Winter-Ready: The Saddlery Store Essentials for a Kiwi Winter

If you've ever pulled on your gummies in the dark, squelched through a paddock to fetch a soggy pony, and wondered if your fingers will ever thaw, you'll know that NZ winter has its own special charm. Mud up to your knees, wind that cuts straight through your jacket, and horses who somehow find the one boggy patch to roll in. It's all part of the deal.

The good news? Winter horse care doesn't have to be a battle. With the right gear, your horse stays warm, dry, and comfortable, and you spend less time scrubbing mud and more time actually enjoying your ride. Here are a selection of winter essentials from The Saddlery Store that earn their place in the tack room every year.

For the Horse

STC Bambino Nylon Unicorn Halter

Winter doesn't have to be all grey skies and muddy paddocks. A bit of fun in the tack room goes a long way, especially for the smaller riders in the family or anyone who just loves a splash of personality on their pony.

The Bambino Unicorn Halter brings the magic, but it's a serious piece of kit too. It's a soft fleece lined halter with an attractive unicorn print to keep your horse or pony comfortable while looking their best, with adjustment at both the headpiece and jowl for the perfect fit, and reinforced eyelet holes for durability. The fleece lining is genuinely useful through winter, helping prevent rubs over the poll and nose when coats are wet and skin is sensitive from constant rugging. Available in navy or pink, Full size.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $41.95.

STC Happy Mouth Loose Ring Snaffle Bit With Flexible Mouth

Cold mouthpieces are a quiet but real winter problem. Stainless steel bits can be unpleasantly chilly first thing in the morning, and a horse who clamps down or fusses through the contact isn't going to give you their best work. The STC Happy Mouth Loose Ring Snaffle is a simple, classic bit with a flexible apple-scented polyurethane mouthpiece that warms up quickly and is genuinely kind to soft mouths.

It's a favourite for young horses, sensitive types, and anyone coming back into work over winter who wants to encourage softness through the contact. Available in Shetland 10.5cm, Pony 11.5cm, Cob 12.5cm, Full 13.5cm and Warmblood 14.5cm.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $71.95.

Check out the whole Happy Mouth Range here.

For Mud Season: Skin and Leg Care

Lillidale Mud Protect Barrier Cream

If you've battled mud fever (or greasy heel, scratches, whatever you call it in your region), you already know prevention beats cure every time. This barrier cream creates a protective layer on pasterns and heels, helping to keep moisture, mud, and bacteria off vulnerable skin.

A daily smear before turnout is one of those small, easy habits that saves a lot of grief later in the season.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $45.99.

Premier Equine Turnout/Mud Fever Boots

For horses prone to mud fever, or paddocks that turn into actual swamps, barrier cream alone sometimes isn't enough. This is where turnout boots come in. The Premier Equine Turnout/Mud Fever Boots create a physical barrier between your horse's lower legs and the wet, muddy ground, helping to keep the skin clean and dry through the worst of winter turnout. They're made with a highly breathable Air-Tech specialist fabric for maximum airflow, feature a contoured comfort fit shaped around the fetlock, lightweight durable design, and extra strong and flexible straps. They can be used on both front and hind legs, are sold in pairs, and come in a complimentary reusable zip-fastened storage bag. One thing worth knowing: they're designed for up to 12 hours of wear at a time, with a recommendation to swap or refresh them at that point to prevent rubs and sores. Pair them with the Lillidale Mud Protect Barrier Cream and you've got a serious defence against the worst of winter.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $149.00.

For the Rider

Premier Equine Dajour Waterproof Riding Gloves

Nothing ends a winter ride faster than soaked, freezing hands. Wet leather reins plus icy wind equals numb fingers and zero feel. Waterproof riding gloves keep your hands dry, warm, and connected to the contact, which matters just as much in winter schooling as it does in summer competition.

A small upgrade with a big quality-of-life impact when the forecast is grim.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $80.00.

 

Kep Helmet Inner Pad Universal/Winter Liner

Your helmet works year-round, but winter mornings call for a bit of extra warmth where it counts. The KEP Universal Winter Liner swaps into your existing KEP helmet in place of the standard Coolmax pad and is designed to protect your ears and the back of your neck from the cold. It's a small upgrade that makes those early starts and frosty schooling sessions far more pleasant. The lining is available in 12 sizes (from 51 to 58 for the Medium shell, and 59 to 62 for the Large shell), is a single piece of material that's easy to remove and reposition inside the helmet, and can be washed by hand in cold water or in the washing machine at 30°C. If you already ride in a KEP, this is one of those genuinely useful little additions that makes winter riding noticeably more comfortable.

For Recovery

Veredus Magnetik Rug

Older horses, hard workers, and anyone who's a bit creaky after a chilly night will appreciate this one. The Veredus Magnetik Rug uses magnetic therapy to support circulation and muscle recovery, which is genuinely useful in winter when bodies take longer to warm up and longer to wind down after work.

Pop it on before you tack up, or use it after work to help your horse recover faster.

Available at The Saddlery Store for $969.95.

Winter, Sorted

The pattern with winter is that small, sensible kit beats heroic last-minute fixes every time. A well-fitting rug, a tub of barrier cream, a decent pair of gloves, and a few comfort items for the tack room can make the difference between dreading winter and just getting on with it.