how cold is too cold to ride?

H

handbagsandhay

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 April 2017
Messages
86
Visit site
I am definitely not a fair weather type. I'll go out in any weathe rto walk the dog or ride and have been riding 3 times a week over winter. However last night was the coldest it's been here and I was speaking to another girl on the yard and the conversation got to riding when it is really cold and how it can be bad on the horses lungs/breathing - much like if we exercise in the really cold breathing in that cold air. So how bad do you think it has to get to not ride?

As I have only been exercising this horse for a short time and we are getting over some teething problems and making progress I don't want to be skipping riding/in hand exercises too ften. Last night as it was so cold we literally done ten minutes walking in the school - figured short and nothing fast paced would be enough to keep him in the habit of me getting him tacked up and going into the school (where we have just overcome spooking problems that I want to keep on top off) was better than nothing. I am likely to just do the same again tonight.

When is "too cold" for you and your horse?
 
I worked in the states for a bit in -18 early am temps warming up to -10 if we were lucky. We always rode in it both in the indoor and hacking and were perfectly fine. The horses were imported Irish horses so not 'hardened' to the cold weather particularly.

I have however not ridden today as the lanes around me are icey and dangerous and I don't have access to a school :(
 
We don't do anything too strenous anyway as he is still unfit but a little is better than none I think! Though the school surface was getting a bit crunchy as the night wore on. Because I can't really ride any earlier than 6 it starts to freeze over again by then. But we will keep plodding on spring is on its way....and then having as much access to the school on my own will be a thing of the past when everyone else wants to start riding again....
 
More to do with the weather than the temperature - won't ride if there's a likelyhood of ice underfoot or in the middle of a major storm as that's just plain dangerous. Also choose routes and activities around iffy weather - more sheltered hacks if gusty winds, high breezy routes in hot weather etc etc.
If its just cold (or raining) then I wear the right gear and pop an exercise-sheet on the pony and off we go.
 
handbagsandhay said:
I am definitely not a fair weather type. I'll go out in any weathe rto walk the dog or ride and have been riding 3 times a week over winter. However last night was the coldest it's been here and I was speaking to another girl on the yard and the conversation got to riding when it is really cold and how it can be bad on the horses lungs/breathing - much like if we exercise in the really cold breathing in that cold air. So how bad do you think it has to get to not ride?

As I have only been exercising this horse for a short time and we are getting over some teething problems and making progress I don't want to be skipping riding/in hand exercises too ften. Last night as it was so cold we literally done ten minutes walking in the school - figured short and nothing fast paced would be enough to keep him in the habit of me getting him tacked up and going into the school (where we have just overcome spooking problems that I want to keep on top off) was better than nothing. I am likely to just do the same again tonight.

When is "too cold" for you and your horse?
Click to expand...
Well would have to be really cold, i just go into indoor school and we keep warm while schooling hacking out is a different ballgame
 
For me it’s too cold. I can’t ride until after 6pm today and I have Raynauds syndrome which seems to be getting worse quickly, my horse is super fit and remains so from hunting. If I was rehabbing or had a horse who couldn’t cope with a few days off (no turnout) for whatever reason I would ride however cold. But for me the freezing painful fingers and toes are just not worth it!
 
ElleSkywalker said:
I worked in the states for a bit in -18 early am temps warming up to -10 if we were lucky. We always rode in it both in the indoor and hacking and were perfectly fine.
Click to expand...

Right now an indoor arena is on my "top 3 things I wish I had access to".

Actually it's really just a top 2 - an indoor arena and better off road hacking.
 
As others have said, if your surface is OK, it's never too cold.

What you are doing OP sounds great to me - ten minutes is enough to keep the routine ticking over without you freezing to death. We often hack a very short route and we joke that it's the anti-arthritis route for my friend's old horse who needs to be kept moving and the "sanity" route for mine who is always better for work, even if it's a very short outing!

However, freezing fog here and everything frozen solid so he's making do with 12 hours turnout a day at the moment.
 
Rode this morning at 7am in -5, just a hack at walk around the private fields so it was safe. The dogs even had their jumpers on!

I have never used exercise sheets before, find mine usually feel warm.. should I start? Someone said I was cruel the other day!
 
Last edited:
Aimeetess said:
Rode this morning at 7am in -5, just a hack at walk around the private fields so it was safe. The dogs even had their jumpers on!

I have never used exercise sheets before, find mine usually feel warm.. should I start? Someone said I was cruel the other day!
Click to expand...

Really someone said you were cruel! Why is it cruel horses live outside what is wrong with people.
 
Aimeetess said:
Rode this morning at 7am in -5, just a hack at walk around the private fields so it was safe. The dogs even had their jumpers on!

I have never used exercise sheets before, find mine usually feel warm.. should I start? Someone said I was cruel the other day!
Click to expand...

Is the horse fully clipped? If so then I would suggest a 1/4 sheet if your not doing much more than walk just to keep the major muscles a bit warmer so less chance of tying up. Of the horse isnt clipped or still has the majority of its hair on over its back and bum then no, no need for a 1/4 sheet.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Really someone said you were cruel! Why is it cruel horses live outside what is wrong with people.
Click to expand...
EKW said:
Is the horse fully clipped? If so then I would suggest a 1/4 sheet if your not doing much more than walk just to keep the major muscles a bit warmer so less chance of tying up. Of the horse isnt clipped or still has the majority of its hair on over its back and bum then no, no need for a 1/4 sheet.
Click to expand...

Yes, he is fully clipped out and clipped his legs out first time this year.. so for the first time I did feel a bit bad. I'll buy a sheet over the weekend!
 
my clipped out one often gets a bit steamy under an exercise sheet, she's quite a warm horse in general so I tend to only put one on to warm up schooling if it's very cold. Otherwise she just gets too hot. just chucking that in... horses for courses as usual.
I don't trust the other not to freak out wearing one so she gets to keep her bum hair ;)

mine work as normal if the surfaces are good enough, I would say we do a longer or easier warm up if it's really chilly and they've been in the stables but they would do the same work in other respects.
 
Aimeetess said:
Yes, he is fully clipped out and clipped his legs out first time this year.. so for the first time I did feel a bit bad. I'll buy a sheet over the weekend!
Click to expand...

If its only for a few days your just walking for I would just use a fleece rug and wrap the front of it round your legs - keeps you toasty warm too! No point spending a fortune on something you would rarely use. Or I turn a polypad length ways on some at work to keep the loins warm without having a full sheet on.
 
handbagsandhay said:
I am definitely not a fair weather type. I'll go out in any weathe rto walk the dog or ride and have been riding 3 times a week over winter. However last night was the coldest it's been here and I was speaking to another girl on the yard and the conversation got to riding when it is really cold and how it can be bad on the horses lungs/breathing - much like if we exercise in the really cold breathing in that cold air. So how bad do you think it has to get to not ride?

As I have only been exercising this horse for a short time and we are getting over some teething problems and making progress I don't want to be skipping riding/in hand exercises too ften. Last night as it was so cold we literally done ten minutes walking in the school - figured short and nothing fast paced would be enough to keep him in the habit of me getting him tacked up and going into the school (where we have just overcome spooking problems that I want to keep on top off) was better than nothing. I am likely to just do the same again tonight.

When is "too cold" for you and your horse?
Click to expand...

Personally, after 5 mins of walking, I’d get going into a brisk trot - it’ll warm you both up!😀
 
I cheated today.... my boy had the physio yesterday so was only have a walk stretch today. So I popped his bridle on, hopped on top of his nice warm rug and off we went!!
I always use a quarter sheet on my fully clipped boy, at least for warming up, but then he does have hock arthritis so he’s always better if the muscles are warm. I ride if I can, just walk if the school is frozen, if not then I try and at least take him for a walk around the yard. You just do what you can. His breathing is bad, so when it’s super super cold I probably wouldn’t do much faster work.
 
Michen said:
For me it’s too cold. I can’t ride until after 6pm today and I have Raynauds syndrome which seems to be getting worse quickly, my horse is super fit and remains so from hunting. If I was rehabbing or had a horse who couldn’t cope with a few days off (no turnout) for whatever reason I would ride however cold. But for me the freezing painful fingers and toes are just not worth it!
Click to expand...

Another sufferer. If I can warm up enough doing jobs, I ride, but if I am in pain, it's a no.
 
Cortez said:
, I'm now old and life's too short to freeze me arse off.
Click to expand...


I feel exactly this way..... but I'm currently so motivated to ride my ex racer that I went out in minus five this morning. I must be barking!
 
Last edited:
If it's not frozen or icy we ride.
There's been maybe 3 rides that stick in my memory over the last 5 years or so, where I came back and though that on reflection maybe a day off wouldn't have been a bad idea.
2 were very wet soggy days (as in, barely see where you're going, wring your knickers out after type wet) and 1 was that bitterly raw cold and wet Saturday just before Christmas.
(In summer I do try and avoid riding in the middle of the day and try and get out first or last thing as she doesn't do so well in the heat)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top