Jennifer Nice
Endurance rider, award-winning equine journalist, and The Trail Rider contributor Jennifer Nice owns Ride Media Group (www.ridemediagroup.com). She's just relocated from Weatherford, Texas, to San Francisco, California. Although the Bay Area offers a moderate clime, winter competition exposes her to a variety of conditions.
Typical winter conditions: "In endurance, nothing is 'typical.' We ride in all kinds of weather."
Favorite winter trail ride: "The Death Valley Encounter, a four-day, 200-mile ride in and around Death Valley, California. It can be T-shirt weather one day and snowing the next. We woke one morning to a heavy snowstorm. Fortunately, I'd just come from skiing at Mammoth [California], and I had my ski clothes with me. I rode that day in my powder suit!"
Favorite winter wear: "Most important for me is keeping my hands and feet warm. For really cold weather conditions, I wear Mountain Horse winter-riding boots. Mine are a half-size too big, so I can wear extra thick socks without compromising foot circulation. I wear Gore-Tex gloves, which keep my hands warm but aren't too bulky. My winter-riding tights are made by Ariat. To keep my torso warm, I wear layers. To keep my head warm, I wear a black Carhartt knit cap under my helmet."
Top keep-warm tip: "Wear breathable layers, because as soon as you start moving around, you'll warm up. I've often started a ride with a turtle neck under a long-sleeved T-shirt under a Polarfleece pullover under a jacket. Several miles into the ride, I'm roasting!"
On my holiday wish list: "Additional pairs of Ariat winter-riding tights."
Post-ride routine: "After an endurance ride, I make sure my horse is warm, and put one or two blankets on him so he can relax. I feed him his grain ration soaked in water with a little electrolytes, then I let him rest. This may sound silly, but I have one of those brown canvas Carhartt jumpsuits. This suit saves me from freezing. Before a ride, I put it over my riding clothes. Then I just unzip it and hop on my horse. After a ride, if it's cold out, I put it back on. Post-ride, if it's cold out, you can also find me in my Carhartt knit cap and Ugg boots. I'm toasty!"
