Schooling in the pouring rain? Any point?

[Muddywellies]

Need super quick answers to help me decide. I have a comp coming up and need to school tonight. However it's absutely p1ssing down. Horse has already had Tuesday off this week and needs to be in regular work (she is turned out all day as well) so I do need to school tonight. But I just don't feel it will be v productive as we'll both be cold wet and miserable. Not sure what can be achieved. Would you crack on anyway, or take a rain check tonight and give her another day off ?

 

[SOS]

If your competition is outdoors could be good practice!

In these circumstances I set myself some clear goals in my head, waterproof up, get a thermatex out ready for after the ride and crack on.

 

[Nicnac]

If you're both going to hate it don't bother. Sometimes schooling because you feel you have to doesn't achieve anything. She was worked yesterday and will be worked tomorrow so another day off won't matter.

 

[Squeak]

Completely depends on whether she will perform less well at the competition for not having worked today. If it wont effect her then I'd give the day off but if it will then I'd be riding.

The other thing that would be a factor is whether she behaves in rain? If not I'd be riding in it so that she gets used to it.

Eta - if you do ride, I sometimes find that the rain can help with some exercises - for instance, my horse becomes more collected/ slower in the canter so I use a ride in the rain to train some canter, walks and other canter exercises so that the rain aids my schooling rather than picking something like lateral work, that it would hinder.

 

[Cortez]

I hate riding in the rain, so did horses, but since they were required to work in all weathers, work in the rain they did. See also wind, snow, etc.

 

[catembi]

Depends on the horse? One of my TBs will work in the rain but the other one won't. The one that won't is nearly 20 & in very light work & it's not worth the histrionics. With the other one, it's worth persisting and we would get something useful done.

 

[nikicb]

I hate riding in the rain, but as much as anything getting tack saturated is a real pain. You could do some in hand work, if it's all about keeping her brain engaged and her body supple.

 

[Gloi]

If it's dressage just keep going through your test in your head. So long as she's had turnout today no point in being wet and miserable.

 

[dorsetladette]

I'd take a rain check!

Is there any exercises you can do inside from the ground? even some stretches in the stable, moving hind quarters over and back (back legs crossing under etc), carrot stretches. a really good groom? Hot cloth?

Unless you have specific movements you need to practise I wouldn't see any benefit of schooling in this weather (its already dark here today, even then I'd get those movements run through pretty quickly and then head back for shelter.

Good luck for the weekend. Weather forecast looks better from tomorrow onwards here.

 

[doodle]

I don't much like riding in the rain. However my nerves would be better of I know I have ridden. In this situation I tell myself we will do 15mins of easyish work, just walk trot canter each way. And because I am determined to just do 15mins work I tend to rise better, horse goes better and we end quite quickly.

 

[ihatework]

Depends on the horse and how established they are / how much work they need.
If they need the work then I’d ride (begrudgingly) or lunge (more likely).
If they were a cool dude and it wouldn’t make a difference either way then I’d take a rain check

 

[Polos Mum]

if she will just argue with you - maybe lunge instead.

If 10 mins will do the trick maybe risk it.

If she has to compete in the pouring rain - then it's good practice.

 

[dottylottie]

i’d take a rain check. lily doesn’t even seem to notice the rain if we’re already out, but if it’s already raining and we go in the arena she has a strop

 

[black and brown]

What is the arena surface like? If it is waterlogged and riding heavy then the risk of injury would make me think twice. I also hate my tack getting saturated in heavy rain.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

And the answer from OP as to what she did, is?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I wouldn't bother but Arabi loathes being ridden in the rain if it's heavy and windy he will just curl his neck up and then just spin round to avoid it blowing in his face, so there is just no real point in bothering and hacking he just jogs and tries to run home

Louis doesn't really care about getting wet.

 

[Muddywellies]

Completely depends on whether she will perform less well at the competition for not having worked today. If it wont effect her then I'd give the day off but if it will then I'd be riding.

The other thing that would be a factor is whether she behaves in rain? If not I'd be riding in it so that she gets

And the answer from OP as to what she did, is?

I rode ! and gooooood loooooord did we get wet. Horse was a flipping superstar and totally knuckled down for me. I reckon we were only 15 or 20 mins but did lots of transitions, trying to maintain engagement and a bit of counter canter. I'm going to be days drying everything out !

 

[JBM]

I don’t work in the rain
Not enjoyable for me

 

[MissTyc]

I used to as I thought it was important to practice in all weathers.
These days I only ride for fun and I don't find it fun in heavy rain.
My current horses, not schooled in the rain, seem to have no problem competing in the rain or attending the odd torrential lesson if I happened to have something booked. Mostly, I try to book only indoor stuff in winter. I have gone soft.

 

[abbijay]

I'm a great believer that if I waited for the weather to ride in this country i'd never ride, so I just wrap up and crack on with it.

 

[Annagain]

I know I'm too late with my answer as you rode and it sounded like a good session but for me it would depend on so many factors. The biggest is whether replicating the conditions you will be competing in is useful. e.g I never school Wiggy on grass as he's a laid back chap and the novelty of grass gives us that little bit of extra oomph in a competition. However, I do (or rather did as we only have an indoor now - first world problems!) school him in the rain as he got really grumpy and stuffy the first time I competed him in the rain (having not had him very long) so now we work through it regardless and he does seem better for it. To be fair, the heavens opened just as the judge rang her bell and pretty much stopped as we did our halt and salute and I still got soaked through to my pants in those 4 1/2 minutes the rain was so bad. I was grumpy as hell so I can't blame him!

The other thing is how seriously you take your competitions - I do them because I enjoy testing myself against my previous performances rather than because i'm super competitive so it's no big deal to me if i'm not 100% prepared - it's all part of the learning curve. I do tend to be the sort of rider where I have to be totally focussed and up for it (or supervised!), if I'm miserable I tend to bimble along not doing much. Wig also doesn't have to be ridden every day so it makes no difference to him.

Having said that, I love hacking in the rain as long as I'm prepared for it and it's not blowing a gale as well. There's something comforting about being wrapped up against the elements and carrying on regardless.