Cabin Fever

[Jim Beidle <beidlej@yahoo.com>]

It sounds like your getting ready to shop for some
warm riding clothes. A couple of suggestions, if you
don't mind.

Polarfleece is a modern miracle. It will wick
perspiration away from your body, and keep you warm
even when wet. If it gets soaked, you can squeeze out
the excess and that will at least partially restore
its insulation value (kinda like the neoprene wetsuits
the divers wear). Capillene is probably the best
"next-to-your-skin" layer to wear, but Polarfleece is
a good second.

Stay away from cotton for winter riding--it'll suck
the heat right out of you when it gets wet. We
recently discovered that there it nothing more
uncomfortable than clammy wet cotton undershorts to
ride in; they're wet, cold and they stick to your butt
lick your sleazy Cousin Vinnie.

Dress in many loose layers of mainly Polarfleece. For
an outer layer, if it's snowing or raining, wear
Goretex. It still can't be beat by any of the other
waterproof-breatheable fabrics for keeping you dry.
You'll want layers because you'll stay very warm at
the trot. Especially with a large roomy Goretex jacket
that will channel the horse's heat upward, like a
chimney.

If you get cold easily, you could even get polarfleece
breeches/tights. Both of the women I regularly ride
with have these and swear by them. Yesterday, Aarene
even wore her Capillene longies under her Polarfleece
breeches, a light polarfleece shirt and medium vest
under her Goretex parka and she was very comfortable
in rainy, breezey 40 degree weather.

The best thing we've found to keep your hands warm is
the lightweight neoprene gloves that the kayakers
wear. Sue and I found some at REI that have a very
grippy diamond pattern on the palm that helps to
prevent rein slippage. While your hands won't be dry,
they'll stay warmer than they would with most
synthetics. The neoprene gloves give you a better grip
than leather gloves, too.

I hope this unsolicited advice helps :-) I'd be
interested in seeing what solutions others have come
up with.


=====
Jim Beidle


Please reply to beidlej@yahoo.com

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