What to do to help the trainer of human-icicle (New England) variety stay warm...

[puzzle]

So my dear trainer has been FREEZING. Well, I should say that everyone around here has been freezing - the weather is INSANE and we have well over 4 ft of snow on the ground. At this point, I am looking for things to get her/recommend for her so she isn’t so cold!
On an average day, she’s wearing:
boots (duck boot type, lined with fleece material)
breeches
top of some kind (long sleeved, technical I would think)
fleece zip up jacket (ala North Face)
vest (down I think?)
knee length coat (a lovely down filled one)
big scarf
hat
gloves
multiple horse coolers wrapped around her shoulders/lap.
Foot/hand warmers

at this point, short of buying an electric blanket or a heat lamp, what can we do to help her stay warm? She teaches in an indoor so it isn’t wind chill as much as just being outside in it for many hours - we have a heated viewing room she can warm up in but even that hasn’t been helping enough. Advice? Things to get her?

[pologirl27]

I am a fairly warm person by nature but I’d say maybe make sure it is an under armor type cold gear shirt and then that the breeches are thick enough. Does she need to be in breeches all day or can she change? I have been toasty warm (except for my face) with snow pants on, I would not be in my fleece breeches.

[Polydor]

I highly recommend the chemical heat packs to put in boots and gloves. And unless she’s having to ride in every lesson I would be pulling on insulated coveralls/overalls since standing around in breeches has got to be freezing! Or at least long underwear under the breeches.

P.

[pony4me]

Get her some of those very large heat patches that are designed to stick to your back. You can find them in the aches and pains section of the pharmacy. They are great for cold weather.

[tbchick84]

http://www.thewarmingstore.com/terramar-battery-heated-socks.html

Battery heated socks. They are awesome. Some types take a large D-cell battery, so she would need to have short boots on, but there are other types that you heat up in the microwave and they hold the heat like a heated blanket.

[Calamber]

Keep the head, feet and hands warm and you will help a bunch. I would also suggest you get her warm soup to drink, (preferably good homemade), she could also be getting dehydrated and low on protein and body is having trouble regulating temps in this extreme cold. Don’t let her get hungry, protein snacks, like fruit and nut bars are helpful.

[furlong47]

[QUOTE=tbchick84;8021751]
http://www.thewarmingstore.com/terramar-battery-heated-socks.html

Battery heated socks. They are awesome. Some types take a large D-cell battery, so she would need to have short boots on, but there are other types that you heat up in the microwave and they hold the heat like a heated blanket.[/QUOTE]

I know someone whose hands get very cold and she rides in battery heated gloves that are apparently designed for motorcycle riding

[Chief2]

Another, less fun way to go about this, is to ask the vet at what temperature should you stop riding the horses. If he/she says below 20 degrees f, then that’s what you do, and the instructor stays warm. Not trying to be snide. It’s the path we ended up taking, so now that’s what our lesson barn does. Once the temperature in the indoor falls below 20 degrees, all lessons are canceled.

[puzzle]

[QUOTE=Chief2;8021914]
Another, less fun way to go about this, is to ask the vet at what temperature should you stop riding the horses. If he/she says below 20 degrees f, then that’s what you do, and the instructor stays warm. Not trying to be snide. It’s the path we ended up taking, so now that’s what our lesson barn does. Once the temperature in the indoor falls below 20 degrees, all lessons are canceled.[/QUOTE]

Oh goodness! We certainly don’t ride below that temperature - she is freezing when it’s 25 in the indoor often, sometimes even warmer than that. She does get colder still (understandably) for example doing night-check when it’s 12 degrees out, but she certainly isn’t working the horses and teaching when it’s below 20 inside! I should have made that much more clear - she is freezing when it is warm enough to teach at all - and we have certainly missed a lot of days due to the cold this year so far!

[RedHorses]

She’s wearing the wrong boots. If she has to hop on a horse occasionally (though it sounds like not with that long coat) she could keep riding boots in the heated viewing room. But the rest of the time she needs heavy duty winter boots. I used a pair of Columbia winter boots with heavy wool blend socks. Heat reflecting insoles helped a lot too as I always felt the cold on the soles of my feet first.

I did once see a heated step for riding coaches to stand on while teaching, but I’ve no idea if it is still available. I think I saw it in a product review section of a magazine years ago. I didn’t look into it as I was always one to walk around to stay closer to my students.

[Highflyer]

Either insulated coveralls or ski pants over breeches when she’s not riding would help.

[Bogey2]

Mountain Horse Over pants! Cant live without them!

[Mischievous]

Wow…if we did not ride below 20 degrees we would not ride for half of every year! Ok, maybe not half, but it sure feels that way sometimes. We have not been above 10 degrees in weeks!! Our older horses stiffen up so bad in the winter if they are just standing around, and the youngsters loose their minds. It is not healthy for any horse to be stationary for that long. The ground outside gets so hard that they really don’t want to do much other than walk on it, and if we get too much snow, like we have had this winter, they cant even get through it. Without riding in the indoor, they would be standing around for months!

Heck, our local barns do not even cancel the shows for cold weather most of the time, though a recent show did get canceled when the high was gonna be 3 degrees!

Too each his own I guess, but we don’t leave our horses sitting around for months on end. It is just not healthy for them.

Just don’t get them hot or sweaty, and spend lots of time on warm up and cool down. We never have any problems at all.

As to the OP’s question…I love my Carhartt bibs! I also have and love a Carhartt one peice but it can sometimes get too warm! The bibs are very warm and come off easily when it is time to ride. I have been teaching in single digit temps for weeks now, often for 6-8 hours straight, and I could not do it without my insulated Carhartts!

Or an even better suggestion…plane tickets? Saw some pictures from a friend in the Cayman Islands last week…looked pretty darn warm there!

We are gonna be around 20 today and we are all psyched about the heat wave! We are planning a group trail ride out on the snowmobile trails…perfect footing out there. For many it will be the first outdoor ride in months, as the wind chill has just been brutal. It is like spring! Can’t wait!

[Flash44]

Seconding “I love my Carhartt bibs!” I’ve been out all winter in them and the lining of my old winter coat. The outer part of my winter coat ripped, so I’ve just been wearing a sweatshirt, the bibs, and the lining of my winter coat.

I bought the Smartpak winter coat, got a great deal with it being on sale and I had a coupon, but find it’s too warm over my bibs. I really love this coat, might save it for skiing next year.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/smartpak-winter-jacket-10732p

[mkevent]

An in depth description of everything I use to stay warm for both riding and barn work

http://thepitchforkchronicles.com/equestrian-health-tips/66-cold-weather-tips-for-the-rider

This winter I finally have yet to have frozen fingers. The key is using nitrile gloves under your winter gloves. Nitrile wears the best and I have even gotten them caught in zippers without tearing. Buy the good kind (like Kimberly Clark) not the cheap CVS version.

There is a secret to these gloves. Be sure to moisturize first (my hands have never looked better) and put the gloves on when your hands are warm. If you wait until they are cold, it won’t help much. I apply moisturizer, put the gloves on and drive to the barn. When I arrive, I put my heavy winter gloves on top. This year I tried the Heritage winter gloves and I really like them so far. They even have a little zip pocket for hand warmers.

Don’t take your nitrile gloves off until you are inside for good. Your hands will probably sweat in the gloves, but it allows you to remove the bulky winter gloves for things that require manual dexterity. I also think the sweating action might help drive the moisturizer in a little better, too.

Down coats are awesome for low activity chores outside. I have a Rambo down coat that is absolutely the warmest coat I’ve ever owned. I don’t think Rambo makes them anymore though.

I wanted to echo the poster that suggested warm liquids. That also makes a huge difference in helping stay warm.

[paintedpony]

Mischievous, we live in a similar climate. Like you, if we stopped riding for the temperature, we would never ride. Our cut off is -30, below -20 we reduce effort, above -20, full work. The horses are accustom to the temperatures, and tolerate well. Care is taken that a wet horse becomes a dry horse ASAP, with multiple cooler/blanket changes to assure this takes place. If it is crazy cold, the tacking area has heat available to assure horses are dry.

Like you, Carhartt winter overalls are a need, not a nice to have. Crazy hats are our signature barn wear, warm not fashionable is the goal. (google Trapper Hat). Our coach has Columbia battery power boots and mittens (Group Christmas gift a couple of years ago) This year, we have a heated viewing area, and think we have gone to heaven!! Everyone lines their boots in front of the heater, and makes a fast change before and after riding.

Although your coach is wearing multiple layers, the performance of the layers is not adequate. Fleece lined boots will not be warm. If your feet are not properly protected, you will be very cold very quickly. Look for boots with felt liners, buy extra liners to switch if damp. Boots should be rated for -40. Wool socks, and change them every couple of hours. (damp is cold). Place a large square of Styrofoam (2 inch thick blue brand) in the area coach usually stands. Getting off the ground really helps. Down is rated by “fill power”. My down parka is rated for -40 C and is warm!!! (See Canada Goose, worth every cent). I wear a turtle neck with fleece under parka. Clothing must not be tight as air space is reduced and insulation value will be reduced. Mittens (mine are sheepskin) not gloves, heat packs as needed. My hands are my weak spot, and I have a great difficulty keeping them warm. This year I discovered a rechargeable heat pack that is wonderful. A small liquid filled pack with metal disk. When heat is required, flex the metal disc inside…instantly hot not warm. To recharge, boil for a few minutes. Four packs for about $10. Each pack lasts about 45 minutes.

Possible group gift for next year: a propane patio heater. The circle of warmth is a joy!!

[Bluey]

A friend trainer has a heated vest she absolutely loves, said it has helped the most stay warm and it is easy to turn off if it gets hot.

If I have ear coverings, I am fine down to some -0, even out in the wind.
We were riding with insulated full zipper pants from LL Bean.
The only time I had cold toes was galloping horses when it was so cold we probably needed to stay in the barn, all of us, even the horses.
Horses didn’t seem to mind, they love the cold weather and moving on in it.

The worst was getting off the horses and hitting ground with frozen toes, that seemed to shatter.

[threedogpack]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home/Cabelas-Heated-Performance-Gear/Womens|/pc/105625080/c/109945080/sc/594593280/Cabelas-Womens-Heated-Performance-Fleece-Jacket/1834475.uts?destination=%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FcategoryId%3D594593280%26WTz_l%3Dundefined%3Bcat153288180&WTz_l=undefined%3Bcat153288180%3Bcat594593280

heated coat, $100 off at cabelas

[vlong]

Thermacell are life savers! I frostbit 2 toes last year and these work great!

http://heat.thermacell.com/heated-insoles-foot-warmers

[goldenrow]

Therms-Cell remote controlled heated insoles!!!

Much better than those heat packs - they bunch up. These insoles just replace the boot’s original insole.