Staying Warm When Braiding Your Horse in the Cold
At one point or the other, every horse owner will be faced with the situation of braiding your horse in the cold. But when you finally take that step without ample preparation, you can easily be hit back with the cold and realization that your fingers won’t work as well.
Here are our helpful tips for overcoming this challenge and successfully braiding your horse in the cold.
- Keep your hands warm but your fingers open
This boils down to wearing fingerless gloves. If you can’t buy these easily, perhaps you can knit them yourself. Fingerless gloves keep your hands warm while allowing you to effectively work on braiding your horse with your fingers. Some mittens like this can also cover your fingers if preferred.Â
- Keep the mane or tail wet and warm
To make things much easier, wet your horse’s mane or tail with warm water. You can keep some of this handy in a bottle and add a brush for easy application. Don’t over wet the mane or tail. Use the warm water sparingly to ensure you can get tight and neat braids.
- Have a braiding station
If you are going to be braiding more than one horse, it’s advisable to get a braiding station. This spot should be in your warmest barn where the doors can be shut tightly to preserve the warmth.
- Have a plan to stay warm
Braiding in cold weather can be tougher than you think, so come prepared with additional plans to stay warm. Have a hot drink on hand and in an appropriate bottle. Pack heat packs hand warmers in your pockets to keep your fingers warm. Wear a couple of layers of clothing that are equestrian-friendly to promote warmth and comfort.
- Keep your horse warm too
The cold weather is when horse blankets are entirely in season. While you work on your warmth, remember your horse needs protection too. Horse blankets can be tricky for horses. If you have it on before braiding, be sure to unbuckle the straps the right way first.
Release the belly and chest straps to braid the mane at the withers. Start with the belly straps first and the chest straps second.
This is for the safety of your horse.
It’s also noteworthy to say you should catch up on braiding right from various resources.
Read more from I On The Scene: HERE.
