What to do with engagement ring at the barn?

[WoodsRun]

I got engaged last weekend, and I’m trying to decide how best to protect my beautiful ring. I work as a full time riding instructor/trainer, so my hands take quite the beating.

I know I shouldn’t wear my ring at work, but it’s so beautiful I’m having a hard time leaving it at home! I’ve been putting in on a chain around my neck and under my shirt while I’m riding and handing horses, and then wearing it while I’m just standing in the ring teaching. Has anyone else done this successfully? Or am I tempting fate and some day the chain is going to break and I’m going to lose it?

If I decide to leave the ring at home…does anyone else wear the silicon bands and like them? Any certain brand?

Thanks for the input…I’m just pouting a little at the idea of not being able to wear my ring most of the time! ;)

[Sport]

I think it depends on the setting of the stone. I took mine off like you and put it on a chain when I first became engaged. Now I just wear my rings all the time. I take them off if I am doing something really dirty, like cleaning a sheath, but otherwise keep them on. I wear gloves more, but I don’t love gloves, so won’t say I wear them all the time.

[TWH_Girl]

Congratulations on your engagement!! Very exciting time. I wear gloves to protect my rings and keep my hands clean. I sometimes just wear a plain band but it can be very hard to do that when you are newly engaged and can’t stop staring at your finger. You could just wear it for a while and see how it does…if the setting stands up from the band it can get caught on stuff and you don’t want to take a chance on losing or breaking it. If it works to wear it, do it and get it cleaned regularly to keep it sparkly.

[SuckerForHorses]

Leave it at home. It’s much safer that way.

congratulations!

[cnigh]

I wore mine to the barn all the time. Until I lost one of the diamonds.

Now it sits in my jewelry box until the day I can replace the diamond. It’s been years but sadly it’s just not a priority. One day I will get it fixed.

[cnigh]

Yes, so please be smart and leave your ring at home.

[gottagrey]

the best way to lose something is by always taking it on/off, switching hands to necklace etc. if the setting is one where the ring sets low and won’t get caught on things it’s probably okay to wear all the time - Ive several friends and my own diamond ring where our SO’s knew well enough to avoid high set stones… If its a stone that’s set high, leave it in your jewelry box safely at home.

[crosscreeksh]

My engagement ring was a lovely, large, marque shaped diamond (pointed at both ends). I was galloping horses for my soon to be husband and once, one of the setting “prongs” got bent when it caught in my leather riding gloves. I got that repaired and continued to wear it until one morning, the race track clocker told me that if I lost it he would “gladly CRAWL around the mile track at Delaware Park and search for it!!” I never wore it again when I was working with horses!!! Nice to show it off…HORRIBLE to risk losing it!!! Your beau would NOT be happy!!!

[OneTwoMany]

After tempting fate, by wearing my ring at the barn, I managed to snag my hand on a gate which was a painful experience. Thankfully no stones were lost, but I had to have the ring cut off my finger after the band was severely bent. The ring was repaired and now lives in its velvet box except for those occasions when we go out. I will never wear rings in a barn again, at least not while I’m handling horses.

[mmeqcenter]

http://www.ringwrapper.com/

[ArabDiva]

Can you maybe keep a special box in your car and always take it off when you arrive at the barn and put it back on before you leave?

I would be super afraid of breaking or losing it.

[ChasPonyCat]

I always take my ring off to ride, and I don’t do it for a living or even every day (unfortunately, since I’m a working stiff in the city ;)) I always take no e off and leave it in the glove box of the car while I’m riding. I realize it’s different for you since riding/teaching is your job. Even with how careful I think I am, though, I still managed to lose a diamond a couple months ago

[paintedpony]

Insure it, wear it, enjoy it. Congrats on your engagement !!

[PintoPony]

Please leave the ring at home for it’s safety and yours.

I used to work on a dairy farm and one day my boss went to pick up a load of sawdust to use for bedding.

He was up on top of the load, covering it, and then went to climb down. On the way down his wedding ring caught on one of the bungee strap hooks and completely degloved his finger.

They tried to save his finger but after a couple days in the hospital it had to be amputated.

To this day its the most horrific injury I ever saw happen.

[Credosporthorses]

I used to keep a ring box in my car and take it off every time I got to the barn. Now I’m terrible about taking it off. I work and ride in it. I really should stop as the ring has definitely gotten some dings and desperately need to be cleaned. I have gotten to the point I no longer feel it on my finger but feel totally naked with out it. Congratulations on you right engagement!

[Foxtail]

I take my rings off beforehand. I have seen enough pictures of degloved fingers to not take any chances.

[freshman]

I work in the veterinary industry. Silicone bands are great. Tons of people wear them these days, male and female. I think it is great. So much less stress and satisfying to many married/engaged people who are very attached to the idea of wearing a ring as symbol. I usually see pretty basic solid colors or black silicone bands, nothing fancy. Some people even order them in multi-packs, lol.

[2DogsFarm]

Save it for non-barn activities.
I lost my wedding band (which had been my Mother’s) soon after losing my husband.
I’d been cleaning stalls when I noticed it was missing & went through 2 full wheelbarrows & several stalls trying to find it,
To this day - some 15yrs later - I still feel terrible about the loss.

[clanter]

when we first moved here our Golden Retriever and youngest son dug up a gold and diamond bracelet, it appraised and sold at over $4k which went into his college fund

Molly was the only dog we have ever had who paid for herself

But my concern would be catching the ring on a lead rope that maybe a horse was pulling out of my hand or some other deal.

[Palm_Beach]

Congrats, OP!!! Did your fiance get an warranty or anything like that when he bought the ring? I agree that frequently taking it off and putting it back on increases the risk of losing it. I leave mine in my jewelry box in the house when I go to the barn. In case I forget to take it off, I have a ring keeper in a drawer in the tack room, and I will not take it off unless I am standing in the tack room ready to put it in the drawer. My wedding band has channel set diamonds, so I still have some bling when I am not wearing my engagement ring.