I adore this suggestion, though it’s always hard for me to find the time. Ironically, when I traveled, I ended up knowing the best airport spas to get a great pedicure/manicure. I’ve neglected that since being off the road, but maybe I need to find a place!
can I just say this thread is making me incredibly glad that I do not work in an office
I’d go with some dry shampoo (with a fragrance you like) for your hair. Keep a brush in the car.
As far as your nails go, yes, keep them short. Then, after you’ve groomed the horse and ridden, put some saddle soap on a sponge with a small bucket of warm water and wipe down your saddle, boots, whatever. Use both hands to dip into the water and wipe. The saddle soap is kind to your skin and between it and the warm water, your nails will get passably clean.
First, more power to you for making it work!
Second, take a look at the full body wipes. I’ve used these when camping and they do a surprisingly decent job.
Thank you! Super helpful. And I love REI.
I’ve done this off and on in my riding life and will echo what others have said.
Dry shampoo is a MUST for me, and might also be worth mastering a “hair up” style that works for your work setting so you can disguise helmet hair. That said, the dry shampoo often makes this unnecessary for me. I like the “not your mother’s” brand you can get at most drug stores and supermarkets, but Trader Joe’s also makes a good one. Not sure if you have access to a mirror, but something easy to pack like a travel hair straightener also helps to smooth out any pony tail bumps etc. This all depends on your hair type though. I would leave my makeup for after I rode, and use wipes or a washcloth to wipe down my face, arms, chest, pits etc. before re-deodorant applying. Then skin care and makeup on a fresh face. And THOROUGHLY wash hands including using a nail brush to clean out any yuckies from under my nails.
Otherwise what others have mentioned is the most important - clean change of clothes, and separate footwear.
Leave time to grab a coffee or something else that will provide you a “moment of zen” before transitioning from your horse girl identity to bad ass corporate professional. I always found taking a few minutes to switch my mindset helped me transition more easily into the less fun part of my day.
Editing to add some products that might be helpful:
www.https://lumedeodorant.com/ - bunch of different deodorant products for the whole body
Equestrian Wellness Helmet Spray There’s a couple different helmet deodorizing sprays on the market, but can personally vouch for this one which smells great and helps cut the drying time of my helmet liner. I also keep a fresh helmet sack in my helmet in the summer which helps a lot with absorbing smells and moisture.
These are good for a quick ‘bath’. You can use them on hair too. Just need a towel to dry off. They need very little water to suds up. They work good on non-seniors too .
I did this for two summers in a row. I’d get to the barn at 5:30, on by 6 under the lights, off by 6:45, out by 7:15, 30 minute drive to a planet fitness, 15-20 minute chaotic shower and into business attire, office by 8:30.
New barn this would be a really intrusive time so unfortunately that’s no longer an option.
If I couldn’t shower I would shower the night before, blow dry and really make sure my roots were bone dry, and apply dry shampoo that night. Pulling your helmet off the second you get off and doing a loose top knot can channel any moisture into a structured wave. Consider dying your eyebrows and eyelashes if you normally wear make up to simplify your routine. Dove 360 aerosol deodorant is phenomenal for odor control even after a good sweat.
In addition to everything else here, covering your hair entirely in the barn makes a huge difference in keeping smells out of it. Depending on length, a ball cap or a bandana or maybe even one of those satin bonnets?
Keeping it shorter helps on that front, too, if you have any desire for a summer cut!
Threads like these are some of the best of COTH.
All great suggestions so far.
I’ll add - I started wearing gloves the entire time I’m in the barn (except for water activities). I just get cheap work gloves, and started the practice so I wasn’t worried about cutting/scraping myself while doing chores, but they’ve been so helpful in keeping my hands/nails clean and not chapped or with broken nails. I’m in the barn all day long (I’m a trainer) and you can barely tell by looking at my hands - and I haven’t had a manicure in 7 years.
I used to ride before work when I worked in an office. First, as @Simkie said, cover your hair, that will make a huge differenze. Then, wear clean gloves. Horsey smell is terribile on hands, sometimes, I washed and scrubbed my hands ten times and still could smell horse! Be very careful with your shoes, if you drive with your barn shoes and then change with the clean ones and drive again, the smell will stick to the second pair. Put barn clothes and shoes in a closed bag and in the trunk, otherwise the smell could migrate to the car and again on you.
Once one of my work mates was complaining about a funny smell, I blamed the AC machine but it was my shoes Lol luckily he didn’t know horse smell!
I used to wash my face/neck/arms with the barn hose and then wet wipes and deodorant.
For those making the saddle soap suggestion…let me just say that I am infinitely impressed by anyone who is waking up at 4 am to ride before work and is also cleaning their tack daily!
OP, knowing your hair type I think that might be one of the biggest challenges. Body wipes, a towel, and a complete change of clothes should take care of everything else I think. I wonder if wearing a bandana throughout barn time would help keep it tamed and smelling neutral? There are a lot of options, including some wicking ones, if you search for motorcycle head scarves. Bonus points if you buy one with flames or skulls on it. Or maybe something like this? https://www.etsy.com/listing/1172252085/dri-fit-sport-pretied-head-scarf-women
Back when my previous car didn’t have working a/c I used to do this for my drive in to work. This also prompted me to get my hair cut super short as well. I suppose I could have tried to get my a/c fixed but a change of clothes and hair style was the cheaper option
Thank you all for the helpful suggestions - particularly for the specific products!
For what it’s worth, my hair is shoulder length and very curly. It seems to work best when I wash in am, use very specific products, and let it air dry. It’s taken a few decades to get the system down, but it works. Of course, add in early morning misting rain while I walk to the pasture, pulling it back in a bun, the helmet, the sweat . . . all bets are off. I like the idea of finding some way of covering it. I’ll look into that.
And thank you to whoever suggested getting coffee as a segue between barn and office! There is a coffee shop on the ground floor of my building, and the idea of a stop there is comforting when I am driving in and inevitably starving, but it also marks a nice transition to the rest of the day.
I’ve also found that the “woody” fragrances are better at covering horse than florals or more delicate scents. Fragrance can be touchy thing in the workplace, but if you can wear one, something with sandalwood or vetiver or similar can help cover any left over barn-i-ness.
(I like Le Labo Santal 33 a lot for this, but huge ymmv, fragrance is so personal.)
I work in an office, but often end up sitting by myself, but don’t give a flying…fig if I smell of equine. I have to admit that I usually do the stable after hours though since all I’m in charge of is the retirees. I remember back in the day when we were racing, I often got on the bus into town in the winter coat I wore in the race paddock the night before. And no, I didn’t care. The clothes underneath were clean, but likely stank like barn by the time I took my coat off.
I just heard of “spoon theory” this week!
Maybe there was a reason you ended up sitting alone…
I kid, I kid.
Years ago when I was wearing my barn coat into work, thought I was being clever by putting it in a garbage bag. One day one of my coworkers was hacking and sneezing and just looked like crap. I asked her if she was coming down with something and that she didn’t look good. She said she didn’t know, she thought it was weird because she felt fine earlier in the morning. She said she had allergies but because it was winter, she didn’t know what was up. Lol oops. I didn’t say anything but stopped bringing my coat in and the problem went away