Winter isn’t a time many horse owners enjoy – not only are you always on the verge of losing a welly in the mud, but clothing choices and staring at weather apps dominate any free time… and then when the rain stops and you’re ready to ride, you might find your horse has decided to enjoy a mud bath, and that’s your riding window GONE!
But at RB Equestrian, we’re always here to help… so here are our winter survival tips… with a slight twist. Because if you can’t laugh at yourself in the winter, when can you?!
Layers – layering up clothing is THE way to stay warm and comfortable – and protect some of your dignity – in the winter months too. When you leave the house and it’s minus degrees, you’ll need ALL the clothes, but as everything starts to defrost and you muck out/ride, you’ll get warm. When this happens, you can just peel off a layer, or two, and carry on. Dress in a bulky layer and you only have two choices: sweat, and riding in your underwear. You won’t just catch a chill, but in the wrong environment, you could also get in a bit of trouble.
Gloves – why do gloves have a mind of their own. You buy them, you put them in your pocket, you put your cold hands in to put them on… and at least one has run off? So, you have to pick your favourite hand and let that enjoy the cosy warmth! Get a few pairs and keep them in different locations – coats, yard, car, tack room – that way you should always have another pair on standby, or another one, either way, you can make a pair!
Spare clothes – the law of horses dictates that if you have somewhere to go after the yard and you need to look vaguely presentable; you WILL fall over in the mud. Keep a spare set of clothes in the car. Trust us on this one.
Wellies – if your wellies aren’t waterproof, bin them. If they don’t fit properly, treat yourself to some new ones that do. Or wait for them to get stuck in the mud as you step out of them and carry on your trek back to the yard. Your choice. But don’t say you weren’t warned.
Waterproofs – there’s no greater test for a waterproof than a downpour… and it’s not the best time to remember that the reason you stopped wearing this coat last year was because it was about as useful in the rain as a sieve… if it’s no longer waterproof, you know what you need to it…
Kettles – for cups of tea, hot chocolates, coffees, or having some chance of defrosting all the random things around the yard that can and will freeze when you least expect it.
Colander – we’re not saying raid the kitchen, but we’re not saying not to either! When you’re smashing ice on troughs, it’s often a good idea to remove the big chunks to help slow down the refreezing. You could use your hands (you brave, brave soul – at least wear rubber gloves if you do!), or you could just use a colander and drain the water away from the ice.
Head torches – will you win any style awards? No. But in the winter with all the layers, you’re unlikely to anyway. However, you will be able to see what you’re doing if you get yourself a head torch. It could also save your phone – and your teeth – as many people opt to hold their very expensive phone between their teeth to get a bit of light on the gate they’re trying to open in the dark only for it to slip and fall into the mud. Sad times.
Laugh – even if it’s really REALLY hard, try and laugh at yourself when things don’t quite go to plan. Everyone else is laughing at you anyway! Winter won’t last forever (thank goodness!), and the disasters you will encounter over the next few months will soon become a distant memory. Until next year at least.
