Wednesday, November 19, 2014

What Do Wednesday

First off, as usual, I love all of you madly. I was going to respond to each of you, but then a ton of you commented and I was feeling the love and esploded a little with joy. <3 p="">
Moving on.

I'm sure most of you are well aware that it is cold. Very cold depending on where you are. With lots of snow. Such snow. Many cold.

Ermahgherd snurr

I do believe all of my appendages have frozen and thawed about 6 times since the snow/cold front Sunday. I'm positive the windchill was like -10 this morning. I think I was dying while doing stalls. My mind has almost literally been blown by the fact that NY has FEET of snow and more FEET predicted for today. Noooooope.

I dont HATE the cold, I just strongly dislike it. Especially now that I'm older. The novelty really wore off quickly. Even Just a few years ago I was like YAY SNOW PICTURES ALL THE PICTURES.




Because snowy white wintery majesty.

But now I'm wiser and my brain just NOPES.

Now that I've worked the majority of my life outside in barns... and I'm just done. I'm either always too hot or too cold. My hands always freeze off because I am certain there are no gloves that provide coverage, but still allow you to work with horses. I've found undoing blankets, bucket clasps and gripping muck tools especially problematic. The wind sucks. My ears always hurt. Hats and earmuffs itch. Jackets are cumbersome. Fingers go numb. Ass goes numb. Legs go numb. ALL THE NUMB COLDY COLDNESS.

So, my little fluff kittens, here we are with another installment of "What Do?"

What do you wear to the barn to muck/do chores/ ride?

No What Do would be complete without my input either.

As you all know I am the classiest of fashionistas and run with the latest in all the trends.

That hot piece is indeed, me, in all my winter glory. Obviously striving for class in winter.

 For stalls, I usually go with the classic college hoodie, over top a long sleeve, topped off with the beautiful poop brown Carhartt. Sometimes I added a moisture wicking undershirt, but this never helped me. If its real cold, I also add a vest. Obsessed with vests. Breeches arent very warm as far as pants go, but thick socks and boots help. I sucked it up last year and bought Carharrt pants, but that made me TOO warm and I spent most days switching between sweating my ass off and shivering because I was sweating. Those boots pictured are terrible and I dont recommend them for barn work. I  purchased my trusty Muck Boots off Ebay last year after years of suffering (not pictured) and they have been perfect for cold weather. The hat tho. As mentioned before, I have yet to find gloves or mittens that keep my hands from turning to icicles, while still maintaining function.

When it comes to riding, I clothe myself literally in whatever is on the floor. Sometimes, I class it up a bit if we are taking pictures, but usually the warmth goes out the window and I stick with Ratchet Wear. So that means sweats, ugly boots in picture above, vests, coat, earmuffs/headband from hell and layers upon layers of long sleeved items. I hate riding in winter.

BUT VESTS.

I mentioned I love vests. Seriously, I love them.

VESTS
I wish I had the money to buy super fancy nice winter riding clothes, but vests from platos closet do the trick prrrretty well. Keep you wamr, but not TOO warm. And arm freedom! Platos Closet forever: Broke Bitches Club


Outside plaid vest


Showing vest and Levi vest
I have al the vests. ALL. I would love to get a Mountain Horse jacket because you know, function., but they on they expensive side for me. My poop jacket was a gift, and I love it for warmth and its windblocking abilities, but good lord does it ride up when mounted and its so restrictive. The struggle is seriously real when riding outside.

Last few years I was INSANELY spoiled with a glorious indoor that for some reason, remained quite warm. I could usually ride in a long sleeve and light jacket and would sweat.


Sometimes scarves because fancy
Also, again, vests forever, even inside.

I truly miss that indoor. I could ride everyday and not ever get cold. Shit actually got done in winter. Last winter was our best year for dressagey progress and it makes me THE most sad knowing that I will lose precious time this winter.

Sometimes even my horse gets clothes! Winter is wondrous adventure!


Most of Missouri winters were brutal, but sometimes we had random warm days that required hardly any clothes at all! yay Midwest weather psycho patterns!

In summation, I literally have no actual real winter riding clothes. All of my things are a culmination of middle school leftovers, a few gifts (carhartt and ratchet boots), college sweaters and vests from platos closet. Layers and layers of them. And really dingy sweatpants. Because winter makes me lazy and they are warmer than breeches. It really nails the whole "strapped for cash grunge look of non caring". Also brings up some raging safety concerns regarding boots. BUT MY FEET FREEZE IN NORMAL BOOTS OKAY.
My natural habitat


Bootiful.

So dear readers, share your secrets.

PS hilarious I just ranted about "no no-helmet lectures" and here I go posting 2 other pics with no helmet, haha oops.

17 comments:

  1. I have Reynauds and until a few months ago, did 17 stalls every Sunday, so this is a very important subject to me :)

    Bottom to top:

    1. Whole foot disposable foot warmers. Not the toe kind, the whole foot kind.
    2. Wigwam wool ski socks
    3. Underarmour pants - the 4.0 kind, that's rated for subzero temps, not the standard issue Underarmour
    4. TuffRider winter breeches
    5. TuffRider insulated tall boots (going on their third year, surprisingly)
    6. Underarmour shirt, also 4.0 kind
    7. Cotton long sleeve top of some sort, like a longjohn
    8. Hoodie
    9. Puffy vest
    10. Zippo handwarmer (Google it, they're amazing) in my pocket
    11. Back on Track Glove Liners, which I put on after running my hands under hot water. Repeat every hour or two. They only work well if they have some heat to trap/reflect.
    12. SSG 10 Below gloves
    13. Knit hat

    With that on, even with Reynauds, I could usually do stalls in the dead of winter in Indiana without my winter coat on, once I got warm. I also used to use Carhartt insulated bibs and also got rid of them, but mostly because the crotch hung down between my legs too far, and it hurt my hip flexors to walk in them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. :) Love your style! Mine is more of "cover every body part 'cause -35 HURTS and hide if anyone happens to drive in the yard because I look like a sasquatch" I HATE WINTER.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm all about easy to take off layers!! Since I'm stuck smack dab in the middle of the midwest it changes temp all the freaking time.
    I'm usually in two pairs of socks, a pair of fleece-y tights or under armor type tights then breeches. This keeps me from overeating because god knows I couldn't fit into the top pair of breeches if I get fat. Then a moisture wicking base, long sleeve tee, vest or quarter zip, plus jacket with scarf/earmuffs galore. I also have a giant fluffy coat thing I can wear to retrieve the horse, but cannot function in it on her back.

    That said, I hate how much laundry I do in the winter! So much clothes!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Such style. So fashion!! Seriously tho, I love your crazy winter outfits. Also, vests are bests.

    Oklahoma is all about the wind, so I wear like...900 pieces of wind-blocking clothing. I usually have on a pair of long undies from Patagonia under my breeches, with wool socks. And on top, I have a moisture-wicking shirt, some Ariat "cold-tek" shirt (loving referred to as the "prison shirt" because it's black & white horizontal stripes) that is actually pretty good at blocking the wind, and a variety of fleece jackets and a heavy winter jacket. And an ear warmer headband.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 1. I want those over the knee socks. 2. I am envious of your amazing hair and am glad you post the occasional no-helmet pic so I can keep envying, and 3. I come from central Texas where the cold is not so cold as your cold, but I sucked it up and bought Sorel snow boots and they are the best. Also, the Columbia Omniheat stuff is great. I love vests, too, and my Columbia one keeps me from dying when it's "cold" in Texas.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That fashion though! Amazing... I wear longjohns under breeches of some kind, with fuzzy sweats over top. And coats. All the coats!

    ReplyDelete
  8. well..I have a pretty wardrobe figured out but I'm also lucky my barn is well insulated so it doesnt get too cold, ploughing the driveway though - total other story.

    I just layer, tank, then usually a turtle neck - like a real cashmere or fleece one - you can buy them cheap second hand - under a long sleeve and then a hoodie. BUT, all my sweaters are now Bench fleece sweaters, because their fleece is insane. It's the warmest thing I have ever warn, they have massive sales on their online store all the time so I just buy them then. You can survive some pretty deep cold in these sweaters - and they even have built in face/chin covers to keep you warm...plus they are stylish!

    I usually go long johns, wool socks, and boots - warm feet are truly the key to keeping warm. Then I put fleece pants over my lonh johns or tights. I look like a hobo but hey - Im warm.

    I usually go to Salvation army or Value Village for jackets, you can get good down filled ones for next to nothing - perfect for the barn!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ok, I have added comments twice and Blogger thinks I don't want anything posted. For warm hands, try the Frabill FXE SnoSuit gloves. They seriously work, this coming from someone who has been accused of not having blood and being part reptile. They are expensive, ask for them as a gift.
    I wrote up this same kind of overview last winter, http://logdogacres.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-success-of-cold-person-what-to-wear.html. Perhaps we can get together and find a way to be warm together!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reptile... LOL!!!!! I'll be checking out those gloves too. Thanks for sharing! I read that post when you first wrote it, but I forgot about it until now. :)

      Delete
  10. I literally think we are meant to be best friends, I usually ride in the winter in breeches on top of three pairs of ratchet leggings (you know the kind you cant wear in public because holes) a long sleeve shirt, and two zip up hoodies or fleece, I hate winter hates, make my head itchy, but I ride with a bandana on year round so I just pull over the top of my ears to keeps them alive. I have the SSG winter ridding gloves but hate ridding in them because I cant feel anything so they are barn work gloves and I wear regular SSG gloves to ride in. I hate hand and toe warmers unless I HAVE to wear them, because nothing is more annoying that having those bitches bunch up. And two pairs of smart wool socks

    ReplyDelete
  11. Under Armour. That's really all you need to know!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hm, yeah, pretty sure I've rocked that look minus thigh high rainbow socks. For as picky as I am about my horse's turnout, I just really don't care at all about mine. I try to buy warm things in the off season and I'm obsessed with coats, so that helps.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm still shocked about the snow in NY. Wow!!

    I agree with everything you said about winter. It sucks!! The other day when I rode with the temp in the thirties I was wearing silk long johns, breeches and sweat pants on the bottom and a camisole, t'shirt, sweatshirt and a jacket on top. I froze anyway lol. I've never tried vests before, but maybe I need to! :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. yep love all those pictures lol. it's all fun and games with style until the temps drop below freezing, then i'm all about function and utility...

    anyways, can't really add much to what Cob Jockey said, as that's quite comprehensive, but i do LOVE me some vests (my 10+ yrs old gap vest is still going strong) and kerrits winter tights, and have literally chopped up old sweaters to use the sleeves as 80s style leg warmers lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you for this post - it made me laugh! If you have a size 8.5 - 9 foot, I have some Mountain Horse Ice Rider boots you'd be welcome to if you want to ship them - not warm enough for me, but maybe warm enough for you? Seriously. I love your blog and I don't want you to freeze.

    Anyhoo, I got super enthusiastic on the subject since I am a Minnesotan who rode outside for 5 years year round, and I also survived last winter with the Polar Vortex (I shit you not, we saw a -35 degree "feels like" MORE THAN ONCE) and only nearly lost a few toes before I got my shit together. The link:

    http://keepcalmhorsecare.blogspot.com/2014/11/how-to-survive-polar-vortex-rider.html

    The TL:DR is:

    Coolmax liner socks with wool over the top will keep your feet warm and DRY, which is what helps them stay warm.

    Thinsulate everything is amazing. I have boots and gloves, and they work for me when other products haven't.

    COLUMBIA OMNI HEAT: that stuff is amazing, and is the reason I survived last winter. I know it's pricy, but even small items like the stocking hat make a difference. I wear an Omni Heat hat when I'm not wearing my helmet and even if you are already cold, putting the hat on will help your body warm up so much more quickly than it would with a regular hat. I'm obsessed and have been slowly filling my wardrobe with the stuff since it came out.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I decided it was more fun to blow my paycheck then have real things like groceries so I have all the winter things!

    Pants- Kerrits winter breeches (this is seriously the only pants I wear during winter, like even in public. SO WARM) If I get extra cold or have to do barn chores I put on some ski pant thingies over them

    Boots- for the daily I have some costco snow boots (SO WARM) and for my birthday I got the mountain horse stella polaris because FASHION. I wear them like regular shoes. My whole look is basically from the tack store I work at and it is almost always worn in public

    Gloves- Ariat winter ones. They are pretty warm and not constricting for riding. I have massive man hand wool gloves for barn chores.

    Head- Earmuffs are love. Beanies make my forehead itchy but they are cute. I have some mountain horse headbands that are pretty cool.

    Upper body- Noble Outfitters mariah. Omg so cheap and so so warm! Best under layer everr! Sweat wicking so you don't get wet and cold. Over it is usually a sweatshirt or one of my kerrits jackets. Over that I will wear my new Joules (they sent samples to our store and I was sample size apparently. Sample pieces are so cheap!) 3-1 jacket or stealing my mom's down jacket. I want that mountain horse down jacket and since I can get it for a really awesome price I'm convincing myself to buy it. Because why not?

    ReplyDelete