HOW TO STAY WARM WHEN BRAIDING YOUR HORSE IN THE COLD

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How do you stay warm when braiding your horse in the cold? Snag the survival strategy I developed for staying warm while braiding at horse shows in cold weather.

We’ve all been there as equestrians. That horse show where the weather turns incredibly cold!  So exactly how can you stay warm when braiding in the cold? This was the topic of an email I received from a Braid Secrets’ community member who said:

 “Your site has been so helpful! I’m curious if there are tips for braiding in cold weather?

My fingers and I thank you in advance!” ~ Joy M.

The good news is that I do have some cold weather mane and tail braiding tips for you! 

I recall arriving at an early spring show to braid.  When I got out of my car, I felt a cold, brisk wind hit my face and realized it was so cold that I could see my breath!  To make matters worse, several of the horses I was braiding were stabled in a shed row with wooden slat sides that let the wind blow right through the barn. The cold weather made my fingers feel like they were 100 years old.   Over the years I have braided at numerous horse shows in cold weather.  I’ve learned many helpful tips to stay warm when braiding in the cold.  I’m happy to share them with you!

COLD WEATHER MANE AND TAIL BRAIDING TIPS

Here are seven of my best cold weather braiding tips so you can stay toasty when braiding:

1. Wear fingerless gloves to keep your hands as warm as possible.  If there’s one thing I know about cold weather braiding, it’s that cold fingers are slow fingers. Tuck a pair of fingerless gloves in with your braiding supplies so you’ll always be prepared if the weather turns cold.
2. Use warm water to wet the mane or tail. Get a root comb applicator bottle (for tint) from a beauty supply. I’ve included the link above to the best one I’ve ever found.  Plus, this bottle will fit in the extra pocket of my Brilliant Mane Braiding Organizer or my Brilliant Mane Braiding Kit for your convenience.  Fill the bottle with warm water in the bathroom at the show grounds and use it to wet the mane.  I’ve found that the comb applicator allows you to wet the hair within the mane, not just the top layer of hair, which makes it incredibly useful.  If no hot water is available bring a thermos full of hot water to refill the bottle.  I use a small bucket of warm water and a stiff brush to wet the top and sides of tails for braiding.  
3. Wet the mane selectively. Normally I recommend soaking the area of the mane you’re working on before braiding. But when braiding in cold weather, I wet small sections of hair sparingly using the root comb applicator bottle so you’re very targeted when wetting the mane. Get the mane just wet enough to create tight, neat braids.
4. Have a way to stay warm and warm up your hands. I recommend bringing a tall, hot drink (I love coffee) in a spill-proof mug to keep you feeling warm on the inside.  Hold the mug for a minute or two to help warm up your hands if they get too cold. Like I mentioned, cold fingers are slow fingers when it comes to braiding so you must take care to keep them warm. You can also put some heat pack hand warmers in your coat pockets and use them to warm up your fingers and hands as needed. Heat packs hand warmers are another item I like to keep with my braiding supplies.  
5. Set up a braiding station in the warmest barn. If you’re braiding more than one horse, set up an area for braiding in the isle of the warmest barn and braid all the horses in there. Smaller barns with horses in stalls can be significantly warmer to braid in. Just keep all the doors shut tightly.
6. Wear layers so you can adjust your warmth as needed. Dress in layers using moisture-wicking clothes so you don’t get chilled and can take off or put on a layer if needed. A couple years ago I received an Under Armour quarter-zip pullover as an gift.  I use it as a foundation layer when I’m riding or braiding. I absolutely love it and haven’t found anything that compares to its warmth, comfort, and quality. (This is my opinion, not a paid endorsement.) I keep a spare warm layer such as a polar fleece quarter-zip pullover with my braiding supplies so I’m prepared for cold weather.
7. SAFETY TIP regarding blankets and braiding the mane near the withers: Always release the belly straps on horse blankets first, and then the chest straps. If you unbuckle the chest straps first to braid the mane near the withers, the blanket and belly straps can slide back and become a bucking strap…yikes! It really happened to a trainer I know and resulted in a panicked horse that started bucking in the stall, eventually got loose and ran all over the show grounds trying to rid herself of that strap! After hearing that story, I never released the chest straps only on a blanket to braid the mane at the withers. Safety first!

CONCLUSION 

Here’s a quick recap.  When you’re braiding your horse in cold weather be sure to:

• wear finger-less gloves
• use warm water in a root comb applicator to wet the mane
• wet the mane selectively
• bring a hot drink to sip on and some heat packs to warm your hands
• set up a braiding station in the warmest barn
• dress in layers so you can be comfortable and warm
• release belly straps on horse blankets first, then the chest straps to braid the mane at the withers.

I know you”ll stay warmer and create better braids using these cold weather mane and tail braiding tips. Please share your cold weather braiding tips in the comments below.  Scroll down to shop this post and see some additional great tips from fellow riders.

Cheers!

Mary Beth 

Shop this Post:

Fingerless gloves

Root comb applicator bottle

Spill-proof mug

Heat packs hand warmers

Armour quarter-zip pullover

Polar fleece quarter-zip pullover