Winter is finally here....

And everyone seems to be settling in to our new indoor routine with few complaints.

I have a few things to share as we enter the cold weather months.

1. You need to plan to spend a minimum of 1/2 hour after your ride making sure your horse is cool to the touch and completely dry. Horses that aren't clipped (none of ours are) have much more hair in the winter and when they sweat, that hair gets wet. If they stand around with all of that moisture on their bodies, pretty soon the sweat will get cold and the horse will get chilled. This is why we have the cooling blanket, or 'cooler.' You will hear Meghan and I tell you to put a cooler on your horse whenever he is sweaty or hot from exercising. The cooler can be made from felt, wool, or micro-fleece and is lighter than a regular blanket. It is used to cover up the horse after a workout and it absorbs moisture while preventing the horse from becoming chilled. Coolers are only to be used when you can be with the horse and are not to be left on the horse for more then one hour. In other words, you should not leave the cooler on your horse when you leave the barn.

When you are finished with a lesson, you should cover the horse with a cooler first. Then you should walk the horse until she is dry (15 - 30 minutes minimum). Then you should take the cooler off and brush the horse's body. Finally, you should put the horse's blanket back on and return him to his stall or turn-out. This is very important. Horses can become very ill if they are not properly cooled off.

2. Lessons will continue throughout the winter months. If it is above 20 degrees, you will have your regular lesson. If it is between 15 and 20 degrees, we will hold lessons but times may be shortened depending on wind chill and how cold it feels. If the high temperature for the day is below 15 degrees, we reserve the right to cancel lessons for the safety of the horse and rider. Please call me or Meghan if you are unsure if there will be lessons that day.

3. Please wear layers to your riding lessons. I wear 5 to 6 layers on top and 2 to 3 on bottom. Also make sure you wear waterproof footwear and warm, dry socks. The tack room is heated and we recommend frequent tack room breaks when it is very cold. Warm hats and gloves are important as well - tack stores sell winter riding gloves and other apparel, which can make winter more pleasant. You can also purchase disposable hand and foot warmers that are amazing in cold weather.

4. Even though it is cold outside you should still bring drinks to your riding lessons. Staying hydrated actually helps your body stay warm. In addition to water, a thermos of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate makes winter riding much more bearable!