What you doing when ground to hard to ride?

S

stacey_lou

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 December 2008
Messages
3,180
Location
suffolk
Visit site
Yesterday was the first time this winter that the ménage has been too hard to ride on and with more snow on the way for us in the next 2nights I'm dreading it.

What is everyone doing with their horses in this weather?

Yes she can go on the horse walker each day but if I don't ride I feel like I am neglecting her so once her mane and tail is tidied up today I'm out of pampering ideas.
 
If the surface is level enough tonight I'm planning a schooling-in-walk session tonight. It's no different to going out on the road really. If it's been dug up during the day it'll have to be another day off :(
 
Nothing - yard put the pony on the horsewalker whilst I'm at work. The last 2 nights it's taken long enough to defrost the taps, fill the water storage, negotiate the yard in the dark to think about pampering - I've just wanted to go home for my tea!
 
stacey_lou said:
That's an idea but does it actually work? We are more frozen more than snowy at the moment
Click to expand...

It does for me - I have the liveries and my own to get out no matter what the weather, and they're all fine in the snow with some vaseline in their feet. I do fast work as normal with the hunters and eventers in the snow too.

Frozen ground is fine - just take it steady and avoid icy roads if you can. Stick to off road, and don't trot about like a loon.
 
too blooming cold to be sitting in the stable chatting with them! i have been doing ground work in the school since its frozen :) nothing difficult just teaching him to do spanish walk from the ground, the begginnings of a bow, counting and smiling :) he seems to be quite enjoying it :) also put a cone out which he found incredibly entertaining! Taz hasnt been ridden in months other than moving yards so it doesnt make a difference to him but i did give him a quick groom the other day :) i could hack out as its not particularly slippery but they are all feeling fresh so i'd rather not fall on what feels like lumpy concrete!
 
stacey_lou said:
No pampering days? Or spending time just sat in the stable?
Click to expand...

It's too cold to spend time sitting around in the stable with my horse!! I don't even get warm mucking out!

I've given up trying to ride/work horse ATM. I figure that he had a really busy year from April 2012 onwards, learnt loads of new stuff and worked hard so it won't hurt him to have a couple of weeks or so off work to chill out. He doesn't mind as long as he's turned out daily. I do work my horses in hand so at most I might do a few flexions in the stable of an evening (stretches in a bridle).

The thing I've found now that he's on enforced holiday is that he's a complete pest in the stable. Our stables are huge (12ft x 16ft) so he has loads of room to move around. Hay is at the front, bed at the back. And when I'm mucking out does he stand at the front and eat his hay? No, he stands right on top of me and mugs me, nibbles me, tries to steal my hat, bites the end of the shavings fork, steals things, tries to use me (and the wheelbarrow) as a scratching post and is generally a total pest.

But I've long since given up getting in a stress about riding at this time of year!
 
I've not ridden all week due to snow on the ground :(
No arena so nowhere to ride - have tried the vaseline in hooves but it never seems to work for me.
My girls will both be having long grooming sessions with lots of shoulder, back and bum scratching. We have hot water at the yard so will be hot flanneling all clipped bits - my girl loves this and grunts in appreciation :)
Will also be using my massage pad on both of them.
 
I have ridden on snow lts of times with vasoline lining hooves - that said have only done on the types of horses who are sure footed and when there is just snow and no ice underneath

Not had a prob to date....

Think a walking schooling sesh is a great idea

If they are going in the horse walker and being walked around then they wont stiffen up (assuming stabled 24/7?)

If you have a kick and buck patch an hour wouldnt hurt either

I would personally spend the time catching up at home or doing endless non horsey things but in the past have done horse stretching exercises and also "join up" exercises
 
I was going to say 'ride' but to calrify what I mean is ride slowly, same as when it is baked hard in the summer/riding on tarmac.

You can school in walk and try some bareback (assuming you don't normally ride without a saddle you'll probably want to stat off in walk in a school anyway). Or have a go at ditching the reins to work on your seat/legs!

Plenty of different things to do without needing speed. :-)
 
I haven't ridden for 2 days as I had been lunging before riding due to my horse tanking off in canter. But could really do without it dragging on as its doing nothing for my nerves! He often has his 2 days a week off together when I'm working and is as good as gold when I get back on so as I am only planning to walk in the school I think I will bite the bullet and get on tomorrow and ask my YM to sit with me to give me confidence.
 
We walked round some stubble fields today, and it was fab. Shy is still breaking in his boots, so we took it very slow and easy, and Percy pup scouted out lots of mouse holes in the snow. :)
 
Seen as we don't have a school anyway its pretty much as normal, working them on hacks & avoiding icy roads. Rutted icy tracks are different, but love riding off road in proper snow.
 
Struggling.... stables still not built so the hunter and the one on box rest are still in pens in one of the farm buildings. Field is over 200 yards away & only way there is sloping concrete farmyard covered in frozen snow. Strawing it isn't an option and gritting hasn't worked so the hunter is keeping the lad on box rest company and hasn't been out since sunday. I hate having them in locked up especially as can't even walk out in hand but they seem to be coping so far. Stallion is living out in a field by the house which is frozen solid and rutted which is far from ideal. He has 3 rugs on and as much hay as he can eat plus two feeds a day.
Reading everyones thoughts on turnout and exercise etc in this weather has made me feel very very guilty but I am taking solace in the fact that all 3 boys are 100% chilled out and happy. Can't wait for milder weather and my stables to be built!!!!!! Then I will be hankering after an arena.... :rolleyes:
 
Doing nothing besides feeding and checking he's okay. I have him turned out and bringing him back to the yard is out of the question as the tracks are so icy he'll do a Bambi. So he's having a forced holiday with the other boys.
 
RainbowDash said:
Doing nothing besides feeding and checking he's okay. I have him turned out and bringing him back to the yard is out of the question as the tracks are so icy he'll do a Bambi. So he's having a forced holiday with the other boys.
Click to expand...

PHEW, so glad i'm not the only one....
 
This year our school has frozen and is harder than it has been in the past. We hjave been getting it levelled out at least once a week atm which has helped.

I have just been long-reining mine with the odd burst of trot when the schools a bit softer.
 
We are not turning out neither, I went up and pampered for a little put her PJ's on and took her for a walk around the court yard Now hayed up and waiting for tea.

If we get all the snow they say we are going to get in the next 24 hours its going to be a nightmare this weekend but never usually lasts I guess (fingers crossed)
 
We walked round the snowy stubble this morning with no problems. My only concession is to let him have a looser rein than normal to let him balance himself and pick his way where necessary
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top