retired over winter?

rowan666

rowan666

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Reading the 'how many times a wk do you ride' thread has just got me thinking.
I dont ride in winter atall really. Partly due to lack of facillities but even when ive had them i find excuses like wind, rain, cold, dark, kids, work, horse having an off day, cant find my hat, confidence. You name it, ive used it. Im just lazy really. So does anyone else retire their horses over winter?
 
Yep.. He is on 'holiday' until the nights get lighter.. ( as in May..) and its warmer, dryer, he is not so hairy (as lives out and furry and dont ride enough to justify a clip)...! He's happy as am I..

Plus with my holiday exess it wouldn't be fair to him, until I have finished my 3 month Jillian Michaels 30 day shred..!! God help me.. (It will take me 3 months..! lol)

So yes he is in semi-retirement at 16 it won't hurt him, will bring him back gradually in the Spring too.. :)
 
I think i ride 3x a wk in summer and thats between 2! :o Its done my young anglo a world of good though. he is a late bloomer so given him time to be a baby then slowly mature and he is now very sensible for a 5yr old arab/tb and i know there wont be any issues when i get back on in spring/summer. Not too sure it suits the luso tho, she would benefit from working but she is very happy being a field ornament! :)
 
Haven't even got a horse but I'm riding in winter, we looked like snowmen last time we went out, the weather came in early (supposed to have come in in the evening not morning) and fast!
Can't wait to get over this chest infection to get back out.
 
I am a fair weather driver. i only take the pony out in warmer months. I keep her out all year so it is hardly fair to work her hard in her winter coat and turn her out in a cold field afterwards. That's my excuse anyway.
 
Yes, my horse usually has Nov-April off weather dependent. I am fair weather rider but if I had a school to ride in I would ride more in winter.
 
Mine are out until March at least.....all out, rugged, hairy and looking very well. I think my OH would lose the plot if we played polo all year round, so I've never played the winter season...too wet, too cold and too dark!
 
I have turned into a fair weather ride over the years.
We dont have a school at the yard so can only ride at weekends in the winter. Its impossible to maintain any level of fittness so if the weather is good we hack out for our own sanity.
Winter always seems like all work no play :(
 
I actually prefer winter riding. I don't like the thought of it when inside looking at the foul weather, but I have to drag myself out to feed them anyway and by the time I'm at the field I feel like riding. Prefer winter to summer - no flies! Also as my big girl is such a fatty if I don't keep her fit over winter she'll balloon once summer comes
 
We have limited winter turnout at our yard so have to ride in winter to keep the horses exercised. Older boy gets stiff if nit lightly ridden regularly and ex racer gets loopy. Between riding and turnout in all weather paddock we just about manage to keep sane. Bring on spring though :)
 
Ours all work for a living and summer is the busy season so the older ones are on holiday until April when they will come back into work for the start of the season at the end of May. The younger ones do keep up their training over winter, when the weather allows us. Hard to get motivated at the mo.
 
This year I have turned my boy away for the winter. I guess I have become a bit of a fair weather rider as keep making excuses for not riding. I decided to have a break and bring him back into work mid march.
 
Nope. If mine has even a week off he pretends he's never been taught anything and sticks his fingers in his ears and is generally just a PITA. I dread to think what he'd be like after a few months off.

I do sometimes do groundwork sessions instead of riding in winter if I really can't face getting on, but he's in from 4pm - 8am so you can tell he really likes getting out and working in the winter evenings.
 
IF I had facilities I would ride more in winter IE an all weather school, but when I was at the farm it was hacking during the winter or lessons at my instructors yard which has a school.
 
My two live out now - so the unretired one is only ridden at weekends until the nights get lighter again.

We're at a yard where we have access to a floodlit school but I'd have to get him across the park in the dark and just can't be faffed. Having time off does him good too.
 
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