Frozen arena... what to do?!

S

SacramentaZ

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 May 2009
Messages
65
Visit site
I was planning a BRC dressage entry for the end of Jan, but after 3 weeks of a completely frozen ice rink style arena, I’m wondering whether to pull out. We only have three weeks left to train, and according to the met office the temps aren’t going to go above -1 for the next 7 days... which even if it warms up afterwards I’ll still only have 2 weeks to train, with quite an unfit horse too! Anybody else in this dilemma? Am I being really girly not wanting to ride in a frozen arena (I know others at my yard have been)? I just don't think it's safe for my mare! I really am stumped
frown.gif
 
could you hire out a local indoor arena a couple of times? and then do some simple schooling out on a hack around (non icy) roads or something? leg yielding, shoulder in, extending and collecting trot??

just an idea?
confused.gif
xx
 
mine is the same, frozen solid
frown.gif


Have just given in and given mine a holiday, seemed pointless to try and keep them working with the weather as it is here, roads are lethal and there is no way I would work mine in the arena as it is...

Just going to have to delay my season a bit if it carries on much longer as horse just wont be fit enough!
 
[ QUOTE ]
mine is the same, frozen solid
frown.gif


Have just given in and given mine a holiday, seemed pointless to try and keep them working with the weather as it is here, roads are lethal and there is no way I would work mine in the arena as it is...

Just going to have to delay my season a bit if it carries on much longer as horse just wont be fit enough!

[/ QUOTE ]

Same boat here and totally agree - major pain but nowt to be done
frown.gif
Can't box to another school as lane is too lethal to drive lorry on
frown.gif
 
Hi guys, we have a sand and rubber school but the drainage isn't very good (floods regularly at one end if we have more than a few horus of rain!) so I think that there is an awful lot of ice mixed in with the sand. I'll mention to the YO about salt, see what he thinks. It's definitely worth a try if I can get him to agree.

Only thing about hacking is that I can only hack sat/sunday as I work full time so my riding time is either early morning or from 6.30pm onwards. Not sure we have good enough street lights either... 2 I think!!!!
frown.gif


I think that other people at my yard would just say I'm being silly, as they are still riding in the frozen arena. Am I perhaps just being soft? It's like concrete underfoot, and is all uneaven from footprints before it froze, is too hard to harrow and has a white frosting layer on the top!
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
mine is the same, frozen solid
frown.gif


Have just given in and given mine a holiday, seemed pointless to try and keep them working with the weather as it is here, roads are lethal and there is no way I would work mine in the arena as it is...

Just going to have to delay my season a bit if it carries on much longer as horse just wont be fit enough!

[/ QUOTE ]

Same boat here and totally agree - major pain but nowt to be done
frown.gif
Can't box to another school as lane is too lethal to drive lorry on
frown.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Think my poor little lorry is hibernating, not sure it will wake up again at this rate!!
 
snap!! I rather thankfully took his shoes off 2 weeks ago as had a feeling the snow wasn't going to melt in a hurry! He was very fit at that point but my 4 days of lessons at the beginning of february aren't looking very sensible!

Re original post, depends on your horse, one of mine has been off 8 months but i could get on him tomorrow and win a dressage test, otherone would likely cause mayhem and destruction were i to try! If the entries aren't that much enter, if not just wait and see and try for a late entry! If the weather is that bad they will cancel anyway and you would get your entry back!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Think my poor little lorry is hibernating, not sure it will wake up again at this rate!!

[/ QUOTE ]

I keep waking mine up and making it move around its little brown island (properly surrounded by snow!) The annoying thing is it could be at the coachbuilders getting the steps fixed but i can't get the flamin thing out to take it!!!
 
Do not risk the arena if it is unlevel, some may get away with it but just not worth it. Box up and hire an indoor we are doing this a couple of times a week. We go down our lane at about 2 miles an hour for quarter of a mile but then the main roads are ok near us.
If you can't do that then just drop all hard feed and rest them
 
am in a simialr boat OP. it defrosted a bit last week so the track was nice and springy but the rest rock hard so i did two days of walk/lateral work in walk whilst everyone else was bombing round in canter
crazy.gif
but now its got more snow on it with more forcast...if the lane clears a bit i'll box up to my trainers to use her indoor but til that happens they can just have a holiday- i have plans for the season and they are flexible so if i have to wait i have to wait. i'm turning out in the field- not ideal because its hard underneath the snow, but probably better to have them pottering around sensibly for a few hours everyday than leaping around the yard coz they are stir crazy???
crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
what surface have you got? a friend has sand and clopf stuff, and was advised to add road salt to hers to help it thaw out, and it worked. no idea whether it would work with all surfaces though.

[/ QUOTE ]

dont know if this is a load of rubbish - BUT my yard owner said he doesnt like to mix in salt with surfaces because the salt makes the ice thaw...but then it goes all slushy and nasty with the surface...and then when you ride in it...the salt opens the pores in your horses legs and allows all the crap to get in...aka mud fever.

just a thought xx
 
I've just stuffed ours in the barn with half a tonne of hay and left them to it. And I've taken up quilting instead. I jest not.
 
Technically, rubber surfaces *shouldn't* freeze but if there is enough moisture in then they will. Anyway, it's just the top that's rubber and it's not much good to you if the base freezes solid.

Re adding salt, it really is bad for horses' skin and it degrades many types of footing. One person I know was told she would void the warranty on her surface if she added salt. In Canada we add calcium but anyone I've asked about here looks at me like I'm mad. Anyway, it's not the best option for an outdoor school, it is still somewhat hard on horses' skin, and it's not just a case of sprinkling a bit around and you're good to go, it takes proper harrowing and is best done before the surface freezes and/or when it can be watered in. Oil is another option but again, needs to be planned ahead and it's very controlled re the environment in Canada now so most likely not even and option here.

Be very careful riding on ground that's frozen through (it's not really been cold enough for long enough here to do that but there may be some areas where it's happened.). It's basically like riding on rocks and you can get some serious bruising, even a coffin bone fracture if you're unlucky. Turnout areas are usually a bit safer as they have a grass cushion but the grass usually makes it too slippery to school on . . .

I think a lot of people have just shrugged their shoulders. Yes, it's very frustrating and if you're doing it professionally, a real economic blow. But you can't help the weather and it's not worth a huge risk just to relieve boredom.
 
Hi H,

Forget about the road salt idea I mentioned the other day on FB, we did that with ours and it worked a treat, but now the moisture has gotten into the surface and it is proper rock hard, and with the weather it doesnt look like thawing.........

Also, several of the mines with clipped legs have developed some sort of rash type thingy, which I am assuming is a result of the grit??

We are managing to get out to the local indoor schools with a couple of the dealers and the comp ones that matter, everything else has had food well and truly reduced and rested.
 
I am in the same boat as well, i was supposed to be going to a 3 day BSJA show last wkend of January, but i havent ridden out of walk since the 20th December. The roads are lethal so i cant even box him anywhere and to make matters worse the forcast is frost for the next week! Arrrahhhh....
 
Weve only been able to ride on ours between about 12.00 and 3pm so weekends only now as back to work - roads and tracks out of yard are pretty icy too. Don't think it will even thaw at all this weekend as temps are due to plummet - Oh Joy!
frown.gif
 
frown.gif


Getting more and more miserable each time I look at the weather forecast! I totally feel your pain guys, I was so excited about my first BD of 2010 this weekend... and my BRC team entry in a couple of weeks.
frown.gif


Roll on Spring...

Cheers for the info Ben... the pony does have clipped legs at the moment too so I guess this really isn't something to encourage the YO to do. You know how sensitive she is!!!!!

I guess we're all saving money in hard feed though?!
wink.gif


H x
 
In the same boat here too.
Arena covered in snow/frozen. Lorry can't move as track too icy/snowy - poor thing is going to groan when it next gets started.

The other day i larded up horses feet and just walked in snow covered arena (arena surface is level). Also managed to get on the odd hack, which i have used as a schooling session too, incoportating trotting and lateral work. Not much more you can do i'm afraid but alot of people are in the same boat. I haven't any comps planned thankfully though. Horses are well rounded at the minute and very lively due to lack of "proper" work
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top