Riding in icey frozen conditions.

Having been down on the road I would never ride if any risk of ice. Today I didn't ride because roads were bad all day. It is a pain when you have time off and you can't get out but the thought of the best part of 3/4s of a ton going over on the road is scary . I would not even walk him the half a mile to the school, which would no doubt be froze anyhow. The other day I drove a route to check for ice before I rode, it was clear so I went but I'd rather miss out on a ride then risk either of my boys.
 
Concrete is icy, roads icy, no way am I doing anything more than leading to and from the fields. Plenty of time to ride in the spring.
 
Maybe we'd think about it if we had forest tracks etc but it's straight out onto a busy road then because we are in a steep valley big hill on the way out and back so it's a no, we aren't far from the coast but at 11.30am some roads were so white it looked like snow, not worth the risk, the horses live out 24/7 so at least they are not shut in all day.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I just do not ride. I cannot see the point of looking after horses twice a day for 365 days of the year and then risking their and my life by trying to hack out on slippy roads. Having had one slip up and sit on me on ice, I am perhaps more aware than some of the fall it gives you. Plus it is fair on car drivers to meet horses in icy conditions, I think not.

So here I am, unable to ride today, watching Escape to the Country and eating the Christmas chocolates - frustrating but the boys and girls are safe not splattered on the tarmac.
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This.

On one memorable occasion, when rain had frozen on top of a cold field, we had a potentially nasty accident when the Clydie mare lost her footing completely, whilst being led to the yard. Fortunately both she and her handler escaped with bruising, although he did learn that he wasn't strong enough to hold up half a ton of heavy horse and probably should have gone to A&E
 
Even though the horse has her winter tires on (borium studs and rim pads) I don't go out when it is icy, which means now - curses.

Beautiful riding weather today, snow softly falling in big fat lazy flakes, right on top of solid ice which froze after Christmas rain. So, I am waiting and hoping for a lot more snow.

As everyone else says, why risk them for one ride ?
 
Options for hacking for me are turn left onto steep smooth tarmac that never gets gritted, or right to go through a ford which gets black ice either side, nice.
 
We went out one icy morning because we have a route that is all bridleway. What I hadn't accounted for was daughter's pony spooking on to the icy footpath and going down on her knees, dropping daughter in the process.

Lesson learned and never ride out on icy days now.
 
Not really something worth stressing about - you'd be much more stressed if you risked riding on icy roads and you our your horse injured yourselves.

It's rubbish when you have time off but the weather is against you - I'd just leave it until the weather improves - plenty of riding to be had in the future.
 
I did used to ride in all weathers and regardless of ice and packed frozen snow whatever, as my lad has always been sensible with his feet etc, nothing really stopped us, but now we are both a bit older I don't anymore as I have got a bit lazy :-)
 
Hard frost here this morning, then thick fog which hasn't lifted all day, so no riding for us. Not worth the risk of a car sliding into us, or pony slipping.
 
A thought occurred to me that even while we do ride in ice and snow here (hard not to in this country) a full set of winter shoes, snow studs and snow soles costs around £180-200 from the farrier vs. normal shoeing which costs around £80-120. So while it is possible to ride as normal on ice, the shoes necessary to do so are bloody expensive. The people I know with barefoot horses usually go into a semi-hibernation in winter until there's good snowy footing, or else make use of boots, but boots are less reliable in snow and ice.
 
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