Those of you with horses and no school in the winter...

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Umbongo

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Just wondering how many people without schools and full time jobs keep their horses fit(ish) in the winter.

I am just finishing off at university and am FINALLY in a position to buy my own horse (if I can ever find one!). Obviously this winter with all the ice and snow has been a bit of a write-off.

I have a space at a lovely yard very close to my home, its cheap, lovely people, lovely hacking, day turnout in the winter and 24/7 in the summer! I would love to be able to be at a yard with a school, but they are either too expensive and/or too far away. The yard closest with a school is £35 DIY livery and very restricted turnout so not really an option for me! :)

There is only one other person at my yard that is able to ride and she has her own horse to worry about. Just want to hear how you all cope! I'm going to miss being a student and being able to ride in between lectures :(

Also if any of you know of a nice 15.2-16.2hh all rounder type for an experienced rider with a low budget let me know :)
 
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I hack my horse out all the time....and she was hunting fit last year.....I actually prefer riding in the winter than the summer!
 
If you have day time turn out and ride out Sat & Sun, plus any odd days off/xmas you will be surprised how well you can keep your horse ticking over. TBH my mare got ridden about once a week after the clocks went back and only about 3 times for the whole of december and january due to the bad weather and didnt seem to loose too much fitness at all.
 
we have a small sand arena which we use in winter-not ideal due to size and depth but it has a purpose for lunging and small ponies (i wouldnt use it for youngsters due to depth of the sand).
i think you have to way up pros and cons and there are horses out there that can be ridden at wknds only x
good luck with your search x
 
I hack in the semi dark in the morning as can get off road reasonably quickly to do some fast work so tend to be on horse for 6.30am, finished on yard for 8ish and go straight to work (or uni but not a 'proper' student anymore). I do officially look like a xmas tree though and meet very little traffic.

or if wet we ride round the edge of the field in the evenings

if the ground is drier we school/lunge

We keep some long grass areas for this purpose, our hay will be cut end of june and then left to grow up again so we have good ground cover in the winter.

I tend to give my native 4-5 days work in the winter and he hunted a bit off 5 days this winter (and he isn't the sort that keeps himself fit!)
 
Agree with Magicmillbrook. My boy was quite fit and being ridden 6 times a week in the summer, and then went straight to daily turnout and being lunged, hacked at the weekend and a fornightly lesson during the week in november. He was still fit enough for sj/dr competitions the few times we did go out, and with an extra lunge a week, when it started to get lighter, after 4 weeks, he was plenty fit enough for a ODE. It can definitely be done!
Good luck in your horse search! :)
 
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