Not having time to ride and winter blues!

[MNMyShiningStars]

I'm with you on this. Fed up of the mud, the dark and how much more effort everything seems in the winter. Mine live out so trudging water to the fields and poo picking, feeding, haying and rugging in the dark and wet already are making it hard work. And my ridden boy injured himself in the field and will be out for 6months to a year so my weekend hacks to unwind are also a no go this winter. Hurry up spring....

 

[Hallo2012]

if you're riding 3 times a week they don't lose too much fitness.

mine both school twice and hack once, and my floodlights only light up the top 1/3-you get used to the dark!

 

[Fransurrey]

I think I've already given up for the winter. I've started a new job as of last month, so am still adjusting to that. My menopausal anxiety is still sky high despite propanolol and HRT and the weather has been so pants I haven't ridden since the 28th October and I didn't enjoy that - it was a sponsored ride in howling wind and torrential rain. I have an endurance ride booked for the 10th Dec but probably won't go, as he isn't fit enough. I'm properly depressed already, but on the bright side that normally starts in January, so I'm finally ahead of schedule for something. I'm taking his shoes off at the next appointment and just doing walks out with him for the foreseeable.

 

[Alibear]

I'm lucky as the stables are close to both home and work so I've switched to mornings plus I'm on full livery. On and hacking/in the arena by 7am sharp, back by 8am untack turn out and at work by 8:30 for 9am official start (change at the office).
The lighter mornings make so much difference and I'm a nicer person at work for it, plus I get the evenings to myself /family now. I might try and stay in this routine all year.
At some point, it will get crushed to a 20mins hack of school because of lack of light but it's still better than pitch black evening.

 

[brondevareJames]

It’s a pity that my desire to ride at night, accompanied by enthusiasm, quickly faded away during real attempts, after all, the fear is very strong of not noticing something and falling

 

[scats]

I do find that morning riding works for me in the winter. Then all I have to do in the evening is bring in and finish off.
I tend to try and be on board for 7.45-8am and do half an hour.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I can't ride really at all at the moment due to being at a pretty much sole use place, the time I have off if spent fencing, doing water and lugging bales across the field. Fields so far away its a 20 min round trip to get them in. So you can see that my time just vanishes. I don't feel guilty as such as they're happy as all their needs are being met, but I do miss riding. So I'm moving yards now next month so I have help & all those bits are done with me, so my time off can actually spent with the horses and riding with any luck!

 

[expanding_horizon]

I'm lucky as the stables are close to both home and work so I've switched to mornings plus I'm on full livery. On and hacking/in the arena by 7am sharp, back by 8am untack turn out and at work by 8:30 for 9am official start (change at the office).
The lighter mornings make so much difference and I'm a nicer person at work for it, plus I get the evenings to myself /family now. I might try and stay in this routine all year.
At some point, it will get crushed to a 20mins hack of school because of lack of light but it's still better than pitch black evening.

Mornings are very much my preferred riding option all year round. Though my routine takes me longer, yard is further away, and I can often start work 10 / 10.30am.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I’m lucky that our fields are not too bad and we still have quite a lot of grass. I’m sick of the changing weather though and having to constantly change rugs and bring them in and out depending on what the weather is doing.

I’m also so lucky that my job has very flexible hours so I am able to ride pretty much when I want. We don’t have a school though so it’s mostly hacking and working around the daylight hours. I managed to school two in the field today as after a few days of dry it was dry enough and a glorious day here today!

 

[Cloball]

I know things will be fine once we get into Feb I'll crack on. My main stress is I think my YO might want to stop the part livery and we have been rather high maintenance of late with colics and sheningans. I can't manage anything less with work though really don't want to move she's very mentally settled now and as most places round here are DIY only and have rubbish schools. I'd love an indoor but there's very few of those that aren't busy riding schools.

I tried lunging in the dark tonight working fine but getting too and from the school in the dark was interesting