Would you hack if at all icy/snowy on country lanes?

Wow - that's a bit *****e!!

TBF though we haven't all stayed shut in the house over the cold snap, we walk out on the ice and risk it!

Is this why people don't turn out in this weather then?
 
mollylolly said:
Yes, if you slipped on ice you would probably break something - why would a horse be any different?
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Well not really, I've fallen over several times on the ice and haven't broken anything - would bet that most people have been on their a*se at some point in this weather?
 
husband is awful on this ice - like watching bambi!
friend slipped and broke her elbow last week, guess its how you fall!
personally im not taking risks. xx
 
Starbucks said:
Well we don't seem to see eye to eye with things do we. Think chances of my horse breaking his leg today from slipping on ice were pretty minimal, but thanks for your dramatic interpritation. :)
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to be fair Benson, you did ask the question.


Im not riding at the moment as its really bad where we are, we arent even managing to get our turned out somedays :-(......depends on where you are though, it might be less icy where you are
 
elsazzo said:
to be fair Benson, you did ask the question.


Im not riding at the moment as its really bad where we are, we arent even managing to get our turned out somedays :-(......depends on where you are though, it might be less icy where you are
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Do you mean "to be fair TO Benson", spent a while looking back if B had asked a question then, but think I understand?

We've disagreed on another thread, which also involved her thinking I am doing the wrong thing for my horse, and I don't really like her TBH with you.
 
Starbucks said:
Do you mean "to be fair TO Benson", spent a while looking back if B had asked a question then, but think I understand?

We've disagreed on another thread, which also involved her thinking I am doing the wrong thing for my horse, and I don't really like her TBH with you.
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Sorry i dont know why but i thought you were called Benson?! lol think i need my bed!

ok i see, you guys dont get along....

anyway what IS a dying duck??????? answers on a postcard!
 
No, I don't ride on ice, I'm concerned about my horse going down on the road. Wouldn't abuse my horses' honesty by asking something of them that would put them at risk for my pleasure. Similarly, I don't canter or jump on hard ground or boggy/slippery mud. Nor do I ride out in thick fog or the dark.
However, I do ride in some types of snow, in storms and wind because it doesn't compromise their safety.
 
:( guess I'm going to have to wait till morning to find out what the mysterious dying duck reference is all about!

mollylolly, please tell!
 
The drive to the farm where I keep my horse is the worst place for ice as the cars completely compress the snow to packed ice on the single track and because it is shaded by the woods and hills above ,it is very slow to thaw, I reckon that when I can take my horse out of the yard conditions elsewhere should be ok.
 
I wouldn't. Definately not worth the risk of your horse slipping. I'd also be worried that if a car came round a corner a little to fast and had to break they too could skid on ice which could be disasterous. I'd also be a bit worried that with a tendon issue a slip could cause further damage?

My horse is currently at the vets with a fractured leg. (he was kicked - nothing to do with ice) but as he'll be there for 3 months at least I get talking to the vets / nurses quite often. They have seen a lot of breaks this winter due to the ice, but very few make it to the clinic and have to be pts at home. They said the biggest problem has been horses kept in for days then going silly on snow and ice when turned out.

My pony really needs riding as he's a little monkey when not in work, but we haven't ridden for a month now due to the snow and ice. Even our arena has been frozen solid.

My poor dad also has a broken wrist at the mo after slipping on the ice.

I'd hang on a few more days - it will hopefully all be gone by the weekend.
 
If there is sure footing, thene it's up to the rider. However, if the road is in the condition as described (2 clear tracks, with ice in the middle and at the edges), then no, I wouldn't. If traffic is coming, where do you go? You are stuck! Unless you want to ride on ice! So maybe the question is 'Would you ride on ice in an emergency'.

The edges of our roads have just cleared and I hacked out yesterday for the first time in a month. I do like to have a bit of an escape route from traffic.
 
would never ever ride on the road if there was any ice/snow left- imo it is not worth it when in another day or two it would have totally thawed.
 
Nope not at all, but where we are has been under snow/ice for best part of a month with one very small time when we thought the weather had relented. Yard and exit need to be completely clear before I get on as I know that both my horses are going to be OTT. However, everyone knows what the conditions are like around their yard so each need to make their own decision. We have people desperate to hack out at our yard but its just not worth it where we are - for now.
 
~snickers!~

Makes good reading, this thread!

I went out two days ago (pouring with rain yesterday so didn't)

Most of the road was clear, and on the dodgy bits we just stuck to the grass verges, where the snow has all but thawed....

My horses live out 24/7 anyway, and parts of their paddocks are a bit dodgy. I'd much rather have them out execising themselves than stuck in their stables so that when they DO get out, they go nuts and hurt something anyway....

Use common sense.

If you thought the roads were fine, then they would be fine. I certainly don't listen to anyone about what I'm up to, and anyone who dared, would get a rocket. Why? Because they are my horses and I'll do what I blimmin' well want.

What the heck happened in days of old when there was snow and ice, probably much more than we get now? Bet they didn't lurk in their stables not doing owt for weeks on end! Even the old tracks of old, would be full of water and ice, and slippy as hell in places....

We live in a Nanny state, where no-one dares to do anything because 'it might be dangerous' or similar.

Get out and enjoy it while you can, we have 2-3 months left of more potential snow to come......
 
For me, the main worry is what other traffic would do if they came around a bend and saw horses in the lane.

Our lanes were left untreated all through the bad weather and although we could possibly skirt along the verges - cars couldnt if they over reacted to seeing riders in the lane.

I would have to think how I'd feel if I was driving along the lanes myself... and there are places where its all you can do to stay on the road !
 
mrussell said:
For me, the main worry is what other traffic would do if they came around a bend and saw horses in the lane.

Our lanes were left untreated all through the bad weather and although we could possibly skirt along the verges - cars couldnt if they over reacted to seeing riders in the lane.

I would have to think how I'd feel if I was driving along the lanes myself... and there are places where its all you can do to stay on the road !
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The most sensible response on here methinks! :D

Once again, it comes down to using common sense of where to ride, and where not to.

Our ride consisted of the main road then onto the bridleways. No lanes to speak of, can't use them anyway, as many are still to iced-up.
 
As others have said really.... depends on your part of the country! My roads are clear as anything but the hill into the yard is a death trap so I can't get out unfortunatley :( I'm not clearing it I don't pay what I do to have to clear it myself I would rather just wait
 
DragonSlayer said:
~snickers!~

Makes good reading, this thread!

I went out two days ago (pouring with rain yesterday so didn't)

Most of the road was clear, and on the dodgy bits we just stuck to the grass verges, where the snow has all but thawed....

My horses live out 24/7 anyway, and parts of their paddocks are a bit dodgy. I'd much rather have them out execising themselves than stuck in their stables so that when they DO get out, they go nuts and hurt something anyway....

Use common sense.

If you thought the roads were fine, then they would be fine. I certainly don't listen to anyone about what I'm up to, and anyone who dared, would get a rocket. Why? Because they are my horses and I'll do what I blimmin' well want.

What the heck happened in days of old when there was snow and ice, probably much more than we get now? Bet they didn't lurk in their stables not doing owt for weeks on end! Even the old tracks of old, would be full of water and ice, and slippy as hell in places....

We live in a Nanny state, where no-one dares to do anything because 'it might be dangerous' or similar.

Get out and enjoy it while you can, we have 2-3 months left of more potential snow to come......
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I understand your gusto and wish it was that easy but if there is ice on the roads then there are also cars that could potentially skid etc, back in he old days people did not really have horses for pleasure except for the wealthy, cars were fewer, slower and possibly the drivers were more careful, things have changed.
 
Daisy2 said:
I understand your gusto and wish it was that easy but if there is ice on the roads then there are also cars that could potentially skid etc, back in he old days people did not really have horses for pleasure except for the wealthy, cars were fewer, slower and possibly the drivers were more careful, things have changed.
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Yes, things have changed BUT what chaffs me is when you arent seemingly allowed to make your own choice these days without someone chipping in with their opinion, like the OP got. Too many people think they have the right to 'give their opinion' to someone even if it's not asked for. And I am not talking about 'It's a forum, I have the right to give it!', I am talking about the people you deal with in real life, on a day to day basis.

The OP made an informed decision, so OP should be allowed to get on with it. If the OP thought the roads were fine, then OP should be able to go out without the guilt-trip. Yeah, it winds me up. but as you can imagine, no-one comments on what I do these days....:D

Too many people act 'Holier than Thou' these days....
 
Dragonslayer, I see your point completely, if you feel you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it.
BUt then, I cant really see the point of putting it on here for a discussion, when you know some are going to disagree with you.
I have come back to my computer this morning to see there were comments over my view, and I think its such a shame that Starbucks thinks I am not a nice person, because I have disagreed with what she choose to do. As I said in my first reply to this thread, each to their own.
 
benson21 said:
Dragonslayer, I see your point completely, if you feel you are doing the right thing, then go ahead and do it.
BUt then, I cant really see the point of putting it on here for a discussion, when you know some are going to disagree with you.
I have come back to my computer this morning to see there were comments over my view, and I think its such a shame that Starbucks thinks I am not a nice person, because I have disagreed with what she choose to do. As I said in my first reply to this thread, each to their own.
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So I shouldnt post if I know others will disagree with me?

Why the heck not?

:O
 
NO, its not meant like that, maybe I worded it wrong, reading it back.
What I should of said was, if you dont like people disagreeing with you, or your choices,then dont put the posts on.
 
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