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Cold
Weather Tips For Horse and Rider
By Chris Mills
Now that the temperatures are dropping, here are a few tips for colder
weather:
While grooming your horse, tuck his bridle down your jacket front to
warm the bit. He'll accept it more easily.
If you don't have hot/warm water, but need some to wipe off manure
stains, nostrils, under tail, etc, put some water in a black bucket and
set in the sun to warm up while you ride. It won't be hot, but it will
be a lot more pleasant than straight out of the hose.
In sports stores you can buy chemical hand warmers in plastic bags. When
you activate the disk, it will last for some time. Many are reusable if
you boil the pouch. I use these to warm my hands, warm the bit and, when
covered with a glove as a warm massage for the horse.
Kept an "Irish Knit" handy for cooling your horse after a
ride. If he is damp/sweaty and you see steam come up, and Irish knit
sheet is a wonderful way to help him dry up without getting chilled.
Wear a hat. You lose a lot of heat through your head, bald or not.
If the cold makes your nose a bit snotty while riding, wear a tennis arm
band on your wrist. The absorbant terry allows for a quick mop up and
goes in the wash. Gross, I know, but you need to do something!
Wear wool socks. Or add fuzzy shoe liners in your boots.
Wear panty hose under your britches for an extra layer.
Dress in layers that you can add and subtract as your body heats up. In
NC I can usually get to shirt sleeves most winter days - the fence line
is littered with clothes I put back on when I am done.
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