There are many things that horse riders know all too well during the hot summer days spent at the barn. Even though there isn't anything we wouldn't do for our horses, there are some things we wish we didn't have to deal with. Whether it be at lessons, shows, or just average barn work, some of it just gets the best of us.
1. Breeches.
We all know how hard it is to get into those tight riding pants on a normal day.... Then you decide to go ride on a 100+ degree day. Getting those breeches up seems even more impossible than getting into skinny jeans on a bad day. On show days when the heat is horrible, you need to change, and you're trying to do it in a tiny trailer tack room.... we've all been there, and it's NOT fun!
2. Show Attire
In the middle of June while most people are wearing shorts and tank tops, equestrians are wearing pants, tall socks, tall boots, long sleeve button-up shirts (with a collar), hair nets, helmets, and worst of all show COATS. This is true if your judges have not "waved" jackets yet (bless those who do). We sit by a ring on a horse in the sun and work from sun-up to sun-down on show days, all while usually in the majority of our attire. Lets face it there is no better moment, other than winning your class, than when you hear the announcement saying you can leave that jacket in the barn!!!
3. Lessons
You better follow the old saying, " The early bird gets the worm", get out of bed and get to the barn ASAP.
4. Hay
If you've ever been in a barn in the summer time you have left with more than your fair share of hay stuck to you. Especially, if you are the one throwing the hay out... you will NEVER get it off of you (it sticks like glue)
5. "Look mom, I lost something"
Fly mask, fly sheets, and shoes. Its bound to happen eventually and you will spend most of your barn time looking for said lost item. Walking fence to fence just trying to find where they "lost" it... Mine like to hide things!
6. BUGS
In South Georgia, the summer time bugs have everything from horses to humans going crazy. We don't like them and our horses definitely don't like them. Horse flies to even just a gnat, biting or just annoying, they are the worst part about summer at the barn.
7. Stalls
As if the heat outside the stalls isn't bad enough... you have to pick stalls or just strip them out (water buckets too). Yes we are thankful for the shade and being out of the gnats, but it gets hot when you are working in a stall. We all love the smell of a horse and the barn, but cleaning a stall isn't the good side of the smells at the barn... especially in the summer heat.
Get to the barn as early as you can, get those chores out of the way, and go have a nice relaxing ride with your horse!!
