Riding in Snow, how safe is it?

[LaurenM]

I'd love to ride in the snow but I don't think I have a suitable place to ride unfortunately It's all hills, slopes or roads by me and our snow has turned to ice. Aw well, might spend the day pampering him instead lol!

 

[Sparkles]

Always have done, never had any problems! Only one that can have an issue with snow compacting in his feet is the cob, as he has pretty deep clefts it gets trapped in.

But my TB lad and my old ponies never had an issue in it. We were out in it for 3 hours earlier having a little raz about and hacking [even created snow tag haha!!!] Fun times!

 

[Sparkles]

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

I had a ride in the school today in the snow, whilst I was tacking up, everyone walking past was 'ohhh, riding in the snow, very brave, ohhh very commited'

TBH it really irked me as we haven't had THAT bad snow here over the weekend, maybe an inch or so? It has basically dissapeared on all the roads etc. But it has settled in the school quite badly......BECAUSE NOONE WILL BLOODY RIDE!! Of course the school's going to have snow in it if noone will ride in the damn thing because of it. If everyone was in there making tracks etc it wouldn't be so badly effected. Bah, rant over.

We had a great time, warmed him up well, then did some trot work and he was fine, then had a couple of canters and again, he was fine, he kicked his heels up and was loving it bless him.

The way I see it is, we live in Great Britain, if we were to not ride because of the snow, hail, rain, cold etc we'd never ride! I'm out there in all weathers because G needs to be kept fit and schooled!

 

[Cuffey]

I have ridden in snow many times on different horses without incident except one!
You need to know the field well
Expect a bit of yee-hah and bucking unless they have already been turned out and had chance to dig and roll in it
My ''close shave' was cantering along a track which I knew very well when suddenly we came to a snow drift blown in from field and pony pitched on to its nose and buried me in the drift.
The snow closed in over me, I had many layers of clothes on with outer layer of yellow workmans coat and really struggled to extricate myself. Panic!!!!
When I stood up pony was nowhere to be seen so followed hoof prints, she had been caught and was being walked home by neighbours.
So a taste in what it feels like to be avalanched--you really cannot move in deep snow!!

 

[Quartz]

Its the first winter that I have had my horse, would love to ride him out in the snow, not sure how he will react so would possibly lunge him first to see? My question is, usually on a hack you are not advised to do a U turn and come back on yourself, however half the hack I do near me is down nice country tracks (no probs there) but then you have to come through the village which involves bridges over water (can get icy), lots of hills and not very sensible drivers. Would it be OK to find a little side track to trot up and down and then come back on myself instead of heading through the village? Thought process of going down side track is it might fool him that we are not going to do a U turn?

 

[MrsMozart]

i rode loads last yr - Everyone else thought i was bonkers (its only cause their horses would have had a fit!)

Stick to flat fields or tracks you know 100% wont have holes or subsidence ect.
I wouldnt go faster than trot really.
Boots all over. - i would stick off the roads mostly because the cars make a horrible noise! and its slippy!

IMPORTANT = quick experimental large circle Lunge them in it first (not a 5m canter please!) - Many find it VERY VERY exciting if you know what i mean

Vaseline works well - think about a half cm (quarter inch) layer, not thin! - I tried socks, but they came off fairly quick.
And take a hoof pick incase you start 'balling up'

and enjoy!!!

Ditto this

I wonder if I have any pics from last winter.... I rode the Dizz in the snow in the school, but Vaseline in (thick!). Had a hoof pick and checked her hooves every fifteen minutes or so, but I don't remember needing it.

She was confused, but seemed to enjoy it

The snow wasn't very deep, so we didn't do any tight work in case she slipped on the school surface underneath.

 

[MrsMozart]

Its the first winter that I have had my horse, would love to ride him out in the snow, not sure how he will react so would possibly lunge him first to see? My question is, usually on a hack you are not advised to do a U turn and come back on yourself, however half the hack I do near me is down nice country tracks (no probs there) but then you have to come through the village which involves bridges over water (can get icy), lots of hills and not very sensible drivers. Would it be OK to find a little side track to trot up and down and then come back on myself instead of heading through the village? Thought process of going down side track is it might fool him that we are not going to do a U turn?

When I have to double back on myself, if I think the horse is going to be a twit, I do circles and serpentines. Then again, I may just have a daft horse that doesn't realise what I'm doing lol.

 

[coss]

i had a lot of fun riding in the snow yesterday - vid was on bbc news 24 several times today - may or may not be on again in a few mins..

 

[Quartz]

i had a lot of fun riding in the snow yesterday - vid was on bbc news 24 several times today - may or may not be on again in a few mins..

Can you not send us a link?

 

[coss]

Can you not send us a link?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10318089

its on at about 10 past the hour every hour, except when there is the main news (ie 12 o clock news, so doubt it will be on the 5 or 6 o clock news)

alternatively - i uploaded to youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AThwHO-pvVU

 

[Quartz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10318089

its on at about 10 past the hour every hour, except when there is the main news (ie 12 o clock news, so doubt it will be on the 5 or 6 o clock news)

alternatively - i uploaded to youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AThwHO-pvVU

I like the look of that!!!! Definately want to give it a go. Loved the dog running next to you too!!!

 

[Vickijay]

I havent read through the posts so this might of been said before but sometimes the best thing to prevent snow balling up is too have a little trot (as long as the ground is good and safe)

I was riding my x racehorse out round the farm in the snow (about 2 weeks into her reschooling) and when she was trotting the snow balls from her feet was flying up and past her head each stride, some even hitting her!! She was fine about it! It was a really nice and special ride.

Have fun

 

[immoralorchid]

Hrm this is an interesting thread, i didn't ride for over a month last year due to snow and ice, so am determined to ride in it this year. I tried vaseline loose schooling last year and it didn't work at all. I'm loath to put wd40 on his hooves, i think it's too full of chemicals. Might try play dough but i think it will go hard... So i guess that leaves lard, which as a veggie i'm a bit unhappy about using but if there's no other options....

Someone mentioned vet wrap on another thread, or duct tape? But i thought snow might stick to vet wrap like it does to wool gloves and thought duct tape might be too slippy?

Am desperate to find something that works really well!

heya it might have been me that mentioned vet wrap it works a treat but it does wear out quite quick hense the vaseline aswell thinking about it though i like the sock idea so will prob use all three now hmmmmm