Subaru = 4wd drive, right?
Subies have AWD, which handles somewhat differently than traditional 4WD. Different AWD technologies handle differently from one another as well.
I actually recommend anyone to go play with their car on an empty and icy parking lot, if they can find any. Braking hard and provoking a skid is a great way to prepare for winter. And great fun
The worse the traction, the better. A day of this kind of practice will teach you things that are a lot more painful and expensive to learn on roads.