To those without a menage- what do you do in the rain?

[charleysummer]

If you are on a yard where you have to ride on grass, what do you do in the rain? i ride everyday almost, apart from the one day rest for pony and if the forecast is correct i can't see how i will ride in weeks! i would gladly ride in the rain if the grass wouldnt turn to a mudbath and i can't hire out the local menage every day as it would cost a fortune! do you just not ride?

 

[JadeyyAndLadyy]

well i rent my own field so to save the ground from turning to a muddy slush from the rain i usually hack out for longer instead

 

[Lollii]

I have a sand school at home but I still never ride in the rain

 

[touchstone]

I'm another that hacks out

 

[fidleyspromise]

As long as the grass is okay, I ride. If I can (and the roads aren't too bad) I go out a hack but it does depend on visibility and how large the puddles are - due to being splashed and scaring pony as she will march straight through them. A couple of years ago, I managed to ride most days all year so hoping this year will be similar.

 

[Shysmum]

get wet !

 

[Enfys]

I ride I'm waterproof, I don't choose to ride in the rain though, certainly wouldn't train in the stuff.

I spent years in Wales, if I didn't ride in the rain I'd never have ridden at all!

 

[3Beasties]

I hack out, don't like schooling much on grass, especially when it's wet and Slippy.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont have a menage and I dont hack. All I have is grass paddocks. Far from ideal but we cope. I do go a few days without riding sometime if the weather is bad and I very much have to limit what I do depending on the ground (I dont get to do many canter circles for instance - too slippy most of the time!). I keep mine out 24/7 though which does help them ticking over to a degree. I have got mine to 1.20 BSJA and CIC* BE doing this so guess it works ok! Id love to think how much better we'd be though if we had a proper surface to ride on where I could practice to my hearts content Ah well.

 

[abbieandfiona]

Hack out in the rain doent care if its raining or not still ride and walk the youngster. Dont have a school as own fields.

 

[wilsha]

i just hack out in waterproofs

 

[racingdemon]

hack out, or do fast work (around the edge of our hay field) if it's really wet i also do alot more schooling in walk/halt, you can do alot if you think a bit differently

 

[4leggedfurries]

get wet !

Damn it, someone beat me to it!

 

[charleysummer]

Yes i hack out too, but on a bridlepath up near me there is this composting site and on the grass/mud it is covered in a very springy, soft, 'stuff' i don't know what to call it- its just like a mix of soft spongey stuff! and all year round- no matter what weather it is a good enough surface to ride on - so i was thinking, could you just place shavings or something similar on the grass throughout the muddy season? to keep it rideable?