How windy is too windy…

[mini_b]

…for you to bow out of your horsey plans.

lots of centres around me have pulled their competitions for the day as jumps/dressage boards are taking flight and they are worried about competitors travelling.

I had a clinic booked (indoor) and didn’t want to tow trailer. We’ve got gusts up to mid 50’s til later on this afternoon.

where I used to be I could head straight out onto moor, even a sideways screaming hoolie wouldn’t stop us but there was very little risk of flying debris.

My current place I won’t even go out for a quick plod due to the amount of trees I need to pass/ride under to get out. Horse is so well behaved in wind, it’s just a real danger of getting wiped out by a branch!

last time we had a “bit of wind” I travelled to pop a few jumps (that stayed in place) and it was gusty up to mid 40’s, no motorway driving and I knew the route so very little tree coverage at side of roads.

so…how windy is it for you to say no and what do you think is downright dangerous?

 

[windand rain]

We don't travel the horses in high winds unless in am emergency eg vet needed don't take risks even in the 7.5 ton lorry. Trees down all over here today

 

[twiggy2]

Depends on the horse, the environment and the situation to be honest.
I have ridden in the worst of wind at times, I would jump if there was any risk of things blowing about though.
Travelling for competition or lesson I wouldn't bother to travel in Highlands.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Today is too windy for me to tow for anything other than a vet emergency.

I'd ride a steady horse in the arena, which does not have any trees nearby, but I wouldn't anything hack out.

These are a couple of stills from a video that the local rural police team have just posted. They say that it's a bit windy out there...

 

[mini_b]

Today is too windy for me to tow for anything other than a vet emergency.

I'd ride a steady horse in the arena, which does not have any trees nearby, but I wouldn't anything hack out.

These are a couple of stills from a video that the local rural police team have just posted. They say that it's a bit windy out there...

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is that Cheshire police? Just had a notification from them they’ve had a caravan blow off the carriageway.

 

[Melody Grey]

It’s an arena day here for me in Leicestershire. High winds really unsettle mine, but they’re usually manageable in the school where everything’s a bit more contained.

 

[Emilieu]

I cancelled plans to ride in the arena today - way too many trees around!

 

[mini_b]

I cancelled plans to ride in the arena today - way too many trees around!

sadly have to box up to use an arena otherwise I would have done the same, day off today!

 

[Roxylola]

Depends what I'm doing and where. Today was too windy to take a borrowed box with someone else's horse in just so I could do a farm ride when the forecast tomorrow is much better. I've actually abandoned riding entirely for today on account of debris blowing about.

 

[Hackback]

Mine is safe in wind but as others have mentioned its the risk of debris and trees coming down. I didn't even stand him on the yard to wash his tail today in case a garden chair or a wheelie bin took flight. Although I have just been out for a walk with the dog. Obviously more worried about the horse getting hurt than I am about myself or the dog (sorry dog!)

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We have battened down the hatches, as far as possible today. There's a bit of the shelter roof flapping about, fortunately it doesn't seem to be a vital part but it's worrying the horses who are refusing to go into the shelter and in fact are standing in a much lower part of the field. I could barely stand up when I went across the yard to put some hay in the shelter, anything that isn't fastened down is blowing around.
We haven't walked the dogs, in fact they have both poked their noses out of the kitchen door onto the yard and refused to go any further. Fortunately it is forecast to start calming down in a few hours. Fingers crossed.

 

[Tiddlypom]

is that Cheshire police? Just had a notification from them they’ve had a caravan blow off the carriageway.

Yes, Cheshire Police.

 

[MereChristmas]

Today should have been first lead out on foot after omeprazole injections.
We didn’t go. I didn’t fancy hang gliding.

 

[saddlesore]

There are lots of big, old trees down here today. Totally blocked yard access by car earlier. Not a day for towing or riding here!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I didn’t tow today but I did ride in the arena instead. No trees could fall on the arena as the arena is higher and the trees on a slope below it. When I got home I saw that there had been 2 accidents locally - an overturned caravan right by my yard and a car off the road. I’m on the Cheshire/Derbyshire/Staffordshire border.

 

[Britestar]

With gusts over 60mph I chose not to ride at all. Just not worth it.
Trailer up to about 40, but not over. Problem is not the steady speed, but gusts.

 

[Ali27]

I hacked today down to my instructor’s yard as I had a saddle fitting booked. My pony is fine in the wind and I managed a couple of canters in the woods on the way home ?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Today is too windy-every road roundabouts has a large tree down, lorry blown across the central reservation on the M74 near here with a fatality.mine are pretty good in the wind but I’d not ride on the roads as you can’t hear traffic and I’d certainly not travel a horse unless I had to.

am always saddened by a loss of a tree, looks like we’ve lost a lot of old beeches today.

 

[Pippity]

I hacked this morning, when it was gusting to 40mph, and I wish I hadn't. My horse has no issues with the wind, other than getting a little bouncier, but even she shat her pants when we had a big tarp blowing down the road towards us.

There's no way I'd tow in a trailer. Even for a vet emergency, I'd sell my soul to the person with a 7.5t lorry instead.

 

[Peglo]

We had nearly 70 mph gusts up here so ponies stayed in bed until dinner time. They got chucked out to stretch legs for the afternoon but can come in early before tea.

no fear of trees blowing down here as barely have any on the island.

Some of you guys are hardcore!!! I could be persuaded not to ride in 20mph wind ?

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Gusts up to 75mph today…trees down all over..left mine in munching..oooo as I type the electrics are flickering..wonder if trees taken power lines again…

 

[Chiffy]

Far too windy to ride here today and certainly wouldn’t take the lorry out. Very many, if not all competitions off in Scotland today.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Yup despite the sun coming the horses for a duvet day. There were trees and branches down everywhere and I just have a vivid memory of someone horse having half a fence stab sticking out of them from a wind related accident that I just think not worth it.

 

[Widgeon]

My super-steady cob has two two weeks off with a hay-induced cough...I was planning to get back on this weekend but he was scooting around the field with the wind up his bum and his eyes popping out of his head, so I figured he can probably wait another day or two to come back into work! Will try again tomorrow morning in the (supposed) gap between storms. (And there's no way I would even consider towing in this, the gusts are wild)

 

[SmallSteps]

20mph is my completely arbitrary cut off for driving the wagon, you guys are hardcore

 

[ycbm]

Today is too windy for me to tow for anything other than a vet emergency.

I'd ride a steady horse in the arena, which does not have any trees nearby, but I wouldn't anything hack out.

These are a couple of stills from a video that the local rural police team have just posted. They say that it's a bit windy out there...

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That's the A537 just up the road from me, my friend's cafe is in the background. The Cat and Fiddle is a mile behind the camera person. They were mad to try to tow a caravan up there in this wind.
.

 

[cauda equina]

If the shipping forecast has a gale warning for my nearest bit of sea, it's too windy

 

[MotherOfChickens]

20mph is my completely arbitrary cut off for driving the wagon, you guys are hardcore

much depends on what you are used to, if I didn’t ride at 20mph I wouldn’t ride most my of the year. I am happy up to 40mph on very rural quiet roads/off road. I no longer tow but likewise, there would be no competitive riding in Scotland if it all stopped at 20mph. Today here though was quite bad although not unusual Scottish winter winds.

 

[SmallSteps]

much depends on what you are used to, if I didn’t ride at 20mph I wouldn’t ride most my of the year. I am happy up to 40mph on very rural quiet roads/off road. I no longer tow but likewise, there would be no competitive riding in Scotland if it all stopped at 20mph. Today here though was quite bad although not unusual Scottish winter winds.

I live on the Scottish Borders & I do indeed miss a lot of shows lol

 

[Caol Ila]

I avoid the park if it's over 40. The trees seem to like falling over.