# Riding in the winter



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

I would handle my winter riding as you have the previous 3 winters...and just NOT do it LOL. Too cold for me in the bitter Dakota winds. 

Have fun!


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

4 months of not riding sucks though


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

If you have the confidence to ride bareback, it's warmer altho your feet will get painfully cold for a while but that goes away. When you dismount do it slowly to make sure your feet are actually touching the ground. With winter riding you need to stay mainly at the walk. Snow balls occur during milder weather because of the heat the sole of a hoof emits - like packing snowballs with barehands. Some spray the hoof with cooking spray. Plowed roads are the best place to ride as you know what you are on. Trails only if familiar with them. Enjoy, you're a tough Canuck, you can do it.


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## Lakotababii (Nov 28, 2010)

Riding in winter is definitely possible. However, I live in northern illinois, so climate is way different. 

The most important things to remember when riding are 1. Temperature and 2. Ground conditions and 3. Horse condition

So if its -30, maybe not a good idea. It can be dangerous to do, unless you are only riding for short periods of time and are dressed very well for the cold. 
However, I have been riding in -20, and it was rough, but fun! Lots and lots of layers and a very puffy horse! It was a lot of fun walking and trotting through the snow. 

Ground conditions are extremely important. If there is an ice storm, and then it snows, then do not go riding. The inability to see the ice is dangerous, and most horses will not even go faster than a walk in the pasture in these conditions. Better to play it safe, as I seen had horses slip on ice and hurt themselves. "Black" ice or "invisible" ice are also things to take into account. Of course, if you have an indoor arena, then these things are no problem.

By "horse condition" I mean a few things. They need to have good feet and adequate shoes (if they wear shoes). You also need to be careful of sweat. Sweat in extremely cold temps can quickly get a horse sick, if not dealt with properly. So you need to constantly be checking him for sweat, unless you have a dry stall and a heavy blanket. If they do sweat, then you MUST be sure to cool them down properly before you put them out. I dry them off and walk them until they cool down. Since I do not have a place to put them (like a stall) I try hard to avoid sweat.

Yes, you can ride in deep snow, but once again, you must be careful. Watch for fatigue and only ride in places that you are familiar with. 

Oh and I am pretty much exclusively bareback in the winter. Keeps my tush warm  Leather is just too cold to be sitting on in that kind of weather.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

I ride all winter. Trail ride too. If the horse sweats, use a cooler (or 2-3) until the horse is dry.

Knock the snow out of the hooves with a rubber mallet.

Tack or bareback - depends if your boots fit safely in your stirrups!


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

I ride all winter but our barn has an indoor arena so that makes things easier! ;-) Still, we've ridden outside and on trail in the winter, here are the tips I use:

1. If it's below 25 degrees F I don't bother, too cold for both of us, not good on either of our lungs, esp outside!

2. Bareback is nice and warm so I love that every now and then, and get a good pair of insulated boots so your tootsies don't freeze!

3. You can get a quarter sheet for your horse if you're worried about him getting cold, they'll keep him cosy and go right underneath the saddle pad and saddle. 

4. My girl is barefoot so she never has the snowballs under the hooves issue, but for my friends with shod ponies, you can use Pam cooking spray to help deter the snowballs! 

5. When outside, I go slower! Esp. in deep snow...if you ask your horse to run around in deep snow you're inviting some potential accidents with slipping on icy/snowy areas and/or bowing tendons (much like in deep mud). Also if the snow has a sort of icy crust on top that the legs would break through they could potentially get cut if it's sharp enough.

6. Because my girl is ridden and in training all year round, I use a trace clip on her once she grows in her fuzzy winter coat, so that I can get around the sweating issue - because the LAST thing you want to do is put your horse's blanket back on with him being sweaty! The first year I got my girl I didn't know about the trace clip so I left her fuzzy and BOY was she a FUZZBALL! She got so sweaty that I had to use a hair dryer to dry her off after our rides before I could put her blanket back on! Not that she minded the warm air on her, but it took a good long time! ;-)


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

I like winter riding. I ride bareback so I stay warmer and I try to stay mostly to walking with some trotting so my horse doesn't sweat too much. I found thermal socks and my feet stay toasty. I put hand warmers in my mittens and I'm good to go.


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## Sahara (Jul 23, 2010)

I ride about two times a week in the winter. Like someone else said, don't ride over ice. Our trails are groomed during the winter, so I get to enjoy them year round. Under Armour clothing is a life saver for winter riding!


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I ride all winter but I have a well insulated indoor, I rarely ride outside in the winter. I wear under armor cold gear compression tights & long sleeve shirt w/jeans over and my carhartt coat if I get cold. I love ironclad's tough chix gloves, they are made for construction type work that requires nimble finger usage. They are really warm, fit well & have good grip on the fingertips so you don't have to unglove to cinch, unlock doors, etc. 

I've not found winter boots with soles that I am comfortable riding with. I do a lot of colt starting & I don't want to get hung in a stirrup because I wore a lug sole. My solution is to steal my hubby's battery socks he wears for hunting and wear them with my regular riding boots  

The most important thing is cooling your horse out. If they work hard enough to get sweaty, they need to be dry before turned back out in the elements. I don't clip mine or blanket but do walk them out until they are dry & brush out all of the dried sweat.


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## Stillstandin (Nov 10, 2009)

Having been a feedlot pen rider up here in Allberta, riding in the winter was part of the job. Colder the day, longer we were on the horses. Proper warm clothing that allows freedom of movement is essential. I love my Carhart gear. For footwear I have my winter riding boots, larger size so room for thermal socks. Feedlot horses wore borium shoes and snow pads but that is a huge expense. I now keep my horses barefoot in the winter and compete every weekend.
Like others have said, make sure your horse is cooled out and dried off before you turn them back out after you ride. Sweat blankets work great.


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

We ride in the winter and have about the same weather as you. We live ND. As long as it's warm enough for us, we will ride, above zero. Usually we walk along the roads but do go into some deep snow too. Just take it easy so the horse doesn't slip or get worked into a sweat
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## AKBarbWire (Aug 6, 2009)

I ride year round, I have to feed him year round, so we should get out! 

I ride regularly to about 10F, so -12C or so for you. I used to ride with a trainer all winter, in the indoor we went to about 0, or -17, but she did have a propane blower that we could stand them under. I don't really ride at all below 0, that is just too hard to cool out the horse. Our rides also get slower the colder it is, just walking at low temps, but really, just walking is amazing for schooling new skills and makes it interesting. The summer comes and I don't seem to school as much, I just want to get out there. Colder than 0 I do groundwork, or snuggle & scratch 

As far as what I wear? It is all pretty subjective. In NS, it is probably more humid & wetter than where I am. We have like 0 humidity in the winter. I do wear disposable hand & toe warmers. They can get pricey, but if I don't wear them I stay inside & get mighty cabin fever. I have a wide array of winter fleece & down. I do have to say I resemble the Stay Puff marshmallow man many days.



















Good luck & just do it!


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

For what it is worth from a little island at the far end of the Atlantic currents, there is nothing quite like a ride out on a sunny winter's day with snow lying on the ground. However it is rare over here if the temperature drops below minus 2 or minus 3 centigrade.

Snow is not so much of a problem but ice is and a thin layer of snow over ice can be lethal. If the horse inadvertently slips on ice then a torn ligament can easily result. Take extreme care on the slopes.

We would pack out the feet of a steel shod horse with grease 

Dressing the rider up is easy enough, just remember to wear gloves
Dressing up the horse is more complicated but over here we would probably fit a windproof/waterproof rug to keep the horse's body warm.

Most of the ride would be conducted at the walk - but what a lovely walk.

However in Canada, there is that ice cold air, which cools a body down by merely breathing it - Oh - ugh - I'm not used to that and neither is my very fussy mare. Little Britain may be small but it is rarely icey cold.

Enjoy and tell us all about the ride.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

As long as there's no wind, riding in the winter can be great. I don't mess with ice, but fluffy snow is great. The deeper it is, the slower you need to go. It's very tiresome on the horse's legs. Only ride in areas you know so you don't accidentally sink into a 4' snow drift. Almost did that one in an area I thought I knew, so now I mostly follow snowmobile tracks. Just make sure to have a fleece or wool cooler handy to dry your horse off completely before turning him back out. Give it a try. Most horses love it.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

I've never thought about all that. Fall, Winter and early Spring are the best times to ride here. Summers are to brutal to do very much riding except early morning and for short periods. Winters here are great. Even a brutal Winter (might have a night that gets as low as the teens F), there's almost never snow and usually if there is "snow" it = flurry. Nothing on the ground.
I guess instead of complaining about our Summers I should just be even more appreciative of our Winters.


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

Around here -15 is a normal day.. you don't normally start seeing above 0 until February or so! I let my horse get his full winter coat, and I would definitely ride bareback but he gets a bit frisky in the snow. My horse is also stabled year round with turn-out during the day. I doubt that he'd be worked enough to sweat, just enough to walk around and work on some stuff.  Thanks for the tips everyone! Keep em coming if you have some more


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

Also, he goes barefoot from December until March, so the snow thing shouldn't be too much of an issue


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Thinking about this I remembered I had a video from last winter. The 2 younger girls are riding bareback and my wife and I are riding with saddles. I think it just depends on how comfortable you are in your riding whether or not to go without a saddle. Just make sure you know the area you are riding and dress warm.


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

i've ridden in the winter - just dress appropriately and know your terrain. 

one of my fav winter pics:


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

As a teenager I rode in everything. I lived at 9000 feet in Colorado.

I usually rode bareback - not only do you get to share warmth with the horse, but it also leaves a smaller sweat spot to dry out later. You can use a cooler for that. Nice not having to worry about drying out the girth area, either.

I rode my mare in snow up above her belly at times, for short distances. She would lunge through it (the horse does need to be well conditioned for that).

Barefoot is preferable for riding in the snow, to prevent the balling, but I rode so much those days that my mare's hooves would wear too quickly, so she HAD to have shoes on. My farrier had some pads that had a downward bulge in the middle. He'd put those under the shoes and they would prevent the balling.

These days I don't ride in the winter that much - mostly because I'm more of a wimp (adding 15-20 years does that to you...), but also because where I live now has more ice. We rarely had ice where I grew up, it was just fluffy snow, somewhat packed snow, and then melted. Ice is evil.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> 1. If it's below 25 degrees F I don't bother, too cold for both of us, not good on either of our lungs, esp outside!


25? Wow - I would go way too long without riding! I use 10 for riding and 15 degrees for lessons.


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## Hoofprints in the Sand (Nov 23, 2008)

mls said:


> 25? Wow - I would go way too long without riding! I use 10 for riding and 15 degrees for lessons.


Yeah but I guess it's all what your horse is used to/the climate you live in. I would bet that our FL peeps would think 25 was even way too cold! :lol:


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

Loved the pictures!!! The snow is so pretty and I imagine the scenery is just gorgeous. 

I live in Texas and north Texas gets plenty of snow but snow is rare here in southeast Texas on the coast! It does get cold and it is a wet, humid cold so winter can have its really cold days (last year it was in the teens) but for the most part one can ride all year long here. I did this year. Even when it was hot in August we kept riding ... mostly walking and jogging in the woods where it was at least shaded. 

I have always wanted to ride in the snow so maybe I will be able to do that some day. Hope everyone gets to ride some this winter.


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

I'll probably try some riding this winter on the days that are a little bit warmer than most. Thanks to everyone for your input!


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Finally. The nights are going to be in the 40's for the next 4 days. Days are still in the 70's, but at least it's cooler weather. End of next week the nights are suppose to be back down to the 40's, but it's suppose to only have highs in the 60's. Fall is finally arriving.


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

The weather here has been pretty beautiful for this type of year, lots of rain today though.. flooding is actually starting! But it hasn't been any lower than 10 degrees Celsius this week and I've gotten to ride 2 times since sunday


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## newbhj (Jul 31, 2011)

I ride all winter, at least two lessons.
You wear lots of layers. I usually make sure I have some sort of compression gear (like UnderArmour or similar) on underneath so I don't look like a big meatball in a giant jacket. I wear ski socks (wool) in my moms boots because they're wider than mine and I have a balaclava. I'm on the hunt for a pair of good insulated riding gloves. You could also get a pair of winter breeches. I haven't because they are rather expensive :L.
As for the horse, usually their okay being worked in the winter without being cold. If they're getting sweaty you may consider a trace clip for them (making sure you blanket them well when not worked. If they're cold, a quarter sheet for riding might help. 
I live on the eastern canadian border, so it does get really cold here, with lots of snow. I personally don't ride IN the snow, I ride indoors, so not much input as far as riding in the snow.


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## JavaLover (Nov 7, 2009)

Unfortunately an indoor riding arena isn't available to me so I'll have to settle for the outdoor one!


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

newbhj said:


> I ride all winter, at least two lessons.
> You wear lots of layers. I usually make sure I have some sort of compression gear (like UnderArmour or similar) on underneath so I don't look like a big meatball in a giant jacket. I wear ski socks (wool) in my moms boots because they're wider than mine and I have a balaclava. I'm on the hunt for a pair of good insulated riding gloves. You could also get a pair of winter breeches. I haven't because they are rather expensive :L.
> As for the horse, usually their okay being worked in the winter without being cold. If they're getting sweaty you may consider a trace clip for them (making sure you blanket them well when not worked. If they're cold, a quarter sheet for riding might help.
> I live on the eastern canadian border, so it does get really cold here, with lots of snow. I personally don't ride IN the snow, I ride indoors, so not much input as far as riding in the snow.


 
Whew...would melt away in all that. I'd be sweating enough for me and two horses :lol:.

Flannel shirt, jacket, jeans, hat and shoes or boots for most of late Fall, part of Winter, early Spring.
Flannel shirt, coat (sometimes with liner) if it's really cold 30's and 40's, jeans, hat and shoes or boots with thicker socks for whenever we manage to have really cold days.
(not a lot of change...not much of a "Winter") :lol:


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