Heatwave time off...

[littleshetland]

I keep reading about people up and at 'em at 5.30am and riding at 6. Now, in spite of my best efforts, I just can't! It's hot at night so sleeping's a bit tricky, and the evenings are so lovely but Ive run out of energy by then so I find myself pottering about round the garden - it's just too nice to go to bed, so my horses have all found themselves with a few days off now. They're in at 8.00 and out again at 8pm....I think they're enjoying their holiday, but please tell me I'm not the only one not riding at the moment - I am feeling a bit guilty.....

 

[Alibear]

Ambers had the last two days off and will probably get the next two days off as well. She's been in full work all year, so a little break won't cause any issues.

 

[humblepie]

I’ve not yesterday or today. He has two long hacks over the weekend and there is thinking that two days off in a row are better from an ulcer management point of view.

 

[PoniesRock]

Mine are also having a mini holiday. I milk in the mornings, so by the time I’ve finished in the morning And get the girls in at 8:30 it’s sooo hot ? and I’m so wiped in the heat by the evening I’m not keen for riding! I figured that a week or so won’t do them any harm.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I wont ride today and I didnt ride yesterday, two days off wont hurt ?

 

[littleshetland]

I'm feeling a bit better.....keep 'em coming!

 

[Stenners]

Mine is definitely having a few days off!

 

[milliepops]

I had planned to ride yesterday am but OH brought a trailer load of hay over so had to stack that instead.

Planned to ride this morning but car wouldn't start so I had to wait for a lift ?‍

I find it easy to get up and out as it's too hot to sleep anyway, but circumstances have scuppered me this week ? horse won't mind.

 

[SEL]

Mine will end up with 3 days off because I've got tree surgeons at the yard tomorrow (my day off - was organised a long time before the heatwave)

My 5am starts are mainly for me to get the poo picking done before I melt!

In fact we've got MiL's birthday this weekend so it'll be a light week all round, but we're in need of saddle fits anyway.

 

[palo1]

None of ours have been ridden for several days now as hot weather and life have got in the way. One of the 3 I have in work will be sharp when he is ridden next but he won't lose his marbles or his fitness. The other two will be themselves; the mare will be typical Welsh lol - pretending that she is all hot and sharp and all but will settle down and the gelding probably wouldn't notice what happens in his life; he is ridiculously laid back. Daughter's horse will be fine too. I have not ridden daily for years as we tend to ride alternate days anyway. Fitness, learning and manners will not be lost for some time so no problems with no riding. I love early morning rides though so if I wanted to, that is what I would do!!

 

[SOS]

I’ve ridden the last two weeks, riding early if it’s hot (not ridiculously early - 7am!). But Monday and Tuesday this week are just too hot/I didn’t want to get up and ride for 5am.

Plus I aim to ride five days a week as getting my horse fit again. That still leaves me the rest of the week to fit that in.

 

[Fieldlife]

I keep reading about people up and at 'em at 5.30am and riding at 6. Now, in spite of my best efforts, I just can't! It's hot at night so sleeping's a bit tricky, and the evenings are so lovely but Ive run out of energy by then so I find myself pottering about round the garden - it's just too nice to go to bed, so my horses have all found themselves with a few days off now. They're in at 8.00 and out again at 8pm....I think they're enjoying their holiday, but please tell me I'm not the only one not riding at the moment - I am feeling a bit guilty.....

We competed saturday as a dry run for dressage area festivals. I had an inhand lesson on Sunday afternoon (indoors, in shade), I schooled 7am Monday, given tuesday off, will do groundwork / stretches wednesday, compete thursday.

I probably wouldnt have ridden monday, if I wasnt competing thursday, and wanting to tune up a few things after competing saturday.

Or I might have hacked early. But I get up just before 6am most mornings to ride before work, and sometimes leave in lorry for outings by 6 / 7am.

 

[Debsflo1]

Ours have had a good few days off.
decided to wait until the heat goes as ones a cob that struggles and my horse is a hairy irish.
clipped and cold hosing plus I haven't the energy

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

B has been working quite hard till the end of last week, so I'm not fussed about time out at present.
I hopped on about 5.30 yesterday morning for a short hack, not ridden since but hoping its cool enough for a short pootle tomorrow morning.
I dont have an arena, so as ground is now v v hard, all we are doing out hacking is walk and trot anyway.
However, RC camp this weekend will see me possibly being her advocate as I will not over do things.

 

[Birker2020]

I keep reading about people up and at 'em at 5.30am and riding at 6. Now, in spite of my best efforts, I just can't! It's hot at night so sleeping's a bit tricky, and the evenings are so lovely but Ive run out of energy by then so I find myself pottering about round the garden - it's just too nice to go to bed, so my horses have all found themselves with a few days off now. They're in at 8.00 and out again at 8pm....I think they're enjoying their holiday, but please tell me I'm not the only one not riding at the moment - I am feeling a bit guilty.....

I would easily. If I were able to ride I would ride early or late. I can't think of anything nicer.

I often go down to get my horse and my friends two in on a Saturday morning around 5.30am to save myself and my friend from having to pay staff to get in and because I adore that time of morning in the summer - ours is a big yard and to be on your own, even if its just for a few minutes is bliss. To see the dew on the grass and feel the excitement of the new day ahead. I love it. I'm always excited about what the day might bring, although most of the time its a big fat dissappointment

Mind you I'm up albeit sipping coffee and eating toast at 5.15am as we have a leisurely breakfast before work and watch TV. So that time isn't alien to me. But it means by about 8.30pm I'm ready for bed!

 

[chaps89]

Yesterday morning was still quite cool until 9ish, this morning it was already 27 degrees by 7.45am. So I’d have happily ridden yesterday morning but not this morning.
Ultimately a few days off is unlikely to hurt them!

 

[maya2008]

Last week I was ill and my NF mare had two days off in a row. By day 3, her crest was hard even though she hadn't put on weight (bare paddock). So ours had yesterday off, but we got up at 6am and rode today. Would have happily given them time off if I could!

 

[Tiddlypom]

There was a FB post up yesterday on a local village page of a young rider cantering her horse in full sun in a sand arena full of show jumps mid afternoon yesterday, when temps here were 34°C.

There were calls to 'name and shame' the rider which got quite a head of momentum before the admins pulled the post.

Didn't seem to be the wisest time to exercise a horse, but maybe the horse had come out of a cool stable and had been hosed off before being ridden and would be cooled off again after. I didn't join in with the comments, though, I tend to keep my head down on local FB.

 

[Petmurf]

Haven’t ridden since Saturday and certainly won’t be today, temps didn’t go below 26 here overnight so would have been too hot to ride first thing even if I could have got up early

 

[Hallo2012]

i rode at 9.45pm last night and it was lovely.

easy when they are at home, trickier on a yard.

will see how it feels by 9.30/10 tonight again.

 

[vmac66]

Mines had the last two days of, hopefully back to it tomorrow.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

All three have been sick notes recently so the older two had a short hack at the weekend but everyone is having yet more time off whilst its hot, just too much effort to be starting and stopping with work when they've all already had the last few weeks off...

 

[littleshetland]

i rode at 9.45pm last night and it was lovely.

easy when they are at home, trickier on a yard.

will see how it feels by 9.30/10 tonight again.

I bet! it was lovely and cool by then, but Ive completely run out of steam by that time!

 

[SO1]

I have not ridden for nearly a month mainly because far too hot for me I am LW when it comes to heat anything above 25C is too uncomfortable. Also pony doesn't like heat.

 

[southerncomfort]

I didn't ride yesterday or today.

I have neighbours so riding any earlier than 8am isn't really possible if I want to stay on good terms with them!

 

[exracehorse]

I keep reading about people up and at 'em at 5.30am and riding at 6. Now, in spite of my best efforts, I just can't! It's hot at night so sleeping's a bit tricky, and the evenings are so lovely but Ive run out of energy by then so I find myself pottering about round the garden - it's just too nice to go to bed, so my horses have all found themselves with a few days off now. They're in at 8.00 and out again at 8pm....I think they're enjoying their holiday, but please tell me I'm not the only one not riding at the moment - I am feeling a bit guilty.....

Nope. I ride every night in the summer. I was super grumpy last night. And feel tired this morning as my bedroom was like Tenko. I won’t ride until Thursday. When temp drops. We were the highest temp in the UK yesterday in Suffolk. 40 degrees. Feeling like 42. So stuff that to riding.

 

[Peglo]

I was tempted to ride early this morning as it’s forecast for a thunderstorm this evening (sorry, promise I’m not rubbing it in) but I didn’t bother. So hopefully get out before the rain after work. Today has been the warmest it’s been up here peaking at 22 degrees. I don’t know how your all coping doon there. Take care everyone.

 

[Squeak]

I'm still recovering from being ill and so riding in this heat or getting up early would finish me off.

Two days off wont hurt and they wont lose fitness. If I had a competition I particularly needed to prep for then I would but otherwise I think we're all happier not riding.

 

[Bernster]

Yeah mini holiday light hacking and not exercised these last 3 days. Hacked sat morning and it was actually quite pleasant. Back out again tmrw.

I feel like I’m in a mini lockdown !

 

[J&S]

I had both out on Saturday morning very early but not since then. The pony will go out with her other rider this evening I hope, I need to keep her exrecised for her weight, the old mare can just do as she feels like! I am spending so much time hospital visiting/planning for discharge of OH its difficult to keep the horses in the forefront, if they werent at home i would be seriously struggling.