Anyone given up for the Winter

Moya_999 said:
Nope to me when you own a horse(s) you comit to them full time through wind-rain-sleet-hail. I ride-care for them in what ever nature throws this way.
If too hard i go into indoor school - if raining I have water proofs the horses have water proofs. Hubby said you riding???? I say yes why? he says well its raining - I say AND!!!!!!
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I admire you, but just because people don't want to ride through the winter doesn't mean that they are not committed to their horses. I actually think a lot of horses do benefit from some down time and I know that some owners and riders definitely do. I work 8 till 5 weekdays and have nowhere to ride at home and am really struggling this year for motivation to ride but my horses are fully looked and I don't think they care. Riding is my hobby and it is meant to be fun not a chore, as soon as it becomes a chore I think it's time to stop for a bit and restart when remotivated and can fully enjoy your hobby.
 
avthechav said:
I admire you, but just because people don't want to ride through the winter doesn't mean that they are not committed to their horses. I actually think a lot of horses do benefit from some down time and I know that some owners and riders definitely do. I work 8 till 5 weekdays and have nowhere to ride at home and am really struggling this year for motivation to ride but my horses are fully looked and I don't think they care. Riding is my hobby and it is meant to be fun not a chore, as soon as it becomes a chore I think it's time to stop for a bit and restart when remotivated and can fully enjoy your hobby.
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Couldn't agree more - logistically I can't be in the same place as my horse for this month, but I know he is brilliantly looked after, and we'll both come back fresher and more ready to do something productive in the new year - its supposed to be fun! Although like you, I have nothing but respect for those who trudge through winter.
 
forelegs said:
Couldn't agree more - logistically I can't be in the same place as my horse for this month, but I know he is brilliantly looked after, and we'll both come back fresher and more ready to do something productive in the new year - its supposed to be fun! Although like you, I have nothing but respect for those who trudge through winter.
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I had a lot more motivation when I was at a livery yard with a floodlit outdoor school, a small but functional indoor and a lovely yard owner who got my horse in during the afternoons so he was waiting for me to ride to be fair :-)! I also know that I'm not going to be able to ride after a few months so I'm getting a bit "what's the point of scraping all the mud off to trudge down the village". Having said that I do love looking after them and I wouldn't go back to the livery yard long term- I enjoy the lack of yard politics :-). I think it's completely fine to ride or not ride, too many people forget that this riding thing is meant to be fun! Glad that I'm not the only one who thinks like this.
 
I would normally still be riding 4-5 Times a week weather permitting as we only have an outdoor arena. so normally do 2-3 nights after work in arena and weekends hacking out. However we've had a strangles breakout (luckily only 1 pony ended up affected) so we have been confined to the yard which hasn't got own hacking. To make matters worse the isolation block were sick pony is housed is where the lights for the arena are! so unless sick pony owner is about lateish which is not the norm, then the arena stays dark. Consequently riding has been limited to arena only at weekends (when arena not flooded or frozen) and the very occasional mid week one for the last 7 weeks. I never give up in the winter, never lose motivation and appreciate every day I get to ride my girly, so I've been gutted and really missed it and can't wait to get out hacking next week when we hopefully get the strangles ban lifted! :-)
 
No, not stopping feeling very very motivated at present even went showjumping today and won!
Thanks to a new Ariat wintercoat and ariat winter boots I am very happy in rain, mud, ice and wind :D
 
Not completely, I'm keeping my lot ticking over, only riding at weekends, I have no arena but loads of brilliant hacking off road, so icy conditions are'nt an issue, I'm lucky in that except for the baby cob, all of mine can spend months not being ridden, come in and behave themselves, I also have mine at home, so no-one to judge me
 
Enforced early lay off for ours as I have had an operation and can't do much at all,and daughter was struggling time wise and no arena,tondo them so they're now turned away.
My welsh cob has already turned feral and is being a total biatch. Daughter can't get near her! Her RID mare was only backed this year as a 5 year old so a few months off won't harm. And yearling is obviously in no wait anyway!
 
avthechav said:
I admire you, but just because people don't want to ride through the winter doesn't mean that they are not committed to their horses. I actually think a lot of horses do benefit from some down time and I know that some owners and riders definitely do. I work 8 till 5 weekdays and have nowhere to ride at home and am really struggling this year for motivation to ride but my horses are fully looked and I don't think they care. Riding is my hobby and it is meant to be fun not a chore, as soon as it becomes a chore I think it's time to stop for a bit and restart when remotivated and can fully enjoy your hobby.
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I agree, I'm OCD committed to my horses, to the point where sometimes I wonder if I should be committed myself. But taking a break with my boy has only ever done him good. Sometimes have had to have a few weeks off for one reason or another, not always weather or injury related - and I would worry what state he would be in when we got back to proper work, but what I find is that he is generally relaxed and enjoyed his time to be a horse.
 
I'm recovering from a fall resulting in broken bones so I'm not riding at the moment. Still got two horses in my care, one is my old cob mare who I don't ride anymore and have a friend who also looks after her and my new rescued Clyde mare who isn't backed. This is my first year in over 30 that I've had a break and not ridden over winter.

It's a strange feeling with some guilt thrown in but once I got over that way of thinking, I'm enjoying the rest to be honest. Plus not being physically well, I couldn't really offer to ride at the minute anyway. Still love being with them everyday though.
 
I hate to admit, but I seem to be finding every excuse under the sun not to ride.

I think if our school was usable, then I would. But it's too dark on the mornings so go out as early as I like to to avoid traffic. In summer, I'll happily go out at half 5/6, because it's light enough and no-ones around at that time.

Plus, on much days off I can't seem to drag myself out of bed before 9 atm!

:(

Ax
 
Only got my new lad in July so i'm working on getting to know him and building him up for some showing classes in the summer. He is currently ridden twice a week in the school and hack at weekends. He is only 4 so this is plenty. Not bringing my older lad back into work til the better weather in the spring!! New lad required lots of phsio when I got him and the physio said the worst thing I could do was to turn him away over winter, he needs regular gentle supplying exercises to do so whenever I feel like not riding that spurs me on. If weather is too bad we stick to pole work. Roll on spring!!
 
After 6 months of no riding due to horse having an injury and an op shoes are going back on Monday and I will need to start the walk exercise programme. It will be lovely to be back on but I've not missed it all that much either as so much else to fit in. I've got two weeks off over Xmas and hope to gat back into it and then will try to exercise at least 3 days a week weather permitting until it is lighter and warmer.
 
For me it is not the not weather but the darkness which makes things harder.

We have a fantastic floodlit school and full course of SJ so riding in the school is an option that is always available but if I want to hack out it is a choice between time in the field for my pony or hacking out as if I want to hack before it starts getting dusky I have to bring in at 2pm and by the time I have hacked out and come back the horses are all in for the night as they come in before it gets dark.

I can only hack at the weekends in the winter anyway as I don't finish work till 5pm and so it is a bit of a hard choice and I want him to have some hacking time but also to be able to spend as much time in the field as possible.
 
I'm really enjoying riding at the moment! The constant rain was awful but now it's got colder and crisper I'm very happy to ride-the school is floodlit and rubber so doesn't freeze. My pony had a lot of time off with lameness over September and October and seems to have come back refreshed from his break (so actually I think a holiday can be really good for them) so I'm cracking on with his winter training to prepare for dressage competitions next year.
 
One of mine is injured and the other is retired, so my time off is enforced - having said that I'm not bothered at all. In fact it's quite a relief!

I work with horses too, so my job, coupled with almost 40 winters of horse ownership makes it easy for me to pick the warm indoors option for the next few months!
 
Not given up, but definitely taken the foot off the gas. Hacking at weekends if weather is on our side, little bit of schooling if the ground is good (grass arena). Haven't ridden this weekend, but Camilla has been pampered & spoiled to within an inch of her life. She's 22 & loves just being left to her own devices. The Haffy is on walking duty due to coffin bone arthritis, so he's not bothered, & the Welsh X Arab couldn't give a stuff, as long as there's grass & hay, he's semi retired too. The only worry is the Arab, who has spent all day today running about like a nutter!
 
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Haven't ridden for three weeks and very tempted to keep it that way until the spring. Off for two weeks now over Christmas so I know if the weather is nice I will ride but I haven't even rugged him let alone clipped so riding will be very limited anyway.
 
New yard has an indoor, however the days when there are lessons in the indoor it always seems to be so much wetter and colder and would do me and horse no benefit to be riding in such horrible weather :D

Previously would have ridden in absolutely anything, however now I think I have the luxury of an indoor I have become a bit of a fair weather rider. Oops.

I'm also not fond of riding in the outdoor as horse is dark bay and if there were any oops moments where I am left sat on the floor I might not be able to find him again hehe
 
My horse has been off work with various injuries/illness/lameness over every spring/summer I've had her, so I've only really been able to do never ending rehab/long reining/walks around the block in the wind and rain since owning her. Over the past couple of months she seems to have turned a bit of a corner and is now fit and as sound as I've ever had her - physio and vet have ordered to keep working her so I am out there in all weathers sticking to our exercise plan desperately hoping that she can stay sound for spring so we might be able to go out and do something for our third year together...! I have never given myself a winter off (and don't think I ever will be able to with her), though with my late gelding it was extremely tempting as he wasn't one for getting cold or wet and the whole riding in winter thing was a very miserable experience with him - we spent many hours together stood in the middle of roads/fields/moors where he planted himself and refused to go any further in any direction!
 
I would love too…..but the thought of putting them back into work in the Spring is too scary a concept!!!

That is why I hunt, as it makes me keep them going, and weirdly my down time is in the spring and summer, as have no interest in competing anymore.
 
Gawd no, bonkers black pony has had a week off work due to lameness (and I'll be honest I enjoyed the lie ins instead of being up at 5 to ride in the cold!) but having trotted up sound at the vets and being told to get back on him, I can say that I wouldn't relish the idea of him having any more time off! After saddle went on yesterday and I lead him to the gate he reared full height, bounced around, bronced across the road and fizzed like a can of pop that had been shaken the whole way!

So provided he now stays sound I guess there will be no more lie ins and instead riding every day! ...oh for a nice chilled out plodder!
 
Red-1 said:
Yep, every year around this time we have a little break. I still tick over with a lunge a few times a week or he gets above himself, and maybe a hack out if I feel like it, but generally there is no pressure.

This year I have even taken his shoes off!
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Same here. Mine is without shoes anyway. I used to get so stressed trying to fit work, family and riding in. We have a lot of road work, and if it is really wet or icy I refuse to go out now. My off road riding around the farm has to wait for the spring as the going is just too wet. i have the choice of turning out everyday, so they can blow of steam if they wish. Boys don't seem to mind, and riding becomes a pleasure again rather than a rushed chore.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
lol, its a bit like that! they're on a big hill and 2/3 are young geldings, they will keep each other fit and chase the small fat one. I'll drag them in over xmas and do something with them if weather amenable.
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We have two youngsters that keep themselves fit up and down the hill too! I can see them from the house. They all come in if we deem weather to be bad enough but even so, they huddle up with the cows and I think the multicultural society does 'em good.... they are a bit intolerant towards deer though and I don't think that's right.
 
It wasnt the plan to give my mare any time off however she has had 10 days off due to lameness and fully sound now so back in ridden work tomoro
Thankfully. If I left her off for couple mths it would really set both of us back. I see the winter as fine tuning certain schooling things and starting the prep.for competing in the spring.. However everyone is different and certainly wouldn't frown upon someone chucking theirs out for the winter :)
 
I've got two, and in previous years I've struggled to get each horse out once, during the week, on their own, for just a hack. I did try riding one and leading one, but that doesn't really work with my two, which is a pity as it would've saved me a huge amount of time.

At this time of the year I really struggle - not just with the actual riding but also with the fact that there are only so many hours in the day and I just cannot do everything I'm supposed to do - and ride as well.

So for the past two weeks, I've turned them away in the week, I can keep an eye on them as I keep them at home, and ride out with a friend riding my other horse at the weekend. Much much easier, and far less hassle.
 
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