Hands so cold you could cry... anybody else suffering?

Kenzo

Kenzo

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I know its a pathetic post and now doubt its been done to death (but I've not been on HHO for a few days so you'll have to excuse me) but how do you keep your pansies warm in this cold weather when your down at the yard on early mornings or late evenings?

I suffer from poor circulation as I've always been like it but its my hands that are the real problem (body and feet are warm as toast) but I could cry with the pain in my hands, its so bad I start feeling faint and it not the first time I've passed out due to my hands being so cold, I once got hypothermic and collapsed in the snow, in field full of horses (after feeding time and re-rugging one evening) OH found me15 minutes later asleep in the snow with the horses fighting for the bucket feeds around me, if he's not been there I might not of been here today.

Obviously I know to wear gloves but what sort of gloves are the best? what sort of material is the warmest? any recommendations? I have to jump around and swing my arms about (usually in pain with the odd swear word here and there
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) for about 15 minutes so my hands will acutally function before I can even start to muck out etc but once there warm I'm ok then but when your down at the yard by yourself its scary not knowing if your going to be ok....just because of your hands...silly I know
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Oh hun
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I am a great lover of thinsulate this winter, and I generally have several pairs of gloves on me so that if one pair gets wet I can put a warm dry pair on straight away.

I have thinsulate fingerless gloves which are great generally, but getting the snow off the car yesterday was incredibly painful my hands were so cold so I put a humongous pair of Toggi winter riding gloves on and they were great - rubbish for manual dexterity, but good for none fiddly jobs.
 
pocket warmers, gosh yes I never thought of that actully, I could buy some today as work near a outdoor shop, they should sell them surely?
 
They almost certainly will, get plenty as in my experience they don't last all that long (could be that mine are a bit rubbish though!)
 
I'm currently wearing neoprene gloves at the moment actually
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, they do keep my hands warm once they have warmed up, guess its just that first initial 30 minutes, maybe its just a case of improving my circulation
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, perhaps it wouldn't make any difference what sort of gloves I had on.

I'd be no good in cold country would I!
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Kenzo - you're in East Yorkshire aren't you. Try and get yourself to a branch of the Yorkshire Trading Company (Brid, Malton, Driffield) if you're anywhere near there. I bought the disposable hand warmers which you shake up and activate for 25p each from them. Have to admit that I haven't tried them yet but I figure that for one use in very cold circumstances (I've got the for when I go foot following the hunt) I could just buy loads!

I also think layers are best, maybe 2 pairs of thinner gloves as opposed to one huge pair? And fleecy lining is always a goer!!
 
I have got Sealskinz gloves and I think that they are brilliant - totally waterproof and really warm. You can use them for riding as well. they are quite expensive but the best winter gloves I've ever had.
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I've found the neoprene gloves the best - got a new pair at the weekend. Cost me a whole £2.50 and they warm up much quicker than my expensive horsey ones!

Little tip - assuming you drive to the yard, sit on your gloves while you drive there. They'll be lovely and warm when you put them on then
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Oh, and keep your fingers moving as much as possible - make haynets and do fiddly jobs to warm your hands up.

Works for me - my hands were warmer at the yard yesterday morning, when it was -9, than they are now, sitting in an office
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I have got Sealskinz gloves and I think that they are brilliant - totally waterproof and really warm. You can use them for riding as well. they are quite expensive but the best winter gloves I've ever had.
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Thanks, I shall google them, see what they are....and how much they are!
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Wow thats sounds horrible! I know exactly how you feel - my hands suffer from poor circulation and they are so painful I cry too... the trick is to keep them dry. Sealskinz are meant to be good ( I have asked for some for christmas!) but for the moment I find that those rubbering gardening gloves are very good if you wear big thinsulate gloves over the top. And I only take them off if I have fiddly jobs to do and put them straight back on again. I can just about manage most of the jobs with the gardeing gloves on. Without the waterproof undergloves if the big gloves get wet I know I am in trouble!

I tried the hand warmers but its the end of my fingers which have the problem, my palms can be toasty but the ends white and freezing.
 
Kenzo look out for gloves designed for mountaineers, they have to be able to use their fingers in much colder temperatures than we ever get down the yard.

A mountaineering shop like cotswold outdoor should have some options.

I'd suggest a pair of silk glove liners, very thin, very warm and an extra layer. Then get some thermal gloves to go over the top. Ones with a waterproof outer for any wet jobs.

You could use ski gloves over the liners for some jobs but they won't be precise enough for everything.

Thinsulate and polartech are good fabrics to look out for as they are warm and not bulky. Sealskinz are actually waterproof and they make some pimple palm gloves too which are good for riding in the wet.

I think a pair of fleece lined leather gloves (primark or BHS do them) are hard to beat for driving and you could do stable jobs and ride in them too if you wanted to. They are wind proof and largely water proof and you could still wear your silk liners for extra warmth.

The best gloves I have ever had though are a pair of mittens given to me by my uncle when we were hiking together, i think he bought them in iceland (the country not the shop) and they are massive preshrunk woollen mittens. They are incredibly warm and designed to freeze to the rocks as you climb so you get good grip! My hands have never been cold in them but sadly they aren't very practical for the stables!
 
Don't laugh, but I stick my frozen paws up between my mare's back legs! She is very obliging and doesn't complain, and it warms them up in seconds. I suffer from Raynauds syndrome and it can be agonizing. I have a fine crop of chilblains at the moment (can't get my feet where my hands go!!)
 
I would pop to your DRs and ask if you may have ranauds Syndrome, especially if your hands go blue or white and really hurt when they start to thaw out.........
 
nomini - have you tried foil in your boots???

Make yourself an insole out of kitchen foil - it reflects heat back in and helps keep your feet warm. Other than that, go for one pair of thin socks and a thicker pair (avoids blisters too) I'd recommend merino wool socks, pricey but warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather and best of all stink resistant!!!
 
Hi
I have a similar problem and tried silk glove liners - only about £7 and would fit under most gloves.
Sometimes once i`ve tacked my horse up when I`m waiting for everyone else to be ready I stand with my hands pushed under the saddle flaps trying to warm them up. I get some funny looks!
 
Your symptoms sound awful, poor you. But thanks for posting as the replies have really helped me too
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I get similar problems with my hands though not quite as badly. I near fainted when I rode my scooter to work a couple of weeks ago as my hands were so painful (it's stayed in the garage since then...) and untacking on Saturday was agony.

Think I'll definitely be buying some silk glove liners to go under my new thinsulates!
 
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I love my seal skinz gloves http://www.sealskinz.com/cgi-bin/psProdSrch.cgi
Have kept my hands nice and toasty so far this year
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My toes are my problem, they freeze within seconds of getting out of the car...!

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I love my seal skinz too - i hate gloves as a rule but they are great and they have actually made this winter bareable so far! Oh and making snow balls is a pleasure too hehe!

By the way nomini did you know seal skinz do socks/boot inserts too???
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I take beta blockers for Reynauds, not that they do much good.

Now, this next suggestion may be a little drastic, so make sure you're sitting down
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.

Get pregnant
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, the only time I(and my twin sister) have been truly warm
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, although I do agree, it's a rather drastic option that you may wish not to take
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neoprene does nothing for me, I wear part neoprene in summer!

thinsulate all the way! the warmest I have is my mountain horse fluorescent ones with thinsulate and waterproof/windproof (the windproof helps) and I can get silks underneath

my hands are too small for sealskinz

have just bought some ariat pro insulated they are also pretty nice and kept my hands warm whilst riding (though mostly trotting) and you can still do buckles etc in them.

I have given up buying cheap gloves, I thought I would loose expensive ones but I havent so now I would rather have pairs that actually keep my hands warm as it is worth it!
 
i also suffer with raynards. i use pair of silk think gloves under the sealskin gloves. thats helps loads. the problem is as soon as you get cold its hard to get them back again.

one of the best things is as soon as you start feeling cold - go for run and get your blood pumping faster - not fun i know but it really helps! i now run everyday and not had a problem for about 8 weeks
 
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