Trail riding at -30 degrees. The only thing that died was my phone.
Most people see this temperature forecast on their phone and do not even consider the possibility of riding. Just way too cold. But I would like to say that riding in these temperatures is absolutely possible with a few tips, tricks and gadgets to make it better. But keep in mind that most electronic gadgets like iphones do not like -30 degrees.
In these nordic climates, temperatures in the -15 degrees or below range tend to also be blue skies, bright sun, low humidity. The sun and low humidity actually make the temperatures "feel" less cold. Counter intuitive, but true. You must however be very cautious of wind. The wind could possibly change everything.
Tip #1: Not all low temperature days are created equal
Humidity plays a big factor. We have towns in Northern Quebec that regularly hit -40 and -50 degrees. But if it is sunny and windless it can actually "feel" warmer than -5 on the coast. I have gone outside in a t-shirt on a -40 day, and have even polar bear rolled in the snow in my bathing suit with barely a tingle on my skin. Of course, Im not sitting outside in a wet bathing suit for more than a few minutes. But, very cold and dry days are absolutely fine.
Tip #2: Take it easy
This type of weather is not meant for long or fast trail rides. Cardio should be planned for another day, and you probably do not want to be outside for more than an hour. 30-45 minutes is easy to do, and you probably should spend most of your time walking. If the snow is deep and heavy, your horse might just appreciate the slower pace.
Tip #3: Avoid the wind and stay covered
If you have to cross a big field with strong blowing winds at these deep freeze temperatures, it's best you have a plan. The plan might consist in trotting across the field to get to a covered area faster, or it might mean having a skimask on to cover all the exposed skin bits. The horse will be just fine. It's the riders I'm worried about.
Tip #4: Build your resistance over time
When the fall weather hits, our bodies are not yet accustomed to the change and so we quickly seek out our heaviest gear to find warmth again. Resist the temptation. You should slowly build up your resistance to the increasing cold and just dress to 80% of your desire. Sure enough, within a month or two -10 will feel like 10, and -30 will feel like -10. Otherwise, when the mercury really dips you will just not have enough clothes or layers to help you get the warmth you need. The body is a magical and very adaptive system. Yoda might say: find your warmth from within.
Tip #5: Layers, layers
2-3 layers of socks, bottoms, tops and gloves can create an incredible insulation. Be careful to not wear these layers inside the barn as you will overheat and then start to shiver when you face the cold. Long underwear under winter polar fleece breeches and big sweaters work wonders. And for socks and gloves, consider silk liners under your best pairs.
Tip #6: Technology
In a state of emergency a few years ago as we hit a cold snap in February, I discovered a hole in my winter boots and had to go to the tack store to buy an overpriced pair. The last ones on the shelf fit me but it turns out they were not quite big enough to fit a few layers of socks. So I have suffered with overpriced boots that are too tight for the last 2 years and Im too cheap to buy a new pair of boots now when these still do the trick 90% of the time.
I have been stuffing my toes with toewarmers bought in bulk at costco, and more recently purchased some battery and remote-controlled insole heaters which I used for the first time today. They work ok, although they lift my heel up, and I have to use them in my hiking boots instead of my overpriced riding boots which kind of defeats the purpose. Also, the heat is in the heel, and not in the toes where I need it. Next time it gets this cold, I will amp up the heat in the insoles AND stuff my toes with toewarmers.
Tip #7: Keep moving
To be balanced with tip #2. Walking and immobility is a surefire way to get cold fast. You need to trot and sometimes canter. But just don't do so much to tire your mount or have them breathing hard. In my 45 minute trail ride this morning, I did close to 40 minutes of walking. But I never walked more than 10 minutes in a row. I interspersed the walking with 1-2 minute trot sets, and I did do one short canter set that lasted less than a minute. The movement keeps your body heat high in your core which eventually spreads to your extremities. If you are cold, try trotting for a minute. You will probably feel better after.
Tip #8: Cover exposed skin
My pinky got cold because I kept taking my phone out to take pictures (it was just gorgeous in the woods with diamonds falling from the trees). Oh, and my phone died (because of constant exposure). And I kept getting dumped buckets of snow from the overladen conifers which put moisture on my cheeks. Once we trotted and created our own wind, my cheeks would freeze from the exposure. Skimasks are a great tool, and they also sell winter helmet covers that wrap your face in polar fleece. Those are great. I really should have put it on today. They also help if you have to cross a windy field.
Tip #9: Do not worry about the horse, as long as you follow tip #2
Horses do exceptionally well in cold temperatures. In fact, my horse (A Florida born snow-newbie) is all business about this weather. He is not silly or spooky. It's almost as if the horses sense that they should not expend energy unnecessarily. For silly horses, this is often their best time of the year on trails. Oh, and if you do fall, it's in a big fluffy cloud. More of that please.
Seriously though, the quarter sheets are not necessary. My horse does not have an extensive winter coat, but it also not blanketed and is in a barn that is quite temperate. The biggest muscles of the horse are in the hindquarters and as long as they keep moving and avoid the wind, they do just fine. Immobility is the enemy.
But deep heavy snow is tough on horses. So, manage your own expectations. Keep the movement forward, with occasional trotting. This is not the season for cardio. (well maybe when the weather gets to a balmy -5 degrees)
Tip #10: Seek Delight
These cold days are also when the woods turn into an enchanted forest. Conifers dripping in snow, sound blanketed, trails transformed into white tunnels. Just watch out that when you lean down to avoid the low conifer branch across the trail that you wipe your seat clean of snow or else you will be sitting on something very cold indeed.
We were back in the barn 45 minutes later looking like abominable snowmen/horse. My horse did not have any sweat marks (despite not being clipped) and was an on-the-buckle delight the entire time. But my phone died and lost all of its battery power despite being fully charged when we started out.
Phones are temperamental things.
In these nordic climates, temperatures in the -15 degrees or below range tend to also be blue skies, bright sun, low humidity. The sun and low humidity actually make the temperatures "feel" less cold. Counter intuitive, but true. You must however be very cautious of wind. The wind could possibly change everything.
Tip #1: Not all low temperature days are created equal
Humidity plays a big factor. We have towns in Northern Quebec that regularly hit -40 and -50 degrees. But if it is sunny and windless it can actually "feel" warmer than -5 on the coast. I have gone outside in a t-shirt on a -40 day, and have even polar bear rolled in the snow in my bathing suit with barely a tingle on my skin. Of course, Im not sitting outside in a wet bathing suit for more than a few minutes. But, very cold and dry days are absolutely fine.
Tip #2: Take it easy
This type of weather is not meant for long or fast trail rides. Cardio should be planned for another day, and you probably do not want to be outside for more than an hour. 30-45 minutes is easy to do, and you probably should spend most of your time walking. If the snow is deep and heavy, your horse might just appreciate the slower pace.
Tip #3: Avoid the wind and stay covered
If you have to cross a big field with strong blowing winds at these deep freeze temperatures, it's best you have a plan. The plan might consist in trotting across the field to get to a covered area faster, or it might mean having a skimask on to cover all the exposed skin bits. The horse will be just fine. It's the riders I'm worried about.
Tip #4: Build your resistance over time
When the fall weather hits, our bodies are not yet accustomed to the change and so we quickly seek out our heaviest gear to find warmth again. Resist the temptation. You should slowly build up your resistance to the increasing cold and just dress to 80% of your desire. Sure enough, within a month or two -10 will feel like 10, and -30 will feel like -10. Otherwise, when the mercury really dips you will just not have enough clothes or layers to help you get the warmth you need. The body is a magical and very adaptive system. Yoda might say: find your warmth from within.
Tip #5: Layers, layers
2-3 layers of socks, bottoms, tops and gloves can create an incredible insulation. Be careful to not wear these layers inside the barn as you will overheat and then start to shiver when you face the cold. Long underwear under winter polar fleece breeches and big sweaters work wonders. And for socks and gloves, consider silk liners under your best pairs.
Tip #6: Technology
In a state of emergency a few years ago as we hit a cold snap in February, I discovered a hole in my winter boots and had to go to the tack store to buy an overpriced pair. The last ones on the shelf fit me but it turns out they were not quite big enough to fit a few layers of socks. So I have suffered with overpriced boots that are too tight for the last 2 years and Im too cheap to buy a new pair of boots now when these still do the trick 90% of the time.
I have been stuffing my toes with toewarmers bought in bulk at costco, and more recently purchased some battery and remote-controlled insole heaters which I used for the first time today. They work ok, although they lift my heel up, and I have to use them in my hiking boots instead of my overpriced riding boots which kind of defeats the purpose. Also, the heat is in the heel, and not in the toes where I need it. Next time it gets this cold, I will amp up the heat in the insoles AND stuff my toes with toewarmers.
Tip #7: Keep moving
To be balanced with tip #2. Walking and immobility is a surefire way to get cold fast. You need to trot and sometimes canter. But just don't do so much to tire your mount or have them breathing hard. In my 45 minute trail ride this morning, I did close to 40 minutes of walking. But I never walked more than 10 minutes in a row. I interspersed the walking with 1-2 minute trot sets, and I did do one short canter set that lasted less than a minute. The movement keeps your body heat high in your core which eventually spreads to your extremities. If you are cold, try trotting for a minute. You will probably feel better after.
Tip #8: Cover exposed skin
My pinky got cold because I kept taking my phone out to take pictures (it was just gorgeous in the woods with diamonds falling from the trees). Oh, and my phone died (because of constant exposure). And I kept getting dumped buckets of snow from the overladen conifers which put moisture on my cheeks. Once we trotted and created our own wind, my cheeks would freeze from the exposure. Skimasks are a great tool, and they also sell winter helmet covers that wrap your face in polar fleece. Those are great. I really should have put it on today. They also help if you have to cross a windy field.
Tip #9: Do not worry about the horse, as long as you follow tip #2
Horses do exceptionally well in cold temperatures. In fact, my horse (A Florida born snow-newbie) is all business about this weather. He is not silly or spooky. It's almost as if the horses sense that they should not expend energy unnecessarily. For silly horses, this is often their best time of the year on trails. Oh, and if you do fall, it's in a big fluffy cloud. More of that please.
Seriously though, the quarter sheets are not necessary. My horse does not have an extensive winter coat, but it also not blanketed and is in a barn that is quite temperate. The biggest muscles of the horse are in the hindquarters and as long as they keep moving and avoid the wind, they do just fine. Immobility is the enemy.
But deep heavy snow is tough on horses. So, manage your own expectations. Keep the movement forward, with occasional trotting. This is not the season for cardio. (well maybe when the weather gets to a balmy -5 degrees)
Tip #10: Seek Delight
These cold days are also when the woods turn into an enchanted forest. Conifers dripping in snow, sound blanketed, trails transformed into white tunnels. Just watch out that when you lean down to avoid the low conifer branch across the trail that you wipe your seat clean of snow or else you will be sitting on something very cold indeed.
We were back in the barn 45 minutes later looking like abominable snowmen/horse. My horse did not have any sweat marks (despite not being clipped) and was an on-the-buckle delight the entire time. But my phone died and lost all of its battery power despite being fully charged when we started out.
Phones are temperamental things.
Now that sounds magical. When I was in the Yukon last February I loved it.
ReplyDeleteThe forest was covered in glittery pixie dust. I just wish my phone could have done a better job of capturing the moment. :-)
DeleteHi, um, I had no experience with this cold before living here. I made the huge mistake of body clipping Baasha one Winter, and double blanketing him at pasture. It was not enough. I will never forget the day I arrived home from work, Baasha was in his stall out of the wind, with two blankets, and shivering. Never will I full body clip a horse in Germany again (a field-kept horse). Mag shivers in 12 c
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you posted this today, the warmest day of Winter. It will only go to 5 C tonight. I'm tempted to leave the blanket off, but Mag has already coated himself with a thick layer of mud on all sides, nose to ears to tail. I'll just keep going out there and trying to judge it.