# Riding in the rain



## newhorsemom (Jun 20, 2008)

We live in the state of Washington and typically it rains a lot this time of year. Not convenient when you only have an outdoor arena. Unfortunately, this doesn't deter my daughter one bit and she has no issues putting a cover on her saddle and riding in the rain. She never puts a saddle on if her horse is wet, only if she's had her sheet on or if she's been in her stall nice and dry. Is this a bad idea or just a miserable one (not only for the horse but also for the Mom out there in the arena watching!)? Does anyone else work their horses in the rain?


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Wet horses smell like wet dogs! My one horse pouts, like he's sugar & he is going to melt in the rain. The other horse, his sire, doesn't care. I am not a fan of riding in the rain. If I get caught in it, oh well, if it's pouring, I go in.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Oh heck. Mac is out 24/7. Sometimes his back is wet when I go to get him. I dry him as much as I can with a towel, put on a wool saddle pad and ride him. The saddle gets rained on . I get rained on. Mac gets rained on. We get back, I towel dry the saddle, put it in my car (it will mold if I leave it in the barn), towel Mac , feed him some hay and put him back to be rained on somemore.

Some of the horses get rain rot if left unblanketed. So, they are dry when it comes time to tack up, which is a great convenience. When done, however, I have to be sure they are mostly dry before reblanketing (rain sheet is what it is, really).


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Do you ride a lot in the rain tiny?


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

i ride in the rain all the time...i no i no "but its new mexico, isnt that like desert?"
yes. yes it is. but somehow it rains everytime we go for a trail ride, and my boy loves standing in the rain n getting soaked right before i come out to ride.....gotta love it.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

waresbear said:


> Do you ride a lot in the rain tiny?


Rode today in the rain.
But, a lot? I try to pick and chose the days that aren't rainy, but if I go to all the bother of getting tacked up and it starts to rain a bit, I am not quitting. But not like serious RAIN. I talk a lot, but am really pretty much a wimp.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I remember when Oilskins were becoming very popular & I got one. I waited for a rainstorm & off I went. Young & foolish. *Sigh....kinda miss those days....


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Good for your daughter for still following her passion. Can you watch her from the car mom? 

There are a few options out there for her, to make it a bit more pleasant. 

Army Issue Horse Guards Waterproof Riding Cape 
(it's a UK site, but I didn't look to see if they ship abroad). 

Barbour also sells long wax jackets that have an attachment to go over your legs and the horses rump, but they are expensive. I mention it, as you sometimes see them cheaper on ebay. 

I have a Campbell Cooper, which has leg straps on the inside and the attachment for the horses rear end. 

Home - Wax Jackets by Campbell Cooper

Sorry all the links are British - I am, and so more familiar with where to get the products there, I am sure that someone else will be able to help you find them here, if you are interested.


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I ride allllllll the time in the rain. It's not a big deal. It's a little miserable, but I have waterproof boots+coat and synthetic tack so it's not too bad. I also try to wear as much wool as possible for rainy rides (wool sweater under my coat, wool socks, etc) because wool is warm even when it's wet, so if my boots or coat end up soaking through, I still have "back up warmth".
The worst for me is getting big droplets of cold water from bushes and such on my jeans, the little drops from the sky don't bother me but the big ones seem REALLY cold! haha 

On rainy days, I try to stick with riding for an hour or less because I've found that I start getting really cold after about an hour in the rain.

I do hate putting a saddle on a wet horse just because I feel like I can't clean the horse well beforehand. I've solved that by blanketing my horse (which she benefits from in more ways than just that) so she's dry whenever I want to ride. I've never had an issue blanketing her when she's a little/rather wet after a ride but I've heard of that being an area of concern for some horses/horse owners.

My horse hates the rain but I figure that it's a good training experience for her to do what I tell her to even when she doesn't want to. The more I ride her in the rain, the less she seems to mind it. Of course, she's not thrilled but she doesn't get as mad about it like she used to.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

It rains a lot in spring and autumn where I live, so I often have to deal with me and my horse being rained on. I cancel the ride if it's puring, but otherwise it's no big deal. I always have spare, dry clothes with me in the barn anyway. As for the horse - he doesn't mind light rain.


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## drop_your_reins (Nov 4, 2007)

I don't mind.  i rarely get caught out on a trail ride or in the outdoor though... the horses have good sense for an approaching storm and tend to get quite antsy outside! 

Thank God for indoors!


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## With Grace (Oct 20, 2011)

Im a big baby about riding in the rain...never cared about it as a kid, but now I even dread the walk from the car to the stable. And we get the strong winds that drive the rain sideways most days. Im so thankful for an indoor arena! Do you use those pocket hand warmers? They really do help keep the chill off when yoive been out in the rain for awhile. Costco sells a big box of them for cheap, gets us through the rainy seasons.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

Some of my best rides have been in the rain. Of course some of my worst have been too!

If it's a gentle rain, I use my synthetic saddle (I'm very lazy about taking care of my leather and try to avoid putting myself in a position of extra work) put on my poncho or rain slicker and off we go. 

If I'm already out riding and get caught in rain, out comes my poncho which is kept in my cantle (sp) bag.

Both horses are out 24/7 and choose where they want to be, in the barn or not, and when it's raining, they are usually out grazing and enjoying a break from the flys.

My only issue is which trail to take when raining, as some of my trails have much ledge and it gets a bit dicey going up and down terrain. But , I'll just select a less challenging trail in the rain most times.


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## newhorsemom (Jun 20, 2008)

Well she rode in the rain today and nobody melted (although I thought I might at one point). Horse didn't care for it too much but she was a very good girl. Daughter was not phased one bit. She informed me that show season is right around the corner and she wants to start getting herself and her horse back in shape for it. Rainy days here we come!


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Well, I've always said this about Oregon and it works equally well for Washington. If you want to ride year round you have to ride in the rain! I mean, we only really get ~3 dry months a year so it's not like we have much choice.

The most important thing you can do for the two of you is good outdoor gear. By that I mean gortex (or equivalten) gear that will keep the rain off while at the same time allowing your perspiration to escape. That alone will greatly increase your comfort while in the rain. That means hat, coat, pants and boots. After that it's all about properly layering underneath the rain gear.


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## princecharming (Dec 2, 2011)

my barn has an indoor, so when it downpours i go in there, but if its just a medium rain i tend to go to the outdoor anyway because, personally the rain makes it harder to focus, and i like practicing being able to focus nomatter what is going on. 

at my old barn, there was no indoor, so we put covers on our stuff and went out. other then that, if it was raining REALLY hard, sometimes its fun to have a horsey spa day, or clean all your tack instead of riding!

So i guess i say, go for it-ride in the wet cause it will build character and it could be fun!


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

I do sometimes, but it depends on the rain and why!

I was just tacked up and mounted for a jumping lesson at my old barn and trainer had just set the fences, and here comes the rain. I said it didn't bother me if it didn't bother him, so we stayed out and jumped in the rain. It was an excellent lesson


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## xXHorseKissesXx (Jan 12, 2012)

Haha taking it like a true Cowgirl ! ; ) 
Yeah we have an indoor, but personally I'm not a fan of riding around outside when its pouring. If it sprinkles, no big deal. 
If you don't want to get wet, why don't you just sit in your car, and park by the arena? That way she'll be supervised, and you'll be warm and dry.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

I agree, riding in the rain is completely harmless, as long as there is no thunder or lightening - this obviously makes it unsafe and probably unpleasant for both the horse and rider. 

Also, if it's so slippery I wouldn't ride. I wouldn't like my horse slipping or anything. This would be very dangerous for both the horse and rider.

But, putting a cover on your saddle and going for a ride is absolutely fine, if the conditions aren't the same as the one that I mentioned above. Sometimes, people have to ride in the rain at competitions. So, it's a good skill for both the horse and rider to be able to adjust and listen during rain.


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