Do you ride in the rain?

greenbean10

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Actually I don't mind the rain unless it is also very windy. If I had a lesson booked or had arranged to ride with a friend who was also happy to ride I'd go. I have one friend who won't ride in the rain but is OK if it starts once we are out, she's old like me!

Agree with this! Very rainy is fine, very windy is just about bearable. Both together is where I'll draw the line.

I dislike the wind a lot more than the rain!
 

Tihamandturkey

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In heavy rain no - hate getting my saddles sopping wet - light rain with no wind isn't a problem - live in Ireland too so needs must ?
 

FlyingCircus

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Wasnt even raining in the end!

I do tend to ride in rain as have 2 to keep fit but do question why I do it sometimes when I end up with wet knickers ?
 

scats

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No. I’ll carry on if we go out and it starts raining, but I have no desire to tack up and get soaked if I don’t have to. I’ll quite happily withdraw from competitions if it’s raining too. Fair weather and proud!
 
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mini_b

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If it’s winter and only chance I’ve got to go, yes.
Summer I’m a bit more hit and miss. Rode in rain today however.
like others have said, try keep it easy and breezy if it’s wazzing it down.
If it’s absolutely torrential, no.

Can anyone recommend a waterproof exercise sheet for a 7ft barge? ?
 

doodle

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Generally no. I ride for fun and basically don’t compete or have lessons.

Maybe it was the years of having to ride in all weathers that has put me off!
 

Gloi

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I used to but I'm getting a bit soft these days. Summer rain I don't mind that much so long as I'm dressed for it.
 

RHM

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If I didn’t ride in the rain I wouldn’t ride at all, joys of Yorkshire! Pretty much the only weather I don’t ride in is ice/snow or hurricane wind!
 

crazyandme

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Currently without a horse, so I actively only try and ride when it isn't raining
When I was back in the UK last year with a horse, I would try to avoid the rain as much as possible (easily 20 min of roadwork to get to good hacking which is never fun in the rain). But if it started raining whilst I was out, I would just keep going. Hate starting out in the rain though!
 

Jango

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I live in Manchester, it rains all the time here so I just get on with it ? Much prefer schooling in the rain to hacking, schooling I'm concentrating so don't think about the rain so much. Full on storms I don't ride, but would still lunge in the winter.
 
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SEL

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The Appy is a fair weather horse and has made her opinions on working in the rain very clear in the past. She hates rain in her face.
 

PSD

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I live in Manchester, it rains all the time here so I just get on with it ? Much prefer schooling in the rain to hacking, schooling I'm concentrating so don't think about the rain so much. Full on storms I don't ride, but would still lunge in the winter.

good old sunny Manchester eh ? we rarely get dry days. I don’t mind if it’s not hammering down but I avoid it if I can....that goes for riding altogether nowadays though. Thankfully I have a youngster so can’t ride yet ?
 

Keith_Beef

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Yes, if it starts raining on the day of my lesson or on the day of a longer ride. If the rain was really, really heavy, then I think the school might cancel the lesson, and if there was a danger of thunder and lightening then I really hope that it would.

But in general cold or wet weather doesn't bother me anything like as much as really high temperatures. Over 22°C is hot for me (though I find that as I get older I tolerate heat more easily), but I've ridden at 35°C without too much trouble, we just try to stay in the shade and find cooler places in the forest.

But if the weather forecast says there is a really high probability of heavy rain, I'll cancel in advance and make it up another time (the school allows us to do this six times through the year, and if I call up the girl in the office, she can reset that counter for me).
 

sherry90

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If there is an absolute downpour as I am tacking up then no - we have an indoor so I just change my plans for the week if the weather is set to improve another day.
However, I don’t like to school him everyday so if I’ve already done my ‘quota’ that week in the school or it’s given rain all week and it’s a choice between schooling again or a hack in the rain then I will pick the rain!
 

Griffin

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If it's a lesson or competition, I will ride in the rain. If it's light rain, I will still ride on my own but I draw the line at downpours or hail!
 

Cortez

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If I have to yes, and the horses know they have to as well, but if I don't, then no. The horses hate it, especially if it's blowing in their faces, and wet tack makes me depressed....
 

PoniesRock

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I ride in the rain in the winter. Mine are stabled most of the time in the winter so they need exercise. But have to confess this time of year if it’s pouring then I tend to let them have the day off!
 

Pippity

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Not usually. I won't turn round if it starts raining while I'm out, but I won't set out while it's raining. (Spitting/drizzle doesn't count.) If I've got a lesson or something booked, I'll ride in pretty much anything, but if I'm just schooling at home it's the same as for hacking.

I was a lot more willing to ride in horrible weather when I had a synthetic saddle, but I'm back in a leather one so being more careful!
 

ponies4ever

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I do. If its pouring down the the point I can't see my horses have a tendency to simply take themselves to the exit of the arena and I just don't stop them!
 

BSL2

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Its not the rain that bothers me. Its the road conditions/visability and deep slippery off road riding that is the alternative in our area. If I lived near off road sandy tracks, I wouldn't care about getting wet.
 

McFluff

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Turns out that an indoor school turns me and my pony into princesses. That plus lovely leather saddle means we bailed when a storm started while riding last week. Rain being hurled at 60mph sideways is not fun. Pony never been so relieved to go into the school.
Did ride out in today’s fog/ drizzle though.
 

Skib

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RS riders book a lesson or hack and then ride regardless of the weather. I rode twice a week for 16 years, rain or shine. I am now on a yard where the horses dont go out if there is a stormy wind - but our solo rides are longer and slower so I bought some long waterproof chaps at Olympia. Due to Covoid virus I havent worn them yet.
 
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