In my neck of the woods, I am at the start of an annual Winter season that holds mostly cold, clouds, rain, ice and snow. Lots of swings between frozen ground and mud too. All this takes place over a long five months.
Winter holds plenty of horse care and riding challenges for me. Challenges that result in my riding far less often than I would like. Challenges where I find myself constantly battling the elements while feeling stiff, sore and exhausted. With painfully frozen fingers too.
Fortunately, Winter also holds moments of beauty and delight too. Like the sight of my horses’ warm breath blowing into the cold air. Or the feel of their thick, wooly coats (at least when I can stand the cold enough to take off my gloves). And then there’s the fun of riding bareback through freshly fallen snow.
For those of you who experience a similar season, I have compiled a “Winter Roundup” of a few previous Winter posts with corresponding Pinterest pins. Hopefully you can find a useful tip or hint among them to apply to your own cold weather situation.
Six Ideas For What To Do If You Can’t Ride During Winter (A Guest Blog Post that I wrote for the Savvy Horsewoman Blog)
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2020/12/09/cant-ride-during-winter-six-ideas-for-what-to-do-instead/
The Beauty of Horses in Snow
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2020/02/17/the-good-about-backyard-horse-keeping-in-winter-snow/
Winter Barn Hack: Extending The Life of Disposable Hand Warmers
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2021/01/06/winter-barn-hack-making-those-hand-warmers-last-longer/
Does Your Horse Wear A Grazing Muzzle During Winter?
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2021/02/05/does-your-horse-wear-a-grazing-muzzle-during-winter/
Winter Barn Hack: Help For The Reluctant Hay Eater
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2021/02/17/ever-had-your-horses-reject-their-hay/
Fun and Festive Winter Horse-Craft
https://thebackyardhorseblog.com/2020/12/28/fun-and-festive-craft-for-winter/
The Backyard Horse Blog 