Winter/Rain Clothing Update

Several of you were kind enough to share what you wear for boots and gloves with Melissa in a post she wrote back in early December. We took your suggestions plus some good ideas of our own, parted with a ridiculous amount of money and FINALLY got us some rain and in Melissa’s case cold weather gear that is fit to be called such. We work outside all day every day no matter the weather. In terms of comfort improvement I’m left wondering why we did not make these purchases a long, long time ago. (Melissa here: Why I did not do this a long time ago? With the exception of Christmas I prefer to pretend that December, January and February don’t exist. By ignoring them then surely they are not happening and I am warm, right? This approach did not work despite many years of implementing it.)

Without my friend Kristy’s recommendation it probably never would have occurred to us to go to Bass Pro Shops, but I am SO GLAD we did. We both got thick but breathable, heavy duty Gore Tex waterproof shells….the best that Bass Pro Shops make, and after having worn them through several heavy rains I can say they work a treat. The biggest problem I had with rubber rain gear was that I would sweat so heavily while wearing it that I might as well have saved myself the trouble and just gotten wet from the rain. Not so with this stuff, it actually breathes. Also, the hoods on these coats are incredibly deep….so deep that I can wear my glasses during a hard rain and not have them get wet.

Melissa got a pair of heavy duty Bass Pro Gore-Tex fisherman type waterproof insulated pants that cost every bit as much as her coat did. I thought those would be too hot for me so I got a lighter (and much cheaper) pair of rain pants plus a pair of suspenders to help hold them up.

It’d be really dumb to work alone out in the middle of a group of horses with no peripheral vision, so one of my must have items was a truly waterproof hat. It looks a little odd, but for thirty bucks I now own a Gore-tex full camo fedora type hat that is completely waterproof.

Melissa is quite pleased with her Seal Skinz gloves. She says they are not the warmest things she has ever worn. However she overlooks this because they fit tightly enough that she can put on and take off feed bags and blankets with them on AND they are truly waterproof.

After a lifetime of misery on the work boot front I broke down and tried a pair of Red Wings a few months ago. I think I have finally found a boot that is water and “barnyard acid” resistant, has excellent traction and that is so comfortable that I can’t wait to put them on in the morning. They have now outlasted all but one pair of boots I’ve ever owned before and they show no signs of leaking or tearing. They are also the first pair of boots I’ve ever owned that actually fit my feet correctly.

The one thing that is still on Melissa’s must get list is a pair of really good, comfortable pair of boots that are warm and waterproof. We’re on the lookout, but we haven’t found them yet. She is so picky we may never find the right boots.

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I’ve seen this video posted a few places and it was too funny not to share. The Equestrian Whisperer teaches other horses how to get what you want from humans. I particularly like the part at the end, how to get them to give you all the food you want but leave you alone.

Stormy, Largo and Clayton