Riding on icy roads

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ThreeWBs

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As title really. We have frosty/icy roads that aren’t completely thawing during the day. My horse is barefoot and doesn’t have hoof boots. Would it be safe to ride on the roads?

Edit: it’s not sheet ice, just patches under the trees
 
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Pearlsacarolsinger said:
Being barefoot won't protect your horse from a car sliding into the pair of you if the driver hits a patch of ice. Don't do t!
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I slipped over this morning on a patch of black ice on a part of the yard which was not frozen yesterday so it caught me out, luckily no real harm done apart from a sore wrist, it is not worth risking your horse, yourself or an unsuspecting driver, even one driving carefully can so easily end up skidding.
 
My horse is barefoot too, and I do occasionally ride on the icy roads but only quiet ones that are flat and sunlit. Little lanes tend to be shady and stay icy longer. It's not nice if you hit a steep downhill icy patch on tarmac so as others say, probably best avoided. Also don't be fooled by thinking a bit of rain is a sign the roads will defrost. Rain can actually quickly refreeze and make it even more like an ice rink!
 
Nope nope and nope. My old boss insisted we carried on riding on ice roads. She couldn’t ride in the week and some weekends too so if she had time to ride, ride she would. If she wanted to trot she would trot, and trot straight over ice. I would then be told off when I walked and tried to pick my way round the ice. Nothing bad actually happened about from me growing more grey hairs. Very glad I don’t work there anymore. People at yard getting very jittery as they can’t ride but it just isn’t worth the risk.
 
Fifty years ago I had a pony with an almost super-equine sense of self preservation. He would however check the ground and take me round ice I hadn’t noticed and negotiate all slippy ground safely. He never slipped. Remember though there would have been very little traffic and there were no 4x4’s.
I have never had a horse so safe in that situation since.

Ride on ice now?
No way.
 
Nope! i once hacked out with a friend and we ended up on an icy road and her horse's legs went from under him and squished her. She wasn't badly hurt but it was a horrible experience and i won't ride when it's icy now.
 
No, I have not been able to ride all week due to the ice, my pony hates the ice. This morning the yard was like an ice rink where the rain had frozen from last night, I managed to wriggle them in to the field keeping close to the barn at lunch time, but don't expect it to thaw by tomorrow. I can't actually remember the last time it was this bad not a sole out walking at 8am this morning.
 
rabatsa said:
I got a broken foot and stirrup iron from a slippy road, and a horse that then paniced whenever he felt a foot slip for the rest of his life.
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I had a pony slip on ice and the pony didn't care but I now panic when I feel a foot slip. ?

If you have a barefoot horse you can get a set of hoof boots studded with ice studs if you are in a position to have to be on ice regularly.
 
Apart from other road users my worry would be what would happen if he spooked. I always use that as my reference. If I am not 100% sure that he would stay on his feet I don't go.
 
Just not worth the risk. Even a minor slip can be a big deal and the roads are rarely icy for weeks on end in the UK..
 
It depends on lots of factors.. how icy it is for starters. Most main roads will be gritted. If you can get up on the grass verges that will be better. Next it depends on the horse. My appy is a complete 4x4 who will go anywhere in any weather but not all would be as brave (or sensible).
 
Nope.
I ride whatever the weather but ice is the only time I don't ride (or if it's over 30° to be fair)
I have to do 20 yards of road to get to my field - if we get a cold spell and it freezes I shall chuck out and they'll stay out until it thaws (we've escaped the current ice/snow with the exception of 2 days where my road was still ok)
For the sake of a week or two I just don't think it's worth the risk.
 
spotty_pony said:
It depends on lots of factors.. how icy it is for starters. Most main roads will be gritted. If you can get up on the grass verges that will be better. Next it depends on the horse. My appy is a complete 4x4 who will go anywhere in any weather but not all would be as brave (or sensible).
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Same here. Generally barefoot ponies manage over reasonable levels of ice, will just slow or stop if they don't like the ground, and find an 'extra leg' from somewhere if it's just one foot that has slipped. That said, here in the south we rarely get true sheet ice like they do further north.

Interesting so many people so scared of a foot slipping. Presumably they don't ride shod horses on the road.
 
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