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Regular
Posts: 95
| For those who can tough it out in the cold: riding/working. HOW do you do it?! Why do you do it!? Share your stories and inspiration! |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
   
Location: Kansas | I tough it out by sitting in front of the pellet stove |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I live in ND, where it is butt cold! We have a winter barrel race that starts in January, it keeps me sane from hibernating all winter and tends to make the winters shorter. So that is my motivation for riding through the winter. That and I want to be prepared for the up coming season.
Oh and no I don't have an indoor, I bundle up and put on the miles, or work in my outdoor arena.
No rest for the weary!   |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| Same, ND.
We've been fortunate this year that it's been at least 10 to 15 degrees every day. Sometimes 20+. That is manageable cold. It's the darkness that makes it tough, but yep bundle up and tough it out. Riding thru soft deep snow is actually kind of fun.
It's the minus 30 or more that makes it painful to have horses up here. I don't ride in that. I hustle to the barn and back again. So like I said, very thankful for this milder winter. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | I set the thermostat in the indoor to 50F.  |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I live in alberta..this morning it was -24....lol...last night when i rode it was -16 ...and i do it because if i dont ride i dont barrel race..its as simple as that...m |
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It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I call riding in the dark my 'trust exercise’ haha! Which is mostly what I do during the winter, darkness is our friend!
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
Location: London Ontario | LAYERS!!! I also know if it don't ride and get my mare to futurity...I wont be able to run!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? |
Staying warm without bundling up like the kid in A Christmas Story is my goal. Hard to ride in a snow suit! I used to wear my insulated carhart overalls but those rode up and felt bulky. I now wear insulated breeches by Kerrits (called Sit Tight and Warm because they are insulated and have a grippy full seat. For feet my boots are also insulated, and I use the little toe warmers between two layers of sock...a cotton and a wool. Multiple layers on top...and ear warmers or balaklava. I'm a wuss in the cold. But I want and need to ride for my mental health!
I don't know how you folks do it in the north where it really gets cold...and for extended periods. I'd have to win the lottery to move up there as I would need a heated barn and indoor riding arena. |
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 Straight Shooter
Posts: 5725
Location: SW North Dakota | There are a lot of good, warm clothes out there nowadays that aren't too bulky. I prefer UnderArmour 4.0s with no pants under my red-lined old carhardt bibs. I have a Mountain Horse coat that is almost 20 years old that I love. I found some gloves that are perfect for my ultra sensitive fingers (too many times frostbitten), they are HeatWave fleece and only cost like $10 a pair. Schnee pack boots with the warmer packets in them- they aren't exactly stirrup friendly, but they aren't scary either.
For me, staying warm is an easier issue to solve than the ice under the snow with the warm/cold trends that happen almost every winter! We have a super nice indoor arena nearby, but they have the heat set at 60*, which IMO is way too warm to work horses in the winter, so we don't go if it's colder than 20*.
It's a mindset, riding in the winter. A committment that isn't much different than dieting! haha. Sucks, but you gotta do it if you expect progress. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | hoofs_in_motion - 2016-01-05 8:02 AM I tough it out by sitting in front of the pellet stove
LOL  |
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 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | There is not enough warm clothes on the face of the planet to keep me warm. I look like the pillsbury dough boy! I do tough it out though and get things done before work in the mornings. |
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | ND3canAddict - 2016-01-05 9:47 AM There are a lot of good, warm clothes out there nowadays that aren't too bulky. I prefer UnderArmour 4.0s with no pants under my red-lined old carhardt bibs. I have a Mountain Horse coat that is almost 20 years old that I love. I found some gloves that are perfect for my ultra sensitive fingers (too many times frostbitten), they are HeatWave fleece and only cost like $10 a pair. Schnee pack boots with the warmer packets in them- they aren't exactly stirrup friendly, but they aren't scary either.
For me, staying warm is an easier issue to solve than the ice under the snow with the warm/cold trends that happen almost every winter! We have a super nice indoor arena nearby, but they have the heat set at 60*, which IMO is way too warm to work horses in the winter, so we don't go if it's colder than 20*.
It's a mindset, riding in the winter. A committment that isn't much different than dieting! haha. Sucks, but you gotta do it if you expect progress.
How is setting it to 60 too warm? |
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Straight Shooter
Posts: 5725
Location: SW North Dakota | CE's wrapn3 - 2016-01-05 8:53 AM ND3canAddict - 2016-01-05 9:47 AM There are a lot of good, warm clothes out there nowadays that aren't too bulky. I prefer UnderArmour 4.0s with no pants under my red-lined old carhardt bibs. I have a Mountain Horse coat that is almost 20 years old that I love. I found some gloves that are perfect for my ultra sensitive fingers (too many times frostbitten), they are HeatWave fleece and only cost like $10 a pair. Schnee pack boots with the warmer packets in them- they aren't exactly stirrup friendly, but they aren't scary either.
For me, staying warm is an easier issue to solve than the ice under the snow with the warm/cold trends that happen almost every winter! We have a super nice indoor arena nearby, but they have the heat set at 60*, which IMO is way too warm to work horses in the winter, so we don't go if it's colder than 20*.
It's a mindset, riding in the winter. A committment that isn't much different than dieting! haha. Sucks, but you gotta do it if you expect progress. How is setting it to 60 too warm?
They are so hairy and used to zero-degree temperatures. They start to sweat as soon as you bring them in the barn and get super sweaty as you ride them. At 60 degrees (remember they are accustomed to frigid temps), they don't dry off for hours, then you take them back out into the cold temps and haul them home... There are plenty of people that do it, but IMO its too hard on them when it's below 20*. It's just my theory and rule of thumb. |
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 Leggs
Posts: 4680
Location: lexington KY | I was always freezing when I rode until I started wearing Drake Clothing. They are for WaterFowl Hunters, (hunters in my family) and the warmest stuff I have ever had on. I love everything they have and it is all waterproof and windproof and I do not get cold. It isnt bulky either, very easy to ride in and enough pockets for everything. I wont wear anything else.
http://www.drakewaterfowl.com/ |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| ND3canAddict - 2016-01-05 10:00 AM
CE's wrapn3 - 2016-01-05 8:53 AM ND3canAddict - 2016-01-05 9:47 AM There are a lot of good, warm clothes out there nowadays that aren't too bulky. I prefer UnderArmour 4.0s with no pants under my red-lined old carhardt bibs. I have a Mountain Horse coat that is almost 20 years old that I love. I found some gloves that are perfect for my ultra sensitive fingers (too many times frostbitten), they are HeatWave fleece and only cost like $10 a pair. Schnee pack boots with the warmer packets in them- they aren't exactly stirrup friendly, but they aren't scary either.
For me, staying warm is an easier issue to solve than the ice under the snow with the warm/cold trends that happen almost every winter! We have a super nice indoor arena nearby, but they have the heat set at 60*, which IMO is way too warm to work horses in the winter, so we don't go if it's colder than 20*.
It's a mindset, riding in the winter. A committment that isn't much different than dieting! haha. Sucks, but you gotta do it if you expect progress.  How is setting it to 60 too warm?
I agree. Very easy for them to catch a cold if the indoor is too warm and so hard to get them dry afterwards!
I wear fleece lined leggings and heavy jeans. I used to ride in my Carhart overalls, but once was almost t-boned by a deer in the dark and I just rolled off like a fat tick  then had to walk 2 miles back in the dark cold. I feel I stand a better chance with the leggings and jeans if they get frisky or I run into any more blind deer!
Burton snowboarding mittens are the only thing that keep my fingers warm! |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Well I officially feel like a ninny LOL. I read the headline and got all proud of myself because I rode last week wed-sun and it was "cold." I am in OK...it was 30-40 and sunny most days lol. If its below 30, I don't ride but it rarely gets that cold here during the day. I worry about riding on frozen ground so I ride in the afternoons when its cold. The only thing that stops me really is precipitation or if the wind might knock me off my horse AND its cold. Has anyone seen the meme on facebook that says "the wind hurts my face, why do I live where the wind hurts my face" that was us last weekend. OMG that sucked. Horses in the pasture with blankets and wind breaks still shivering. Y'all up north probably deal with it all the time but I thought I might die. |
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Veteran
Posts: 255
Location: Alberta Canada | I do it because if I wait until the weather is warmer to ride, by the time my horses are in shape to compete it would be winter again. I also think it's better for my horses working outside rather than being worked in a moldy dust arena everyday anyway.
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 Go Your Own Way
Posts: 4947
Location: SE KS | it is easier to keep them in shape - and we have series down here. Do I ride every day no - but I have rode in the dark and when it was
20 degrees out....... fixing to get started again next week. He has had 3 weeks off. |
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Regular
Posts: 95
| Holy crap yeah you all are way more impressive than I was expecting! We'll do anything for what we love :) Kudos to the Canadian riders!!! I'm not THAT far north. Negative numbers? Insanity. Thanks to everyone sharing. I may look more into some of the warmer clothes mentioned. . . |
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