Are you a fair weather rider?

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 March 2010
Messages
14,073
Visit site
Or will you go out whatever? I'm just having a debate with myself as it's forecast heavy rain and gusts this afternoon (why whenever I want to ride ATM does the weather go awful :() we are planning on doing a new route that is on a quiet ish farm track so less traffic but the way our two are behaving ATM plus high winds I'm not sure it's going to a sensible idea.

Don't know if anyone elses are MAD at present but ours are being a nightmare!!
 
Mines a nut too, its driving me mad :(

I'm largely a fair weather rider - but have hacked in grey, horizontal rain before on a number of times!

The weather doesnt really bother me, but if I dont think I can achieve anything but a battle with the ned because of it I wont bother :)
 
I rode yesterday in the strong winds, at one point riding along a high ridge I could feel the wind nearly pushing me sideways off my horse!

He was fairly well behaved although we didn't canter as it might have turned into a mad gallop. Just kept it to a steady trot.
 
After years of riding in all weathers, I'm getting too old now and really can't be bothered. I am proud to say I am a solar powered rider, when the sun is out, then I am out :D
 
I think it depends on how you feel. If you don't fancy rain and winds then don't go. I don't go out in VERY windy conditions as horses will be more bonkers than usual! Rain is ok, but again, it's a personal thing. My thing with rain is getting the horse dry again, as he doesn't like being in on his own. All comes down to time!
A lot of horses are fresh at the moment, mine included. Hpe you have a super ride, if you go.
 
I've given up riding between November and Feb/March, so you could say I am a fair weather rider! I see no point, struggling with lack of light, bad weather and family commitments during this time. The horse is happy as larry out in the field. I shall look forward to returing to the saddle though. Come on Spring Sunshine.....
 
I only ride in very good weather in the winter as i dont want to faff with getting them dry. The may only get ridden occasionally then from dec to beginning of march

In the summer etc once rugs have come off i am happy to ride in almost anything except rain any heavier than a drizzle.
 
'Fraid I am! Nothing I hate more than a soggy bottom! Never a good idea going out if very windy (I think that might be something to do with my current 'problem'!) and driving rain is no fun for horse or rider. There are ladies at my yard that will go out in any weather - all covered in top to toe waterproofs - but not my idea of fun! I like the idea of being 'solar powered' - that's me too, for sure! ;)

I did have some BRILLIANT waterproof jods from Robinsons, but they stopped doing them and I needed a different size :( . All those I found elsewhere were far too expensive. But have just bought some others from Premier Equine (£24.99) - yay! Not had chance to try them out yet with Hugo's 'issues'!
 
I don't mind the winds but the rain makes my Ra really bad so I tend to ride indoors then.
Although I will have to attempt it sometime soon just to teach Micah he still has to do what mom says not run and turn his bum to the rain :D Otherwise come the RC show season I might have a problem
 
My boy is being really good and he's on conditioning feed! He's really calm though, he got really funny recently after being cooped up, but now he's out in the field everyday he's settled at his new yard.
The only weather I'm a bit funny about riding in is rain as I don't want my sheepskin half pad wet, hehehe!
 
Nope, I can't be! Working full time through the week means I don't see daylight so can't ride. Means I have to ride at the weekend whatever the weather! Luckily my boy's usually well behaved!
 
We don't have a school so as long as it's not dangerous, then yup, off we go!
There was one year we got caught in a snow bizzard! really heavy rain or very strong winds are probably about our only exceptions. Obviously when ice on ground as well. :)

OP - you must have read my mind as I was going to post a similar thread!
 
Will hack out in even heavy rain no problem as I have waterproof chaps and a long coat which covers the saddle. Wind I'm a bit more wary of and I try to judge how strong it is once on the yard as our bridleway has some very wobbly looking trees and shrubs! Have been out today but not too bad here, just very blustery in places. If I've got it wrong and seems too windy I will turn for home as not worth endless rubbish hurtling towards you down the road and causing spooking. Friend and I once met a discarded newspaper just as all the pages separated in a gust of wind and it came flying as individual pages towards us in the air and along the ground. That was fun. Won't ride in snow or ice.
 
i make no apologies whatsoever for being a fair weather rider. I spent my youth riding and exercising hunters all winter for more privelaged people than myself.
I have waited 30 years and aquired my ginger horse ... he has had the shoes off since november and other than the fact that he will be very put out to discover he has not retired around about march time we have no issues.
I just know there are other people out there who would love to only ride out if they felt like it!!!!
 
If i had a 100% quiet at all times horse then heavy rain, strong winds etc wouldnt bother me.
The problem is that as well behaved as my boy is right now i think riding him out alone in bad weather would be pushing my luck (he's only recently accepted its ok to hack alone and stay cool!)
I dont want to scare him and put us right back where we were so i am a fair weather rider- unless some other nutter is willing to ride with me!
 
Am definitely a fair weather rider and don't mind admitting it. Too many years of hunting as a kid in all weathers, any whiff of rain and I don't ride, horse hates it, leather saddle gets wet, nightmare to dry off (can't wear a quarter sheet on him as he freaks out with rustlly things - need I go on? Am more than happy to ride in the wind now that I have moved in country, still have nightmares of hanging around my horses neck to save myself been blown off by the wind when we used to live on the moor. :eek:
 
Having lost a good portion of my first year with my first horse due to lameness and weather, I now ride in pretty much anything. I do however tailor the ride to suit the conditions :). If the wind is due to be up, then it would depend on the horse's likely response as to where we went and for how long :).
 
Unless it's stormy or icy enough to be slippery then I'll ride. I find that once I'm on board and in the zone I tune out the weather. I was schooling on Thursday and didn't even notice it was raining until I started walking off.

Maybe because I share and only have three days out of seven I'm more inclined to just get on and go whatever the weather. When my horse was in work and I rode six days a week I was more inclined to give him an extra day off if the weather was very bad.
 
I ride in all weather... I actually hate riding in the summer because of the dratted flies!!

My ideal riding conditions would be cold and dry.
 
Been there done that....don't do it anymore! I used to take all the rides at a riding stables day after day 24/7. I used to end up with chilblains on my thighs of all places! Boy did they itch... I don't mind wind as hacked yesterday but definately not the wet stuff!
 
I rode out in the driving rain and heavy wind today! I didn't mean too, I got caught out and there was no way I was ending my ride early!

I don't normally go out if it's doing that before I've left though
 
Some of my best rides in the rain, less riff raff walking their kids dogs bikes etc, who only come out when it's fine weather from under their little rocks, then look at you gone out because WOW a horse on the "BRIDLEWAY", with kids shouting HORSEY HORSEY HORSEY........
yea sometimes better off riding in the rain ;)
 
Pedantic said:
Some of my best rides in the rain, less riff raff walking their kids dogs bikes etc, who only come out when it's fine weather from under their little rocks, then look at you gone out because WOW a horse on the "BRIDLEWAY", with kids shouting HORSEY HORSEY HORSEY........
yea sometimes better off riding in the rain ;)
Click to expand...

Haha, this is very true!
Yesterday morning I managed to get out between rain showers. My hack was only about 6 miles but I saw 2/3 cars and no-one walking, cycling etc. Bliss!
 
I actually quite like riding in the rain and the wind, but my horse hates rain, absolutely goes to pieces in it, so never go out when it's wet.

Have been out this morning though in a blustery wind, and he was a super-star:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top