Riding in the wind

Not if it is really really windy.

I used to hack in Windsor Great Park and it wasn't usually a good idea to hack in there on windy days due to falling branches - had a couple of near misses.

Road work - OK if not too bad. But did have a scary experience being chased down the road by a sandwich box, one of those stiff celophany things! Eventually, it over took us and the horses calmed down but it was a bit hairy for a while.
 
I wouldn't cancel a lesson in the outdoor (even more so in an indoor) during wind, but I don't hack if it's very windy, purely because most of our hacking goes through woodlands and I don't want a branch falling on us. My horse is a bit more energetic in windy weather, but that has never bothered me.
 
It depends on the horse tbh. Plus the situation and the wind. I would do a lesson as someone would be there. I wouldn't ride on my own in high winds. Most of the time I am on my own so high winds stop me from riding.It also depends on what you want to do. If you are very competitive then high winds wont stop you and i agree with others that you need to learn how to deal with your horse in high winds. If you just like to take it easy and hack out then why go on a windy day which could potentially cause an accident.

When I was younger the winds had to be gale force to stop me. But nowadays I don't do windy days! :)
Or rainy ones...
or snowy ones...
or really hot ones...
I ride about 6 times a year...
Joking of course...
 
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Pinkvboots said:
I don't think 20 mile an hour wind is windy
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This^^

I'm not the most confident rider and won't ride in strong winds (don't have a school) but if I didn't ride in 20 mph winds I would never ride.

Actually just checked (joys of Google) and our average wind speed in winter is around 25-30mph.

It does depend a bit on the horse too, mine are at home so I can watch them in the field and its clear that my cob is oblivious to weather that has the pony cowering under a bush.
 
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I had a mare who was very spooky in the wind. I still rode, but more for fitness than schooling. My last horse was totally unphased. We were midway through an Elementary test at one show, when 'B' came flying past his head! He barely batted an eyelid!
 
We have a quick rule of thumb about hacking in wind ( we have to school in it as we are at top of a hill and its always windy).... if the water from the outside tap wont hit the bucket ..its too windy.
 
Did you have your lesson OP? How did it go??

We had a little ride round the fields in the wind yesterday afternoon - J wasn't bothered one bit :) Hope your had a successful ride too :)
 
I did indeed, as suspected he was a bit more on his toes but was good practice. Our school is surrounded by trees so the branches were swaying, we had a few 180 spins and was hard to keep his concentration but we did it and lived to tell the tale :D



Amye said:
Did you have your lesson OP? How did it go??

We had a little ride round the fields in the wind yesterday afternoon - J wasn't bothered one bit :) Hope your had a successful ride too :)
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I didn't bother riding yesterday. I have a 4yo that I have had for a week and a half so I thought at this stage I need to make us as likely to have a good experience as possible!
 
Im just like you, and watch the weather report (and wind speeds) avidly. My 'problem' tends to be trees blowing more, rather than the actual wind itself. I will often bottle out of riding it its windy. Though saying that, a few weeks ago I had entered a competition, and the winds were about 20mph or more. I still went, and my goodness was it windy. I couldnt hear a thing ! Nice thing was, the arena was very exposed (in the middle of fields basically) with no trees nearby so nothing really moved about. She didnt spook once ! We got on absolutely fine.
I think for you, it depends on where you are at confidence wise. If you are really very worried about it, I wouldnt ride in the wind. I am a firm believer in setting yourself up to succeed, so only ride when youre feeling 100% committed. On the other hand, if your confidence is pretty much ok, and youre possibly worrying a little over nothing, then saddle up and go for it. I am 110% certain it will be fine and youll be glad you did :-) At the end of the day, I assume you dont ride professionally, so your livelihood doesnt depend on it, so if you dont feel like it, dont.
 
Horsekaren said:
I did indeed, as suspected he was a bit more on his toes but was good practice. Our school is surrounded by trees so the branches were swaying, we had a few 180 spins and was hard to keep his concentration but we did it and lived to tell the tale :D
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Brilliant! Well done for cracking on :) Sounds like, although not perfect, it was a good confidence giving lesson. Now you know you can handle him in the school when it's windy and he knows nothing terrible happens when it is windy!
 
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