Winter off?

[Wonky Donkey]

So I’ve given my 5yo basically the whole of January (and the last weeks of December) off -
have I signed myself up for a world of pain in February?

Does anyone else give their young (or old) horse time off during the winter?

The time off was due to the combination of a frozen/flooded school and storms

 

[meesha]

For the first time ever baggins has had 10 weeks off (due to foot abscess that took ages to sort). Tacked him up yesterday and did half hour on walk, did same today and will do same tomorrow. Physio said 4 weeks in walk, he doesn't seem any different for having time off and strode out.

You might find 5 year old has benefited from time off and comes back even sweeter.

Downside is if you have to do walk only, it's blumming cold, wrap up !?

 

[TheMule]

It depends on the management in that time IMO. If the horse has been out on a good sized acreage and with company 24/7 then you're likely to get a more mentally and physically mature horse back in, ready to crack on. If the horse has been stabled for 16 hours a day and under-stimulated then you might have trouble!

 

[throwaway0922]

So I’ve given my 5yo basically the whole of January (and the last weeks of December) off -
have I signed myself up for a world of pain in February?

Does anyone else give their young (or old) horse time off during the winter?

The time off was due to the combination of a frozen/flooded school and storms

I’m a big believer in giving young horses mini holidays to process what they’ve learnt and be a horse for a bit, so hopefully they’ll have benefited from it!

 

[Wonky Donkey]

It depends on the management in that time IMO. If the horse has been out on a good sized acreage and with company 24/7 then you're likely to get a more mentally and physically mature horse back in, ready to crack on. If the horse has been stabled for 16 hours a day and under-stimulated then you might have trouble!

Luckily she’s out most the day and has friends! So hopefully it will work in my favour

 

[Wonky Donkey]

I’m a big believer in giving young horses mini holidays to process what they’ve learnt and be a horse for a bit, so hopefully they’ll have benefited from it!

fingers crossed!

 

[Wonky Donkey]

For the first time ever baggins has had 10 weeks off (due to foot abscess that took ages to sort). Tacked him up yesterday and did half hour on walk, did same today and will do same tomorrow. Physio said 4 weeks in walk, he doesn't seem any different for having time off and strode out.

You might find 5 year old has benefited from time off and comes back even sweeter.

Downside is if you have to do walk only, it's blumming cold, wrap up !?

Ugh I know. I’m hoping it will be warmer when we start back but I don’t think it will be

 

[alibali]

Yup mine just started back in light work this weekend having been on holiday since the first week of November. A little looky on our first hack but nothing major. I can't really blame her as what I had planned as a quiet 20 minute ride ended up including rioting dogs, sand blasting buildings and screaming kids on a trampoline... Best laid plans and all that, she was pretty awesome considering what she had to deal with!

 

[dorsetladette]

Yep mine have all done very little since October/November.

Mine are rising 5 and rising 4. I don't think giving a horse of any age a break during winter is a bad thing if its possible. But as others say it does depend on management. I've got good draining land which allows me to have them out 24/7 all year round.

 

[Barton Bounty]

So I’ve given my 5yo basically the whole of January (and the last weeks of December) off -
have I signed myself up for a world of pain in February?

Does anyone else give their young (or old) horse time off during the winter?

The time off was due to the combination of a frozen/flooded school and storms

I have this year, I have ridden once a week since November and he had three weeks off there because of the weather , it was way too icy

 

[Upthecreek]

Mine always get November/December off or December/January, depending on the weather. They benefit from the break and I enjoy not putting myself under pressure to ride in sh*t weather when there is no need to. They can be a bit fresh when first ridden if it’s windy or frosty, but no major problems if they have plenty of turnout.

 

[lme]

We did it last year and I think the year before, but they were out 24 x 7 together. It was so much easier and they came back happy. This year they have been in at night all winter, had a shorter break from work and are now being very lightly ridden 1 to 3 x a week (weather allowing). My ideal would be to turn away mid Dec to mid Feb every year. We ride for fun and riding in rubbish weather when you are chasing the daylight isn’t fun.