Essential Clothes for Horse Riding in the Winter

Winter has come around again, and are you any more prepared than you were last year? 

We’ve searched through some of our favourite brands for horse riding clothes and accessories; which we think will help you keep warm this winter. All of these brands are small businesses - just like us.

Starting from the top:

EARWARMERS:

Trying to keep your ears warm whilst riding can often be a challenge: woolly hats are too bulky and they take up too much space underneath your helmet.

A winter riding essential? The Nouvelle Habit Waterproof ear warmers. They are made from left-over fabric from their skirt production, the Wax cotton provides protection from wind and rain and they are lined with fleece for extra warmth - what's more to like? Plus, for every pair they sell, they donate 10% to 9Trees which goes towards planting trees here in the UK. So, you can be warm, and feel good. 

JUMPER:

No winter outfit is complete without a warm jumper. We searched for a stylish yet functional hoodie, and our jumper of choice is the Pikeur Athleisure Mie Hoodie from Equissentials Dressage. Hoodies are a wardrobe staple that you can wear to keep warm in the winter at the yard and you can also wear them at home; if you get it to fit oversized, you can add lots of layers underneath it for extra warmth.

GILET:

We believe that a gilet is a winter riding essential, and perfect for layering. The Ladies Fleece Gilet from Nattily Dressed is designed for ultimate warmth, durability and protection against the elements. Made from Polartec fleece, it is warm, tailored and adjustable. If you’ve never ridden in a Gilet before, you’ve never felt freedom like it!

TROUSERS:

Flexars are thick, warm and breathable. They will keep you warm whilst you’re doing the essential jobs at the yard and help you transition you easily into the saddle. They dry quickly, so if you get caught in a rain-shower or if you sweat whilst you’re riding, you won’t be wet for the rest of the day. Flexars are designed to be worn all-year-round, so if it's extra chilly you can layer underneath Flexars with a pair of tights or you can wear something over the top of them - maybe even the next product in this list.

COVERALL:

Ever since 3Donkeys launched, we have been in love with their coveralls. So when we saw their new product, which won the Clothing & Footwear category at BETA, we knew it had to be included in our clothes for horse riding blog. Imagine having a 2-in-1 coverall that is 100% waterproof and windproof, keeping you warm, clean and dry during the winter. Well, that is exactly what you get with the Exmoor Coverall from 3Donkeys. A perfect addition to your winter wardrobe, that can be used year after year. The best thing? The jacket and trousers are detachable, so you can unzip the trousers and jump onto the saddle as you’ll already be wearing your Flexars underneath.

VEST: 

If you’re hacking during the winter, the Equi Light Hi-Vis LED Rider Vest ™️ needs to be in your wardrobe. The tailored fit, distinct lights and reflective strips will ensure you can be seen in all lights. Most importantly, it's windproof, water resistant and designed for style and safety.

SOCKS:

Another important aspect to consider for winter dressing is your feet. If you can’t wear bulky winter socks in your riding boots, then you may like Coolhorsesocks. Coolhorsesocks are the ultimate high-quality, high-performance horse-riding socks. Their socks provide maximum comfort and durability and feature a padded Coolmax® Pro sole and innovative Cool Horse technology. Plus, look how cute the designs are! Our favourites are the Nutkins the Red Squirrel socks.

GLOVES:  

No winter riding outfit is complete without a pair of warm gloves. We’ve found these winter horse riding gloves from eGlove, which are warm AND waterproof. Perfect for our unpredictable UK weather: eQUEST Waterproof gloves. If you don’t want waterproof gloves, the eQUEST GripPro Winter Edition glove gets great reviews, providing great grip with feel on the rains. 

ACCESSORIES:

If you want to keep your kit out of the mud this winter, or more specifically, the mud out of your car, we’ve found a great kit bag from Tidy Tack Rooms that is sure to keep your stuff dry and out of the mud. The Azure Blue Kit Bag fits all of your riding gear including back protectors, riding hat and long riding boots, with ample room left over for air jackets, spare clothes, saddle cloths, rugs, horse boots and coats. You can even have it personalised.

SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT:

If you are looking to turn heads, stay warm whilst riding and keep your saddle dry in the rain? The perfect solution is here, The Original Moorland – Riding Skirt from Nouvelle Habit offers you warmth and protection from the rain. Your skirt would be handmade to order and to top it off, your skirt is made to last - you know how much we are fans of long-lasting products. A truly beautiful addition to your horse riding clothes.