Too cold to ride? Yay or nay

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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As title really.

Am I the only one being a wimp right now??

I've got carpal tunnel problems, and hands are always cold at the best of times, and I frankly don't have what it takes to face tacking up, faffing around with girths & bridles with freezing cold fingers, and THEN haul reluctant butt into the saddle to face the North wind whistling over the hedge on a horse that feels like it wants to gallop off full-tilt into the next county as soon as your foot goes in the stirrup and that frankly would much rather have its backside tucked up under the hedge!

The sunshine is glorious, but the wind is just soooohhh bleddi cold!! Jeez. Plus (sensible head not excuse) there IS the issue of ice on the lanes to consider........

Yes OK so tell me to Woman-Up, I'll agree totally, yes need to.

But is anyone else deciding to leave riding, for now???

Or is it just me wimping out??
 
We've had 5 lots out on the racehorses this morning a since 7.30am! But we get paid to do that come rain, hail (which hurts like a bar steward!) Sleet, snow (plenty of flurries of that this morning too!) And shine!
 
I would probably have ridden for a short while this morning as the wind didn't seem as bad, but I can't even get out of my gate for a big sheet of ice so waiting for the warmer weather!
 
No, I'm pretty happy in most conditions, but I absolutely won't risk hacking on icey roads - it only takes one idiot driver. Plus my school was solid this morning so that wasn't an option either. Will try harrowing the school a bit later to see if I can free it up, but other than that will just have to wait (again) for this weather to to blow over.

Don't feel guilty, it just is what it is. Spring soon
 
Not too cold to ride, no!

But this cold snap has fallen at a very convenient time, I’ve been planning giving young horse a week off so this week it is!
 
I'm kind of having to ride, although it is tempting not too, especially as I've come inside for lunch and its so warm in here!
Having one on box rest means another is stuck inside keeping him company so i do feel the need to ride it. :(
On the plus side, yes its absolutely freezing but its bone dry here so no ice anywhere to worry about.
I have to go back to work tomorrow afternoon so very tempted to take horse with me and stick him on the walker for an hour while i work and get a day off from riding and freezing!
 
I'm trying to get an older TB fit enough to do some bits and bobs late spring, I'm on holiday next week, so I'm wrapping up and walking or long reining in the arena, I don't want him to have 2 weeks off work, but I suspect tomorrow that will be frozen too looking at the weather, I wouldn't risk the roads at the moment either.
 
YO has bannned turnout for the moment as the ground is rutted from all the mud and now frozen solid. So we are riding all 3 today or they will go loopy! Luckily we have an indoor arena which protects us a bit from the wind though it is still sub zero.
 
Tis pretty bitter outside, I'll agree! I'd ride in it though, much rather the cold than the rain. But if it's iced up on the roads, no thanks, I choose life!
 
28378065_10160064581340125_132833216313693051_n.jpg

Rode a few like this today... quicker, no faffing with tack and keeps your legs warm!
 
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Still riding here :) Freezing cold but really dry so far, only little flurries of snow. Our school never freezes (flexiride) so as long as I can get down the lane to it, mine stay in work. I am hoping to get out for a quick hack this afternoon if the roads are still decent and then I expect we'll be confined to the arena for the rest of the week. Bleddy cold though! :(
 
Life's too short to ride when it's miserable (I've paid my dues and ridden in absolutely everything when I had to, including at night with a torch held in my teeth). Neither the horses or I enjoy freezing bits off in a cutting wind.
 
No ice or snow on the ground here yet, it's very cold (-3 all day) but very dry so I probably would be riding if I wasn't stuck in work. Not sure what the school will be like by the time I get to the yard. Hoping it will still be rideable on as we're due to get the big dump of snow Thursday / Friday so I can't see riding at the weekend a being an option.
 
I did ride at the weekend a couple of weeks ago (before the beast from the east, just normal cold winter weather) and the wind was so cold, riding just wasn't enjoyable.
 
I rode on Sunday. The roads were clear but the tracks in the woods were far too slippy. Since then we have had occasional snow showers which have melted pretty quickly but this evening the showers are becoming thicker and settling. Last night I couldn’t feel my fingers after 10 minutes. This morning there was 2” of ice on the water trough.

Those are sufficient reasons for me not to ride.
 
No, thank you!
Done it in the past (although always avoided ice) but not now, with the windchill this week.

Spring's coming :) Got the first hawthorns showing new leaves now - although I'll bet they wished they hadn't bothered ;)
 
I'm off for a lesson tonight. Mind you, I love the cold. Although the lesson will be indoors tonight as it will be dark.
 
School sand was frozen so hacked out in sunny Suffolk this afternoon. Flipping freezing. Funny enough 1/4 inch ice on the field water troughs but roads clear. Did get caught in a snow storm at 3pm so lots trotting to get home.
 
I worked P last night and Diva the night before. Snow started to freeze on our manège tonight so couldn’t have ridden anyway. Pottered around doing jobs this evening so didn’t feel guilty. They’ll have tomorrow off as I have parents evening and Thursday and Friday look horrific- high winds and heavy snow. Think they’ll be having a quiet week!
 
Hi,
Quite agree, why go if you don't enjoy it, don't need to, and haven't got a nice cosy indoor school to use, we can only hack out so riding is a no no just now, I managed to get out on Saturday, but its too risky on the snow and ice to even think about it just now, horses are toasty warm in their modern rugs lots of hay in the field and quite happy until the weather picks up. Roll on spring.
 
I have managed to ride all winter so I'm really not worried about this week. I work outside and the last thing I feel like doing I'd tacking up at 5pm to ride in these freezing temps°
 
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