hunters that I’m there, too. (I’m into blaze orange, a color that SSG doesn’t have yet.:()
Good question. I’ve been doing so for years and no one has said anything to me. Personally, I think they look better than those all leather ones you see that look like you’re about to do manual labor of some kind in them.
The crochet backed gloves are informal riding gloves for warm weather riding. For foxhunting, they are worn during cubbing.
They are often confused with string gloves for some reason. They are not string gloves. String gloves are worn in wet weather or for very formal turnout.
I’ve seen people wearing crochet backed gloves in absolutely frigid temperatures, or on high holy days, days,thinking they are string gloves, and they are complaining about how cold their hands are. Well, their hands wouldn’t be cold if they weren’t wearing gloves designed to be worn when it’s 90 degrees out.
Know the difference and wear what is appropriate for the temps and the season. It’s really not that complicated. Hunts in some areas of the country may experience weather or conditions that justify changes or modifications in turnout. But a Foxhunter should still know what the rules are, so they may bend them knowingly.
As to holdhard’s comment, I get it. But attire and etiquette is about all we can talk about on this BB without the AR types caterwauling. Just look a recent video posted on the Off Course forum. Lots of anti comments from people who know absolutely nothing about the sport or hunting, who read a wiki entry and are suddenly experts on something they’ve never even seen firsthand.
String gloves are considered very formal?
This thread has been very useful to me. I’ve now supplemented my tan crochet back gloves with a pair of acorn show ones and a pair of white string gloves.
