Winter Rider

I started off as a British rider, where winters are not too cold and slowed down riding only a little.
Even if you don't have an 'indoor arena' in England there are miles of hacks around beautiful countryside, and if the countryside is too muddy, you have cute villages to hack around.

Oh, how I miss the sound of hooves on the road, the rhythmic song I swear I could listen to all day and not get tired.

Of course there were days when it was too cold to ride, or too wet, or too boggy, but they weren't that often.

Fast forward a few years and I now live in Ontario, Canada and I think back to those 'un-rideable' days and I think 'how silly that I used to think THAT was cold' ... Of course its all relative.

Here, In Canada,  there are definitely days when it is too cold to ride. days when the ice is treacherous. But I am fortunate to be at a barn that has an indoor arena - though even an indoor arena isn't enough cover for days that dip well below -20 degrees.

But, it does make me wonder how people who live in even colder climates bear the cold?

What is your limit?

How do you cope?

I remember when I was 19, I was working as a groom at this beautiful barn in January. I can recall sitting in the car at 6am looking out the window feeling the heat from the heater blowing in my face, as I stared miserably at the frost on the ground outside. I can recall having to work myself up to get out the car and into the cold
LOL

Within minutes, after starting barn chores I was taking off my coat - even my jumper (sweater) and mucking stalls in just my t-shirt.
Here in Canada in January, warming up means I could possibly take my hat off  But NOT my gloves!

I wonder what 19 year old me would think of me now?

Honestly, I don't think 19 year old Kerri had been through enough, waited long enough for her own horse, missed them enough at that point, to understand the drive it takes to ignore the weather and plug on.

These days, I feel grateful, lucky - completely thrilled to finally be a horse owner, that even the weather doesn't put me off. I mean, sure I may groan on occasion, but I get outside and work with my horse.

After having spent so much of my life without horses, I'm not letting some low temperatures put me off.
Besides, spring is just around the corner. ..


How do you deal with the winter where you are? What are your tricks/ cheats/ survival tactics?
Let me know, maybe I can share them in the next blog post? LETS share the equestrian secrets together!