Summer work clothes??

[PunkJunker23]

I started my first job as a (very recently turned) 15 year old a few weeks back and as everyone expected it is at the barn:lol:
Something I need help with is figuring out what to wear this summer as I’d rather not completely destroy my breeches.
I need some good pants that will hold up to the abuse of stall mucking, are comfortable, and most of all DON’T MAKE ME OVERHEAT.
I’m looking into some denim overalls or jeans but want to know what everyones favorite “work” pants are. I would go with a pair of shorts but I can be quite the clutz and considering the amount of damage I’ve already done to my knees (Completely shred my ACL and tore part of my meniscus whilst skiing in December of 2016) in my short life I’d like to give them at least a little cushion :lol:
I would be changing into a pair of breeches post work to ride my lease horse so they don’t necessarily have to be great in the saddle.

What my job is:
Muck out and bed 24 stalls (with runs)
Muck out and bed 2 outdoor stalls
1 field with two very large geldings
Red barn (7 horses, two decent sized paddocks)
Feed all 35 beasts

I am splitting the work with another barn girl and together we finish in about 5 hours (hopefully less once we (I) get into the groove of everything)

[paintedpony]

My recommendations:

-You will likely prefer to keep an equestrian theme in your dress, and breeches are very comfortable to work in. Check the local FB tack sale pages for low cost breeches and riding tights. In my area you could easily pick up serviceable items for very little money. Look for light weight tech fabrics that will keep you from looking like you just sat in a puddle on hot days.

-Invest your $ in good footwear preferably something with steel toes and ankle support (your employer may require this). I love my Walmart work boots, they cost about $50. Very light weight, comfortable and hard wearing.

-Buy light weight work gloves that fit well. The first couple of days you will hate wearing them. This will quickly change to…where are my gloves? I need them !!

Sending my best wishes for a fun and profitable experience.

[2DogsFarm]

InternationalSignForNOShorts!
Working barelegged in a barn is a truly bad idea - although I have been known to do so, it’s my barn & just 3 horses.
Hay will scratch the bejesus out of bare legs & flies will make life miserable.

If you can find lightweight sweatpants they are The.Best for barnwork.
I swore I would never wear them < part of the OldLady Uniform with white running shoes. :disgust:
But they turn out to be comfortable, loose enough to move in & barn “stuff” (hay, shavings) doesn’t stick to them.
Well… not too much
Yoga pants are good too, as long as they are not skintight & too revealing.

Alternately lightweight jeans work too - i have a pair of stretchy skinny ones that are great for warm weather.
Stretch lets me pick stalls & move around easily & the lightweight denim is cool.
Skinny means nothing can end up under them on your legs making you itchy.
They do not hold up - already knees are getting that trendified blownout look. :ambivalence:
Overalls are comfortable, but all that loose space means you will end up wearing the hay chaff & shavings dust inside them. :dead:

[paintedpony]

2DogdFarm has provided some very good advice. NO SHORTS !!! You really do need that fabric protection for your legs.

I will add: keep a light weight long sleeve shirt at the barn. You can slip it on to protect your arms from scratches when you are suddenly called upon to unload a load of hay or shavings.

[Edre]

Sunscreen. Definitely make sure this is part of your summer “wardrobe” (and a hat to keep sun off your face).

I never had much luck with jeans when I was working. I felt like the denim simply took too long to dry when I was sweating or had gotten wet from the hose, weather, or who knows what else.

Cheap riding tights ended up being my favourite. They tend to be a little more durable than the standard yoga pant and they dry fast. Iridion makes some that I bought when I was working at a barn and that are still in servicible shape some seven odd years later.

Seconding the comment about GOOD footwear. And try to break them in before you start working. I ended up in paddock boots with insoles. Some people really seem to like the ariat hiking style paddock boot? Definitely consider foot protection. Getting stepped on is no fun but stepped on while wearing sneakers to me is extra fun-free.

And keep a spare pair of socks around. Somehow I always ended up finding them useful. (And wet or sweaty socks are an exercise in misery anyway.)

[Sparrowette]

I have to disagree with paintedpony about the steel-toe shoes. If a horse really steps on those, the metal can bend in, possibly cutting off a digit, and will be a bear for the doctors and nurses to get off. Footwear should have a heavy leather by the toes, that will give, but not much. I know you are at an English place, but bullhide toes on western boots are great foot protection. You might look for something similar in an english boot.

[Simkie]

I wear Duluth firehose pants for barn work year round. The lined ones are awesome for winter. They really hold up well, and are comfortable. I get the cargo ones with the pocket on the thigh–it’s a great place for a cell phone.

https://women.duluthtrading.com/stor…lothes-fh.aspx

I really beat the snot out of my pants, and I have yet to kill these.

[WBmare]

I will say I wore shorts in the summer with 40 horses to take care of. When it’s hotter then you know what jeans and sweats will be miserable. Just no booty shorts. Moving bales or lifting muck buckets was really not bad. A little prickly but nothing crazy. Most days though jeans were fine. Just make sure they are not your favorite pair. You’ll likely trash them at some point. Snd yes, like another poster said wear sunscreen and re apply!

[Simkie]

@Sparrowette

I have to disagree with paintedpony about the steel-toe shoes. If a horse really steps on those, the metal can bend in, possibly cutting off a digit, and will be a bear for the doctors and nurses to get off.

Mythbusters looked into that. It’s a myth, not gonna happen.

https://mythresults.com/episode42

[soloudinhere]

@Simkie

I wear Duluth firehose pants for barn work year round. The lined ones are awesome for winter. They really hold up well, and are comfortable. I get the cargo ones with the pocket on the thigh–it’s a great place for a cell phone.

https://women.duluthtrading.com/stor…lothes-fh.aspx

I really beat the snot out of my pants, and I have yet to kill these.

Yeah, I use these too in their various forms. Just got the Flexspeditions and like those too.

[melula]

I third the Duluth pants. long sleeve nylon shirts are cooler in the summer than tanks. I love Blundstone boots for all day.

[lorilu]

Duluth lovers - have you tried the Dry on the Fly pants?

[allons-y]

Yup, cheap riding tights for most work. My horses are at home so I can change as necessary. And if I decide to ride right then, I just put on half chaps and go. I wear ariat terrains when its dry for work and ride. Unloading hay usually means some heavier fabric. My old tights are old! and thin - hay stabs right thru them. I have some old pull on elasticy generic pants for that and mowing, they stretched out so can be pulled above the knee for hot times on the tractor. I live in my Ariats, with various insoles.
I do want to try the dry on the fly Duluth pants next. I always wear some kind of hat, and a neckerchief in the summer. Soak it in water, spin thru the air to cool it and tie it on, it really helps here. I usually sport a ‘farmer’s tan’ with my short sleeves - but weirder since I always wear gloves. When it’s really hot and humid I just hose myself down on the front and go. I am certainly attractive - Not!!!

[vineyridge]

If you are working in a place where it gets HOT in the summer, you want to avoid anything knit–No tights, no Tee Shirts–;and you want your clothes to be loose–no sprayed on clothes. Light colors will help keep you cool. I’m old, but my go to summer work clothes are a long sleeved, white cotton tunic of the lightest fabric possible, and a pair of either white woven cotton pants or a pair of summer weight painter’s overalls. I prefer the painter’s overalls because they have no waist, and are looser than anything with a real waist. It’s true that they show dirt, but they will keep you cool and able to work when the temperature is in the upper nineties. And they are very easy to wash and dry, if you don’t bother to iron them. Cotton/poly isn’t as good as pure cotton, but it can be found in no-iron. You also need a hat with a brim to shade your face and neck

If you aren’t fighting tropical summer heat and humidity, denim overalls are great. Look for a summerweight pure cotton, blue chambrey (sp), long sleeved shirt in a size larger than you usually wear. If you don’t wear long sleeves, you will eventually get skin cancer. I recently had a rather large one removed near my left elbow, just under the end of my short sleeves.

[PunkJunker23]

@allons-y

I usually sport a ‘farmer’s tan’ with my short sleeves - but weirder since I always wear gloves.

I had this happen to me last year:lol: My arms got a nice tan while my hands stayed pasty, Washington, pale

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Riding tights seem to be a favorite, my only issue with that is if I could ride in them then I would never be able to bring myself to change into my pretty full seats!
I’m going to look in to Duluth’s since they are so highly recommended.

[HungarianHippo]

Google “hiking pants”. They’re lightweight, allow lots of movement, and dry quickly for those many times that you slosh water on yourself while cleaning water troughs or buckets.

I second the necessity of sunscreen.

A trick for handling hay in hot weather: Take a pair of long trouser socks and cut toe off, and slide them on your arms like “arm warmers”. You get the protection where you need it but it’s much, much cooler than wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and when you’re done moving hay bales, you just take off your arm protectors.

[Scribbler]

When I was very young and very thin, and 15, jeans were very comfy even in summer. Now, not so much. You might be fine in them, you might not.

I think you might want an actual wardrobe for a day at the barn

You will want heavy duty jeans or work pants and a long sleeve shirt for handling hay. But perhaps you can muck stalls in a comfy pair of knee length khaki shorts and a t shirt. And once you are done work you might want to get into shorts and sandals to go home.

I would have a look at what gets sold for work wear in your town, even small mens sizes if they fit you ok. Also have a look in thrift stores for jeans.

If you don’t want to kill a pair of breeches you might try jeggings, Jean coloured leggings. But I find anything stretchy to be difficult in hot weather.

My one pet peeve is super skimpy tops at the barn. They don’t look “equestrian” to me plus you’re going to get scratched and filthy. Of course i am saying this as someone who tried riding in a tube top at 15 (bad idea if you want to trot) so I might be getting a bit crochety. Riding in a bikini top and short shorts seemed a perfectly normal thing to do back then.

Good foot wear gloves and a brimmed hat or ball cap for sure.

[Sparrowette]

@Simkie

Mythbusters looked into that. It’s a myth, not gonna happen.

https://mythresults.com/episode42

Never say never!

[Simkie]

@lorilu

Duluth lovers - have you tried the Dry on the Fly pants?

Have not, but I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed with a purchase! Give them a try and let us know!

(Also get on their mailing list because they are ALWAYS having sales.)

[Palm_Beach]

@Sparrowette

I have to disagree with paintedpony about the steel-toe shoes. If a horse really steps on those, the metal can bend in, possibly cutting off a digit, and will be a bear for the doctors and nurses to get off. Footwear should have a heavy leather by the toes, that will give, but not much. I know you are at an English place, but bullhide toes on western boots are great foot protection. You might look for something similar in an english boot.

^^^ This!!! No steel toed boots. They make cute-ish leather work boots for women.