Riding EARLY early?

Joined
29 July 2005
Messages
12,553
Visit site
Anybody do it? I've never done it before except for autumn hunting but planning to tomorrow morning so I can get out before it gets too hot. I have work at 9 and need to leave home by 8.30 so aiming to be out riding by 7am latest!

I am not a morning person and don't find getting up easy but I have set my alarm for 5.30am ? let's do this!
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I've done it a lot this winter. Setting out for 7 means I'm mostly hacking in daylight and even if it were dark when I set off its getting lighter. I find I meet the same few dog walkers most mornings rather than hordes of folk out for a stroll as well
 
Joined
29 July 2005
Messages
12,553
Visit site
I am hoping I get to like it and can make it a regular thing, at least over the summer! Means I will have a lot more hours in the day. I do like riding in the evening but often find that as the day goes on my motivation goes too and I tend to think 'I will wait until tomorrow to ride now'! ?

Roxylola - Is it even light at 7 in the winter?! I am guessing you can get straight offroad?
 

Wheels

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2009
Messages
5,695
Visit site
Every winter for pretty much my entire working life - on board by 6am at the latest and it feels great!!
 

Winters100

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 April 2015
Messages
2,519
Visit site
Always up early and love riding before anyone else arrives. To me it is a real bonus to have that time without any interruptions.
 

Lyle

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2010
Messages
1,049
Visit site
When I was teaching, my days started at work at 7.30am, and frequently went until 5.30. I was usually spent at the end of the day, so would ride in the morning. Luckily my horse was yarded quite close to home. I would be up there at 5am, on by roughly 5.15/5.20am, off by 6am, horse packed up and in the field again by 6.20. I cpuld never get the generator to start to power tge lights on the arena, so would just ride in the arena in the dark/semi dark. Home, shower, breakfast, change and off to work by 7. It's really enjoyable and feels great to have that important part done so early. Priorities!
 

wispagold

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2008
Messages
1,182
Visit site
This has reminded me of the times about 15 years ago when, in the summer I would often go on hacks at 4:30/5am (as soon as it was light enough to go) with 2 other liveries on the yard I was at. It was such a lovely feeling to be out in the fresh air when it was just you and the birds.
 

LeneHorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2007
Messages
3,466
Visit site
I had a wee amble down the road at seven this morning. Very peaceful and I saw a baby deer and a fox, neither of which were at all bothered by us. Just lovely.
 

Snowfilly

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 September 2012
Messages
1,678
Visit site
There is nothing better than a 5.00am hack on a summer morning, unless it was the summer mornings of my misspent youth where it was a 5.00am hack having not gone to bed the night before! Oh to have the stamina to do that again.

I can’t school in the mornings, I’m not conscious enough to be useful but it’s lovely just to ride and ride.

The local riding school has a 7.00am hack a couple of times a week, I often pass them out and about.
 
Top