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The Ultimate Horse Owners Guide to Surviving Winter
Winter. Love it or loathe it, every year it comes back around. The cold weather bites at our fingers and wooly hats (plus head torches) become a firm fixture on our heads. Fear not, there are ways you can make winter better for you. We’ve gathered real customer reviews on three of our favourite winter survival products to help you battle the storm. We also asked some of our brand ambassadors for their top tips on ploughing through the cold and dark months. It’s OK, together, we’ve got this.
4-minute read
Winter Riding Tights
Winter riding tights have to work hard for us. We need them to keep us warm, as dry as possible and keep those dreaded chilblains at bay. The Harry Hall Reflective Riding Tights could be your new best friend this winter. Adding a new twist to safety this season, the Harry Hall Reflective Riding Tights also feature a reflective rainbow panel down the outside of each leg, when light hits the rainbow panel the print comes to life, keeping you more visible out on rides or in low light conditions. They have been designed with a functional four-way stretch fabric with a brushed back fleece lining leaving you with ultimate range of movement, comfort and warmth in colder weather conditions. A perfect choice for showery weather conditions, these riding tights are highly functional with a shower resistant finish to the fabric, allowing water to bead off the fabric. Featuring a subtle silicone knee print which helps to increases stability when in the saddle and a deep waistband giving you a flattering fit, wear after wear.
Emma Marshall shows us just how brightly these fleece lined winter riding tights shine when light hits them:
Winter Riding Breeches
Softshell winter riding breeches could be your savior this winter and our beautiful navy softshell breeches offer effortless style and superior comfort this season. The Ladies Softshell Breeches have been designed in a stretchy four-way softshell fabric that provides a feminine and flattering fit. The fabric offers great stretch qualities which ensures freedom of movement and comfort for the rider making them a great choice for all disciplines. Ideal for winter wear with a shower resistant treatment to the fabric, allowing water to bead off and a brushed back fleece lining, these breeches will leave you warm and dry in the colder months. The subtle silicone knee helps to increase stability in the saddle whilst the handy phone pocket allows you to keep your phone close by.
Fionn Lloyd tries out the softshell winter riding breeches with phone pocket:
Winter Riding Jacket
For us, this is a non-negotiable item to help you survive winter. In a winter jacket, you want fully waterproof, storm cuffs, detachable hood, riding vents, taped seams and generous pockets for your phone, keys and well let’s be honest some yard snacks to help you get through mucking out. Our All-Weather Waterproof Riding jacket has it all and more. Not only will it keep you warm and dry this winter it comes in two lengths – short and long. The Harry Hall All-Weather Jacket has been designed with practicality in mind. Embrace colder climates with stylish trims and a flattering fit, this is a jacket you won't want to leave home without.
Karen Slade puts the All-Weather Long Riding Jacket through its paces, she gets a bit damp in the process too!
Winter Yard Hacks
We asked some of the Harry Hall Brand Ambassadors how they battle the winter months, from top tips on filling haynets at the start of the week to how to get mud off your horse quickly and easily.
Grassroots Eventer Tamsin Drew on removing mud easily and having a winter project:
“A Handy Tough Scourer will be your best friend come winter. It removes mud quickly and easily and you’ll wonder how you survived without for so long. I also always have an area of my riding to focus on over winter to keep me feeling inspired. Last year my winter project was to teach my horse medium trot, this winter it is to focus on teaching rein-back and improving our leg yielding. In between all this I’ll have some fun training/competitions in the diary so that I always have something to look forward to. Kate is often fresher in the winter months so I’ll make sure she is wearing the Protechmasta Ear Bonnet when I riding to help keep a lid on her spookiness.
Equestrian Estate Agent Liz Langford on roughing off the horses:
“Take the pressure off in winter and don’t give yourself a tough time about not riding if the weather is grim, or the light doesn’t allow it. I rough off my horses in November/December, this helps with my work commitments and stops me worrying about their fitness. Plus, due to the location of our farm, competing (and getting anywhere!) can be difficult with the roads not gritted and steep inclines. Last winter I bought enough haynets to last me the week so I could fill them all on a weekend and just grab during the week. The Cottage Craft Large Haylage nets were lifesavers. They also always have a treat ball or salt lick to keep them occupied during the long nights inside.”
Dressage rider and trainer Sara-Jane Lanning on wrapping up and getting on with it:
“I don’t think there is any easy way to get through winter unless you are fortunate enough to have an indoor arena and well-draining fields. We have an outdoor arena, and we are on clay so turnout is severely limited through the winter months so it’s particularly tough.
I do have internal barn type stabling which means if it’s blowing a gale, I can shut the doors and keep working. This certainly makes doing morning stables easier and things like clipping.
Riding wise I just wrap up and get on with it! This is where I love my Protechmasta Quarter Rug and my Riding Skins! The new Harry Hall All-Weather Long Waterproof Jacket is already coming in handy too.
This year I do have the luxury of a horse walker with a roof so that will really help on those days where it’s simply too horrid to ride!”
We hope this Ultimate Guide to Surviving Winter has helped you feel prepared for the colder months ahead. If you have any questions about the products featured in this blog, you can contact our Customer Service team who will be more than happy to help you figure out the best product for you. Plus, did you know One Club members save up to 30% on shopping at Harry Hall? So not only could we keep you warm and dry this winter we can make things a bit easier on your pocket too.