Riding in a frozen arena?

[only_me]

what are your views on riding in a frozen arena? yay or nay?

especially sand arenas

but thoughts?

 

[Nailed]

No.

a) uneven, hard ground from previous foot prints.
b) hard hard surface.
c) lots of unnecessary concussion on the legs.

Lou x

 

[3Beasties]

We have just taken one of the ponies into the school, it was frozen solid in places. Pony wasn't happy at all so only stayed in there a few minutes. I guess it would depend on how frozen it was as to weather you ride.

 

[faerie666]

[ QUOTE ]
No.

a) uneven, hard ground from previous foot prints.
b) hard hard surface.
c) lots of unnecessary concussion on the legs.

Lou x

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto.

 

[Dirtymare]

Ditto, so nay

 

[somethingorother]

ditto and also i tried to lunge in one when i was younger, i went out after 5 mins walk and trot as was too hard but i then had to spend 15 mins picking frozen sand stilts out of his shod feet. i learned that lesson quick

 

[Ziggy_]

Ditto the others. I've done it and it was like riding on concrete, except worse cos the ground was uneven. Wouldn't do it again.

 

[brighteyes]

Madness!

 

[niagaraduval]

No, last year I couldn't ride for 3 weeks because of this =(

 

[buzzles]

I've only been hacking this week due to the sand arena being frozen solid. I harrowed and levelled it this afternoon after it had thawed a bit which has broken up the ruts and ice and at least now it's flat. I'll see what it's like tomorrow but it will probably be ok to walk in anyway as it won't be uneven. Half of it gets the sun all morning so that bit might have thawed out by the afternoon to do a bit more. My christmas wish list has a load of either fibre or rubber to top up arena!!

 

[mattilda]

No way. They are too rutted and you run the risk of your horse turning his joints. Way way too risky it's just not worth it.

 

[ironhorse]

YM had harrowed ours and by 2pm it was OK to walk and a tiny bit of trot on. By 3pm it was freezing again

But our round pen was also frozen and the farm tracks are either lethal or complete slop. Wish I'd left her in the field!

 

[MagicMelon]

No, I wouldnt by choice. I went to a SJ thing at the weekend (indoor but warm up outdoors) and was horrified to see kids galloping their ponies about jumping loads of practice fences on a frozen solid warm up arena! I did a tiny bit of trot and tiny canter, popped one very small x-pole and that was all the warm up I had - didnt want to ruin my horse!

 

[Selkie]

I wouldn't. Our school was finished 4 weeks ago and the last 2 weekends its been frozen solid. So not been able to play int it but the dog loves running round it

 

[measles]

Def not. Ours haven't been ridden this week as too much snow on it and a little crispy - I won't risk legs. Lots of stretches and good old fashioned grooming going on at our yard!

 

[Lill]

Our rubber surface doesn't seem to freeze too bad, so i rode on it the other night, was not slippery and was early evening so it hadn't completely frozen up yet!

 

[AmyMay]

No, I wouldn't ride or work a horse in a frozen arena.

 

[Jingleballs]

No Way!

 

[kellyeaton]

no not at all not worth it!