Here's a few pics that according to my, er, sometimes erratic filing system! suggest winter time aroundabouts this time of year back in 2010. One of Alberta's typical snow years that one and these were taken at Station Flats near Bragg Creek, one of my favourite schooling grounds for young and new-to-backcountry horses.
Why - ? Open meadows so if a mountain bike or human runner or hiker trots into the field of vision on a trail you can slide out of harms's way through its widely spread trees. There's a wooden bridge to practise over, with the hum of running water underneath. Helicopters, even, landing at the nearby ranger station!
These girls were out for a day that had started at around -10 C. and warmed up, if I remember, to around 0 or just a bit above. Fanny Barrette's the group captain! and took her map reading seriously in the trailhead before legging up onto her elegant grey. They're all wearing different gear, from trad. Western to more Mountain Equipment Co-op but layers work, so do saddlebags and soup-filled thermos containers in saddlebags as well as knives and hoofpicks and all the usual gear. Winter riding really can sing and if you're a photographer in the high wild places, oh yes!
As an extra warming tip, if you wear something around your neck (preferably silk) and ditto something around your wrists, you will be a ton warmer - it's a backcountry survival training tip that one. Socks, wear natural fibres or your feet will initially sweat and then get very very VERY cold (!). The 'Cloud' stirrups Fanny has on her saddle distribute weight load more evenly and no pressure points - a ton of range riders I know of, always practical in their thinking, are now absolute converts.
