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​Mental Skills, Confidence Building, Motivation, Horse Life Tips, Chevy's Adventure Stories and more for Gritty Cowgirls (and Cowboys!).
Photo by Lynn Raguse

Are You and Your Horse Ready for Winter Riding?

11/23/2022

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Wondering when is it too cold to ride? 
Winter has arrived here in WI. My horses are fluffy with their winter hair, there is snow on the ground, and a chill in the air. 

Some riders pack up their riding tack, and turn their horses out for the winter. 

Others get gritty. They have big horse dreams, and they know if they want to achieve them, they need to at a minimum keep their horse legged up over the winter. 

Yet the second most common reason I hear from riders as to why they don't go out and work with their horse over the winter is that they get too cold. And much of the time this is because they do not have the right gear! After all, there is no such thing as bad weather, just improper clothing!

To help you be prepared for riding in cold, snowy weather, I've put together this list of the products I use to stay warm while riding in the winter in Wisconsin. As an Amazon Associate, these are affiliate links and I do earn from qualifying purchases.

For your Feet

A good pair of boots that are warm yet can fit into a stirrup and have a heel are hard to find. My husband bought me a pair of Kenetrek Cowgirl Insulated Pac boots a few years ago, and they quickly have become my favorite winter riding boots!

Also necessary is a boot dryer. Having a dry pair of boots everyday keeps your feet warmer! I really like this PEET boot dryer because it also has the gloves attachment. 

And of course, good socks! I borrowed a pair of Minus 33 wool socks from my husband. They are warm without being bulky. 

for your head

A good hat to keep your head warm is key! 
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I really like my TrailHeads hat. It has a ponytail hole in the back, the traditional baseball hat brim, and fleece fold down ear flaps. On super cold days, I put a beanie on over top of it. 

I bought my husband a Stormy Kromer Trapper hat last year. He wears it all the time in the winter, and says it is really warm.  

It can be hard to keep your ears warm when wearing a helmet, and trying to wear a winter hat under a riding helmet isn't safe as it affects the proper fit. I bought this helmet cover years ago, it stretches over the helmet, with fleece ear flaps that velcro under your chin. 

For Your Hands

Honestly, I still haven't found the perfect winter riding glove that is warm and allows precise finger movement for handling reins. These are what I use. On cold days I keep a packet of hot hands in my pocket to warm up my fingers. 

under layers

I love my Hot Chilis base layers!

For Your Horse

Sometimes our horses get sweaty during winter rides.

Having a cooler on hand to make sure your horse is completely dry before you turn them out so they don't catch a chill is necessary.

On really cold and windy days I'll use a quarter sheet to keep my horse warmer while we ride. 

Coat Defense Powder also works to help absorb moisture and dry your horse quicker if your horse gets sweaty. 
What are some of your favorite cold weather must have items? I'd love to hear from you-please share in the comments!
P.S. For those of you who are curious, the most common reason for not getting out and riding in the winter is a lack of motivation. It is hard to psych yourself up to going out and working with your horse when the weather is crummy! If you want some motivation, inspiration, and accountability to keep riding over the winter, then my get gritty winter horsemanship challenge is for you!


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The Warm Up Pen

4/2/2022

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​Oh, the pressure of the warm up pen!
It is so easy to get off track when we see what our competition is doing with their horses.
Are they spinning faster? Loping more collected? Stopping harder? Oh look, they are flexing and bending their horse, maybe I should do that!
If we do not have a set warm up plan of our own, if we do not stay focused on our plan, it is easy to caught up in trying the “win in the warm up pen.” And doing things different or asking for more in the warm up is not going to help you and your horse perform at your best!
So if you feel pressure in the warm up pen, pause.
Take a deep breath.
Stick to what you do on a normal day to warm up your horse.
You can’t win in the warm up pen, but you certainly can lose there!
Get Gritty,
Chevy
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Procrastination

3/27/2022

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​Procrastination is defined as "delaying or postponing something."

We generally procrastinate and delay doing something that we know we need to do.

When it comes to our horsemanship, the root cause of the procrastination often comes down to fear.

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Want to have a good ride? Do this BEFORE you catch your horse

11/4/2020

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Has a close call shaken your confidence with your horse?

10/25/2020

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Click here to sign up for my Free Training Video Series: What To Do After a Close Call to Boost Your Confidence (Instead of Wreck It)



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Ask Chevy: Why Are There Horse Toys On Your Shelf? (The Power of Visual Reminders of Your Goals)

9/10/2020

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Gritty Riders Don't Fear Making Mistakes

8/1/2020

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Gritty Riders Don't Fear Making Mistakes

Gritty riders know that mistakes are part of the process, and the only way to improve is to try new things.

Gritty riders know they miss 100% of the shots they don't take-so they throw their rope! If they miss, at least they missed trying!

What have you and your horse tried lately? How did it go? Did you win-or learn? I'd love to hear from you-share your experiences in the comments!

Chevy
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Gritty Riders Don't Should On Themselves

7/8/2020

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I should exercise more.

I should pack a lunch to save money. 

I should pack lunches the night before so we aren’t in a rush every morning.

I should spend more time helping my kids with their homework.

I should clean my house.

I should finish that home improvement project I started months ago.

I should go through my closet and donate those clothes I haven’t worn in years.

I should finish reading that horse training book I bought months ago.

I should ride my horse more. 

I should be able to ride better than this-I’ve been taking lessons for years!

I should have achieved those goals I set for myself already.


I should be at a horse show this weekend.


I should…


Should is a dangerous word.

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Gritty Riders Don't Waste Time on Negative Thoughts

6/1/2020

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Sometimes Positive Thinking Isn't Possible.

I've commonly coached that gritty riders don't get stuck in negativity-they recognize negative thoughts and shift them to positive ones. Over and over I've stressed that a negative mind never leads to a positive ride!

Let's get real here for a second though.

It simply isn't possible to be positive all the time, and there are some situations where you can't take the negative situation that just happened and re-frame it into a positive.

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I Confess...I'm a Recovering Equine Micro-Manager

6/12/2019

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Hi, I’m Chevy, and I’m a Recovering Equine Micro-Manager.
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I know I am not alone in micro-managing my horses. I think it is a common thing for riders to do-and I also think there are different reasons why riders micro-manage. And most of them have fear as a root cause.

Now, by micro-managing, I mean that the rider is constantly giving aids to the horse, and never letting the horse think for themselves. Mostly, by micro-managing, the rider is preventing the horse from making a mistake.

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