Well This Is Unnecessary
This whole "winter" thing.
It's entirely unnecessary.
This is the first year I really feel like I've taken a break from riding over the winter. Even though we haven't gotten any snow worth talking about, there have been some seriously cold days (in the teens with "feels like" temps in the single digits) and without an indoor arena, it's a toss-up as to whether or not the footing in the ring will be totally frozen over, and a safe riding surface isn't guaranteed until the temperature hits at least 30 degrees, which it hasn't really been doing.
So Dino has been getting quite a few days off this season, which he is totally cool with. Meanwhile, I've been doing a lot of work on the computer sitting in front of my woodstove, a lot of drinking hot beverages, and a lot of carb-craving and longing for naps. Every year I say that I should just hibernate in the winter, and every year I regret not doing it! Ugh. Winter.
But if you are blessed with an indoor arena or are just crazy enough to ride outside in this cold nonsense anyway, please do your horse a favor and take it easy! If it's really, insanely cold, TRUST ME that a few days off from training will not ruin your entire 2013 show season. Promise. Use quarter sheets and coolers if your horse isn't blessed with an absurd amount of hair, and keep your riding slow and consistent. A few minutes of walk-trot work with a quarter sheet on when it's below 20 outside is just fine! And if your ring is frozen, lumpy, or icy, just don't ride. It's not worth a possible injury to your horse.
I hope everyone is staying warm! Here's to an early spring...
It's entirely unnecessary.
This is the first year I really feel like I've taken a break from riding over the winter. Even though we haven't gotten any snow worth talking about, there have been some seriously cold days (in the teens with "feels like" temps in the single digits) and without an indoor arena, it's a toss-up as to whether or not the footing in the ring will be totally frozen over, and a safe riding surface isn't guaranteed until the temperature hits at least 30 degrees, which it hasn't really been doing.
So Dino has been getting quite a few days off this season, which he is totally cool with. Meanwhile, I've been doing a lot of work on the computer sitting in front of my woodstove, a lot of drinking hot beverages, and a lot of carb-craving and longing for naps. Every year I say that I should just hibernate in the winter, and every year I regret not doing it! Ugh. Winter.
But if you are blessed with an indoor arena or are just crazy enough to ride outside in this cold nonsense anyway, please do your horse a favor and take it easy! If it's really, insanely cold, TRUST ME that a few days off from training will not ruin your entire 2013 show season. Promise. Use quarter sheets and coolers if your horse isn't blessed with an absurd amount of hair, and keep your riding slow and consistent. A few minutes of walk-trot work with a quarter sheet on when it's below 20 outside is just fine! And if your ring is frozen, lumpy, or icy, just don't ride. It's not worth a possible injury to your horse.
I hope everyone is staying warm! Here's to an early spring...
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