How many people own wind sensitive horses...?

[Superstar]

Is it a common problem...? Mine is awful in the wind...really sharp...he is naturally very forward anyway but in the wind, he is like sitting on a rocket...

Its that bad that he can literally go from winning a dressage test one weekend with 69% in nice weather with no wind and a bit of sun.....to struggling to get 58% the next weekend if its windy as he gets soooo tense in the back and therefore gets quite choppy in stride....

Does anyone else have a horse that hates the wind - its quite a dramatical change in mine...and unfortunately our weather has been very 'galey' recently which hasn't helped!!

Out of the 4 that i have had i have only had a problem with 2 being excessively sharp in the wind - the other 2 weren't fussed...lol..

look forward to everyone else's responses - any suggestions/ideas how to improve his wind tolerance...lol...maybe its just the way he is...ha ha...xx

 

[spotty_pony]

One of mine isn't bothered (we can go out in gale force winds and he is no different to usual!) the other one is a bit sharp in the wind and on his toes! He isn't as bad as he used to be but I still don't hack him out in strong winds as he doesn't like it when the wind gets up his tail!!

 

[Shutterbug]

Yes, my boy hates wind - to the point that when we were mid canter in a lesson one windy Scottish day - he stopped dead and spun a 180 and immediately cantered in the opposite direction. If I bring him in when its windy he trots sideways and does some impressive dressage moves that we can never achieve under saddle and If Im hacking him out he rounds his neck, sticks his nose in his chest and thunders along like a speeding train. Any other time he is totally chilled

 

[Footlights]

Mine is awful on the ground when it's windy but doesn't seem to care when I am riding!

 

[Natz88]

Mine are pretty good, my haffy gets abit on his toes if it's really windy & I alone, but he is pretty good & I will still ride him if it's really windy.

 

[Superstar]

With the great British weather its hard to predict when I should enter the dressage...lol..!! but its becoming such a pattern now that I think I really shouldn't bother and cancel on the day if i wake up to gale force wind...lol..!

With the SJ it doesn't really matter as he gets super excited for that anyway and he is not judged on a relaxed back,contact and paces...lol...

 

[Mongoose11]

This thread will run and run, it would have been easier to ask - whos horse ISN'T affected by the wind.

Due to past shenanigans I'm not that confident around big, big horses (stupid as they can all be just as dangerous) and my YO has 3 big girls one of whom is the biggest 16.3 I have ever known! On a sunny day I can bring them in two at a time, lolling along without a care in the world. If it's rainy and wet we have horses that grow 2 hands in height, heads throwing this way and that looking at everything, snorting nostrils, dancing about - doesn't help that I start to crap myself and they can probably hear my heart hammering in my chest!

Bringing in at 4pm in the dark in winter was daily hell for me, we changed routine so that they go out super early and YO brings in at lunch so all I do in the evening is feed, skip out, rug change, add water etc, Far less stressful for me than bringing in.

My own mare isn't that bothered, a little on her toes on the ground and when ridden but nothing too bad at all. If I ever choose not to ride beacause of bad weather it is because I am being a wuss, not because she would be stupid!

Funnily enough I work with teenagers and they are JUST the same in the wind and rain. Get hyper in class, so much more noisy, unable to focus! Nightmare!

 

[Superstar]

Intersting point......see mine fine to handle in the wind - a complete gent...but a nightmare to ride in the wind....its deffo the wind that does it - even a slight wind of say 15 -18MPH once it reaches 20+ you can pretty much forget getting anything decent out of him...?

 

[Scarlett]

My mare became 10x sharper in the wind, to the point I would avoid riding her. Instructor suggested using one of those fly veils that cover the ears that the show jumpers use and et voila - happy pony! Would be the first thing I'd try now.

 

[SpruceRI]

I don't hack or ride in my field at home when it's windy as that is a sure route to disaster.

I often can't catch Rosie either, especially if it's raining too.

Competing in the wind is usually better unless there's any foreign bodies flying about or doors banging on indoor schools and the like.

My Shetland gelding is fine though thank god, as if I can't catch Rosie, I lure her into the stable by using him as 'bait' !!

 

[Littlelegs]

Mine aren't really bothered. A bit more lively than otherwise, but only in very strong wind, & same can be said of cold mornings. Only time I avoid hacking in wind is if its gale force & dangerous due to stuff like airborne fence panels & wheely bins. Have skipped plans of jumping if wind blows them over whilst I'm warming up, otherwise just ignore it. If its very strong wind though its natural for any horse to turn away from it. I find as with most things, the more you ride them as normal in the wind, the less its an issue. Old boss used to insist on schooling his dressage horses on the top of a hill on windy days so it wasn't an issue at comps.

 

[RockinRudolph]

Mine is awful in the wind - bringing him in from the field, or moving him from 1 field to another means going past or through some woodland, which sends him completely nuts when it's windy! Riding is usually fairly pointless when its bad, as he won't settle to concentrate on anything & hacking just turns into a battle. He can be a real nightmare sometimes!

 

[dafthoss]

Not a problem for us really, but then any extra forward momentum is apreciated in the summer . He isnt keen on a flapy exercise sheet in the winter when its windy so he has to go nekkid and get over it.

Rain however he hates!

 

[HollyWoozle]

Yep, mad in the wind! I'm sure I read in a book (Kelly Marks) that it affects their ability to hear and sense things around them and that's partly why it freaks them out a bit? Makes sense.

And Billie1007... I've heard someone say that before when I did teaching work experience. That the children are always mad on a windy day!

 

[Superstar]

My mare became 10x sharper in the wind, to the point I would avoid riding her. Instructor suggested using one of those fly veils that cover the ears that the show jumpers use and et voila - happy pony! Would be the first thing I'd try now.

Hmmmn interesting....!! I haven't heard of that but its worth a go....would never have thought that it was connected to the ears....?

 

[Superstar]

Yep, mad in the wind! I'm sure I read in a book (Kelly Marks) that it affects their ability to hear and sense things around them and that's partly why it freaks them out a bit? Makes sense.

Yes makes sense as he is very much a flight animal and can be quite spooky and sharp...maybe thats why he is worse if he cant hear the monsters coming..!!...lol

 

[cowboylover]

My old shire cross was always so well behaved eg I did the village fete walking behind the brass band without batting an eyelid to a windy day where I could not get him to do anything! If he was stabled I could not get him out and visa versa so didn't even get to try him riding!

His new owner has moved him to the south of France so not such a problem than it was here in Wales!

 

[MrsHutt]

Funnily enough I work with teenagers and they are JUST the same in the wind and rain. Get hyper in class, so much more noisy, unable to focus! Nightmare!

It's the same with primary children - playtime in the wind is just BEDLAM!!

H isn't too bad, but he is much more 'jumpy' than usual and in the school seems more forward going. If we're in a group lesson when it's windy, the whole lesson runs faster (quite fun, actually ) They obviously get the wind under their tails!!

 

[Lotty]

My mare is a nightmare in the wind. I do dressage too and if it's really windy then I won't compete or school as she is so spooky, choppy in her strides and basically pathetic. Even when leading up from the field she is stupid I normally bring her up in with a lunge line. I can hack her as long as its a familiar hack and I have Velcro on my bum

 

[TarrSteps]

Hmmmn interesting....!! I haven't heard of that but its worth a go....would never have thought that it was connected to the ears....?

If the ear covers alone don't do the trick then ear plugs/cotton wool as well. You'd be surprised how well it works for some horses.

 

[Kallibear]

I don't have a wind sensitive horse but I am a wind sensitive owner!!!

I dislike the wind intensly. I find I can't concentrate properly and become irrirtable. It's mostly the constant noise but my hair blowing in my eyes doesn't help. If put my hood up to cover my ears (and tie my hair back properly) I'd absolutely fine

It's probably the same for horses so covering their ears makes sense.