Weather forecasting…is wrong too often for us to rely on it.

The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it.

~Patrick Young

There’s a saying in New England that gets passes around here frequently: If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minuets. When you own a horse (or just ride in general) you (and your horse) need to be prepared for rain, mud, high force winds, and blistering heat all within the same day. Okay well, we’ll be more realistic: all within the same week. So for the equestrian leading the double life, I’ve created a little list for you and your equine partner that you should never be caught without.

1. Long underwear. I always have two pairs–double them up in the colder temperatures under your regular riding clothes for extra warmth. For your equine partner, an exercise rug does just the trick to keep his muscles warm in warming up.
2. Socks. Lots and lots of socks. Wal-Mart usually has great deals on socks in bulk.
3. Thick heavy weatherproof sweater or jacket. Hand-me-downs work the best for this. Generally, you are not going to spend $200.00 on something that’s just bound to get muddy, dirty, covered in hay, horse snot, etc.
4. Groom, groom, groom…ALL WINTER LONG. If you don’t want to clip, that’s fine….just make sure to keep on top of the mud and the ice—that reeks havoc on your poor horses’ hooves and legs. Invest in a small, basic, personal grooming kit: curry comb, hard brush, hoof pick.
5. In warmer weather, you’ll want to have plenty of water bottles…or at least a cooler which can keep your liquids cold for you. Your horse will continue to need grooming, but now you can move on to baths after workouts and once a week a deep cleansing all over.

Lesson Learned: If you can live here, you can live anywhere.