Keeping riding in winter

[ness]

I just wondered how everyone is managing to keep riding in the freezing weather? Rhiannon and I managed to hack out for an hour, even though our feet and fingers were frozen!:eek:
Rhiannon is doing well riding Bambi-they even took the lead for a great part of the ride.(A great thing) -as Bambi is always used to following behind kissie and Bambi is quite happy that way! However Rhiannon has started to ride her much more positively and so they took the lead. :DIt must have looked quite funny us following this little girl and her 12 hands pony.:lol: Rhiannon said, 'well if I am in the lead, then we are going to trot!' so we did - a lot of the way home-a good idea to keep us warm!:lol:
Anyway, I am quite pleased to still be keeping the horses hacking out in December!

[eeek]

I had a really flat spell in November when I started my job, the weather was awful and I had no time or motivation.

But now things have picked up and I am much happier and more relaxed :)
I ride about 3 times a week. The weather has been pretty decent lately but now it's frozen solid. Vinny now has road nails in so will start doing roadwork again, which I haven't been able to do for ages (first he had racing shoes on, then was barefoot for a few weeks).

From the beginning of January I will be riding most days. I have to - the racing starts on Easter Monday and I want my boy to be fit enough to compensate for his advancing years!

[ness]

I had a really flat spell in November when I started my job, the weather was awful and I had no time or motivation.

But now things have picked up and I am much happier and more relaxed :)
I ride about 3 times a week. The weather has been pretty decent lately but now it's frozen solid. Vinny now has road nails in so will start doing roadwork again, which I haven't been able to do for ages (first he had racing shoes on, then was barefoot for a few weeks).

From the beginning of January I will be riding most days. I have to - the racing starts on Easter Monday and I want my boy to be fit enough to compensate for his advancing years!

Tha's a good goal to aim for, liz! :DI love this time of year, making plans for the things you are going to do next year! it makes me feel so optimistic!

[banjo]

Banjo and I are plodding as and when we can and depending on the weather. Hes partly stabled now so I have to make more of an effort that he can get out to stretch his legs if he can't have turn out
We went for a quickie yesterday and got caught in a blizzard:scared: the joys of owning a pony lol:D

[ness]

Banjo and I are plodding as and when we can and depending on the weather. Hes partly stabled now so I have to make more of an effort that he can get out to stretch his legs if he can't have turn out
We went for a quickie yesterday and got caught in a blizzard:scared: the joys of owning a pony lol:D

Blizzard? brr! I think kissie would have headed for home!:lol:

[Tiaki]

yes me and Kiwi got caught in a blizzard yesterday too, not fun.

I don't do hacking. Kiwi is petrified in traffic due to our accident a few years ago, as is Abbey. The hacking by me is too busy roads so I don't have to worry about icy lanes. My menage very rarely freezes so I can still ride in there pretty much as normal. Only thing I can't do when it's icy is ride in the fields as ground is too hard.

xxx

[Poppy and Harmony]

Harmony hardly ever gets ridden in the winter :(

I've ridden once in the past 4 weeks, I don't have any time during the week and then the weather seems to turn every weekend!
Hoping to get a bit more in this christmas holidays though :)

[AMS]

I havent been riding this winter due to William being lame but normally I have lessons once a month and I would go to a few shows to keep him going as we only have fields to ride in which tend to be flooded or frozen in the winter!!

[kayla]

i haven't ridden much over the past few weeks due to me loseing my mare then my daughters pony. I am going to start riding tomorrow on my new mare which i am absolutly petrified about lol but I AM going to do it. Then hopefully we can progress together and have a fab year next year!!

[Twizzel]

We had a bad spell of weather in November which meant the horses weren't ridden as much as we'd have liked... but for the past few weeks I've ridden most days either in the school or gone out for a walk round the block. We've got to keep them working whatever the weather really as they need to be fit for hunting and we have high hopes for tango cob next year showing so need to get his schooling sorted this winter.

[silly mare]

I have the joy of an indoor school :D Hacking is a bit of an issue for me at the best of times as my horse is stabled on a really busy road. I tend to ride out very early to miss the traffic but when it's as dark as this in the mornings I can't. The only other option I have is to put Mr T in the trailer and go somewhere. I have some lovely places to hack within 10-15 mins of me and the beach is only 25.

Alison

[ness]

i haven't ridden much over the past few weeks due to me loseing my mare then my daughters pony. I am going to start riding tomorrow on my new mare which i am absolutly petrified about lol but I AM going to do it. Then hopefully we can progress together and have a fab year next year!!
Good luck tomorrow!
and good luck to everyone with their goals for next year!:D
Twizzel-hunting soon? that sounds exciting!
Silly Mare-you are so lucky to have an indoor school!
We have a large barn at our yard, (which i have always thought would make a great indoor school)-and apparently was at one time! (but now they rent it out for people to keep their boats!)what a waste!

[black crow]

I used to keep mine in full work all through winter, unless the weather was bad - they were clipped but had exercise sheets, and we happily schooled in the arena as long as it wasnt frozen. Once they've warmed up theyre fine, and the work kept me quite warm too. Was always walking around in a tshirt even when it had snowed because id be warm all day from working and riding.

[CDR]

I was desperate to ride yesterday as I'm only just able to ride Bailey again after his back and then leg injuries! Couldn't though, the yard and roads were really icy and the school was frozen and looked really icy too - it floods in there so it does freeze easily. Hoping I can ride tomorrow - THAW you horrible ice! :(

[coloredred]

I've been riding/lunging when most days since magic has been on alternate day turnout so he can stretch his legs but now my car refuses to start i don't know what i'm going to do. I swear that car just works for a few weeks then comes up with a new problem for me to throw none existent money at :(

[ness]

I used to keep mine in full work all through winter, unless the weather was bad - they were clipped but had exercise sheets, and we happily schooled in the arena as long as it wasnt frozen. Once they've warmed up theyre fine, and the work kept me quite warm too. Was always walking around in a tshirt even when it had snowed because id be warm all day from working and riding.

BC-my winter TShirt days are over! I lke to be well wrapped up now!
CDR-don't chance riding when its icy-its not worth it.
Colordred what a nightmare-I have had cars like that too!
I had a white Austin maestro-I called it Snowball because it was the coldest car in the world! I had to scrape icy off on the inside when it was freezing! :eek:It got to the point once where I think the AA man thought I fancied him because I called him out so regularly!:lol:

[Twizzel]

Ness yep hunting on boxing day this year, and we have a meet planned in early January too (which should go round part of an xc course, v exciting!).

I may have spoken too soon on the riding front... the school froze over night, the fields are frozen rock solid, ice on the lane leading up to the yard (luckily no ice on the yard as there aren't many puddles), no riding for us today, bad times!!!

[ness]

Ness yep hunting on boxing day this year, and we have a meet planned in early January too (which should go round part of an xc course, v exciting!).

I may have spoken too soon on the riding front... the school froze over night, the fields are frozen rock solid, ice on the lane leading up to the yard (luckily no ice on the yard as there aren't many puddles), no riding for us today, bad times!!!

yes we have snow here too and the fields are frozen. I don't have time to ride today, either-too much to do! and I am working later!:frown:

[XenaWarriorPrincess]

Our school and gallop is frozen at the moment :( so everything got a day off yesterday!! And i think today but havent been into work!
Other than that all ours are in full work ready for our first couple of races :D
Had hoped to ride xanth in school for the first time with my friend yesterday but frozen ground put a stop to that :mad:

[lilholley]

I'm off uni for a month now, and Bella's sharer is at home for two weeks so I have lots of riding planned! I find I still ride, but its much slower and usually shorter! Today we just went up round the estate as the ground was too hard. Yesterday I did a bit of schooling but the ground was too hard to canter much.

We're taking the horses out in the trailer next tuesday for an adventure - I'm thinking of putting a flask of tea in my saddlebags :D its gonna be chilly!
xx

[bicky]

This time of year can be a blessing or a curse! :cheekywink: I hate the heat, so winter riding is great for me.

But now I'm in my own place and have 3 horses to muck out every day, I haven't much time to ride. Maybe twice a week if I'm lucky and its just so frosty the roads are dangerous to go on!

I hacked Kinzzy out today and we too trotted most of the time to keep warm Ness, I could still feel me fingers and toes when I got back! :)

[ness]

This time of year can be a blessing or a curse! :cheekywink: I hate the heat, so winter riding is great for me.

But now I'm in my own place and have 3 horses to muck out every day, I haven't much time to ride. Maybe twice a week if I'm lucky and its just so frosty the roads are dangerous to go on!

I hacked Kinzzy out today and we too trotted most of the time to keep warm Ness, I could still feel me fingers and toes when I got back! :)


Oh,I hate it when you have cold feet and when you dismount, it hurts so much!:sick:

[loubylou]

Im riding intermittently- at least twice a week, sometimes 6 times a week- depends what the weather is doing and work! I have only ridden a couple of tmes a week for the last 3 weeks as been so busy with work :(
Have an outdoor school which helps, just don the exercise sheet and get moving quick!!!

[ness]

Well done everyone for keeping going at all!
Just found out our Xmas pub ride is cancelled today due to the bad weather!:(

[amandaxx1]

December hasnt been good! I can only manage a ride at weekends now as our school has no lights so usually Sat and Sun, but no riding this weekend because it's too icy. Hoping it thaws out by next week as I have a week off!