# Riding in the mud?



## CessBee (Dec 6, 2008)

i just ride in the mud, the horse lives in it if its like that anyway. I just dont do jumping or fast work, well it does depend on the horse some are confident in the mud, others arent. Also if you can try get the use of an arena it could be an idea.
I like to take my horse to the beach if I can, its got good going almost all the time.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Only one long side of my "arena" is muddy, so I just go through it; monster puddles, manure and all. It takes a few laps to convince Ricci to keep her nose down and back raised [she prefers to throw her nose up as high as it can go and splash loudly, even though it doesn't create anywhere near as big as splash when she stays collected =P] but then she goes through perfectly. I just have to make sure she's coming at it nicely and she's balanced.

We walk, trot, and canter through it. I just wouldn't recommend jumping or barrels or something like that. Just be prepared for a very dirty pony. =]


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Yep, I just keep riding. It is a little unnerving when you are on a young horse for their first few rides and the roundpen is a soupy mess but 9 times out of 10, they won't fall on you. Besides, if you ride them through the mud and puddles, then they will likely never have a fear of water.


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## SlickDirtyDancin (Jul 11, 2009)

Yeah I've got very green as in only a couple rides too practically dead broke. Luckily none of them mind the mud I just get bored doing all the old basic pleasure stuff(and so does the barrel horse). Kinda difficult when two of my horses are practically pure white and the other is mostly white. Makes me appreciate the fact that the others I am training have almost no white or grey at all.


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

I only walk and trot through mud because I took a pretty bad spill once where my horse literally fell out from underneath me, and it has left me pretty nervous. I'd probably canter someone elses horse through the mud though, but I've got myself convinced mine is going to fall.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

kmacdougall said:


> I only walk and trot through mud because I took a pretty bad spill once where my horse literally fell out from underneath me, and it has left me pretty nervous. I'd probably canter someone elses horse through the mud though, but I've got myself convinced mine is going to fall.


Aww, but chances are he will be extra careful, because he knows the "worst case scenario." =]


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

Well, all but one of my horses LOVE mud, so I ride in it.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

We also ride in the mud although I dislike it immensely :lol: Our ground here is clay so its like riding on snot. Surprisingly my young horse troops on through it and my older horse goes on tip toes :lol: If its really bad like today with flood warnings and more rain on the way, we are force to take the day off or stick to the roads :-( We're taking the day off.


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

riccil0ve said:


> Aww, but chances are he will be extra careful, because he knows the "worst case scenario." =]


Yeah, but when he did fall he got so scared and went to get up, and managed to fracture my rib and almost break my hip! Poor boy, I don't want to make him nervous again.. but in reality its just me thats very nervous ahha.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

So, all you mud riders don't worry about pulling a tendon or something like that? The arena we ride in has been muddy so I have not been riding. I would love to keep going though if I thought it was safe for the horse.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Like Vida we have a heavier type soil that is slick slick slick when wet. Flame and Soda don't even like to walk around in the paddock when it's wet. 

Right now it's been raining constantly for quite a while and everything is saturated, so my riding has been curtailed. When the rain lets out I got out and ride like usual, just at a slower pace. Of course, Soda has WAY too much energy and doesn't want to do anything I say, so he ends up slipping and sliding all over the place. It's a little hair raising at times. Esp when I ask him to turn and he doesn't want to (generally because he's trying to go home) then he's going sideways and not paying attn to his feet. We've gotten pretty close to going down a couple of times. :? Someday my horse will get over the barn sourness..... right?


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## LoverofHorses (Jan 3, 2010)

I just go ahead and ride but I am always extra cautious. My horses don't mind at all, one of them loves splashing through puddles, and we usually get back from a ride completely drenched.


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## SlickDirtyDancin (Jul 11, 2009)

I'm on the same boat as those with the slick slick mud here in Ks. Our arena is just normal dirt it helps that they haven't plowed it up in quite a while. It really doesn't help that we have had practically non stop rain for the past two and a half days that isn't supposed to end for the rest of the week. There's numerous parts of our town that have been closed off due to high flood waters. Pretty bad stuff that I wish would just go away!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Juniper said:


> So, all you mud riders don't worry about pulling a tendon or something like that? The arena we ride in has been muddy so I have not been riding. I would love to keep going though if I thought it was safe for the horse.


Our mares don't mind the mud, but when it's as swampy and gooey as it was last winter (we have lots of clay around here), I take our go anywhere lead mare out first and see what she thinks ;-) If she is reluctant (like when she sinks to her fetlocks or sliding on the hills), it's not worth taking a chance on a sprain or having that stocky body on my leg.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Juniper said:


> So, all you mud riders don't worry about pulling a tendon or something like that? The arena we ride in has been muddy so I have not been riding. I would love to keep going though if I thought it was safe for the horse.


I don't. My pasture gets puddly more so than muddy. My mare has never once slipped while I was riding. My little one did take a spill once when she was galloping around like a maniac. She came around a corner, lost her feet, and fell on her side and slid for about twenty feet. Then she got up and gave me a look that said, "Mom! Did you see that mean old dirt there that done knocked me over!?" in that pouty little girl voice. =]

Honestly, walking around won't do anything. So go walk around, work on some lateral work, more collection, etc. If the going feels good and you and your horse are confident, go up to the trot, then canter if the trotting feels good. Personally, I think riding in a bit of mud is better than trying to ride on wet grass.


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Well, I will just give it a go then. We are supposed to get rain and more rain this week.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

While my horses are fine going out in the mud, I have decided after a particularly muddy, wet horrid summer, not to ride them in the mud. 

Now I'm not talking about a couple of days worth of rain, or even a weeks worth. But that non stop , let's build an ark type of rain. So, with that said, the reason I won't ride in that deep mud any more is simple.

Most of my trails have ledge under them. When the ground gets that mud sucking texture, then the horses hooves sink deeper and sooner or later, that under layer of ledge, can actually slice them. This has happened twice now, once to each horse. So, I won't ride and take that risk any longer. Neither horse has ever "fallen" or lost footing due to the mud. That's never my concern.

If I feel I need to ride, then it's road riding. I have a nice dirt road just above the house that will due for a ride without the risk.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

^^^ Mer I need one of those roads close by. Unfortunately I have to ride on the highway to get to one and with the lack of riding he has once again become extremely barn sour and spooky and therefore very dangerous to ride on the road. I need my "work" areas to dry out enough to work him through this safely. We've also been having the "build an ark" type of rain. This weekend is supposed to be decent *crosses fingers*.

What I wouldn't give for an indoor arena or even an outdoor one that was graded with a nice sandy base.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

I hear you MNT! Those were the only times I longed for an arena with sand footing, or god forbid, an indoor! :lol: 

Sorry to hear you're having that yucky weather. Though to be honest, deep down I'm so glad it's not us again! I know, I'm going straight to hell!:lol:


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Ha, it's coming your way next!!!!  I've tried not to complain too much though, we have been pretty dry the last couple of years. I just wish there was a happy medium!


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

NOT FAIR! We got rained out last year and the year before! As a matter of fact, didn't get hay until way past the nutritional peak. Sadly the horses have something to munch on , but very little nutrition from it, so very heavy on the supplements. Very hard on the pocket book! 

So we're praying for a decent year this year, so far so good. Of course, I'm not wishing lousy weather on anyone else, but, just don't want to take anymore ourselves. :wink:


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## Brithorse1996 (May 25, 2010)

hmm if it's really slippery just stick to trot and walk and lunging

and be prepared for muck everywhere


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