Fair Weather Riders

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Kate260881

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Bit of a pointless post really but just wondering how many fair weather riders there are out there? Last night I was in the school and some other girls made this big deal about what time I'd be finished as they wanted to use the school at a very specific time. So made sure I was finished and jumps put away for them about 5 minutes before they wanted in. It had been raining all evening and at this point go a bit heavier, so the girls decided not to ride! I think its more to do with their hair as certainly one of them never rides in a hat purely because it will squash her hair.

I'd have been slight peeved if I wasn't silently laughing at them.

Unless its torrential I don't have any problem getting a bit wet, especially in the summer.
 
As I have access only to a grass field, which gets slippery, or on road hacking I'm not that keen to ride in the rain when I am less likely to be visible to drivers.

If it's only a light shower I'll go out, heavy rain though is a no no.
 
I Live in Scotland, If we didnt ride in the rain, we wouldnt ride at all. I ignore it and just get on with it and Jake has a waterproof exercise sheet.
 
if it's drizzle I will ride, but heavy rain I won't bother, especially in the winter. George is ok if he doesn't get ridden for a few days and I know we would both just be miserable.
 
I don't get chance to ride every day(too busy looking after everyone elses horses) but when I do no matter what it always seems to rain no matter how good the weather has been previously!!!!!!!Billy being a big ex pointer likes to prove how hard he is by not letting the weather get to him!
 
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Depends entirely on my mood!

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me too... as a happy hacker my horse doesn't have to be exceptionally fit. He lives out so there are no boredom issues either so I don't see any point in riding unless I really want to and riding in the rain just doesn't really do it for me
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I did enough of that when I was a groom..
 
In Summer I'm sort of a fair weather rider, if it's a bit miserable out there I won't!

But in the Winter he's stabled full time so I ride every day, sometimes twice a day no matter what! If it's a complete blizzard/raging storm/torrential rain then I may make an exception.

(Regarding OP though I would be peeved if I were you!)
 
I draw the line at thunder as I am really worried we'll get struck and hacking out on frost/ice (our hacking is roads only and they get very slippery with frost/ice) - anything else you just have to ride otherwise the horses would never get ridden!
 
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I Live in Scotland, If we didnt ride in the rain, we wouldnt ride at all. I ignore it and just get on with it and Jake has a waterproof exercise sheet.

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I live in Scotland too where it feels like it has been raining non stop for the past month!!

We have an indoor and outdoor school and unless it is absolutely bucketing down I'll use the outdoor - my boy always seems more awake in the wind and rain anyway!
 
I don't consider myself a 'fairweather' rider, but it does depend entirely on my mood.

We went out yesterday when it was wet as I fancied a ride....however I don't think I can be bothered today, I'm just having a day where everything seems such an effort, so I probably won't.

I don't ride weather dependant, but I do ride for ME. It's such a small part of ownership for me, I ride for my own enjoyment as and when I feel like it, normally averaging 3 times a week, and she's certainly not climbing the walls if she's not ridden.

If I didn't have turnout for whatever reason and she had to spend some time in then obviously I'd make an effort and get my arse into gear, as it wouldn't be fair to her, but then saying that I'd probably spend half of the time taking her for walks....I just enjoy being with her, not neccessarily riding, as long as she's happy and healthy then that's all that matters to me. I'm not particularly riding oriented, I just see it as a bonus of owning her.
 
Part of me doesn't really like riding in the rain but I wrap up in my coat and chaps and get on with it. However I only have a field and hacking to exercise my horses and because my TB can have a moment or two hacking I don't tend to risk it in the rain (despite being covered up to the eye balls in high viz) unless it is just a light drizzle. If the field is fairly dry and it starts to rain he will get exercised.

My pony is hacked out in all weathers, doesn't bother him so he gets taken out.

Whilst I am at uni we have an indoor and outdoor and despite the weather I will sometimes go outside because it is empty as everyone is inside.
 
Moved mine to a yard with an indoor school as riding in the rain resulted in him putting head bteween knees and broncing. I didn't throw in the towel immediately, I persevered for 3 years but it just wasn't fun anymore, especially in rainy lancashire. Much happier now!
 
I always ride whatever the weather! But it's mainly because I have so many to fit in I just have to get on with, I really do hate getting wet though!
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I'm of the opinion that I turn my horse out in all weather so why shouldn't I ride in it? My horse needs to be worked turned out or not, so torrential rain, thunderstorm, blizzard, you name it I ride in it!!
 
Don't have a school so don't ride if its very rainy as I don't like all the spray coming back off cars, lorries and buses on the road and it feels a bit unsafe (oh and it's not much fun!!).
Horse goes out in field every day whatever the weather (24/7 in summer) so he couldn't care less wether he gets ridden or not (but would prefer not to if its raining!)
So yes, I am a sef confessed 'fair weather rider'!!
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Sometimes I really can't be bothered in bad weather, I went otu a few times over the alst couple fo weeks and got soaked and the winde was blowing the rain across which wasn't helpful!

I reckon if it's not enjoyable for me or my horse why am I doing it? I don't have a school so can't just pop into it for a short while to do some 'work' so hacking out in sh*tty weather doesn't benefit anybody, just makes me wet, cold and miserable.
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Does depend on mood as well i think and how often I've ridden that week (in the summer). Have not ridden for 2 days now so have to go out tonight really as my horse is supposed to be being kept fit to do some events so I'll take him for a bit of a run tonight come rain or shine!
 
We ride in everything unless it's extreme. Just don't have the option of being choosy if we want to get enough riding in. The ponies don't mind and we've got the right equipment to stop it being too bad. Still, freezing rain in January is a bit of a deterrent. Keeping the kids hands and feet warm in Winter is a problem so we have good gloves, loads of gel handwarmers, thermal socks and boots.

Ponies don't mind, except one who will go out in anything unless there's wind driven rain.
 
Also another point is that I like the horses I ride to be used to having to knuckle down and work in any condition, that way if we get out to do a dressage test and it's alshing down with rain or windy as hell it's not a huge drama for them. All my gee gees happily work through the wind and rain.
 
I'll ride in any weather (although granted when its very hot, which isn't often, I will try and get out very early or late in the evening) - there is nothing wrong with a long coat and an sheet on them! Plus they need to lean about working in all weather.

In the winter I can only really hack out at weekends, so after schooling/lunging/jumping all week I dont think they care what weather is doing, its far more fun!
 
TBH I don't mind what the weather is, I'll ride whatever, you can always dry out!

I also think it's very important to ride in all weathers because if you go to a competition and it's been a bit rainy or it's thundering a little, you/your horse will be ok and more able to cope with it than if you only rode on 'nice' days. What I mean is that, it won't pose any problem and you won't be fazed by it as someone else may be.

Am I making any sense?!
 
QR - don't ride if it's icy, don't see point in risking injury for sake of hour or so hack!
I don't mind any other weather - although obviously if he's been rained on all day & is wet through I don't ride.
I wouldn't deliberately go out in a thunder storm either - it's a bit hairy when you get caught out in one!!!!!!!!!!!
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I ride when it's hot but if it's boiling it'll be a steady hack rather than fast work or schooling - I do try to wait til it's cooled down though if I can.
 
I don't mind riding in rain, so long as I can get dressed up for it and make up my mind to go. I don't like schooling in the rain much, although I have done so, as I only have field to ride in and the grass can get slippy.

I don't like going out in high winds as it is the one thing that upsets my horse, and I worry about getting a branch on my head.
Nor would I go out in mist/fog (unless I can see the pear tree in the field!!). I nearly ran into the back of a horse once in fog - no high viz. Luckily I was going slowly. I guess she could see OK as they were only walking, but for a car going at around 30 mph I was on top of them before I saw them.
 
Depends on my mood and whether the horse needs riding. Don't have a school, so is also ground dependant.
Wouldn't make us both wet and miserable for no reason. And if it's raining, the chances are I've been working in it all day and deserate to dry off, not go out and soaked even more
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I dont mind riding in the rain so long as it is dry when I set out. Driving snow and sleet I dont like though.
 
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