Cold weather hacks for barn chores and riding!
There’s nothing like moving from a tropical paradise to the Northeast to teach you how to deal with winter at the barn. While I’m technically newish to this winter thing, I have learned a little bit about how I can stay warm at the barn to get chores and riding done comfortably. Maybe some of these cold weather barn hacks will work for you!
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What to wear:
- Of course layers, but be smart about it. The old hiking term is “cotton kills”. Seems a bit severe, but cotton will not do anything to get rid of damp except hold it against you like a grudge. High-tech wicking fabrics are the best.
Cover everyone’s ears in the cold!
- I love my silk liners, they are warm and sleek and super thin. Silk sock liners are great, too. You also can’t go wrong with wool stuff, just don’t put wool in the washer or dryer without reading the instructions unless you have a tiny dog that needs some undies.
- Groom with gloves on after you have done your full body check with your hands. Your fingers will stay dry, and your mani clean. For really cold weather, I wear nitrile medical gloves under my grooming gloves and sometimes even my riding gloves to stay warm.
Much better!
- Unleash your inner dork and wear a hat. Like seriously. Under a riding helmet, you can easily fit a wool ear cover. What happens to your hair after that is just collateral damage.
- You can also buy full facemasks to wear, they cover your neck, face, and head. Hiking stores are full of other warm headgear.
- Ski pants are also a good idea if you can find a pair that zips up the legs for easy on and off. There are some equestrian fashions out there that resemble ski pants with a full seat so you aren’t sliding all over the place.
- Make sure your outer layer is waterproof if wet things from the sky are forecast. A three-part jacket with a removable liner is always a good idea for layers and a waterproof shell.
- Find lined breeches. And find lined boots. Yes, they exist, and yes, they are worth every last penny.
What to do:
- Eat more! Fill yourself with calories to generate heat. You also might be burning more as you do chores with all of those layers on.
- Have hot water around. For warming bits, warm washcloths to wipe eyes, noses, ears and hot cocoa. I like an insta-hot kettle. For stuff that you need a lot of hot water for, use a wash rack version of the insta-hot kettle, they hook up to the hose and warm the water as it flows through the machine.
Insta-hot water is a plus, for grooming and for beverages!
- Active complaining about how cold it is. Clearly ineffective at bringing warm weather back quickly, but might warm up the face as anger is generated.
- Keep moving. The minute you start to get cold, do a chore that requires more activity. Re-stack the hay storage, drag the arena without the tractor, build more shelters by yourself.
- Get out of the wind. An enclosed tack or feed room is nice to escape to for the less active chores that need to get done. Don’t clean tack in the barn aisle, find another set up behind a door.
- Let the hour-by-hour forecast be your guide. Go to the barn over lunch instead of after dark when it’s even colder if you can.
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Keep ya' bum warm with these insulated overalls WITH POCKETS
Transform your lower half into a toasty oven while riding in the winter.
Warm ears are mandatory for barn chores in cold weather!
Nothing ruins a good ride more than frostbite. Keep your hands warm!
Stay cool and beat the heat.
Other colors, too for staying cool.
Never have dirty riding boots again!
Keep water from damaging your leather riding boots. Easy to spray.
This is castile soap-based, so it won't leave that gooey stickiness that glycerine-based soaps can leave in humid environments.
Keep your horse's leather from snapping with some deep conditioning.
How do you deal with the cold? For more barn hacks, read these:
PART SEVEN – DOLLAR STORE EDITION
PART NINE – HORSE SHOW EDITION
PART THIRTEEN – HARDWARE STORE EDITION
