Best gloves for winter horse riding

Wearing winter gloves that fail to keep your hands warm while you’re with your horse is the worst. How can you ride properly if your fingers are slowly going numb?

Protecting the hands from the cold with good gloves is easy, the difficult thing is knowing which pair suits you best. Here are some quick answers to common glove-related questions that pop up when you’re thinking about a new pair of gloves.

What are most important requirements in a good riding glove?

A good glove offers the protection you need, ie thermal or ideally thermal + waterproof, comfort and a decent contact on the reins.

What’s the best warm riding glove?

For warmth and feel, it must be the Hy5 Thinsulate Leather Winter Riding Gloves without question of a doubt. Excellent for cold weather, the Hy5 Thinsulate Leather Winter Riding Gloves have a leather outer that provides defence against the weather and feature a warm fleece lining that keeps your hands comfortable. 

 Are thin fleece gloves enough for winter?

For moderate cold 0ºC to +5ºC, thin fleece gloves can suffice. If you’re still cold or it’s 0ºC, you’ll need something thicker.

Are Thinsulate gloves warmer than neoprene ones?

Insulated gloves, such as gloves with Thinsulate, have more insulating properties than neoprene. The insulation properties of Thinsulate are more helpful for retaining some heat produced by the body than neoprene, so the wearer can be comfortable and warm. When the body sweats, Thinsulate allows the water to evaporate, whereas neoprene, a polymerized rubber compound, does not breath. Thinsulate is often used as insulation in gloves and hats whereas neoprene tends to be used to create waterproof gloves and footwear. One of our best selling insulated gloves is the Equetech Storm Waterproof Riding Gloves.

Can I use my phone when I’ve got my winter gloves on?

The LeMieux PolarTec Riding Gloves are perfect for riders who need to be able to use their electronic devices while wearing gloves. Not having to take off your gloves so that you can make a call on your mobile is a massive advantage when it’s freezing cold. As well as having a touchscreen friendly design, the silicone printed on the palms ensures exceptional grip, even in wet weather.

What's the best Hi Viz glove?

If you're a rider that does a lot of hacking in winter, keeping your hands warm when you're riding out and exposed to the wind, wet and cold, is actually quite difficult given that your hands are still a lot of the time. The Elico Darley Softshell Reflective Hi Viz Gloves are water and wind resistant and have a soft grip palm for exceptional contact on the reins.

What’s the best warm yard glove?

When working on the yard, mucking out in the rain, scrubbing water buckets or picking out muddy feet, the Busse All Round Winter Gloves take a lot of beating. These gloves have a high grip palm and fingers for good grip when doing yard jobs, while the fleecy lining keeps your hands feeling warm..

So how much does a good pair of winter gloves cost?

The all-important question! It depends greatly on the materials and the manufacturer. There are hundreds of glove types and brands available, so we’ve put together the best ones we think you’ll love, hoping it will make your decision easier. In our range of winter horse riding gloves there's something to suit all budgets and free and fast UK delivery options are available.