Riding when frozen

Petmurf

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 June 2020
Messages
545
Visit site
Apart from 15 minutes in the arena on Sunday for a biting appointmen, we haven’t ridden since last Wednesday and won’t be until at least the weekend as it’s just not worth it plus it’s not enjoyable for me worrying about ice etc
 

southerncomfort

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2013
Messages
5,727
Visit site
Re water buckets freezing, have you got some bedding you can pack around it? Or failing that hay? It can sometimes insulate them enough to stop them freezing.

Also my boiler packed in last week when it was -4 and we went down to about 7 in the house but it still wasn't cold enough to freeze any of the pipes, so hopefully you may get away with it too. I hope you have a fire or electric heater to help you keep warm. It's really blooming cold without heating in this weather :(

Thanks!

Will definitely try packing hay etc around water buckets.
 

Hallo2012

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2016
Messages
1,660
Visit site
lucky my arena is not frozen (sand and carpet fibre) so still schooling, i can box up to direct off road hacking if the roads are clear, and my tracks to te field are all limestone so plenty of grit.

i have been salt and gritting the concrete yard and although not good for it in big quantities or for sustained periods, for a couple of weeks i don't understand why people aren't doing that to get horses to the field?

or chuck down old bedding?
 

Armchair Eventer

Active Member
Joined
8 March 2021
Messages
37
Visit site
Our arenas are frozen and the off road gravel tracks we can hack down have been frozen solid for over a week now. We haven't had much snow but it's still not worth the risk even if my busy brained little mare is bored and grumpy.
 

Birker2020

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2021
Messages
10,677
Location
West Mids
Visit site
lucky my arena is not frozen (sand and carpet fibre) so still schooling, i can box up to direct off road hacking if the roads are clear, and my tracks to te field are all limestone so plenty of grit.

i have been salt and gritting the concrete yard and although not good for it in big quantities or for sustained periods, for a couple of weeks i don't understand why people aren't doing that to get horses to the field?

or chuck down old bedding?
Apparently salt can cause concrete to degrade but sharp sand would probably suffice and can be bought from a lot of places relatively cheaply. It provides traction and washes away easier than builders sand and cheaper too. It obviously won't melt ice though.
 

Gallop_Away

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 May 2015
Messages
1,019
Visit site
I kept mine in yesterday as ground completely frozen and rock solid. The temperature didn't go above -2 all day.

It's not quite as cold today and my standie was having a proper sulk at being inside, so I put them out (very carefully).

I would never think about riding in icy conditions. It's just not worth the risk.
 

Birker2020

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2021
Messages
10,677
Location
West Mids
Visit site
Our paths aren't too bad, some used bedding has been put down but only minimally as it wasn't necessary for more.

I'm glad Lari is barefoot, he seems to be more happier walking over the ice, he seems much more confident and doesn't favour the grass, quite happy to walk over frozen hoof prints, it was me trying to stay upright on the grass and keep my balance last night!
 

MereChristmas

riding reluctantly into the sunset
Joined
21 February 2013
Messages
13,098
Location
the sat-nav is wrong, go farther up the hill
Visit site
Everywhere is frozen hard but the hoar frost has gone, except where I live.
At the yard the roads are clear and the tracks in the wood are sheltered and mostly leaf covered so we could trot and canter.
We only needed care on the frozen stone and mud track between the road and the woods.
Turning out is fine as the field entries are straight off the lane. All the horses, except one, are being very sensible while out.
I am riding whilst I can as I don’t expect to ride at the weekend. Snow is forecast and I may not be able to drive to the yard let alone ride.
 

MereChristmas

riding reluctantly into the sunset
Joined
21 February 2013
Messages
13,098
Location
the sat-nav is wrong, go farther up the hill
Visit site
Re water buckets freezing, have you got some bedding you can pack around it? Or failing that hay? It can sometimes insulate them enough to stop them freezing. :(

If you have a larger trug pack that with straw, shavings or even muck as insulation round the water trug. It keeps the insulation in place.

I remember our oil pipe to the house froze one year. We piled fresh poo on the pipe. The poo kept the pipe warm for over a week of freezing temperatures
 

Sossigpoker

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 September 2020
Messages
3,190
Visit site
At the weekend I did hack out and was coming back down hill, on the edge of a field, thinking that it would be OK as it was wet enough to have a bit of give. Mine nearly did the splits behind and I was so angry with myself , as we've only just got on top of his SI pain. Thankfully it doesn't look like he suffered any damage though, but could have been such a major set back.
After that I've just been doing mainly walk work in the arena.
 

PinkvSantaboots

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 August 2010
Messages
24,188
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
lucky my arena is not frozen (sand and carpet fibre) so still schooling, i can box up to direct off road hacking if the roads are clear, and my tracks to te field are all limestone so plenty of grit.

i have been salt and gritting the concrete yard and although not good for it in big quantities or for sustained periods, for a couple of weeks i don't understand why people aren't doing that to get horses to the field?

or chuck down old bedding?

Thats what I do i grit what I can and chuck old shavings on the rest.
 

PinkvSantaboots

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 August 2010
Messages
24,188
Location
Hertfordshire
Visit site
I'm leaving mine out - the path to get them in is v slippy as is the yard - and there's less silly running around if they aren't getting turned out in one go.

The move around more out, easier to keep water clear in the big trough in the field - hopefully less stressful all round!

I was considering leaving mine out as they are getting worse each morning when I put them out I think it is safer not trying to walk them in and out at the moment.
 

AntiPuck

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 June 2021
Messages
607
Visit site
It's too bad to ride here, you can't access the forests easily as the roads are covered in snow and ice. I don't think we will be riding for a little while, can't even bring the horses in at the moment so they're out enjoying hay munching in the snow.
 

Dontforgetaboutme

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2020
Messages
230
Visit site
I rode in the school last night but only in walk and transition to trot & back. Since then it’s ranged between -2 and -4 so will skip today and hope the promised sun tomorrow thaws everything out a bit. Mine are out 8 hours a day so a week off work won’t harm them
 

maya2008

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 August 2018
Messages
3,514
Visit site
Having been restricted to careful walk over frozen solid ground in their field for the last two days, my lot were beyond ecstatic when I found them a bit of the big field that had thawed enough we could trot today! Just one strip we had to go up and down, but they literally didn’t care so long as they were moving. Little Welsh 3yo even jumped out of the paddock to come with the others so she could come too - sooo desperate to move!
 

SheriffTruman

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 September 2020
Messages
286
Visit site
Mine nearly did the splits behind and I was so angry with myself , as we've only just got on top of his SI pain. Thankfully it doesn't look like he suffered any damage though, but could have been such a major set back.
? Sossigpoker, that's must have been scary.

Horse is out all day, so no harm done even if I don't work him. However, he needs to lose some weight so I've decided to do long-ish walks (me on the ground next to the horse!). The outside arena is frozen solid. Horse is unshod so we managed without slipping. We don't have good hacking, but I do have the luxury of separate bike lanes for much of the way (being in The Netherlands where cycling is a religion). It means we are relatively safe from traffic.

Only living souls to be met were some skating fanatics who were testing the ditches and canals for thickness of the ice. Not quite thick enough yet, but that will not stop them in the coming days ?.
 
Last edited:

Bernster

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 August 2011
Messages
8,140
Location
London
Visit site
My two are on temporary overnight turnout due to rehab needs for Finn. Although I feel a bit bad that it’s so cold, I’m generally glad that they are now out 24/7 instead of being in 24/7 these last 2 days. They’ve got hay, thick rugs, the water isn’t freezing, so they’re actually better off really. Tinky is out 24/7 too so I’m lucky all mine can be out and about.
 

little_critter

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 June 2009
Messages
6,371
Visit site
I hoped to do something with mine tonight but once I got there I really couldn’t be bothered to do anything. The arena is frozen so we can do no more than walk and it feels mean to take his rug off and then not do anything energetic enough to keep him warm.
Sadly our forecast shows us going straight from freezing conditions to strong winds and rain at the weekend. Humph.
 
Last edited:

Polos Mum

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 September 2012
Messages
6,157
Location
West Yorkshire
Visit site
I was considering leaving mine out as they are getting worse each morning when I put them out I think it is safer not trying to walk them in and out at the moment.

Exactly my thinking, the real slippery stuff is getting them in and out, (250m drive which I can't grit / put poo all over) they seem to be coping really well. It's not windy or wet and they get hay in field same as stable, I'm regularly checking ears and armpits and finding them toasty.

Every herd is different but mine are safer staying where they are all the time.
 
Joined
29 July 2005
Messages
12,553
Visit site
I’ve ridden all three today! It’s really not that bad here though. We’ve had no snow so everywhere is dry. Two have just been for a walk and trot round the village but my Appy has had a good gallop in the fields - ground is fantastic at the moment.
 

Hackback

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 August 2019
Messages
863
Visit site
We've had a burst pipe in the tack room today. Everything that got wet (dog beds, towels) started to freeze straight away and we had to slice the ice off the yard with shovels before re-gritting it. Brrrrr. Supposed to be double figures by Monday. No doubt I'll be worrying about the horses slipping in the mud and complaining how dirty everything is.
 
Top