Anyone else lost their motivation in this continual rain

[Finlib]

Holding my nerve horses still unrugged .Our set up up is ideal for 24/7 out unrugged with open pole barn BUT I really am struggling to ride out it is constantly dull murky pelting with rain and blowing a hooley and I find although I love looking after the horses I really am struggling with riding .
we have a n indoor schooling area 25by 30 meters and I go in there And free school longline do some in hand agility a couple of times a week I do some ridden schooling about 15 /20 minutes but I have no desire at all to go out hacking .
we have a good set up no mud and it's easy to take care of them .
hoping to pick up going out again in the spring .

 

[SK123]

We have no arena to ride in - only fields and a lunging pen which is fine during spring summer but not when i hasnt stopped raining!!!! This time of year i usually take a bit of a break (if its miserable wetaher for you it will probably be miserable for your horse too!) On dry days i take her for a walk/trot out the road and up to the dryest field we have for 20 minutes....other then that a little lunging and groudwork where i can! I dont like doing too much at this time anyway because if they get sweaty its harder to dry them off in the cold.... As you say spring will be better

 

[catembi]

I have been trying so hard to keep mine going... We have permission for an arena but so much faffing with the council before we can start. Since the clocks changed I can’t ride after work. I have been doing lots of clinics and lessons but it’s getting expensive and isn’t enough to keep him sane. I can’t be bothered with going out in the lorry EVERY DAY for arena hire. So I am now giving up til I get my school ?

 

[HeyMich]

I have been off games for 4 weeks now, as I was in hospital having an operation mid-November. Horses have been languishing in the field and thoroughly enjoying it! I'm in two minds whether to bring my mare back into work soon, or just leave her till the spring - we have no arena either and the fields are all resembling bogs!

The only thing is that my son's PC pony needs to be kept ticking over, and we do enjoy hacking together, so my mare might just be a hacking companion for the next month or two. Or she might just have an extended holiday, and I'll get my bike out to keep my son company! We shall see...

.

 

[Foxychops]

My horse is in 24/7, his choice so I have to get him out everyday. Getting so fed up now. Confined to the school on weekdays and the weather recently has been to bad to hack at weekends. Could quite easily give up!!

 

[HEM]

I haven't hacked in... way longer than I dare to say!

I also got the go ahead from my instructor that I could start jumping again after a lot of time off due to an ankle injury and reconstruction surgery, I used to love jumping... I just can't find the motivation.. or balls at the moment

 

[huskydamage]

What about riding with a friend? that motivates me more. Lessons too, but I get it gets expensive esp near Xmas! I was doing short fast hacks in this weather more fun for me and my horse.
I can't ride at the moment as I've got an infection affecting my balance. Hope to get rid of it soon! Would love to be able to get on my girls and ride even in this dire weather. They are probably going loopy by now ready for when I can ride again! ? They have loads of turnout but no arena and fields too muddy for lunging.

 

[dogatemysalad]

This weather makes me more motivated to ride because the fields are so muddy that my horse wants to come in by lunchtime. Luckily, I live next door to the yard so it's easier for me to find a time when the weather is not at its worst.
Luckily, he's not a snowflake and he doesn't mind riding in bad weather. We have a good school if visibility makes hacking unsafe.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I’ve been fine up until today but there is no way I’m going out in this.

 

[teddypops]

Me. I’m struggling with this weather and losing my old pony on Tuesday has just about finished me off. My other ponies can have some time off, I’ve had enough!

 

[Lintel]

Honestly when I got my own place I decided, I'm going to enjoy my boys... If I don't feel like riding I don't ride, he is no worse off for it. They both have 24/7 turnout, the last few winters they have pretty much been left with the odd groom and ride.
I'm lucky they I can do this.
At the end of the day it's a hobby... Hobbies we should enjoy

 

[Tarragon]

Nobody can say that this time of year is inspirational for riding and there is nothing wrong with just taking the pressure off yourself and the horses and do the minimum. I think that clothes for riding in the wet and cold have improved so much that if I had to ride I would make sure that i was as warm and dry as possible. I used to have my ponies at a livery yard which had no winter turn out, other than an all weather play pen, the size of a large arena, in which the horses could be left for a few hours to play and mooch. I had to ride whatever the weather and managed it for the most (except for too foggy, too windy or too icy) and did find that once we were out it really wasn't that bad, especially if you ride with a friend as you are less likely to find an excuse. Now my ponies are field kept so I really only ride if I feel like it which is also fine.

 

[Frano]

Look after them well. If they have good turnout as the op has. Why not take time of from riding and schooling.Give yourself a holiday and don’t feel guilty about it. I am sure the horses will be quite happy. You will feel refreshed in the spring.

 

[Finlib]

The horses are at home loads of good foggage massive pole barn out 24/7
I am loving work g from the ground in the indoor arena (about half the size of a schhol) and I am building a bond with all 3 of them doing free schooling and in hand agility some clicker work so they are doing something.
we are miles from anyone so no one to ride with.
Hubbie rode his older Arab out with me but we lost the old Arab last year .
I have another 15hh Arab I was hoping he would take over the ride of but Hubbie is in his 70's and I need to make sure the Arab is safe for him he loved his old boy but had ridden him for 20 years so knew him well.
Will carry on with indoor ground work for now then think about walking out the Arab in the spring with hubbie bringing the dogs.to start with
As people have said the horses seem happy with their lives.
we are off for a couple of weeks in the Caribbean in January maybe I will come back in February raring to go after escaping the constant wind and rain.

 

[timbobs]

I'm the same as you- lost the motivation to ride in all this mud and rain and I'm away for 3.5 weeks over Christmas so giving horse an longer holiday.

Now I've had a couple of weeks off, I'm starting to miss it and I think I'll be feeling motivated to get back on when I'm back in the New Year!

The horses won't mind having a holiday and when you're ready to get back on, you'll be feeling refreshed and up for it, rather than it feeling like a chore.

 

[JFTDWS]

I was going to say yes, mine haven't been ridden in two days - yesterday I was busy fencing and moving fields, today I had one to take for vaccinations and it's foul. It's not appealing to ride in.

But realistically, I'll take a couple out tomorrow and we'll be back in business. They're not working as much as they would in summer, but there's a limit on how wet I want to get on a daily basis...

 

[Fransurrey]

Planned to ride this morning. Sleety and windy. Said nope. Not ideal, as we have a 17Km ride on Sunday and I was trying to keep him fit, but I'm not feeling great this week, so didn't need another excuse. Now I HAVE to go out tomorrow, whatever the weather. After this weekend there'll be no pressure to keep him going so if winter carries on as it started, I can just sulk. Regretting signing up for a Spring marathon, too.

 

[ElectricChampagne]

I'm massively struggling and I have an arena in the yard I'm on. Its cold, dark wet and windy. The arena is well drained but often has puddles in parts, its just not getting the time to recover. I have two to ride which isn't helping.
Legs are getting soaked and my tack is getting covered in mud when I do ride. Its actually really starting to get to me and I was thinking there was something wrong with me. I'm just not coping at all.

Kinda wish I put them out on grass and left it at that. I'm really not motivated at all to ride.

 

[Leo Walker]

Honestly when I got my own place I decided, I'm going to enjoy my boys... If I don't feel like riding I don't ride, he is no worse off for it. They both have 24/7 turnout, the last few winters they have pretty much been left with the odd groom and ride.
I'm lucky they I can do this.
At the end of the day it's a hobby... Hobbies we should enjoy

Yup this.

We've got an arena, its actually better when its wet as it can be deep when dry. I will drive in very light drizzle but anything more is a no go. Its just miserable for everyone. I'm managing 3 days a week without too much hassle though. I just pick my days and try to do a lunge session or 2 in between, I'm not stressing about it.

 

[Ouch05]

Forced myself on board last night but really enjoyed it. Very lucky to have an indoor school but worried about him getting school sour as that is literally all we can do. I will not ride on the main road to get to the bridle way and the other bridle way is deep mud so the best I can do is hack round the farm. Doing poles when every I can. I am still riding 4 times a week

 

[Follysmum]

I can’t ride anyway after accident but We have decided to leave them until feb time. Weather, lack of daylight and Hubby not having enough time after he has mucked out etc plus he has his own work

I’m not too bothered they are happy and I don’t think they care if they are ridden

 

[Finlib]

Yes having the indoor school is a godsend it's only half size but warm as dry .I am worried about getting school sour which is why I free school long line and do clicker and agiity. I do have an outdoor school but we seem to have had nothing but wind and horizontal rain for weeks and as they are naked I need a dry night to be able to have them dry enough to tack up i can free school and clicker or do agility with a damp horse.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Not ridden in 2 weeks got no motivation for it at the moment.

 

[Skib]

I rode this week but think I may give up till March.

 

[Red-1]

Mum is ill. Horse is turned away so I have time to deal with what I need to deal with. Sometimes I am ready sad about not riding. Days like today I am glad that I feel no guilt!!!

 

[chocolategirl]

Holding my nerve horses still unrugged .Our set up up is ideal for 24/7 out unrugged with open pole barn BUT I really am struggling to ride out it is constantly dull murky pelting with rain and blowing a hooley and I find although I love looking after the horses I really am struggling with riding .
we have a n indoor schooling area 25by 30 meters and I go in there And free school longline do some in hand agility a couple of times a week I do some ridden schooling about 15 /20 minutes but I have no desire at all to go out hacking .
we have a good set up no mud and it's easy to take care of them .
hoping to pick up going out again in the spring .

?‍ Me!

 

[ycbm]

Luckily, he's not a snowflake and he doesn't mind riding in bad weather. We have a good school if visibility makes hacking unsafe.

My horses arent the snowflakes, I am ?

I will nearly always wait for a better day. Been doing a LOT of waiting for seven months now ??☹

 

[ElectricChampagne]

I went to the yard this evening and was just about to get ready to tack up, when the heavens opened. I waited ten minutes and no let up.
So I gave them a quick groom, and went home.

I feel really guilty for not riding now but just couldn't get motivated in the weather.

In my defence, it's still raining nearly two hours later.

 

[Equi]

Yeah. Spud is freshly clipped and i don't think he would fancy doing anything in a windy rainy arena. I have a showerproof half sheet but i dont necessarily like being wet either and we are nervous of wet ground after nearly faceplanting the floor in a wet arena before.

 

[Carrottom]

Motivation going, going, gone.
Had a nice hack on the old boy on Saturday, came in lame this morning. I suspect an abscess, well it has been rather wet, farrier coming tomorrow.?