How windy is too windy to ride?

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WindyStacks

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Yesterday wind speed late 20's mph, today I decided upon discretion when I left the tack room and had to side-step a flying wheelbarrow.

What are your limits?
 
Depends on horse, depends on situation. I'll school mine in just about any weather which I can remain on the horse during, but I won't hack F if it's more than just a bit breezy as he's daft. I'd have hacked the old lad out in anything though, provided branches weren't actually falling on our heads (it happened once, wasn't the most fun ever!).
 
Erm, maybe 30 miles an hour is my limit, (even then, I almost never ride in 25 mah winds) Reason being is that a have a still fairly young mare (8y/o) and she can be spooky when it's windy. But as JFTD has said, it depends on the horse. But then again, I wouldn't ride any horse in more than 30 mile an hour winds (and even then, I probably wouldn't) it could be VERY dangerous regardless of the horse.
 
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Well, I've tested this extensively since I ride on a ridge of hill known as Cotswold Way, Bath.

By my rigorous calcumalations, I reckon, if you are still holding on to the reins but your back end looks more like a windsock, it's too windy. Otherwse, close your eyes and carry on.
 
20 mile an hour would be absolute limit on a well behaved horse. Wind is dangerous, even if your horse is calm in it. I would tend to avoid riding if it is blowing more than 15 mph and would only ride in it if I was competing or had a lesson booked. I don't have to ride in the wind, and so I tend not to.
 
tallyho! said:
By my rigorous calcumalations, I reckon, if you are still holding on to the reins but your back end looks more like a windsock, it's too windy. Otherwse, close your eyes and carry on.
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Brilliant :D

I'd also add that it depends on your set up - a school overhung by trees is more dangerous than a school with no trees and completely open (e.g. on the fens). You'd feel the wind more in the latter, but if you can still stay on the horse you're probably a lot safer!
 
My school doesn't have lots of branches round the edge and has a huge hedge which acts as a windbreak so I tend to school my pony if it is windy, unless it's so windy we can't stay in a straight line/ riding is totally pointless-it helps that he is rock solid in the wind. I wouldn't hack him though for fear of falling branches etc. I leave my other one alone when it's windy though- he's way too sharp for me to want to take him out in bad weather!
 
JFTD said:
Brilliant :D

I'd also add that it depends on your set up - a school overhung by trees is more dangerous than a school with no trees and completely open (e.g. on the fens). You'd feel the wind more in the latter, but if you can still stay on the horse you're probably a lot safer!
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See, I'd regard this as protection. Especially if naked. No one likes hard nipples.
 
If horse is acclimatised to wind (like wot ours are as they live on top of a hill) then pick your routes and go for a short sharp hack. We keep away from woods and the high tops and treble check for traffic (though hoss seems to still know!!). If we didn't go out in wind then there would be months when the pony wasn't exercised - but we are both very used to it.
 
Endurance riding in Lord Of The Rings country, rounded a corner and the wind shifted the horse sideways. The only way to ride was to lie flat along her neck, hanging on with everything, and keep going until we got around the next corner.

That was too windy!
 
As a general rule, if I can walk my horse to the yard, I will ride. If I have to fly her in, bucking and rearing on the end of her leadrope... It's probably too windy. :)
 
Haha I have laughed at so many comments - love the idea of "flying" them in! :D

No trees at all, just the odd airborne sheep.

It is a fine line between getting on with it and not exercising for days/weeks on end.

He's not used to it yet, we've only been here a couple of months so I'll not push it this winter.
 
Not being able to hear traffic approaching is when it is 'too windy' for me, or if there is danger from falling trees or other flying debris!!!

Living in the Shropshire hills, it can be very windy, even when more lowland areas only have a gentle breeze, so just have to man up and get on with it.

I am lucky as none of the horses I have owned have been affected by the wind, but do remember one hack when heavy winds were forecasted. I got a few yards down the road to see a trampoline flying towards me, and decided it was better to head back to the yard!
 
I'm a bit wary when it is bad because the landowner who owns a lot of the area is very lax about his tree maintenance and after every storm there are big branches all over the place. Wouldn't like to be hit by one of those.
I did get chased down the road by a load of flying recycling bins one day though.
 
I think wind can sometimes be used as an excuse NOT to ride - and ive been guilty of it!!!! Past couple of weeks have ridden in very gusty conditions & my horse has NOT reacted once to it...... Wind can be a rider frightner! Wouldnt ride in gale force winds though...
 
Traffic isn't a massive issue - I rode out yesterday and only met one car and given the lay of the land I can see for miles - so even if I can't hear them, as long as I look down the road once in a while I can see them coming. Wind ferocity is more like gales and I do understand about it's an easy cop-out to say "oh it's windy" - but then if we only rode when it was dry, crisp and sunny...
 
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