What has been your "indespensable item" this winter??

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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As title really.

Just wondering what item/items you have found to be absolutely indespensable this winter?

My list:

First & foremost - Shires waterproof overtrousers. Cheap and cheerful, have worn them constantly since the weather changed and they've kept the water out and me nice & warm.

- an old Harry Hall pull-on waterproof/windproof top which I got in a sale years ago and forgot all about till I found it in a box in the tackroom. Out it came and its been a godsend; the fact of having no zip in front seems to make it even more nice and cosy:)

A Buff for wearing around the neck, as well as bunging hair under it to ride in (keeps ears warm & hair clean). Also served as an emergency dog collar when needed.

Musto Thermal Jods. Have hardly taken them off since it came in wet, even to go to bed:)

For horses: Pig Oil (no sulphur added as it made Trad-Lad come up in an awful rash), for putting on their legs before turning out - making it sooooo much easier to get their legs clean. Also I brush it through manes and tails to protect against mud. Fantastic stuff, cheap and cheerful.

- a waterproof ride-on saddle cover, as I'm totally precious about my suede-trimmed saddle. Invaluable. You can ride on a leather saddle in the wet and it will be totally protected, saves hours of cleaning:)

- when riding out: Equafleece Quarter sheets, to keep their precious little botties nice 'n warm and cosy. Plus highly visible.

For the dogs: Equafleece body warmers. Sorry not advertising here!!! But its just they do a good product, which I use for horses, dogs - and myself (lovely cosy garments for all of us and IMO you won't buy better quality).

General: a head-torch. Fantastically handy little item: where they heck were they years ago when we needed them??

Anyone else care to contribute their list???
 
muckboots- i have always done wellies with layers of socks and always had cold feet. neoprene= warm toes :)
head torch- agree, so useful to free up hands and was mucking out with one october-january
but now i have electricity in the barn :D my late, and very expensive christmas present to myself!
'duvet' coat, my dad got me the mountain horse one, and i am so warm in it, perfect for walking the dog in the cold and dark. sometimes i wear it inside when it is cold as it is so comfy
 
Ah yes, forgot to add Muck Boots. Invaluable. However, the ONLY argument I have with them is that I do wish that they had put a little more thought into the soles of the flippin things; as TBH I've slid around in them like a turd on top of a dungheap (oft-times literally so) and they really aren't the best as far as that is concerned!
 
My OH ;-)
Micronised linseed, as always.
My new Aigle wellies. As much as I loved my previous 4 pairs of Muck Boots the soles are blatantly dangerous after just a bit of wear. After being dragged up the road like a ski-er by one of my stallions, he was completely freaked out so kept moving plus numerous other painful slips, I refuse to pay good money to wait for serious injury.
 
I was going to put Muck boots too and then saw the comments - I have the Muck Boots Chore and the soles are fab - four-wheel drive in all weathers, cope equally well with muddy gateways and the ramp to our muckheap. They are the warmest and most comfortable wellies I have ever had but are not the ones that are suitable for riding in.
Sealskinz waterproof gloves, buff, headband (for when wearing buff round neck) and my council-workman style cheapo hi-viz which is actually the warmest coat I own.
Head torch lives in my glove box as need it for poo picking.
Wood pellets for ease of mucking out and comfy beds
My Landie in case it ever snows here this winter...
 
I have been using pig oil, mine have no feathers as such but it still helps keep the legs from getting so muddy, on the same theme my hosepipe is in constant use.
My arena which, despite the heavy downpours almost being daily occurrence, is in use every day and never gets flooded, I could not cope without it, the fields around it are a different story.
 
My Kitt neoprene full chaps, not flattering but they keep me warm, dry and clean (ish) I also have muckboots with the lethal soles! but they are designed for riding in, as moleskinsmum says they do other versions with much more grippy soles.
 
£3.79 gardening gloves with thermal lining, my hands were so dry and dirty mainly caused by hauling wet haynets about,they looked like I had been living on the streets this winter so had to do something, my little hands almost look normal now, bargain!
 
My best item this winter has been a box of food grade latex type gloves. I bought extra large so that I could wear them over the pimple grip stretchy gloves. So far hands are not sore or split. Last winter they were very painful.
Also a rechargeable head torch.
 
Snuggy hoods and Tailgator tail bags. Only way I get to ride my greys rather than spending hours getting them even vaguely clean.
 
Harry Hall Coverall overalls, (shaped for ladies!)
Must put mine on and off countless times in a day,
Wash and dry overnight,keep jim jams clean and odour free, a must at 7 am and 9 pm feeds, also best clothes when running down to the stables during the day to do little jobs,
Keep you warm and lots of pockets for indespensible items, cant rate them too highly.
 
Waterproof thermal trousers - amaaazing! Living in aldi thermal gear this year, spent about £40 and have been warm and dry all winter - its a first!
 
My husband - he just retired. I now get up at 6am instead of 5am as I only feed, brush and turn out in the morning before work, the stable is sorted by him. Tonight I came home to find my horse in, with his massage rug on and the turnout poo picked. All I had to do was ride, put him to bed, and feed again.

I could get used to this!!!!!
 
sealskinz hat - looks truely ridiculous but sooo warm ! and head torch - no electric in stables. and grass mesh round my mini yard.
 
Sealskins hat. Bought just before the weather really turned to faeces and well tested. That and the studs I put in Henry's hoof boots. Stopped him going bottom over breast on more than one occasion and have given me my confidence back on slippery tarmac, too!
 
My new arena - don't know how we managed without it for so many years! Obviously great for riding in and doing canter work when the bridlepaths, fields and woods are too wet, but great for lungeing and loose-schooling also, and can even turn out in there when the fields are really sodden!
 
Stone in the gateway and alongside the fence up the field shelter! It was left over drainage stone, and I barrowed it into position over the course of a month in the autumn. I can stay upright when I put the horses in and out, and can get the wheelbarrow through to the field shelter without getting bogged down!

Could do with extending the stone area by about a quarter of an acre!
 
I have a feeling my next indispensable items over the months to come will be my new horsewalker and warm water shower for the horses! Already getting a lot of use out of them :).

Aside from that, good footwear! -
Muckboot tynes - toasty toes for yard work and hacking :)
Ariat insulated bromonts for keeping toes warm hunting.
Cool horse socks to help keep feet the right temperature

Pikeur softshell winter breeches
Long padded coat for round the yard - yes it looks like I'm wearing a sleeping bag, but in this weather I always have the last laugh! :D.
Solarium lights for the horses (and my benefit!).
 
Most indispensable - A man-slave for carrying, lifting, and buying me whiskey and chocolate

After that a maplin solar powered battery charger, has been nicely topping up fencer battery all winter during daylight
i don't miss having to lug that dead weight battery in to shed to charge it. what do they put in those friggin batteries that weights so much, condensed black holes?

and my neoprene full chaps - toasty warm dry legs, lovely
 
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