I have a very nice pair of brown leather driving gloves. I wore them yesterday while practicing driven dressage. I would really prefer not to wear them and I am not sure why they are required while showing.
I have better feel of the reins and my horse when I don’t have gloves on. Also my reins slip more when I have gloves on.
Comments? Suggestions?
Unless you plan on doing a rated show - & for some un-rated, dependent on Judge - you don’t need to wear the gloves.
Gloves are part of Tradition, like having brown lines to avoid staining gloves/hands from black & wearing an apron/laprobe.
For me, it is like tall boots:
If I am planning to show I wear them to get used to the feel again.
Otherwise I ride in paddock boots.
Thin leather gloves shouldn’t interfere with feel.
If lines are slipping, try using plaited lines or those with rubberized webbing.
If you are showing my favorites are SSG driving gloves -they have a nice leather back but the palms are a very thin grippy fabric. They are better than no gloves because you have more grip and less wear on your hands.
I was told (possibly even on this forum!) that the reason for brown was not so much to match the lines, but that ladies always wore gloves. A lady would only wear black gloves if she was in mourning. And if she was in mourning, she would not be out driving.
Interesting, @Hilary
But men are required to wear gloves too. I suppose the no black glove reason could be the same.
Driving has some interesting Rules - like the one about Men’s hats: wearing gray if not the owner & black if owner.
I guess that one prevented someone from addressing an employee in a manner reserved for “Upstairs”.
Mea Culpa if I got the colors reversed… not being a Man I didn’t bother committing that Rule to memory 
oh the trials and tribulations of 18th century England…
I am not a glove lover either, thanks to a kind of wide hand but not terribly long fingers so fit is always less than perfect… along with the added complication of major hand sx on my right thumb (reattached, really) that left a lot of scar tissue at the base and an issue with trigger finger in the adjacent 2 fingers. It sounds worse than it is, but the added resistance of most gloves tends to tip the equation to more hinderance than helpful and due to that+hand type I generally have to err on the side of loose, not tight gloves.
That said, the most “not there” gloves I have ever found are RSL Rotterdamn Riderstouch gloves. They are dark brown which does not matter for marathon/cones, but even a dressage judge (driven) told me brown is brown.
The archaic rules of pleasure driving and presentation may suffer the vapors at such heresy though…
@DMK “Vapors” :lol:
While we’re (sort of) on the subject:
What is the deal with the Highwater placement of a driving apron?
I argued with a Club member (who does not show ADS) - she claimed you place the waistband at your natural waistline.
Every ADS event I have attended, I was told to put the waistband just under your bosom.
I see men & women wearing apron/laprobe at this height.
Made sense to me, as IMO that apron was originally intended to protect clothing - the higher, the better, right?
But, to prove my point, I looked up the Rule in the Omnibus.
Lo & Behold, all it said was “apron is required” - for both sexes.
Not a word about placement.
I confessed this, but have a feeling she still thinks she is correct.
Po-Tay-To, Po-Tah-To as far as I am concerned, but you can bet any ADS event I attend will have my apron waistband at the High Tide mark!
What say COTH Drivers?
if it helps (and it does not, I’m sure), when I had my measurements for an apron by Hats by Katie, it was based of the natural waist. (I am high waisted but that is still well below the boobage). But again, CDE not pleasure (see: vapors)
:yes: Yes, measurements supplied to my apron makers - Chrysalis Acres & Sherri Lower - were taken (as they directed) at my natural waist,
But I’m talking about where they are worn.
In both cases, if I fasten at my waistline the apron falls below my feet/pools on the ground.
If I wear it highwater it brushes the tops of my shoes.
Seated in both my shoes are barely visible.
:disgust:VAPORS!!!
@2DogsFarm - yes, the colour of the hats are mixed up. Grey is for if you are the owner and black if you are not. We have been asked in a turnout class before if my husband was the owner of our ponies or not 
As for aprons, I couldnt agree any more with you guys! I like mine to sit on my waist, but I really go by my ankles. It should be just above the ankle bone and my husband has been dinged before for it being too short (as the apron was sitting really high on him, so it was pulled up from his ankles).
I had mine made from Sherri Lower and had it on my natural waist. It feels much more comfortable to me and it looks better in my opinion.
I also wear SSG brown gloves, but I love wearing gloves at all times when I’m holding the reins. I like them when I’m always working a horse, either in long lines, lunge line, riding or driving, I always have some sort of gloves on.
My husband on the other hand hates gloves. But he does practise in them a couple of weeks before a show as he gets a different feel from wearing them or not. He finds that they pinch between the fingers as well, no matter the brand or size. He’s tried so many different kinds and he never likes any of them lol!
as a fellow glove hater, tell him to try the RSL Rotterdam gloves. If he’s lioke me he will stil hate them, but he will hate them less than other gloves.
Two dogs. at my natural waist has it at the right length at my feet, so win-win (no can do the granny pant look!)
DMK have you looked at golf gloves? They come in a cadet size which is a shorter finger length and they are thin, wear well and are not constricting.
I’ll do that, thanks!
Thank you!
Good idea. I would use it too. Thank you.
Gloves are part of tradition
reported
Reported, as post #15 has nothing to do with the thread.
Rebecca
Can I be grateful to the spammer? Currently glove shopping and loved reading through this.
Thanks RPM. At first I thought they were complimenting us on our witty repartee! Oh well.
I will add that I wear gloves almost all the time, both for driving and working. They give a much better friction-grip hanging off the back of the carriage or grabbing a handle to jump on. If your reins are too slippery with gloves, you might try some rosin, sold in sporting goods stores, for adding grip. Start with a small bit on reins OR gloves, a lot of rosin might not allow letting go when you try adjusting reins!
I find gloves protective, not getting me pinched, the glove got it. Again adding friction for picking things up, moving items like pitchforks, bales, carriages. They used to be VERY concerned at work with us getting hurt, glove wear was not optional. It was for our personal safety. They have done a real good job protecting my hands over the years.
On the historical side of glove wearing, there were many “unspoken” reasons. 2Dogs you better sit down in case of a Vapor attack! Ha ha Some glove wear was to prevent skin touching! At the higher and mid-levels of Victorian Society, people worried about “inciting the passions” with the intimacy of skin touches by strangers, men to (weak-minded) women. Both genders could wear gloves to dine and dance in, attend the Theatre, balls, as well as shopping or visiting friends. All to prevent skin touching. You could cover up “ugly” hands, calloused hands, tanned hands which were the mark of those (obviously lower class) doing physical work. On Ladies, gloves could be protective while riding, driving, because soft hand skin was not up to the abrasion of rein handling without leaving marks, cuts, blisters on their hands. Gloves were a kind of leveler, you can’t see hands inside the gloves to judge the person. Though judging the gloves themselves, new, not worn or repaired, discolored, dyed to match an outfit, might come under scrutiny. Poor people couldn’t afford gloves, hands were exposed to any observer, marking the person as low-class. They were a really picky bunch then!
These days many kinds of horse folk wear gloves as part of their discipline’s attire. Darker gloves can finish a “look” in the show ring, reduce visible hand movement in competitions. Jumping horse riders (both Hunters and Jumpers) have always worn gloves, helps the friction grip in keeping rein control at speed. Have to say light color gloves, no gloves, do show the hands moving, attract my eyes fast!
Husband always wears gloves when Driving, feeling it gives more security gripping reins, especially on finger edges when driving Multiples. The reins running between 2ND and third fingers are held there by side of finger pressure, not the actual fingers. Leather of glove for friction is a vital part of “holding on!” Ha ha A Four or Tandem is a fistful of reins to adjust quickly, so pulling or dropping loops smoothly can be crucial in succeeding getting around a corner well or getting hung up! He wears his aprons near his natural waist, not up under his arm pits. No apron over his feet or touching the floor. Much too dangerous if he should have to walk wearing it or step out of the carriage. His pant legs show under the hem of apron, no need to check if he is wearing shorts on a hot day! Think of all those old heroines who fell down the stairs tripping on their long skirts!! There are always fashion extremes, judge preferences, but safety has to be considered as well in getting in and out of vehicles. Reins should not be up touching Driver above the waist to stain clothing. Sit on those long ends to keep them controlled! Ha ha
Fun to see this topic visiting again.
@goodhors, that was interesting history on gloves.
I kept my favorite driving gloves (leather with string backs) after I retired my last pony because I can’t bear to give them up, even though I won’t be getting any more horses at this point in my life. I figured they don’t take up much room.
Rebecca
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
