Best Winter Riding Gloves

For those of us living in colder climates, winter with horses can be tough. Riding in winter is even harder. And you know what the worst part is for me? The freezing cold hands. So what are the best winter riding gloves to keep your hands warm while riding this year?

What are the necessary features of the best winter riding gloves?

Riding gloves need to be warm. This may seem very obvious, but the best winter riding gloves need to keep your hands warm.
Warm riding gloves need to block the wind (depending on how cold your winter is, this may or may not be a requirement).
The warmest riding gloves need to fit well and give a secure grip on the reins.
The best gloves need to be durable – you don’t want to be buying multiple pairs per season just because they are low quality.

Wish I could tell you that there is one golden pair of gloves to buy and you’ll never need more than one pair again, but that’s simply not true!

I am in Colorado so we tend to get some large fluctuations in our weather. It gets super cold sometimes but not for long stretches. Then it will be unusually warm occasionally in the winter. Therefore I’ve tried to find temperature ranges that I am comfortable in certain types of gloves.

These likely won’t be a one size fits all solution because you may experience different temperatures, humidity levels or activities. But this should serve as a guide to a few pairs of gloves that may help keep you warm while riding!

The Roeckl Milano Winter Riding Gloves

These gloves are warm and give very good contact with the reins.

The reason they are not perfect is that they are not for super cold weather. I like to wear these between 40-55 degrees. If it’s windy or colder than 40/45, I am cold in these. They are not super thick, but their less bulky design gives great contact on the reins. These gloves may be more comfortable if you are riding out of the wind too, but I find that they don’t cut much wind when riding outside!

Ariat Heritage Winter Riding Gloves

Ideal gloves for colder weather or needing some wind blocked while riding

I find that these Ariat Heritage gloves are warmer although a bit bulkier than the previously mentioned Roeckl gloves. These definitely block some wind, which really helps keep your hands warmer. These still allow me to move my hand easily and ride. Some people might find these too bulky to ride, but I find that warm hands make for a more pleasant ride! These are comfortable gloves from about 20-40 degrees F. I also like these gloves for cleaning stalls, moving hay or any other barn chores.

Horze Riding Mittens

Horze Insulated Winter riding gloves mittens — Riding mittens are excellent for staying warm and having a more wind-proof “glove” while riding in the winter

I love a good pair of riding mittens. I grew up riding in Montana, so we had cold winters and needed something more than some flimsy fleece gloves to stay warm. These mittens are specifically designed to ride in – see the weird stray pinky? Your reins go through there. Mittens are traditionally a warmer choice because your whole hand is able to try and keep the fingers warm.

Sunwill Battery Powered Heated Gloves

If you are living in the coldest parts of the world, these may be the gloves you need. These are battery powered, heated gloves. They will not give you very good grip on the reins but if you are struggling through winter, these will keep your hands warm.

I think of these as more a quick bareback ride in the snow type gloves. Or what you wear to do chores when it’s below zero.

Honorable Mention: The SSG Winter Rancher Gloves

These are not really ideal riding gloves because they aren’t designed to really hold the reins in. But they are my favorite winter work gloves. I ordered a size bigger then I wear in riding gloves and I find they are more comfortable and warmer because I have a little space to move in them.

They are semi wind proof and keep me warm to about 20 degrees (below that I need more warmth!) The leather grips pitchforks, trough brushes, hoses etc with ease. I have worn these to ride in when I was already wearing them. They are also pretty good for longing horses as the leather provides a good grip and they are warmer than a lot of other gloves.

Hopefully one or more of these warm winter riding gloves can help you stay in the saddle this winter! I know it can be hard to find the motivation to get out and ride when it’s cold and the ground is frozen.