Wow, i’ve had a bit of a break from writing blog posts but i’m back! And with the changing of the seasons I thought I would share with you my essentials for getting through Autumn/Winter with horses.
A good coat, there are so many on the market these days it can be tricky to choose! Hood, no hood, short or long line, quilted, elastic cuffs, velcro cuffs the list goes on. My suggestion is go for what you are comfy with, my essentials when buying a coat are, waterproof, zipped pockets, comes fairly high up neck when zipped up and comfy when riding. My go to at the moment is from Sledmere Jacket from Feathers Country but I love the look of the Kyla Technical Waterproof Coat from Weatherbeeta.
Head torch, for the dark mornings, dark evenings whilst keeping your hands free! Equi light have a super range of hats and headbands that have a rechargeable LED light which you can turn on and off. Two products in one, win win in my eyes.
Hi viz, yes I wear mine all year round as everyone should in my opinion, but as the weather and light changes hi viz should be as important as putting your riding hat on when out riding. Rider Eye have a fab hi viz range including tabards, hat bands and leg bands. They have recently launched a tabard that has LED lights that you can turn on and off when needed. Be safe, be seen!!
An insulated travel mug because we all need a hot drink to stay warm for longer! There are so many on the market these days just remember to get one that will fit in your car cup holder. Iglu is a British family company that make not only some lovely looking insulated cups in a range of sizes/colours they also make insulated food pots (love the sound of these) and bottles, also in a range of sizes! Go check them out.
Gloves! My hands are pretty much cold all year round so gloves are near the top of the list in my essentials. I also like wrist warmers which leave your fingers free to do fiddly jobs like tacking up, doing rugs or using your phone. But if you are super cold you can wear gloves over wrist warmers, doubly toasty!! Storm chase have an excellent range of not only gloves and wrist warmers but also a neck warmer that can be pulled up over your ears and popped under your riding hat to keep the chill off your ears when riding!!
Waterproof riding trousers or full length chaps. An extra layer and waterproof, both a bonus in miserable weather! Just chaps is your place to go for both of these. Fleece lined and waterproof, no one wants a soggy bottom when riding! (They also do super cute children’s chaps too.)
Overalls. Need to nip to the yard before work? Don’t want to get filthy? A pair of overalls is your answer. Pop on over your clothes, do your jobs, whip off when done and head to work. Just make sure there is no hay/straw stuck in your hair. Posh Muckerz look amazing! They are waterproof, windproof, dirt repellent, breathable and you can ride in them too. As and added plus they won’t make you look like the Michelin man as they are designed for ladies with a flattering cut and elasticated waistband. What more could you want out of an overall?!?
Wellies, I swear by my Le Chameau wellies. I have the neoprene lined ones which have had for years and they are still going strong. Will definitely be repurchasing when needed.
Layers. I am ALWAYS cold, just ask my husband!! Layers are your best friend in miserable weather and base layers help wick away sweat when active which then in turn keeps you warm when you “cool down” if that makes sense?!. There are so many base layers on the market now which also work really well with mid layers and fleeces keeping you toasty warm all day. I have a bamboo roll neck from Ginger & Jardine which is super soft and lovely and warm. They have some lovely check patterns which are fab for riding and casual wear and they have just released a collaboration print with Glaze & Gordon which is a gorgeous hunt scene, with 10% of Revenue going to The Hunt Servants Fund. But if you are after something more simple Go Outdoors have a wide range of base layers of all types.
Headbands, I live in mine over autumn/winter and I have sooooo many different types, woollen, lycra, fluffy, tweed… I even made a reel about them on my instagram haha. But seriously headbands are fab, if you haven’t got one get one!
Thermal breeches/riding tights. These are something I don’t have yet and I want to invest in this year. I usually wear tights under breeches but i’ve seen lots of winter breeches that look great. There are a great selection from Equus I like the look of the Ariat thermal tights and the more budget friendly Equetech Winter Riding tights.
Good socks. Personally I love a knee high sock when riding. Heat Holders have so much choice when it comes to socks. Whether it’s short, long, thermal, thin, thick, plain or patterned take your pick!
Lip balm, nothing worse that sore chapped lips from the cold windy weather. My go to is the Blistex intensive moisturiser. Keep one in your pocket and one in your car so you are never without. And moving on from lip balm… Moisturiser, keep your hands and face moisturised your skin will thank you for it. Our skin takes such a battering, make sure you give it some TLC from time to time. For my hands I use Neutrogena Norweigen concentrated formula and my face I use Lacura Rejuvelate Day Cream its from Aldi and is an absolute bargain!
So I think that’s all of my autumn/winter essentials I would love to hear yours, leave them in the comments below! I have previously written a blog on equestrian winter survival tips so do check that out if you are after some new tips and tricks to make life easier over the next few months.
Thanks for reading!
The Farriers Wife 
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