Winter blues reassurance required

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smanf

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Is anyone else fed up at the moment? I bought my youngster in Novemeber having lost my previous boy whom I had had for twenty years. I should have waited until spring before getting my next one really, but I happened across my new horse and couldn't resist him.

I am struggling with riding him at the moment owing to the weather and dark nights and the fact that the school is more like a lake at the moment. We also have more mud than grass in our fields and I can tell that he is getting increasingly fed up, which reflects in his behavior and makes me feel even less inclined to ride him. :(

I keep telling myself that Spring is around the corner along with the light nights, where hopefully I can give it a fair crack of the whip with him (pardon the pun)
 
i always feel that way at this time of year - every year i ring round yards, threatening to move mine so i have better facilities. IVe never done it - until now, my hand was forced by the state of my field and like you , it was reflecting in my mare's behaviour so I have caved and gone on livery. It was hard but its only til Spring and it was definitely the right thing to do as I have renewed motivation.
 
We're lucky if we get out once a week at the moment and that's for a quick round the block before dark. We have no arena, just a field. How about doing some ground work with him? You can do yielding hind & forequarters, lunge/long-line, pole work, desensitising to things you'll find out and about when you start riding properly in Spring. There's no end of things to do without the need for getting on and causing problems. How about free schooling? If he's lively he might like a loose hoon about. Depending on his level and your experience you could do some jump work with him loose? Start as poles and work up to some gridwork maybe? That way he'll be fit, you'll have a fair assessment of how he goes/works/thinks/meets new challanges and if you do lots of leading him your fitness will be top notch too!
 
I do sympathise, we've had endless rain and grotty weather this winter. If riding is not fun due to the dark and wet, give yourself a guilt free break. Stop riding until its drier and brighter. In 3 1/2 weeks we'll be in March and everything will seem so much easier.
Use the riding time to walk in hand, groom and do some basic physio/carrot stretched etc. All the extras that its difficult to find time for when riding.

I no longer push myself because I feel I ought to be doing something. The horses work better for me when I'm in the right frame of mind and the school surface isn't frozen.
Sometimes riding in the rain and wind is fun, but other times, its a PITA, so we don't. I long line down the lanes or free school over poles, -anything to lessen the tedium of winter.
 
Thanks people, some really nice ideas there, I feel better already :)

Might take him for an in hand walk / loose lunge in the school later and get him used the floodlights then!!
 
I normally get a winter 'slump'. I have an hour commute from work and don't normally get to our field until half 6, quarter to 7. So my autumn to spring involves arriving at a dark field twice a week (I share someones horse), getting ready by head torch and making my way over the road to a lovely floodlit menage that we borrow. It is literally over the road but involves going through several gates, and walking along a bridleway so takes about 10 minutes!

Just the other night i thought - clocks will change soon!!! That is what is now keeping me going
 
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