Can horses be ridden on snow?

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happihorse

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Probably just being a worry wort but can horses be ridden on snow without injuring themselves?

We have a rubber and sand arena at home and have had about 6 inches of snow.

I remember being told that horses feet will pack with snow and cause bruised soles - is this true?

Can they be turned out?

Help - I want to go an ride now!
 
I'm going riding in a minute so i'll tell you when i get back, lol. I'm only going in the fields and will only walk. I'll put oil on her soles to snow from balling in her feet. It doesn't stop people in countries where they have snow for 4/5 months of the year does it!!
 
I wouldnt - it balls up and compacts in their feet which makes them trip up more than anything, so not very safe if you are riding and they could also tweak something. Horses without shoes are normaly fine to turn out as the snow doesnt wedge in their feet as well. You can smear hooves with vasaline etc etc, but for the sake of a day I'd rather leave my horse in munching a haynet.

xx
 
Oh - in snowy countries they have special pads nailed between the shoe and the hoof that prevents the snow from balling - like polo horses etc. So if you have those you should be fine ...
 
Ahhh thats ok then my horse has leather pads on! Thanks for that
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We greased their feet & rode out without a problem. At the end of the day not much different to you turning them out. Good idea to carry a hoof pick with you. Great fun if you do venture out..
 
Maybe not when horse is shod, mine is barefoot so I find she is usually ok, I took her on the lunge today in the arena to stretch her legs only though as the ground around here has been so bad due to lots of rain I dont want her stumbling over big holes that are now coverd with snow more than anything and the roads were still icy and dangerous this morning so did not want to ride out either. If you have level ground and an unshod horse though I dont see a problem with it, can be great fun.
 
Years ago, when we had a yard full of hunters, all kept in, we rode in the snow. We even used to canter round the fields, was great fun.

The snow does ball up (we used engine grease) and fly out, so you have to be careful riding behind someone else.

TBH, I wouldn't do it unless I had to. We just had a yard full of fit hunters, and no turnout/school/walker in those days, so we didn't have a choice.

Think we're all a bit wimpy and precious now, myself included! Mine stayed in this morning and have just come back in after a couple of hours out! And I won't be riding them...
 
I've never thought twice about it - its great fun and the horses love it. Just stick vaseline on the souls of their feet and it comes flying out!

I used to jump in the menage and ride on roads in the snow and it didn't cause any damage. Just be sensible and watch out for compacted snow which is slippy.

If I could get my car down the road I would be out there now!
 
I'm back from a fantastic ride, went round all of our fields with the dogs, it was so much fun! And i know i said i was only going to walk but she was so on her toes we had a good few gallops. Wow it was so much fun. She didn't slip at all and she is shod.
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My lot are ridden out in the snow with no problems. We have snow for months every year and if we didn't ride in the snow then it would mean no exercise for 4 or 5 months of every year.

Most of mine are barefoot so no probs with them at all. The ones who are shod aren't a problem either to be honest. I don't know whether you can get PAM spray oil over there but this is supposed to be the best oil to use. I don't use anything to be honest.

Over here we have silly-cold temperatures and most people whose horses are shod have them shod with corks on the shoes. This seems to work to stop horses slipping. Pads are very rarely ever used on horses over here at any time of the year.

Most of mine live out 24/7 and they are all having an absolute blast in this snow!! It is soooo nice to see them all playing and having so much fun in it.
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Wouldn't mind turning them out in the snow but wouldn't ride. Tried a hack once in the snow on my welsh cob. He has very boxy little feet and the snow balled up in them really badly, after a few minutes he didn't feel very stable so I got off - it was like he was walking on white tennis balls. Didn't find vaseline helped but I might try oil.
 
Lard is actually better than vasaline.

Again yard full of hunters you can't leave them in for a week & then suddenly expect them to hunt a full day.
Always rode out in it. If roads not clear then just on the estate & go up the gallop fields a few times. Snow use to ball up abit but then pop out. So do watch if your behind someone! Also use to ride & lead up the gallops as well in it to save going out so many times! Never had a prob & it actually makes them work harder when a few inches are down! (back when we had proper winters with lots of snow)
 
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The vaseline never worked last year for me two but i lucky we have a covered horse walker which she went in with her pessoa on and just did walk and trot and a bit of canter

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In a horse walker??
 
Yes, you can ride! Yes of course horses can be turned out! Mine live out 24/7, including just now with loads of snow - some have shoes, some dont. The ones with shoes do fill up a bit with snow but actually they aren't on stilts like the used to be.... must be the type of snow we have nowadays! You can oil their hooves if you want, it helps a bit.

I rode in the snow yesterday in our field. Only in walk of course as it was slippy but its nice to ride on a quiet white day! I have cantered about in the snow before but it has to be the right sort of snow!!

People even race in the snow and do weird sports like a horse and rider pulls a person on skies across the snow and frozen lakes. Also play polo and SJ!

http://www.snowmotions.com/images/picsnew/arosa_horse_racing.jpg
http://www.columbiaskiclub.org/Photos/StMoritz2005/races09.JPG
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40772000/jpg/_40772037_picgallpoloap.jpg
 
If only my nutty neighbour could read this (or operate a PC tbh!) He went out last year at dusk, in the snow ON THE MAIN ROAD!!!! Ok it's a B road but it's busy and very fast in places and he doesn't wear a hat and hasn't even heard of hi-viz gear....he's a total FOOL!
 
The snow once balled up in my pony's feet many years ago, and it was just like stilts. More recently I went galloping in the snow and no such thing happened. I greased the old pony's feet and didn't grease on the more recent occasion. Can only think it was the wrong kind of snow!
 
I once saw showjumping in the snow on sky tv!! It was in America though!!!

Personally I wouldnt do it- apart from being slippery which wont inspire confidence in the horse- who wants to get that cold anyway!!!
 
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