cindydog
Well-Known Member
how bad does the weather have to be to stop you hacking out and do you get special shoes to grip more when icy?
icy paths do you still ride out?
- Thread starter cindydog
- Start date
PucciNPoni
Well-Known Member
Hmmm, when I lived in the snowy, frozen tundra of New England, I rode out no matter what the weather. However, my horses that were shod wore snow-ball pads and borium studs. Those that weren't shod actually did very well barefoot...but we would coat the soles of their feet with grease to prevent snow--balling.
Maybe now that I'm older I'm a bit wiser or perhaps just not sooooo keen, I do tend to limit my riding a bit. I still go out when the snow is coming down sideways...but I draw the line at black ice or ice in general. My mare is like bambi on ice - legs go every-which-way on the least slippery of surfaces. She is currently fitted with road nails to help her on concrete and I did find that it helped her over the ice last winter, too.
Maybe now that I'm older I'm a bit wiser or perhaps just not sooooo keen, I do tend to limit my riding a bit. I still go out when the snow is coming down sideways...but I draw the line at black ice or ice in general. My mare is like bambi on ice - legs go every-which-way on the least slippery of surfaces. She is currently fitted with road nails to help her on concrete and I did find that it helped her over the ice last winter, too.
Booboos
Well-Known Member
The ice makes the roads round here lethal so we never go out when it's icy. I don't think there is anything that can help with grip on icy roads but maybe I am wrong.
Thick snow is a lot safer to ride on but we've never had enough here to cover the roads properly and we only have road work hacking.
Thick snow is a lot safer to ride on but we've never had enough here to cover the roads properly and we only have road work hacking.
ForeverBroke_
Well-Known Member
I've attempted to take a short walk up to the school once when it was a bit icy/ snowy as it wasn't frozen and he was like bambi too. Legs all over the place and slipping around nobody's business
My friends horse nearly did the splits so we both promptly dismounted, turned around and came back very, veeeerrry slowly.
WandaMare
Well-Known Member
my vet told me one day that the worst call-outs he gets are to accidents when horses have been hacked out on icy roads......
ihatework
Well-Known Member
I won't hack out when the roads are icy, it's not just the risk of the horse slipping, it's more idiot car drivers you have to watch out for.
JoBo
Well-Known Member
As my boys arent the kind of horses that need to be ridden (as in they dont get too hyper if they arent), then I just dont risk riding out when its icy, our roads are just too dangerous, thinking more cars sliding into us then anything else. Our school is pretty good unless its really cold.
spookypony
Well-Known Member
Last winter, I hacked out in all weathers, and learnt which paths are the slippery, dangerous ones, and which are fine. On one occasion, the Spooky Pony did a bambi on some black ice that neither of us had noticed---after skating on the spot for about 10 secs, he landed on his belly. I managed to get off, so that he could try to stand up, and on his first try, he fell over again. It was very scary, and I'll be more careful about our choice of paths this year!
YorksG
Over the hill and far awa
We have to go n the road to get to the tracks, I will not risk me, my horse or other road users for my pleasure when people are having problems going about their daily activities. It is bad enough driving on icy or snowy roads, never mind having to watch out for horses.
RussianGirl
Well-Known Member
As PucciNponi, we have to ride in the snow/ice, it doesn't affect us that much at all. Most of the horses go barefoot, and are fine, the rest have pads and studs. I guess were lucky here that it's not really seen as a big deal - we go xc in the snow, and I've done dressage in frozen arenas.
However, I wouldn't use public roads, I know the conditions of our roads/paths well, but wouldn't risk other places.
However, I wouldn't use public roads, I know the conditions of our roads/paths well, but wouldn't risk other places.
littlemisslauren
Well-Known Member
I used to love hacking in the snow when I had my own horse. She was a prize bitch all year then when the snow arrived she became an angel. I would not go out on ice. Ever. I kept her barefoot and she never slipped.
BTW We seem to get lovely deep snow here and the road i needed to use is always gritted, I was not out of thin snow that could be hiding evil ice or risking it on roads.
BTW We seem to get lovely deep snow here and the road i needed to use is always gritted, I was not out of thin snow that could be hiding evil ice or risking it on roads.
Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
I have been out riding when its icy, but only on the lane areas we know are safe. I wouldn't ride out in unknown areas and now i am on a yard with decent offroad riding, I wont ride in ice at all.
kins
Well-Known Member
Last winter I was out hacking with the daughter of a friend of my mum's (who i had never met before) in a village that i didn't know at all, and the other girl's horse had a very bad accident due to the ice.
Consequently i am very wary of riding in ice as you can never spot all the dangers, even in places you know very well
Consequently i am very wary of riding in ice as you can never spot all the dangers, even in places you know very well
somethingorother
Well-Known Member
From someone who learned the hard way- don't go out on the ice. It hurts and it's scary.
We made it 2 hours on gritted roads and stony paths and were fine, then found ourselves on a deathly icy patch and fell.
Would never risk it again, i was so lucky that it was just me that was hurt and horse managed to scrabble back up ok.
We made it 2 hours on gritted roads and stony paths and were fine, then found ourselves on a deathly icy patch and fell.
Would never risk it again, i was so lucky that it was just me that was hurt and horse managed to scrabble back up ok.
Lexie81
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I won't hack out when the roads are icy, it's not just the risk of the horse slipping, it's more idiot car drivers you have to watch out for.
[/ QUOTE ]
Me too
I won't hack out when the roads are icy, it's not just the risk of the horse slipping, it's more idiot car drivers you have to watch out for.
[/ QUOTE ]
Me too
mtj
Well-Known Member
Anyone like horror stories?
Spent some time as "rider" on an overseas yard. Rolled up one morning ready to see the list of rides.
Surprised to be greeted by the secretary and told that the other 2 riders who should have been there were both in hospital with broken legs.
Both of these riders were qualified instructors and had been training at the yard on a working pupil basis for several years since qualification. They were both accustomed to riding at least 6 horses a day, ranging from young Hannovarians through to Grand prix horses.
The previous afternoon they were hacking. The mare, an enthusiastic jogger, slipped on the tarmac and landed on her rider before taking off for home. At this point, the gelding reared and also slipped landing on his rider, before also heading for home. The 2 accomplished riders were left on the ground with a broken leg each. Both horses unharmed.
It wasn't even icy - just slippery tarmac
Spent some time as "rider" on an overseas yard. Rolled up one morning ready to see the list of rides.
Surprised to be greeted by the secretary and told that the other 2 riders who should have been there were both in hospital with broken legs.
Both of these riders were qualified instructors and had been training at the yard on a working pupil basis for several years since qualification. They were both accustomed to riding at least 6 horses a day, ranging from young Hannovarians through to Grand prix horses.
The previous afternoon they were hacking. The mare, an enthusiastic jogger, slipped on the tarmac and landed on her rider before taking off for home. At this point, the gelding reared and also slipped landing on his rider, before also heading for home. The 2 accomplished riders were left on the ground with a broken leg each. Both horses unharmed.
It wasn't even icy - just slippery tarmac
MrsMozartletoe
Just passing through...
I hacked out all last winter, or as much as had a sound horse! Little Cob is unshod and was fine, Dizz was shod and also did fine. We waited until the worst was gone, then it was easy to see where we could go, plus the estate tracks were well drained and ice free
.
Dizz slipped on the tarmac at a walk and not being a prat in the middl of summer
.
Dizz slipped on the tarmac at a walk and not being a prat in the middl of summer
Weezy
Well-Known Member
Sadly we have a huge concrete yard and some days we cannot even get the horses out of their boxes, even with thorough gritting
Riding on snow is fine, riding on ice is a deffo no-no.