Does anyone ride in the winter? and Tips ...

[kinnip]

I ride any time I get the chance. My instructor is from Scotland. I can see her smiling, out of the corner of my eye, every time a freezing gust of wind hits me head on. It's unusually cold here this year.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Winter riding at Nickerson State Park, Brewster, MA:
(I'm riding with a bareback pad, so that's why my legs are in such a wacky position)

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Ohhhhh! That's funny!.....
For you outdoor riders.....do you change the stirrups to accomadate your chunky winter boots.../....I bought some for myself....my daughter didnt need to change her's .....
OOOps not you Buff I meant Kinnip

 

[CountryMom]

I actually prefer to ride in our winter time! Ok, so we don't get snow but once every 15 or so years. During the summer it is so humid that it is a chore to ride. Been there done that in 100 temps working cattle. No fun. This past month my daughter and I have broke three horses and just this week she broke another shetland. She has riden him twice now and is amazed at his ability. But then again, his half brother she also broke and is an amazing pony. We just seem to get more done when the temps are cooler. Easier on human and horse. And next month my daughters start back to training for the January shows.

The once in 15 year snow we had a few years back I had a foundered mare with front shoes on for support. Poor dear we had to take all the snow that had packed onto her front feet and shoes off so she could walk again! LOL

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Yes My husband i were talking about how much we like riding in the fall and winter because of all the BUGS!!! in the summer and spring ....Alot more enjoyable for horse and owner...but i'd probably still would enjoy your kind of winter...hahaha...

 

[patandchickens]

I used to ride in the winter all the time til I a) sprouted small children and b) moved to an extremely windy open property. Now, not so much.

You might want to talk to the farrier about whether the horse can possibly get along without shoes til snow season is over (I would bet you anything she can)... even with snow pads, snow WILL pack in there more than (most) barefoot hooves and leave her standing on potentially-dangerous giant icy snowballs when there's wet snow. Even with snow pads, it is harder to remove those iced-on snowballs from a shod horse than barefoot. And even with borium on the shoes (which is not entirely without disadvantages either, even just on the front) she WILL have more trouble with slipping and sliding on hard-packed or icy footing than she would if barefoot. Barefoot is a lot safer and lower-maintenance in the winter. And because the footing is usually much more 'giving' than hard summer ground, you are less likely to run into trouble with angles changing problematically between trims.

I like winter riding, though (assuming you're reasonably out of the wind

) because it's so pretty out, and snow makes falling off a lot less of a problem. Back when my Lipizzaner cross was in work, I once rode him bareback into the back field where I was boarding, and at one point while we were cantering happily along through about a foot of snow (bounce bounce bounce) he spooked I got launched BIGTIME. It was so much fun that when I caught him and re-mounted, I did a bunch more canter with him back there in hopes he'd toss me off again

To me the major disadvantage of winter riding is the pressure not to get the horse sweaty. Which can be hard sometimes. It's easier if you're riding outdoors than in an indoor arena but if you're considering a significant trail ride, or even just a quick ride around fields in deep deep snow, it's still a consideration. Actually it is ok to let the horse sweat but you have to be able to give him somewhere totally non-windy to cool down and then dry him off in the barn pretty well, which is especially a nuisance with blanketed and/or pasture-kept horses. It's really important not to put a horse with any amount of damp sweat on him out in an area with ANY breeze, they can get really really chilled and muscle-sore that way and it's hard on their bodies. When my horses were stalled all night anyhow (i.e. at boarding barns) I used to do an ultra-low trace clip on them, as determined by seeing where they were ACTUALLY sweating and only clipping those areas (minus places they needed the fur) which worked pretty well but I'd never do it now with them living out 24/7.

Have fun,

Pat, who probably won't be on a horse again til April or May when the ground dries back out, unless we get a really nice windless snow day when my husband is around to watch kids while I go hack around the back field

 

[spectrumranch]

Because we use horses to work cattle we ride most of the year. And being in South Dakota the wind can be intense somedays. In winter my toes usually get cold- so when I am going to be riding for a longer period- I put one of those small disposable hand warmer packets in each boot and am good to go.

Randy

www.spectrumranch.net & www.sosranch.net

 

[lorieMN]

Quote:
once you remove the shoes the hooves will crack some if they are not trimmed in a correct barefoot trim,it is much better and I am sure both your horses can go barefoot but you need a barefoot trimmer,not a regular farrier,they cant just pull the shoes and trim like they are putting shoes back on and leave them,a few little things need to be done differently,,just really look into the barefoot method by Pete Ramey and a couple others,once you see the difference you will believe, our horses put on many miles a year,like 500+ hundred each,and my driving horse puts on nearly double that,and we ride wherever we want,some places we go they are actually climbing rocks to get to the top of the trail like a goat and we dont think twice about it,none have ever been bruised or lame,My husband is a barefoot trimmer so I get by free,but I did pay to send him to several hands-on seminars of Pete Rameys(it was a x-mas gift) and it was well worth it,the whole thing is not only with trimming but also includes diet and whole horse health.

 

[horsejody]

I ride in the winter, unless it is icy.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Hay ! thanks for all the information...I'll talk to the farrier again...he was trained down in Oklahoma and I forget who his mentor is...he told me .....Maybellines feet where bruised in spots when she had the shoes off...we did alot of trails....and that is when we noticed the cracks ...But I'll mention it to him when he comes over...thanks again...its snowing again !