What do you do, riding in winter

[RubysGold]

This is my 6th winter with horses. The first two I rode Roo, I don't remember much about it but I didn't work every day, I worked a few hours a few days a week in a shop for most of it.

Then Roo went lame just before the 3rd winter and hasn't had a winter in work since
Jimmy was unbacked in our first year and then turned away in the second year

So apart from a share horse last year, I haven't ridden through winter

So the past few years in winter Ive turned out till half 4-5pm ish.

With the clocks changing, Im having to get them in around 3, half 3 if I want to ride. Its daft but I feel mean for doing it!! It means there in quite a lot
I think when it gets colder and more wintry and Roo starts lingering near the gate Ill feel less mean about it!

so what time do you tend to bring in and ride? Or do you ride in the mornings?

We have no arena and no lights so I must ride in daylight

 

[AmyMay]

I don't think there's any problem with bringing the horse in early to ride it - and is what I do if I intend to ride in the afternoon.

 

[chestnut cob]

Just bring in early, I don't see a problem. Horse is being brought in to work, not to stand in a stable.

Last winter I moved to a place without arena lights (having always been somewhere with lights, so could ride at night) which means I have to be more organised now. I'm resigned to the fact I will ride less over winter so horse is having his shoes off next week. TBH even when I'm somewhere with lights, I don't enjoy schooling in the dark/ cold/ rain/ snow and of course icy roads are no fun for hacking on, so I don't ride that much over the worst of winter anyway.

Currently... horse is turned out about 8.30am after his breakfast. If I bring in, it is about 5.30pm. If YO brings it, it's probably half an hour earlier ATM but will be before dark through winter (so 3ish in the real depths of winter). Work-wise, through spring/summer/autumn he is worked 6 days per week and he's pretty fit now, so not the end of the world to work less. YO rides him on a Monday morning then I will try to get there at least once before work in the week to school him, and possibly once to do a short hack. Then he will hack at the weekends; usually one day is just a hack, and the other will be a school or lesson with a hack first to warm up, or a competition. I can manage a bit of in-hand work in the semi-darkness of our arena so I'm trying to do 10-15 mins of that one or two evenings a week. He should be ridden both weekend days then 1-3 days in the week.

 

[fattylumpkin]

I'm comfortable riding in the dark, otherwise I don't see any problems with bringing them in early on weekdays either So long as they get a few days in the week to have a long romp and a break from the monotany of the stable. To be honest though, the field is pretty dull for them at this time of year too, so a lovely long hack and then put to bed is probably more enjoyable than an extra hour or two moping with their backs to the wind.

 

[xgemmax]

Just bring in early to ride they wont be standing around in their stables, they'll be being ridden so shouldn't make must difference

 

[Frosty89]

I agree with AmyMay.

I finish work at 3 and it's easier for me to go straight up to the yard after work so I normally bring in around 3.30/4.00.

 

[monkeybum13]

No problem at all bringing in early to ride

 

[JFTDWS]

I ride late morning then turnout. But I don't bring in till 9ish most nights. It's not a typical horsey routine, but it works for us. (not strictly true, Dae's in more as he's Houdini, J's out virtually all the time, but hey, it's complicated, ok?!)

Don't have a school, so hack / school in straight lines on the byway (it's an interesting sight!) during daylight hours preferrably.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I have ponsy show horses who don't do winter riding - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!!

 

[charli_]

As others I agree that it's not mean to bring horse in earlier to ride - they'll have fun going out! I am not riding at all in week, feel awful! To VERY long hacks Saturday and Sunday will have to do it for now keep telling myself that i 'll start saving for an indoor, but then someone needs new clothes or a new set of shoes...and that's just the horses!

 

[SuperH]

In winter I ride in the morning. Then turn out when finished. Today that was 2pm. They come in at about 4.30 pm at the moment. I don't feel bad, they get plenty of days where they are out all day and they don't seem bothered.