Do you ride in the rain?

[CrazyMare]

Had a lesson last night, and the heavens absolutely opened.

My angelic boy just tried his hardest to knuckle down and keep going. A reflection of the fact I try and ride in all weather.

Video attached of the borderline biblical downpour

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[milliepops]

I generally do... lovely British weather means you'd lose a lot of days if you weren't prepared to get wet.
but now we have an indoor I don't have to any more

good pony, & poor instructor!

 

[Maesto's Girl]

Yep! Wind, rain, hail, snow....
Thunder and lightening is a no though

 

[J_sarahd]

I try to. I will definitely if it’s drizzling and then pours it down once I’m on. It’s a bit harder if I plan to ride and it’s already pouring it down! I always think that if I’m out competing and it starts raining, I can’t really use that as an excuse to withdraw. My pony doesn’t really like the rain, but it actually means he works better as he pushes from behind a lot more and doesn’t go round like a giraffe quite so much.

 

[Baywonder]

Yes, I used to ride in all weathers with my old boy. The only time I would not ride was in very high winds, if it was icy or had been snowing.

Well done for braving a very wet lesson!

 

[AFB]

I'm a bit of a fair weather rider

Drizzle is fine but I will tend to school on bad days (indoor)

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I am a fair weather rider unless I have a lesson or competing. I don't mind a drizzle and if it pours once I'm on I won't stop. But find it very hard to get on whilst it's pouring. I'm not bothered by wind though.

 

[SEL]

I used to - but I'm feeling my age these days and a lot less likely to!

I've seen Saturday's weather forecast (30mm) and already decided its a really, really good day to do inside stuff

Your poor instructor! I remember when a friend started teaching after finishing her BHS exams - new waterproofs were her present to herself that Xmas because we only had an outdoor and the drowned rat look wasn't great.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Yes, I'm not generally a fair weather rider - largely, as on a previous yard in bad weather turnout was limited so I got used to exercising in case they only had half day out. I've never had an indoor arena and my main instructor events and will ride/teach in anything so I don't stand a chance to wimp out.

If the rain is very heavy I stick to one of our shorter off road hacks to avoid poor visibility on roads or just school.

Now mine lives out 24/7 I'm hoping I can keep up the enthusiasm to ride in most weathers!

 

[Bernster]

Not if I have a choice! Not when it’s bucketing it down as horse and rider don’t enjoy it. My last few lessons have been in the rain though so I’m getting used to it. My previous yard, exactly the same lesson time, it hardly ever rained In the 5 plus years I was there. New yard, not that far away, it rains most of the time during my lesson. I must have angered the rain gods ?‍

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Only if I have to. It's meant to be fun and he doesn't need riding everyday. He's normally ridden 4 time a week and is turned out through the day.

I long lined in rain yesterday because he has a slight infection and needs walking to get the swelling down. He's fine with rain but we avoid windy conditions.

 

[Roxylola]

If I need to, so in winter with limited turn out I will, although I might hang on a bit or try and ride before the rain. In summer, and especially now hes rugged and clipped, if its forecast good the next day and I've nothing specific I'm doing I'll give it a miss. But tbh I live in the north west, if I didnt ride in the rain I'd almost never ride!

If I'm caught in it I'll crack on but theres no joy in it

 

[Equi]

I’ve ridden in a blizzard (got caught out and was nearly done anyway so it felt romantic) but I draw the line at torrential rain. My boy is old, creaky and does not at all enjoy the rain and neither do I. I don’t find any point in making him work when he’s clearly not enjoying it. But if he was enjoying it and still “trying” for me I would keep going - we have to be very careful of what the weather will be for lesson time cause once your arse is in the saddle you’re not allowed to retire ?

 

[JGC]

I ride in all weathers as wouldn't ride for months in winter otherwise, but I wouldn't go to ride if it was raining as heavily as in that video, OP. I would usually carry on if I was in the middle of a hack or a schooling session though until I got to a convenient stopping/turning back place. It's as much because I worry about getting them dry enough to put their rugs back on!

 

[dogatemysalad]

Yes and no. I ride in light rain and windy weather and will plough on if caught in a thunder storm on a hack, but would avoid schooling in torrential rain. My horse is willing and cooperative but I think he'd struggle to soften and relax whilst bracing himself against the elements.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Rain. Hail. Snow. 55mph winds. ✔

We've been stopped by ice once or twice but have usually managed to ride in a field if the yard has been traversable. Thick fog stops a hack. And if it got much windier than 55mph gusts I think we'd have to not. More because of potential flying objects than the horse.

Having an arena helps. We'll see what happens this winter, we might get thwarted by weather more often.

 

[tiahatti]

I dont mind getting wet but I used to hate not being able to see out of my glasses!

 

[Squeak]

I know my horses behave in all weathers and so know if I got caught out competing in the rain I'd be fine so I tend to dodge rain if I can. Neither of us enjoy it, it ploughs up the school and it's bad for the tack.

 

[j1ffy]

I do if I have to, and if it ends up torrential I don't mind! But if it's torrential when I am about to start I may decide to have a cuppa and see if it calms down a bit

 

[CrazyMare]

Interesting mix of responses!

To be fair to my boy and trainer, it was raining lightly when we started, gradually getting worse!

 

[GinaGeo]

I do. I expect them to compete in it. So I need to work them in it normally.

I got a message from my trainer yesterday asking if I wanted to cancel due to the rain. I knew the young horse may be a pleb in the rain, but that's only going to improve if he goes out in it. We went. We got wet. Young horse thought about downing tools, but didn't. He learnt a valuable lesson yesterday.

 

[humblepie]

Mine are both ex racehorses and I work on the basis that they have to go out or race whatever the weather so are used to it. Mind you was chatting to a yard one day after I had ridden our early in a blizzard and she said they'd kept theirs in the covered ride that day so that blew that theory out of the window! I will occasionally if have a lesson ask instructor if she still wants to or if she'd prefer to re-arrange.

 

[scats]

I’ve just started to learn to cope with drizzle, but no, I hate the rain. I’m more than happy to withdraw from a comp if the weathers bad!
In my defence, if I get wet and cold, my body temp plummets even lower than normal and I end up having a flare up that leaves me unwell for days or weeks. It’s not worth it.

 

[silv]

If it is drizzling i will ride and continue even if the heavens open, but will not start out in heavy rain. Will compete in heavy rain though after all I have paid my entry fee and travelled there, no indoor arenas/shows near here.

 

[Muddywellies]

A bit of wind and rain I will. But torrential like the video, nah. Just no fun for anyone.

 

[Equi]

This thread cursed me! It was gloriously sunny today, i had only a polo shirt on. As soon as i brought the saddle out it got a bit duller, but i thought it would just be a passing cloud. 5min into the ride the heavens opened and i got drenched. Thanks CM!

 

[Jackie12]

Depends on the horse. My boy hates the wind, will spook at anything! Won't usually ride when it's poring down. All good if it starts raining once I get on though.

 

[CrazyMare]

This thread cursed me! It was gloriously sunny today, i had only a polo shirt on. As soon as i brought the saddle out it got a bit duller, but i thought it would just be a passing cloud. 5min into the ride the heavens opened and i got drenched. Thanks CM!

Ooops! Sorry!

 

[Mule]

I've no choice but to ride in the rain, as I live in Ireland! I hate facing outside in a wet, gloomy winter day but once I'm on the horse it's fine. Although I will avoid it when I can't face it.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I ride in all weathers, too.

We have a covered manège for lessons, but it's a bit less than half the size of the outdoor arena so it can be a bit crowded if we're a big group.

The main reason for using the covered school is to spare the horses' tendons if the sand is too wet or if has got wet and then frozen.