As we approach winter and all its challenges that present themselves when caring for horses like freezing temperature, endless rain, snow, mud and all the other joyful factors that come into play, here are some tips to hopefully help you through it!
Clothing Essentials:
Riding in the winter can prove to be a challenge even for the lucky ones with access to an indoor arena. Working long hours in the freezing cold can seriously make you question why you chose this a profession or hobby and didn’t take up an easier (indoor) sport.
Fleece lined breeches are a worthwhile investment; if you are prone to Chillblains like I am you will not regret the investment when temperatures plummet. Pikeur and Eurostar are my personal picks! If having specific winter breeches is out of reach invest in some very good thermals: Under Armour has some really nice ones that fit very well under breeches without breaking the bank.
Along with your fleece lined breeches, good winter gloves are an absolute must! LeMieux makes an amazing winter glove you can actually ride in without feeling like you are about to go skiing. If the temperatures are especially grim, I will put hand warmers in my gloves; you can buy a jumbo box from Costco (they are also great in your boots!).
Heated jackets! Milwaukee makes a battery-operated heated jacket which has made a world of difference for coping in the extreme cold. The jacket has a low and high setting that distributes heat throughout the back, collar and front pockets. The battery fits into a pocket in the back of the jacket; the battery will last about 4 hours on the high setting and around 6 hours on the low setting. I purchased an extra battery so that I can have a charged extra one on hand, I personally use my jacket on the high setting for the majority of the day and turn it to low or off while I am riding. The battery is a little bulky in the back pocket so I would not suggest riding with it on your semi-wild (or very wild) ones.
In the Barn:
Solariums are wonderful to keep your horses warm while grooming before and after your ride but for most barns they are not in the budget. We do not have a solarium, but a heated blanket works wonders as well! I found a very large one at HomeSense for $30 CAD, not to mention it is also amazing to wrap around yourself while teaching. Another option is electric patio heaters, they can provide a decent amount of heat with a very low purchase price. The one pictured can be found on Amazon while other replicas can be seen in stores such as Home Depot or Rona.
Winter Footing care:
If you are in an area where your footing is prone to freezing in the Winter months there are a few things you can try to prevent it or at least prolong the riding season. Applying Magnesium Chloride will help prevent freezing as it pulls moisture from the air and footing. This reduces the temperature at which your footing would start to freeze at.
ReitenRight is a very effective additive for providing cushioning and energy return but the additive itself also does not freeze. This will help prevent your sand from hardening in the colder months. ReitenRight can also be used in sand paddocks to keep the ground softer to ensure our horses have a good safe footing not only in the arena but in their turnouts as well.
If you are interested in learning more about ReitenRight please reach out!