So this year I’m attempting to not look as shabby in layers and layers of sweaters and thermals and breeches and sweats. Trying to look more professional, but I’m also a cold wimp so it has to be warm. I’m in the desert so it gets cold. Anyone have any brand/line recommendations on how you stay warm and train all winter long? Whats your winter wardrobe essentially.
I like these: http://kerrits.com/womens/fullseat/s…ndpro-fullseat I also have 20+ pairs of fleece lined leggings that are slick and I can get on under these or any other pair of breeches. I think the wind proof is key.
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I think layers are still the key, but you can do it in a way that is a bit less bulky and still looks professional in my opinion. I used to pile on layers of sweaters and UA etc etc and always felt like a lumpy mess. Now on a very cold day (that is about 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit where I am) I will wear an UA shirt, a long sleeve cotton shirt, a vest, a softshell form-fitting jacket and a puffer jacket over that. I stay pretty darn warm…a scarf is always a helpful addition too. I can usually shed the puffer jacket during a ride and I always feel pretty neat and tidy. As far as bottoms, I second the above and wear fleece lined leggings under my breeches with Smart Wool socks and Dubarry’s until I have to get on a horse…then just regular tall boots. Hot Hands are always helpful as well! Good luck staying warm…I truly hate winter and dread it every year, but finding layers that work for me has helped a lot 
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This will probably sound crazy, but I have found that putting moisturizer on my hands and then wearing nitrile gloves like these
under my regular gloves help keep my fingers warmer. The nitrile is much stronger and form fitting than latex gloves. It also helps “sweat in” the moisturizer and you can keep them on for tasks that require manual dexterity. I leave them on the entire time that I’m outside and switch out heavy barnwear gloves with fleece lined riding gloves.
For barnwear, I like these
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ssg-winter-lined-rancher-1278
For riding, I like both of these gloves
https://www.bitofbritain.com/SSG-Winter-Digital-Glove-p/0961.htm
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/roeckl-winter-chester-glove-5988?cm_mmc=msn--nb_gear_gloves_3rd%20party_new_exact--roeckl%20-%20chester%20-%20winter-_-roeckl%20winter%20chester%20gloves&utm_source=cpc&utm_medium=msn&utm_content=nb_gear_gloves_3rd%20party_new_exact&utm_campaign=roeckl%20-%20chester%20-%20winter&utm_term=roeckl%20Winter%20chester%20gloves
If you happen to have a Samshield helmet, they make winter liners that you can snap it to your helmet that cover your ears. If not, I like these helmet ear covers
Be sure to get the kind that fix to your helmet because they will not affect helmet fit. I find that these make a huge difference in keeping me warm.
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Thick Alpaca socks work really well. I like them much better, than wool socks, because they don’t break me out and make me itch. I like the Winter breeches from Tropical Rider, with the extended patch. They are very warm. I have a couple with the deerskin patch and a couple with clarino. Under Armour compression layers, followed by a silk shirt, then a polartec shirt will keep me quite warm. Having lived in NE Ohio for 18 years, layering is the only way to go. I have 2 polartec helmet covers that fit over my schooling helmet. That way, I can switch them out when one is dirty. On really cold days, I have a silk balaclava that I wear under the helmet, too. As light weight as silk is, it is surprisingly warm. Silk glove liners work great, too. 
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Lol honestly who cares how puffy or weird you look. Function over fashion! A warm rider is a happy rider for me! I’ll pile on as much as I can if I can feel my hands!
That being said, invest in a good pair of thick fleece breeches (I love my kerrit breeches), thin but warm riding gloves, and a thin but warm jacket. I also got a couple heat teach thin shirts to wear under everything.
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I live by my heated insoles:
https://heat.thermacell.com/
Don’t know how I made it through winters without them before!
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I totally agree with this! Specifically because, in order to create the most warmth, space inside your layers is key. It’s why a down jacket works - there is air trapped inside all that poof that is warmed by your body heat and then trapped between you and winter. Similarly, it’s why winter boots should not be so tight that you can barely get your socks in - it leaves no room for trapped air that can then be warmed.
My winter advice would be to stay puffy - I like to layer underlayers as needed, then a down vest, and then an oversize jacket or sweater on top - I find that warmer than most heavy jackets because of all the air I can trap inside and warm. Of course, you can use nice-looking or professionally logo-d gear to do this. But the winter look I would aim for, if you are in a truly cold region, is not sleek!
On a practical note, an ear-warmer is a must for me. I have never used the covers suggested by @mkevent (would they slip off if you were sitting trot?), but I like the ones that are fleece over your ears and around the back of your head, and a thin strip of elastic over the front (so it does not affect the fit of your helmet at all). Also inconspicuous so I imagine would fit a professional look. Paired with a good scarf at all times and a hat when not using a helmet.
Example of ear warmer: http://greenhawk.com/wdItemDesc.asp?strilhID=web&strmdNumber=DRC0307&stricSKU=DRC0307
I’ve never tried to buy one - a lady at our barn just makes them for a few dollars apiece
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Also Ariat Bromont tall boots with Thinsulate.
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 attaches to the ear/chin straps of the helmet from the inside.
Since the covers attach to your helmet, they don’t slip at all. I prefer them to the full helmet covers because when you move your head, there is no restriction. I really don’t know why they aren’t more popular!
This will give you an idea of what they look like on a helmet
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My apologies-I wasn’t expecting the image of the helmet to be so huge!!!
Ohhhh that makes more sense! That’s quite clever. I definitely don’t like the full helmet covers ever - totally agree that anything that fully covers the ear but otherwise is fairly “minimalist” is the best option for riding. There is no way I could ride with bare ears in winter!
Barn days when I can look like a hobo (basically every barn day in the winter):
UA style top, cotton shirt or sweater, hoodie, beanie (gets replaced by helmet when riding), sometimes jacket over top. On the bottom I wear cold weather running pants, fleece breeches, GOOD SOCKS with toe warmers if exceptionally cold, half or full chaps. Throw some Carhartt overalls on top for barn work. Add holes, hay, and horse slobber.
Barn days when I want to look not so hobo-ish (like, four times a year):
Similar outfit except replace the cotton shirt and hoodie with a cashmere or yak sweater and an Ariat softshell jacket, and half chaps instead of full. Attempt to stay clean, fail miserably.
I know it sounds rather pretentious to wear cashmere (or yak, my yak sweater is wonderful) to a barn, but it’s lightweight, warm, and wicks incredibly well. If you’re lucky you can find cheap cashmere sweaters at Goodwill or TJ Maxx. Yes, you need to handwash them and that sucks.
Favorite gloves for barn work, and they’re not horribly bulky to ride in:
https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/heritage-extreme-winter-gloves-9807?utm_source=cpc&utm_medium=google&utm_content=shopping&utm_campaign=nb_shopping_tes&utm_term=19807&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgNrQBRC0ARIsAE-m-1wl6r-KTBlVk247qyRyP7HBcNMaFgi4Q2pH9RnA9ZsYv3Z1MK8aliYaApjUEALw_wcB
Favorite gloves for riding if your hands don’t tend to be crazy cold:
http://www.ssgridinggloves.com/product/lined-soft-touch
This will be winter #6 for me in South Dakota. I ride down to around 0F, maybe in the negative digits if it’s not crazy windy.
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I’ve picked up some things off the suggestions here and can’t wait till they arrive. Thank you guys!
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Where can I find thick Alpaca socks online? Someone posted a link not too long ago but for the life of me I can’t find it!
https://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/kerrits-sit-tight-n-warm-windpro-knee-patch-205828
This is an AWESOME price on these fabulous tights! I bought one pair, then quickly got another pair. I saw this price today and am debating about getting a 3rd pair. I wear them for barn chores too, and the hair and dirt brush off easily. The side pocket is a great feature - perfect place for your cell phone. I’ve been out in high 20’s, low 30’s temps in these and have found them to be very warm and comfy. They are much warmer than the regular Kerrits fleece tights.
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I live in PA, and ride all (or most) of the winter with no indoor, and worse, usually at night after I come home from work… My standard staple base layers are either sticky seats, or buckwild winter breeches; smart wool or alpaca tall socks, a hoodie, and my down jacket. This year, I just tried upgrading to include an Arctic riding skirt; and upgraded my boots to the ariat conistons, as the bromonts toe was too tight to hold in heated air. Still searching for great winter gloves, though!
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ditch the breeches and tall boots - full chaps with jeans and merino wool long johns, paddock boots with hot packs.
I did splurge out and bought heated glove liners for this year, hasn’t been cold enough to put them to the test yet.
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One winter riding tip for clothing that I discovered by accident when I started using a hand me down jacket with a lining as my top layer: a top layer with a nice slippery liner is easy to get on and off, moves more freely over whatever sweater/fleece you have underneath, so it really really makes the whole thing more comfortable.
Also wool: I swear by wool for base layers.
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Fuller Fillies brought back their fleece lined wind/waterproof full chaps this year.
Rode in them this morning and I love them. Plenty of adjustability for layers too.
