# Too cold to ride?



## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

Well, I rode yesterday in 30 degree weather and I believe I've ridden in more like 25 before. It generally stays pretty warm around here, so lower than that hasn't ever been an option. On the below freezing days I keep it to walk-trot if I don't have an indoor to ride in because the ground gets hard. I just bundle up and my horse doesn't mind.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

Well considering I'm in the midwest with no indoor arena, only corn fields and about 10 horses to keep conditioned I ride as much as I can. 

I think the lowest I rode in was last winter around -20 (including wind chill). Wasn't for long (about 30 minuets), and I rode in a halter. I usually had about 3 layers on, my winter coat, a horse blanket on me (wrapped around me) and gobs of hand/foot warmers. I was pretty toasty, the horse was doing okay and we were both happy when we were done!!

**Imagine Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" on top of a horse! ;-) That's me!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Coldest I have felt during a ride was in Central Texas during a "blue norther". I've ridden plenty of times in snow. Biggest hassle there was not cold, but having to stop often to pick snow & ice balls out of the horses feet. I've packed horses in to winter hunting camps. Coldest of those I think was an overnight ice storm with temps in the mid 20's (f). We stayed toasty by the fire. Any liquid outside the warmth of the fire froze. The horses stayed perfectly dry picketed under some pine trees. Biggest hassle there was working with the ropes with cold fingers.

I'm old now and not planning any more really cold rides.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

For me, if it's below freezing I usually won't go riding. It's just too cold and not much fun! I think I have gone out in below freezing, but I avoid it whenever possible.


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

One thing I've learned is that once you get riding it gets warmer!!

I don't know how low I go. Depends on if I want to brave the weather.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

We always had a rule that when the temp. dropped below 0*F we do not ride, the main reason for this is that my Father said it wasn't good for the horses' lungs to be worked in that cold a temperature.
I have to say I have had some very nice winter rides when it's not too windy and the sun is shining and the snow is light and fluffy.
NO bugs


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## horseNpony (Sep 27, 2013)

Well, where I am it has never dropped down so low during the day that I though it was too cold to ride. We don't get snow here, and really the lowest we get during the day hasnt been below 5 degrees Celsius (41 F) as far as I can recall. I remember riding with a short sleeve Polo when it was about 8 degrees (approx 46 F), and i ended up getting sick  Ive never felt it's been too cold, I just wear thicker clothes as I tend to heat up a lot once I get going anyway. Too hot on the other hand, can be an issue...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

here's me riding yesterday in the forest, narrow trails, about 25F

rode about an hour and a half. only walking , as the ground is frozen and all 'lumpy' from frozen mud, and my toes went into Popsicle mode.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I don't have a limit if something needs to be done. But I've had frostbite on nose, toes, cheeks, fingers, ears, and thighs. Not always from riding in the cold, just working outside in very cold weather. Those areas seem to be more sensitive to cold now and will be the first to hurt.

It has to be 25F or above for me to choose to ride just for riding's sake.


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## dkb811 (Oct 15, 2013)

29* in the morning, that's too cold for me. I guess some of us Texans are wimps when it comes to cold weather! However, I do prefer riding/chores in cooler temps any day over the heat.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

just thought I'd add that I am a total wimp and recreational rider, so not to be compared to any of the folks that ride for "work" reasons.

I was glad to dismount, and walk , and get feeling back into my toes. can't wait for a thaw so we can do more than walk on those trails.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

The lowest we have ridden is -20 in an indoor arena. It wasn't heated so whatever temp it was outside it was inside too.
-20 F is freaking cold, but it is very enjoyable with horses


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

that's WAY too cold for me.


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## Rebelwithacause (Aug 7, 2013)

Lordy, y'all are brave! I went out yesterday and the temp dropped from mid 60's to low 40's in about an hour with the cold rain and wind coming in sideways. I am STILL trying to thaw out from riding in the cold, wet rain!

I was untacking and hovering as close and I could to the horse to try and catch some body heat! i may have put my frozen fingers under her mane for a few minutes to warm them up.


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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

cold doesn't really matter to me, as long as I have good gloves Im usually in good shape. I am careful about ice though. Any ice at all and I don't ride.

If we didn't ride below 45*f. my horses wouldn't, get much work from about Nov. to about april.

Jim


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## CAP (Jun 18, 2014)

I wont ride past -20c and even then I wont work the horses hard as it can be hard on the lungs, and I don't want them to work up a sweat so its usually a nice quiet trail ride, or time to work on finer tuning


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> here's me riding yesterday in the forest, narrow trails, about 25F
> 
> rode about an hour and a half. only walking , as the ground is frozen and all 'lumpy' from frozen mud, and my toes went into Popsicle mode.
> 
> View attachment 557249


Yes. Having ice cubes for feet seems to be the hardest part. My riding boots have never had enough room for good heavy socks.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Rebelwithacause said:


> Lordy, y'all are brave! I went out yesterday and the temp dropped from mid 60's to low 40's in about an hour with the cold rain and wind coming in sideways. I am STILL trying to thaw out from riding in the cold, wet rain!


Mid to low 40's and wet is hypothermia weather. Those rapid drops in temperature really affect you as well.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I don't have a set temperature, because the "feels like" temperature is going to depend on whether the wind is blowing (and how hard) and if the sun is shining. 

I've ridden many times when it was well below 0*F. But if there is no wind and the sun is out, it makes for a gorgeous ride. 

And there's been times when I did not ride when it was 20 *F because the wind was blowing 40 mph with a below zero windchill. 

For me, if I can't keep my toes and fingers warm, that's when I don't ride. But it's got to be pretty cold before that happens. 

I'm a die hard. ;-) My horses need the exercise. I can only usually ride on the weekends in the winter, because it's dark by the time I go to work and get done with work, so I usually ride both Saturday and Sunday every weekend, if I can. Sometimes I'll haul to an indoor.


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## LynnF (Jun 1, 2011)

This last week was a cold snap here and we had weather down to -18F (-28C), I still rode in my indoor arena which isn't heated. I just made sure to do a very thorough warm up and cool down, and not to get them where they were panting or sweating too hard. Afterwards they are tied in the barn with a fleece cooling sheet until they are completely dry and then turned out. 
If you are dressed for the weather and take care of your horse accordingly you can ride in pretty much any weather.


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a heated indoor arena so ride in almost any weather. The only thing stopping me is the road conditions to get out there!

Just this weekend I was riding in -25 degrees celcius. That's about -12F. I have to cool my horse off for longer but that just gives me more time to spend with her, and I don't mind. In warmer weather I have a tendency to ride and leave more often...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> Mid to low 40's and wet is hypothermia weather. Those rapid drops in temperature really affect you as well.



that describes our weather for almost the whole winter.


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## nikelodeon79 (Mar 3, 2008)

45*F is a HEAT WAVE and if the temps got that high over the winter here our riding arena would be FULL of people taking advantage.  

I usually don't ride in below zero temps, although last winter I didn't have much of a choice because it rarely got above zero.  Really hoping this winter doesn't follow suit!


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

We rode the huge swing of Temps sunday! 

It was 50° at noon, then cooled of to 20°around 4 pm. And was 12° by the time we got home. 

Never to cold to ride, but is definitely too cold to want to ride sometimes.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I know you started with the disclaimer but I couldn't help laughing with the "below 45 degrees". Your horses would have a LOT of time off in some places!!

To flip it it's probably something like me saying "I don't ride when it's above 75 degrees" (it does get hot here too though lol)


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## Asimina (Apr 21, 2013)

I'm from central florida, and winter usually doesn't get below 45, and we can get up to the high 70's(it's 82 right now). But last january I went up north to a show and it was about 22 degrees with wind chill. If it hadn't been a show I would NOT have been riding! :lol:


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## Sadie Giddys Up (Aug 20, 2014)

I ride for pleasure so I can't speak for the people that have to ride for actual work... 

I dont like to (but i will) ride in below freezing weather only I keep the ride very simple and not a whole lot of work. Anything below 15F I do not ride in. 

If I dont ride I still do some ground work with her so she isn't breathing hard but that her mind and body are still working with me to some degree. 

I heard that it can be hard on their lungs if its too cold. Kind of like when we run outside in the cold.


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## Acco (Oct 4, 2011)

Last winter with that crazy polar vortex, I was riding in the teens and upper single digits (indoors, in a non-heated arena) and my horse seemed perfectly fine with it. When it got in the low single digits or negatives, that was too cold for *ME* and I was NOT gonna leave the house! These are all ºF. I agree with other posters - 45 degrees feels like a heat wave and I'll be taking my coat and maybe my sweatshirt off after we've warmed up or else I'll be sweating! (and my poor horse gets sweaty too - he's hairy)

I didn't particularly like being out in the teens and single digits, but last winter I would not have ridden much at all if I hadn't sucked it up and gone. The horse didn't care, and was happy for the exercise because the ground was too frozen to run and play on when they got turned out.


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## NightFell (Dec 3, 2014)

I ride in most weather, most temperatures- I did it for my lessons last winter during the polar vortex. It's really interesting how much warmer you feel when you ride though; I had a non-horse friend watch me ride in the indoor/outdoor arena couple weeks ago and he was freezing to death while I felt just fine. After I got off and walked around for a bit though I immediately felt the chill.


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