Riding in icy/snowy conditions

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Princesowner1/5/10

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Hi all,

I am having real trouble in deciding whether to ride out or not in the awful weather we are having at the moment. This is the first horse I have owned and obviously don't want to damage/ injure him on slippery surfaces. Does anyone have any tips in riding in the ice? We have the facilities to ride inside but these will only be available until 1/1/11, plus I've been doing that for the last 3/4 weeks and the both of us are getting quite bored! We both like to be 'out and about' and love changes of scenery and changes of activity. We also have land to ride on but recently he slipped whilst on frozen ground and I'm worried he'll get injured or even frightened if I ride out when its frosty/snowy again.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

X
 
I wouldn't ride if it was icy, not worth the risk of a slip and fall.

I don't ride in the snow, but just because my horse suffers from snow/ice balls.

I have had to hack on roads recently where I know it has thawed.

But that's just me :) Others may have a different view.
 
I think a lot depends on the animal, whether it is sensible when slippy or panicky natured, I try to sit still and let mine do it in his own time on slippy bits, they are after all on 4 wheel drive.
 
Everyone has a different approach and different ideas on what's safe but for me there's no way I'd bother with the risk. Mine is an 18 yr old cob and I mainly hack with a bit of schooling thrown in to keep us sensible. I don't really compete or hunt or have any burning need to keep her "show fit". She lives out 24/7 and I tend to think that she's entitled to use her energy to keep alive in the winter and only ride when the conditions are good underfoot. We have had a cracking long summer together and had a lot of fun this year right up till the weather turned. So I see the current status of her lolling about in a snowy field with haylage twice a day and a feed as payback time for her. We have had some lovely bonding time in the field and she seems to appreciate a bit of attention (pretty boring with no grass to eat I guess). You could maybe do some ground work if you want to do something different.
 
It depends on the individual horse and how bad the snow/ice is near you. I won't hack out if it's deep snow and the roads are covered in snow/ice, but I do hack out on the roads if it is just patchy ice and I can avoid it. I don't take one of my boys out at all when it is icy as he is quite spooky and not too good with large traffic and I would hate him to spook onto a patch of ice and fall over. Tbh, if you have any doubt, I wouldn't hack out until the ice/snow has completely gone. My other boy is very good in traffic, and although he can be a little bit spooky, he is very careful and very clever ... so careful that he even notices patches of ice himself and avoids them! :)
 
Thanks for all of the helpful ideas! Luckily our ice has almost gone, no doubt it will return soon though :( I'm aiming to try and take him out tomorrow, most of the ice has gone and is avoidable. He is sensible and the very definition of the word bombproof! I'm lucky to have him- he is 18 and really has been there, done that- I really know that he will bring me home safely and won't let me do anything stupid. :)
 
I have the same dilemma!!

I dont have a school to ride in either and we are at the bottom of a hill so its always the last place to thaw but my ID really suffers from oedemas when he is not exercised.

I havent ridden in a couple of weeks and he has started to swell underneath now. I am hoping tomorrow will be the first day i am able to ride so i can get him moving again!!!

I dont see the point in taking the risk when icy!!
 
I have the same dilemma: looked at the roads this morning and thought, hmmm, haven't been able to get my boy out for the last week and it wouldn't half be tempting, then my farrier phoned and said he wouldn't be able to get here till after Xmas, and so I asked him what his opinion was ....... he basically said that if you went out on it and anything awful happened, you'd never forgive yourself, plus the fact of if you do slip and horse breaks a leg or whatever, you're gonna have all the awful pallaver of getting someone out to Do the Deed and it would be awful, as well as the danger of the horse falling with you underneath it.

Also, its not what you do, its the blimmin idiots that are out there driving like lunatics, I took the dogs out this morning and some stupid woman saw me, then braked, and nearly went into the hedge, would've served her right silly cow, but that could have been us out riding.

It might seem like a long time without hacking out or even riding, BUT better to wait than to go out and have an accident.

So by the end of this conversation my mind was made up. If they're in the field, or wherever, they're relatively safe, but there's far too much risk being out on the roads IMO.
 
I've ridden once all week and it was just in our paddock. Our snow hasn't cleared so I have little chance of riding :(

It sounds like your ground has cleared however just because roads are clear doesn't mean all your paths are though. It sounds like you are planning on going out anyway so be careful. Personally, I wouldn't be going out though.
 
I rode in the snow today (it was untouched...I couldn't help it) and my pony was fine.
I think it depends on the horse. Though, no matter what the horse is like, it's just kinda moronic to ride in ice.
 
I'm now thinking that it wouldn't be a good idea to venture out until i know that it 100% safe. I could never live with myself if he got hurt because of me :( Looks like we're still riding inside Prince!
 
Princesowner1/5/10 said:
I'm now thinking that it wouldn't be a good idea to venture out until i know that it 100% safe. I could never live with myself if he got hurt because of me :( Looks like we're still riding inside Prince!
Click to expand...

Sounds good! At least you have the option of an indoor, think of us lot that don't! Mine's not bombproof by any means so first hack will be eventful!
 
Same here.

My pony suffered a bout of Azoturia the last time I rode her (about 2 weeks ago), and I'm a bit worried about our first time out again.

I'm going to hack down the lane today if I can, but we have a bridge to go over and often that's the last thing to thaw so reckon I'm not going to be able to go very far.

She's been in at night and out during the day, but upto the Azoturia, was literally just standing by the gate all day.

Now, I scatter the hay all over both paddocks so she has at least got to move a bit, and dropped feed right down.

She got totally over excited the last time out - not like her at all. Hope she's sensible today
 
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