I recently found out about a great product for riding during these cold winter months - the "Bit Blanket!"  If you're horse was like mine, he started getting very fussy whenever I tried to bridle him in the winter.  I tried warming up the bit inside my jacket or by rubbing it, but it was time consuming and wasn't all that helpful - plus MY hands got cold!  The Bit Blanket was the perfect answer - just plug it in and wrap the bit (just leave it attached to the bridle) and soon you'll have a nice, comfy bit.  Just found out that they now also have an adapter so you can plug it in your car and arrive at the barn with a toasty bit.  You can get them at:  http://www.bitblanket.com

Definitely worth it to keep your horse happy during the winter!

 I live in S. England which gets its fair share of weather.  My cob has a thick coat which I clipped minimally about a month ago. If she gets sweaty on the thick hair I never hose in winter - I use a really good cleaning spray called winterwash for horses - from ebay uk. You rub it in and leave it and it absorbs sweat and you can put the rug straight back on and brush her out next time. She comes up lovely and shiny with no sweat stains. Its saved me hours. xx