What in the World are String Gloves?

Carriage driving is steeped in tradition as well as functionality.  Back in the 1800’s, at the heyday of driving, it was how people moved from one place to another.  And it had to be done in all sorts of weather.  Horse harnesses were traditionally made of leather as well as the reins, as synthetic gloves were not yet available.  When it rained, those leather reins became slippery being held by leather gloves which were protecting the hands.  If a driver had slippery reins, it could mean a more eventful drive than they bargained for!  Thus, the use of string gloves came into practice.  They were not slippery when wet, holding onto wet leather reins. 

Keeping the string gloves on the carriage helped drivers prepare for whatever rainstorm came up. They didn’t have The Weather Channel back then to see what was going to happen that day when they went into town. Nowadays, drivers can better prepare for the weather with a quick glance at the forecast, but having the string gloves on the carriage in a judged pleasure driving class tells the judge that you recognize the importance of being prepared no matter what happens during your drive.  The same goes for the spares kit, but that is another article.

Now that you know why they are used in a judged situation, we can address how to display them.  Practically speaking, you could stuff them under your seat with your spares kit if your carriage has a space under the seat, however, having them tucked near you helps you be able to grab them quickly when driving, and also easily shows the judge that you have them. 

Since they are used by the driver, they should be on the right side of the seat where the driver is sitting (as carriage drivers sit on the right side as they do in the UK and many of its former territories).  If possible, the gloves can be tucked under the seat cushion, as the seat cushion may be separate from the seat board and the seat fall (the fabric that “hides” the space under the seat). I have carriages that have the seat fall permanently attached to the bottom of the cushion, in which case the gloves may be placed between the seat and the seat sides. (See photo.)

There are some carriages that have the seat cushion permanently attached to the seat board.  Some drivers have put the string gloves under their thigh to try to hold the gloves, but I have seen loose gloves laying on the ground while I was driving around the arena during a class.  The last thing that you want to worry about when you are in a class is whether or not your gloves are falling off of your cart!

I have also placed the gloves on top of the spares kit under the straps, especially in vehicles that don’t have a spares box that is easily accessible, and then placed the spares kit either on the seat next to me or on the floor of the carriage.  With miniature horse carts, you may have to get more creative as to where you put your spares kit and your gloves. There is only so much room on those little carts!  And you don't want your spares kit sliding off the carriage in a turn!

As far as how to hang gloves from the seat, I once asked a carriage driving judge if gloves should be displayed with the thumb in or thumb out.  He is well-known for being a Turnout expert, so I figured his answer would be appropriate.  He stated that he didn’t know of any “rule” that clarified that, however, he likes to hang them with the thumb in, so the gloves don’t look like they are "palm up", asking for a handout. That may not be a deal breaker for a Turnout class, but if everything looks fantastic, you have a better chance of placing well. 

So, what happens if it is actually raining during your class?  If it is a Turnout class, I would wear the string gloves.  If it is a Working class, I would probably wear the string gloves since there is a percentage of the judging on the turnout.  If it is a Reinsmanship class, I would wear some super grippy synthetic gloves, but take the string gloves off of the carriage.  If it is a dressage test, I would wear grippy synthetic gloves.  And I always wear super grippy gloves for obstacles (yes, I actually change my gloves and sometimes my whip between judged classes and obstacle classes, as I am doing below).

I have seen mixed information on whether the string gloves were placed over the leather gloves, or if the leather gloves were taken off and just string gloves worn, but nowadays, just do what you are comfortable with.  We actually sell cheaper, not-as-fancy string gloves to wear when it is actually raining, because once you use them with the leather reins, they will become stained.  If you use the fancy string gloves, they will never look the same.  Or, if you are just starting out, you can use the less expensive gloves to display on the carriage.

While string gloves may look like a prop that don’t have an actual use on the carriage, they do serve a purpose if you actually need them.  They technically aren’t a requirement, but they would be judged in a Turnout class under the appointments of the turnout. And they aren’t a terribly expensive way to upgrade your pleasure driving turnout!