Winter has well and truly arrived, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make this winter your best yet. In this blog we’re going to discover why your clothing choices matter, and make sure you, our Podium team, are fully prepared for a successful winter season.

Wearing the right kit when you ride is an easy way to get the most out of your training with minimal effort. If you’re in Melbourne (like us) you know that the weather outside can get super icy! So when you’re working your horse it is so important to get warm! Seems obvious, right?! Of course, but we’re here to tell you why! When you start working your horse, particularly in the warm up, and you’re feeling cold you’re not getting the most out of your training.

Did you know that when you get cold, your blood moves away from the surface of your skin to stay warm?! This reduces your ability to pump blood around your body and reduces the efficiency of your muscles. Wondering how this will affect your ride? Your muscles are what allow you to communicate with your horse. Every squeeze of the leg; adjustment of position; change in your seat, upper body or head. Every movement requires our muscles to switch on and be precise. So if we’re cold we have to work much harder to elicit the same response from our horse that we would expect from them if we were warm.

So what should you be wearing? We suggest layering, and of course your first layer should be your High Performance Riding Tights and Long Sleeve Base Layer! Our High Performance fabric combines compression with temperature regulating and moisture wicking technologies. These features help to regulate your body temperature, increase your blood flow, and keep your muscles well supported. As your body temperature increases, your blood is able to run freely around your body allowing more oxygen to get to your muscles and improving your overall performance. During your ride, we suggest trying to maintain you and your horse’s body temperatures to keep blood flow as high as possible. This will help to keep your muscles functioning at a high capacity and allow your body to more easily remove any lactic acid build up.

Throw a warm jacket on over your High Performance basics, and you’re ready to get started!

As always, remember to tag us @podiumequestrian and show us how you’re wearing your High Performance basics this Winter! Make sure you stay in the loop by signing up to our newsletter. See you next time on the blog!

Team Podium xo