What do you do to keep warm whilst riding?

Vickijay

Vickijay

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Helllloooo.

I'm having to do an insane amount of walking rehab with one of my horses. It will carry on through until the summer and I'm already freezing!! It's ok on the others because they can have a trot and a canter, but on the walking only one I am f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g already!!!

So far I have bought lots of thin layers, some fleecy, waterproof chaps and just ordered a thematex Nordic rug with the plan of putting it over my legs too!!

Any other ideas? Anything I haven't thought of?

I saw some heated foot things but not too sure about those!!
 
nix123 said:
A balaclava would keep head,,ears & nose warm. Ski gloves for your hands and ski pants for your legs.
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I'm riding her and she's on box rest, she's done 10 weeks already and she's a bit sharp so I had thought about ski pants but I'm not sure they would give me the necessary stickability!!!

Ella19 said:
You can get heated body warmers too but they are expensive!
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Really? I wonder if anyone has got one on here to say if they work!!
 
i got the muck boots that are designed for riding, which i now also wear around the yard: my feet are toasty, with just a thin pair of socks on :D as i always find my feet get the most cold when riding
 
I ride in -15C each winter, that's about the limit I can stand, though tougher people who were born in this country ride out in way lower temps than me :)

1) I like pocket chemical handwarmers, they're superb and you can buy them in bulk. My husband has a zippo pocket handwarmer but I find the notion of a contained flame inside my clothing frightening. Anything electrical probably won't last long in -15C either, so, chemicals it is for me.
2) Sometimes I hop off and walk alongside the horse!
3) Arm windmilling, looks crazy, but great for despooking sensitive horses ;) I do one arm at a time to get the blood pumping.
4) Buy some real thermal underwear, it makes one hell of a difference. If I had to choose between ski pants over my jods or thermals under them, I'd go with thermals every time.
5) Fleecy stirrup toe baskets, these are a common enough buy in Sweden but I dunno if I've seen any in Robinson's or the Saddlery?? Here's an example - http://www.hooks.se/product.aspx?pr...=1041&sortType=sortPopularitet&sortOrder=DESC

GL keeping toasty Vickijay! :)
 
I think once your head/hands/feet get cold then you're done for, so keep them warm:) When I kept mine at home, one winter it went down to -16, I wore those thermal primark tights under jodhpurs with ski socks so I wasn't too bulky but still toasty, thermal long sleeve, a small snood to tuck up round my face with a bigger knitted one like a scarf and a pair of gloves with a spare so if one gets wet you can swap. I feel the cold really bad as well, and I was fine like this:) And of course lots of fleeces and a decent ski/riding coat.
 
Mountain horse do winter waterproof thermal trousers that have a suede type seat, I think their called winter breeches? I think they are about £100.
I've not seen them in person, only on the web and in a magazine, but I thought they looked good!
I've also got a Musto arctic rider jacket that I got half price off equestrian clearance that's super snug and waterproof!
 
The heated gilets are lovely! I've wanted one for so long but finally caved and treated myself to one from Treehouse earlier this month - I am also doing walking rehab and it is fantastic and has made a huge difference! Love it and so glad I finally bought one.
I'm still trying to find a way to keep my feet warm - I wear fleece lined tights under my breeches which helps a lot. Also wear sealskinz gloves which are great x
 
Something from Decathlon Snow wear, a tube shape, close fitting, warm fleece on one end, that goes round your neck, attatched to thin material, that goes over your head, and if needed, your face (apart from your eyes of course), thin enough to go under your hat, and you can still hear.
Someone help find me a name for this cheapish must have !
 
JCWHITE said:
Something from Decathlon Snow wear, a tube shape, close fitting, warm fleece on one end, that goes round your neck, attatched to thin material, that goes over your head, and if needed, your face (apart from your eyes of course), thin enough to go under your hat, and you can still hear.
Someone help find me a name for this cheapish must have !
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A Buff?
 
Vickijay said:
Really? I wonder if anyone has got one on here to say if they work!!
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Me! My lovely boyfriend bought me a heated gilet last Christmas as I have poor circulation and once I'm cold, I find it very difficult to warm myself up again even if I am wearing copious amounts of ski gear!

I really like it. It's quick to charge, easy to use. Has three different settings so can use maximum heat if I'm just grooming and taking the old boy for a walk for 30 mins, or low heat if I'm mucking out/poo picking/riding. Battery lasts several hours.
 
If you're on walk exercise only, is there a reason why you can't walk alongside? I'm walking my mare out at the moment and was steaming by the time I got back!
 
I've got an Acavello gel out seat saver which is nice and warm. I did try on some Pikeur winter breeches the other day which felt really warm and my friends swear by When I walking my oldie in the cold with thermal tights on under my normal breeches I decided to invest some money in my warmth as I wouldn't think twice about spending it on the horses if they were cold. I also have a couple of thin soft shell gilets which are great for layering and Sealskin gloves are the best I've found. Because of my lung problems I'm always on the look out for warmest clothes, Sports Direct for thermals, Heat Holder socks and tights, Ariat Conistons and their Stormbuster wellies are surprisingly warm and fleece lined Musto chaps or over trousers. I've managed to get 22 items of clothing on in winter much to the amusement of my friends but I just cannot risk getting cold.

I did try on a Blazeware gilet at Olympia last year but felt it too bulky to fit under a jacket and a gilet isn't enough for me in winter. I did goggle Back on Track tops when you posted on FB about Back on Track rugs and am considering trying one of those.
 
Aldi ladies riding thermals - wore them for the first time today to go up the yard and were toasty :) And beyond that layers, lots of. Or normal tights under jods really help too. My feet and hands are the main problem that I really struggle to keep warm and chilblain or split free :(
 
Ella19 said:
You can get heated body warmers too but they are expensive!
Click to expand...

Vickijay said:
Really? I wonder if anyone has got one on here to say if they work!!
Click to expand...

I haven't got one, but have seen and felt one, and they are sooooooo warm. The it was about £200 though!!

If really cold,I wear a thin thermal vest, thermal long sleeve top, cotton long sleeve top, a thick hoodie or jumper and then my big thick puffa coat. Always stay warm. It her wear a scarf or snood. Thick wooly tights on under jods, and sometimes wear ski thermals too. On feet, thin socks and then thick thermal socks and muck boots.
Wear normal gloves on hands though as hate having bulky fingers!
 
FireFly29 said:
Mountain horse do winter waterproof thermal trousers that have a suede type seat, I think their called winter breeches? I think they are about £100.
Click to expand...

I've got a pair of these - not sure they're "Mountain Horse", they may be Musto, not sure, but they are FANTASTICALLY warm: so much so that I could almost go to bed in them, they're so warm and toasty :) I didn't pay anything like this amount for them tho' - got them for a really silly price, think it was about £30, from a local Equestrian Event just before Christmas last year.

The other "can't do without" winter item I have is a sheepskin seat saver; perfect on a nippy hack when the wind's blowing up your hinterland!

I got a very light thermal balaclava thing at Lidls last winter: its mega thin so you can wear it under a hat, and it keeps your ears really nice & warm (which is where I always get cold).
 
i wear merino wool thermals from go outdoors and ski salopettes and jacket and thermal socks -toasty warm. no extra layers needed and im a freezer so if this works for me it would work for anyone . i also ride on a merino wool saddle saver so no cold leather for me!
 
Silk glove liners; really thin ones which fit inside even show gloves, they're brilliant... also, Asda own brand thermal tights are toasty, as is my Asda thermal long-sleeved top. Such class but so warm!
I've got a heated bodywarmer too, got it for Christmas a couple of years ago and it's amaaaaaaazing! you charge up the battery pack, then plug it into a wire in an inside pocket.... definite thumbs-up.
You can tell what a wuss I am with the cold; every year, my Christmas presents are pretty much just things to keep me warm :)
 
LynH said:
I've got an Acavello gel out seat saver which is nice and warm. I did try on some Pikeur winter breeches the other day which felt really warm and my friends swear by When I walking my oldie in the cold with thermal tights on under my normal breeches I decided to invest some money in my warmth as I wouldn't think twice about spending it on the horses if they were cold. I also have a couple of thin soft shell gilets which are great for layering and Sealskin gloves are the best I've found. Because of my lung problems I'm always on the look out for warmest clothes, Sports Direct for thermals, Heat Holder socks and tights, Ariat Conistons and their Stormbuster wellies are surprisingly warm and fleece lined Musto chaps or over trousers. I've managed to get 22 items of clothing on in winter much to the amusement of my friends but I just cannot risk getting cold.

I did try on a Blazeware gilet at Olympia last year but felt it too bulky to fit under a jacket and a gilet isn't enough for me in winter. I did goggle Back on Track tops when you posted on FB about Back on Track rugs and am considering trying one of those.
Click to expand...

Which gilets do you wear please? Been looking for a good thin one to layer!
 
When I used to work in racing I used to get very cold feet on the walk back from the gallops.
I changed to plastic stirrups (thorogood ones are plain black and less than £15) and the muck boot jodpur boots. Made jumping off almost painless!

Now I don't have to ride in all weathers, I layer up - leggings, ski trousers, 2 pairs of socks, stretchy polo neck (long enough to tuck into knickers) soft shell or puffa gilet, chunky fleece or waterproof coat, fleece snood and fleece ear warmer/hat ear warmers.

The one necessary thing is dry gloves. I stick up on cheap gloves, so I have always got dry ones in my pocket.
 
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