Exercising horses in this weather

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Just wondering how you're all coping with exercising your horses/ponies in this weather? Are you managing to get them out at all? And if you are able to get them out, what type of exercise are you giving them?

For me, I'm just managing to take them for a walk around the farm and up and down the avenue. I did manage to get out on the road this morning very early when there'd be no traffic and the snow which fell overnight hand't been compacted, but I didn't go far. It's a nightmare. First of all it was too wet to ride in the fields, now the ground is too hard

I heard that Paul Nolan was harrowing his gallops all night so as to have them in a fit condition to ride on the following morning.

MDFM

no riding whatsoever since 19th dec..we're under snow and ice since then. fields are rock hard and roads are ice rink so riding is out of the question. all the horses are out, except for the mare and my jumper who come in at night, the yearling and pony are out all the time. so thats being their only exercise for the past few weeks unfortunately!!

Ave Sodalis

Same as above, none! Almost dreading getting back on them after this. They'll be crazy. Good few lunges first but still, none of them have been out this long They will be stone mad.

fits

out twice since December 16th.

One of those was a hunt on a very fresh horse on NYE and he locked on to a massive wall and I had a corker of a fall. scary.

I think we need to so some schooling...

Lucky_Ducky

No great changes as I'm lucky enough to have an indoor arena at the livery yard. I was away over the week of Christmas so my pony was let out in one of the paddocks on dry days and put on the walker the other days as she gets a bit miserable out when it's cold and wet no matter what rugs she has on :rolleyes:

Jen Pigs Fly

My mare hasn't been out since around mid december, like the rest of you!

It's horrible out there, I took her for a walk just down the yard drive way and she slipped everywhere, poor thing was terrified and just stood there shaking, I was like, right back you go inside!

Luckilly the walker is at the yard, so she's been in there on the not so bad days, but she's going to be as mad as a hatter when I finally get to exercising her again, may have to do some lunging first!

finbarrk

Im lucky, just 4km from a beach. Go there every 2 or 3 days. I'd say I will have the fittest horse once we resume hunting! The beach is 2km long, twice up and down does the job.

Kamili

Finally took my lad out at the weekend. Did a bit of walking and trotting work in the arena on saturday and he was surprisingly well mannered for having not been ridden in nearly a month.

Decided to go up into the forest then on sunday and he jogged, snorted and blew the whole way. Luckily I was with a few others so we took it easy and kept to a slow pace.
Got him back into the arena and he cantered solid for ten minutes, no chance of stopping him so I just let him go.
I think he was glad to get his legs stretched after being stuck in for so long. Hadn't been able to get him out of the stable for nearly a month with the 2ft of snow!

fits

Kamili wrote: »

I think he was glad to get his legs stretched after being stuck in for so long. Hadn't been able to get him out of the stable for nearly a month with the 2ft of snow!

:eek: I'm so glad mine live out (the one I ride is clipped and well rugged).

Isnt it great to be back in the saddle though. I was miserable with the bad weather and not being able to ride.

Kamili

fits wrote: »

:eek: I'm so glad mine live out (the one I ride is clipped and well rugged).

Isnt it great to be back in the saddle though. I was miserable with the bad weather and not being able to ride.

deffo, missed the saddle so much.
Bit stiff after it but gonna try get back to fitness again

greenkittie

Was so sore when I finally managed to get out riding a week ago!

Ave Sodalis

Still have ta get on a bit of a ordinarily loopy horse for the first time since the snow began this weekend. :eek: it'l be...fun...