Winter Survival, Top Five Items

MissJessica

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Yesterday's snow reminded me how grateful I am for a few key wardrobe items I now wouldn't like to be without, turning to them year after year as they make my life easier and more comfortable...here are my five:

# Neoprene lined wellies
# Sealskinz waterproof gloves
# Thermal base layers
# Soft shell breeches - these will never ever EVER loose their novelty
# Bit of a cheat as it's for my horse but his Thermatex quarter rug & I did cheat by including my other Thermatex products too as use my leg wraps and rugs often. They're just so good.

I blogged about them here if you'd like to take a look: http://geegeeandme.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/gee-gee-and-mes-winter-survival.html

Please share with me what your TOP FIVE survival items are??
 
In no particular order.

#1Heated water troughs, buckets and bowls for the cats and dogs.

#2 snowpants, snow boots and yaktrax

#3 quad and snowplow, my trusty snow shovels and sacks of rock salt that I throw around like confetti.


#4 bikers thin balaclava for under riding hat

#5 fleece lined leather gloves, fur lined leather boots for riding

and a sled. I don't need one now but when I did need to move stuff a sled is way better than a wheelbarrow.
 
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Not just wardrobe related but:

1. Neoprene lined Le Chameaux wellies
2. Big water tubs in the stables and huge water troughs in the field - fill all to full capacity when sub zero temperatures are forecasted.
3. Ariat Lowell top - very warm and zips right up to your chin so no scarf/snood needed
4. Not had to use it this year yet, but H2Go bag for transporting water from tap to troughs in a prolonged freeze
5. Rubber mats in the stables, keep stables much warmer - before all my stables were rubber matted the water tubs froze in the unmatted stables, yet were unfrozen in the matted stables.
 
thermal troughs. heated drinkers and warm water pump so the pipes never freeze (I saw the set up at a yard i visited). drywalker boots that keep your feet warm down to -30c but I hope they never gets tested to that point :D sealskinz gloves with silk liners. bear force jacket as they are incredibly warm and the hood wraps most of my face in it. good snow board or ski trousers. that keeps me lovely and warm and if I could get the same drinker setup as the one I saw winter would be almost civilised
 
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Lots of love for heated drinkers so far!!

And TGM I never considered the difference rubber matting made to the stable temperature re water buckets/freezing etc...I should add my mating to my list, definitely take it for granted.
 
In the south so no so much for snow just winter:
1 neopreane gloves - waterproof so great for washing things water buckets etc
2 fleece hat
3 fleece scarf
4 puffer jacket big enough to get 5 layers under!
5 insulated tea mug - I can do anything as long as I have hot tea.
 
I got sealskinz gloves in the hope valley sale a few months ago! I loved them but I've lost them! honestly no other gloves are working for me at the moment, sooo gutted!
 
You forgot a hot water bottle stuffed down your waistband? I can't be the only one....

LOL Mrs G! I have to be honest - I've never seen anyone walking about like that, but it seems like a fabulous idea! Maybe we'll bump into one another one day with our hot water bottle bumps! Will just have to check the lid on my ancient bottle can still fully seal...
 
Fleece ear warmer
Grubs iceline wellie boots - warm down to -40 degrees and excellent tread to prevent slipping
Headtorch (with a variety of settings)
 
Dogged determination
Thermal EVERYTHING (and I mean everything-I feel the cold, from socks, to long johns, t shirts and balaclava!!)
Head torch
Hot baths
Wine :)

Couldn't do winter without these!!
 
No. 1: a rubber surface arena
2: insulated + heated water pipes
3: full hay barn
4: waterproof insulated gloves
5: hot chocolate

To add - 6: spring is on the way!
 
Extra deep turnout rugs with neck covers
7 day mud away & pig oil spray
Magic brush and green pan scrubber
Soft shell breeches
Soft shell fleece jacket
Base layer
Thermal socks
Rubber & sand arena surface


First three on my list have saved my sanity and sense of humour this winter. We are on clay and my new boy is apparently hippo x warthog.
 
1: Ear and neck warmers the fit under riding helmet
2: Warm full chaps, for yard work and riding!
3: Rope cow halter - no fiddling with cold stiff buckles, easy to use with gloves on and I can use it on every pony, adjusting it as I walk back to turn out the next one!
4: Indoor stabling!
5: Easy keeping native ponies that only need one or no rugs and not stupid amounts of feed!
 
Caldene Country Boots
Big coat that gets millions of layers underneath it
HUGE water bucket in stable (aside from the fact my horse puts her foot in it and tips it up, its great if the water tap is frozen for a few days at a time, she has pleanty of water!)
Offcut sawdust from the sawmill for £1 per bag! (Cheap bedding for poopy horse!)
Kettle.
 
sealskinz waterproof gloves,
waterproof trousers
thermal socks
muckboots
very dashing workers hi viz jacket
stoners t cosy hat
 
UnderArmour base layer tops
Fleece neck warmer that is longer at the front to tuck down the neck of your top
Tonne rubble bags for dragging hay up the hill to the field when a wheelbarrow won't work in snow/ice/knee deep mud
Lots of grit or rock salt
Fleece ear warmer
 
Normal winter
1. Neoprene lined Aigle wellies
2. Lip balm
3. Thermal leggings
4. Thinsulate hat
5. Musto soft shell coat

This winter
1. Neoprene lined Aigle wellies
2. Waterproof coat
3. Waterproof trousers
4. Waterproof coat (another one to wear while the other's drying)
5. Waterproof gloves
6. Waterproof hat
7. Waterproof coat (yes another one)
 
1. Neoprene shooting gloves for yard work (thank you Secret Santa)

2. Super bright rechargeable head torch

3. Primark thermal leggings (much cheaper than a whole wardrobe of winter weight leg wear)

4. My vast collection of yellow horse and human hi viz

5. Biker balaclava for under helmet wear/Tesco mens trapper hat for yard work (my ears suffer badly in the cold)
 
For me:

1 - Neoprene lined wellies. I replaced my Le Chameaus with a pair of the Aigle Parcours Iso, no complaints so far!

2 - Decent thermals. I have thin fleecy Trespass ones which are brilliant.

3 - A good waterproof jacket. My current one is from Decathlon and I love it, it even fits over my BP.

4 - Lots and lots of fleecy headbands!

5 - A pair of Sealskinz waterproof gloves. The novelty of lifting ice out of field troughs without getting cold, wet hands will never wear off.
 
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