# Riding in the snow!



## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

It's a lot of fun if you have three pairs of gloves on and long underwear under your jeans and two hats under your helmet! Lol, it is fun though


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

haha! Thanks for the advise too!


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

I am doing it for the first time this year! I am excited I am going to put my snow suit on and then let him stand in the field and jump of him. We get 4 feet or more of snow so it shouldnt hurt!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Absolutely fantastic, one of my favorite things to do! As long as the snow is deep enough (at least a foot), they trot like they're gaited, haha. As a kid, I would always hold my reins up ridiculously high and pretend I was at the Arabian Nationals and my fat gelding was a Park horse. :lol:

At the canter, in deep drifts, they jump like frogs. Basically each stride is them trying to jump back out of the snow, so it's UBER fun and actually surprising smooth.

And the bonus? It doesn't hurt to fall off! I love training horses in winter for that reason alone! Deep snow takes the buck out of them real fast and even if you DO bite the snow, it's pretty cushy!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Hahaha, here's some fun snow pics to get you in the mood! :wink:









Ashley and Justus









Me and Zierra









Me and Jynx


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Absolutely fantastic, one of my favorite things to do! As long as the snow is deep enough (at least a foot), they trot like they're gaited, haha. As a kid, I would always hold my reins up ridiculously high and pretend I was at the Arabian Nationals and my fat gelding was a Park horse. :lol:
> 
> At the canter, in deep drifts, they jump like frogs. Basically each stride is them trying to jump back out of the snow, so it's UBER fun and actually surprising smooth.
> 
> And the bonus? It doesn't hurt to fall off! I love training horses in winter for that reason alone! Deep snow takes the buck out of them real fast and even if you DO bite the snow, it's pretty cushy!


It sounds like you don't have an indoor arena? THis will be my first winter at home without an arena and I was curious weather its hard to get used too. 
Didn't mean to hjack the thread


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

^I've never ridden in an indoor arena other than the time I test rode my TB lol. And before this year, we didn't even have an outdoor arena!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Tasia said:


> It sounds like you don't have an indoor arena? THis will be my first winter at home without an arena and I was curious weather its hard to get used too.
> Didn't mean to hjack the thread


Actually, this winter will be my first in 25 years of having an indoor arena to ride in! Before this, I didn't even have a BARN! We log some of the roughest, coldest winters in the world, and we ride ALL winter out in blustery fields!

I'm looking forward to having an arena to ride in, but I'm pretty confident we'll be spending just as much time riding snowy trails at the new place!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Tasia said:


> It sounds like you don't have an indoor arena? THis will be my first winter at home without an arena and I was curious weather its hard to get used too.
> Didn't mean to hjack the thread


I know that I'm not the one you were talking to, but where I lease my horse there isn't an indoor arena, and I've coped just fine. Where I live however if it rains we don't really care because we get a lot of rain so if you want to go outside, unless it's summertime, you'll be going in the rain.


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> And the bonus? It doesn't hurt to fall off! I love training horses in winter for that reason alone! Deep snow takes the buck out of them real fast and even if you DO bite the snow, it's pretty cushy!


^yes!

The only times I've ridden in the snow was when I was riding my friend's draft horses. We were riding bare back (which I Suck at!) and I fell off. but with a foot of fresh fallen snow, it was the least painful fall I've ever had... even though it was off a Big, Tall draft horse. =)

We don't get snow Here... and IF we do, it's like a quarter of an inch. and *even* with _that_ amount, the roads become un-drivable. (because we don't know how to clear roads!! :roll: ) - So, because I board my horse, I will never be able to ride in the snow again. (unless, maybe, I move)


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I didn't vote because I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with snow. When we get snow down here (which isn't very often to begin with), it is usually accompanied by a wind blowing 30 mph or more, at this point, I don't have a choice in whether to be out in it or not, I have to be out all day long. It's not that I get cold, but getting snow blasted on your face all day sure makes for a sore face for the next few days LOL.

I only love riding in the snow when I am doing it for fun, there is no wind, and the snow is either more than 1 foot deep or still falling with those big fat flakes. However, on the rare day you get a nice day to ride in deep snow, there is nothing more fun than loping along bareback.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I asked this question on another thread, but how do you deal with snow balling up under the horse's feet (inside the shoe)? Our snow is the heavy kind that compacts extremely well, so it forms ice balls under horse's feet. I tried vaseline once to no avail. Advise?


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## traildancer (Oct 27, 2010)

Growing up in Alaska, I rode in the snow all winter long. As a teenager, my horse was my transportation. I mainly rode bareback to keep warm and also because my shoe-pacs didn't fit in the stirrups. The air is very dry where I grew up so the biggest problem I had in the snow was the snow packing into the feet and the horse walking on "stilts". Never very high and never very long. They always broke off. My horses were barefoot.

Running through deep powder is a blast! We had a lot of high winds so most of our snow was in hard-packed drifts. But out in the woods where it was more protected we could ride in deeper, softer snow.

Now that I live in Oregon, I seldom get to ride in the snow. Sometimes high in the mountains in the summer!! And if it does snow here, it's usually not very much. There is supposed to be a big storm coming in tonight and it's supposed to snow here. We'll see. I'm debating whether or not to go camping just to be out and in the snow.


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## UnrealJumper (Nov 24, 2009)

Yeah it was fun when I first got to ride in the snow. Now when it's -10, -20 and -30 and snowy it sucks


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## phoenix (Jun 7, 2010)

I quite like riding in the snow, it means my horse has to work a little extra hard to get his feet out of the snow drifts so he gets a great workout, plus he loves it and has a blast. 

Last year i was riding in a small field we have at the barn when the snow was just starting to melt, the sun was out but it was still a bit cold. Just as i rode past the barn this huge sheet of snow fell off the barn roof right behind us; Phoenix spun 180 degrees and planted his feet. I thought for sure he was going to take off running but he craned his head round to look at me with his eyes all huge like "what was that!??" 

It's fun but sometimes the unexpected can happen.


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## Citrus (Feb 26, 2010)

Your toes seem to freeze a lot more, so pump your ankles a few times before hopping off..... also a pair of earmuffs to go under your helmet are fantastic!!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ haha! ya! I went riding yesterday and I had to muck all the paddocks before that!! It wasn't snowing today and there wasn't much snow but the wind was horrible!! It was -3C and I was wearing a spring jacket, a sweater, my hair back, spring riding gloves, tights under my jeans, 1 pair of socks, and winter boots and then when I went to ride, I wore all the same stuff plus a helmet and instead of my winter boots I switched to my riding boots! It was FREEZING!!!!!


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

yeah its great but beware of ice!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ haha ya for sure!! the arena where I ride is frozen over! It's like riding on cement!


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## Luvs2jump (Oct 11, 2010)

I voted no for the simple fact that here, it can get real cold with the windchill. The first winter I was riding Barney we didn't have an indoor and the one that we could use was a 10 minute ride down the road. I would usually walk and trot but that was it on the cross country field, lucky I knew the course like the back of my hand.
I just don't like the cold and even with a ton of layers on my feet would get cold and everything. These past few years I've gotten spoiled with having an on-site indoor at the barn I'm at now.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

tinyliny said:


> I asked this question on another thread, but how do you deal with snow balling up under the horse's feet (inside the shoe)? Our snow is the heavy kind that compacts extremely well, so it forms ice balls under horse's feet. I tried vaseline once to no avail. Advise?


PAM or a cooking spray works, but only briefly. If you're going riding for half an hour, it works great but unfortunately I haven't found anything yet that will KEEP snow out in pasture and such. We always end up having to chisel them off with a screwdriver and hammer :lol: But a cooking spray typically works quite well for rides.

However, if your horse is shod, you SHOULD have pads put on to prevent the snowballs because they're 10x worse on shod horses.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Does everyone who rides in snow country use pads? Funny that I haven't heard about snow pads before. You just shoe your horses with the rubber pads and have them shod this way all winter? Doesn't it get hard to keep their feet clean?
I will try the PAM when I ride next time, tho I ususally ride a good one to two hourse when I do go out.


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## Luvs2jump (Oct 11, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> Does everyone who rides in snow country use pads? Funny that I haven't heard about snow pads before. You just shoe your horses with the rubber pads and have them shod this way all winter? Doesn't it get hard to keep their feet clean?
> I will try the PAM when I ride next time, tho I ususally ride a good one to two hourse when I do go out.


Never had a problem when the farrier did Barney's front feet for the winter with pads on, and he would have them on until the snow was pretty much gone. When the farrier would trim and reset the shoes every 6 weeks, he would check to make sure nothing was going on under the pads. It made picking out the feet easy though.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I grew up in northern MN so snow was a big part of each year's worth of riding...hahaha. Now I'm in CO, so I'm guessin I will have snow to play in as well...I like it, I just could live without some of the brutal cold (think 40-) that I grew up in!


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## baileydawn (Oct 8, 2010)

Well technically I never rode "outside" cause my sister said its too dangerous cause there can be ice under the snow and the horses could slip, but I think she's being too paranoid. I hate freezing though so bareback is the way to go in the winter.


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## Kawairashii Ichigo (Jul 18, 2010)

It's a ton of fun! When the snow gets deeper sometimes it can get a little bouncier. xD I had one horse I rode who insisted on bunny hopping through the snow instead of running. xD He looked like Peppy Le-peu!!! ****! I love when you gallop through though and the snow just flies up~ There was one pony we took with us though and it hit a snow drift and fell up close to its withers. All we hear is the one girl. "Ummmmm... I think I'm stuck" So we look back and you see this pony head with him trying to make his way out. XDDDD I can't wait to take my boy out this winter though for a good spin~ <3 Have fun with it! And dress warm~ @[email protected]


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ haha! That's awesome!! Well we're supposed to have 10cm of snow on Friday so I can try out my luck!  Today was horrible though!!! It was freezing and I had to muck all seven paddocks one in which has 2 horses in it!! And it doesn't help that 5 of those horses are slobs! My hands, nose, and feet were freezing and then to top that off I got shocked by the electric fence 3 times!!! GRR!!!! I think that the snow will make it funner though and hopefully the owner of the barn will put her horses in the barn instead of the paddock!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

whoa!! I'm listening to the radio right now and apparently today just broke the record for the coldest november in canada!!! and it's supposed to be -24 sometime this month!!!! AHHHH!!!!!


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## Kawairashii Ichigo (Jul 18, 2010)

Cheyennes mom said:


> whoa!! I'm listening to the radio right now and apparently today just broke the record for the coldest november in canada!!! and it's supposed to be -24 sometime this month!!!! AHHHH!!!!!


Where in Canada are you?! That's crazy xD We're still between -5 and in the pluses.


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## mumiinek (Aug 4, 2010)

Uhm, I miss one option in the poll. "I don't really care, it's the same as riding in the summer" (except much more dangerous).


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I've never ridden in the snow before. However, since I moved Lacey home this summer, I should get a chance this winter. I'm super excited! Hopefully we'll get a lot of snow at some point and I can try trotting and cantering in it.


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## Soul (Nov 23, 2010)

I answered the poll that I want to try riding in the snow, but now that I think about it, I have ridden in the snow before, but not on the horse's back. When I was a little younger, my sister and I would sit on a little plastic sled and my dad would tie a rope to the sled, and hop on his horse and gallop her through the snow and pull us behind them on the sled. I remember my sister and I would laugh like crazy and I thought it was the absolute best thing ever to do in the snow. 
We haven't done that for awhile, but it's a lot of fun. It makes me love living up north where you get snow in the winter.


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## traildancer (Oct 27, 2010)

We have a little snow on the ground here in southwestern Oregon. So yesterday I took Sailor out and the three dogs for a ride. Mostly we were walking through wet grass with patches of wet snow but it snowed almost the entire time we were riding! It was great--from tiny dry flakes to big splotchey ones. Hopefully this weekend I can go higher into the mountains and get into some good snow. It stormed the last couple of days and my husband was up by Diamond Lake and said that there were elk trails all over where they were abandoning the high country. He said that their bellies were dragging, the snow was so deep! I won't go that high up.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Cheyennes mom said:


> ^^ haha! That's awesome!! Well we're supposed to have 10cm of snow on Friday so I can try out my luck!  Today was horrible though!!! It was freezing and I had to muck all seven paddocks one in which has 2 horses in it!! And it doesn't help that 5 of those horses are slobs! My hands, nose, and feet were freezing and then to top that off I got shocked by the electric fence 3 times!!! GRR!!!! I think that the snow will make it funner though and hopefully the owner of the barn will put her horses in the barn instead of the paddock!



You sound like you are in my neck of the woods, Western Canada or Washington State? 

Ah just looked at your profile, you must be on the lower mainland somewhere, supposed to snow tonight and then warm up tomorrow


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## margareth184 (Aug 17, 2010)

I love to ride in the snow... but look out for ice. If you can see grass peeking through, the footing is usually ok.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I voted "yuck I hate it." But it's really not the snow I hate, it's the mud and ice. 

If I had national forest access of the property and could ride in the snow, that would be awesome, but we live about 1/2 mile from the forest, I have to ride down a muddy, sometimes icy dirt road to get to the forest. The snow itself is fine, but getting there can be treacherous. 

So that's why I don't like riding in snow. It's not the snow, but the mud and ice that goes along with it. :-(


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Kawairashii Ichigo said:


> Where in Canada are you?! That's crazy xD We're still between -5 and in the pluses.


 Beautiful BC! 


Soul said:


> I answered the poll that I want to try riding in the snow, but now that I think about it, I have ridden in the snow before, but not on the horse's back. When I was a little younger, my sister and I would sit on a little plastic sled and my dad would tie a rope to the sled, and hop on his horse and gallop her through the snow and pull us behind them on the sled. I remember my sister and I would laugh like crazy and I thought it was the absolute best thing ever to do in the snow.
> We haven't done that for awhile, but it's a lot of fun. It makes me love living up north where you get snow in the winter.


 
omg, that sounds like SOOOO much fun!!!!!


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## CinderEve (Oct 26, 2010)

It's been a while, but while I don't really like snow (I hate shoveling it!) I love riding in it! I can't wait to ride Cinder in the snow!


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## Amblin Cowgirl (Apr 27, 2010)

I really enjoy riding in the snow! But who wouldn't enjoy it when you can ride this, and go anywhere! And by "this" I mean a 17.4hh Percheron! May I introduce you to Lily? This is how we like so spend snow days, when I have no school!


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

Last year was supposed to be my first year to ride in the snow but I wasn't so lucky! Got my OTTB (Hero) last year, rode him a few times until he went sore. I decided just to give him the winter off and allow him to adjust to his new life. I did ride Hero once in the snow but just at a walk plus the snow wasn't fresh so no fun. Therefore I am looking foward to riding in FRESH snow! Should be super fun, plus maybe it will help my some what lazy horse to pick his hooves up!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Amblin Cowgirl that's just plain awesome!!!


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## Amblin Cowgirl (Apr 27, 2010)

Cheyennes mom said:


> Amblin Cowgirl that's just plain awesome!!!



Thanks! We have a handful of the big girls. ( and boys)


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I've never had a problem with ice before. You have to be careful on roads and snow plowed areas because they get pretty slick, and also you have to be aware of what's under the snow, but I've been riding through snowy fields for the majority of my 25 years and the worst thing that's ever happened is getting my horse stuck in a snowdrift!

If you can see grass poking through the snow, those areas are SLICK. Be CAREFUL. The horse has no traction, and grass can be as bad as ice. We get several feet of snow, and once it's past their knees they get such excellent traction in it, you actually have LESS risk of slipping then on grass in the summer.

Ice will be more of an issue in warm places that are constantly melting. Here in Manitoba, once the snow hits, it's all just frozen tundra until spring! We just got about 40-50cm in a week! That's a foot and a half of snow in a WEEK!

Here's our most recent snow pics, loving the trails! And this was 20cm ago, we just had another blizzard yesterday! I can't wait to ride today!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ oh that looks like lots of fun!!


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

:think:

I must try this now. I'm going to have to talk my instructor into a winter trail ride...now that is going to be a challenge. lol :lol:


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ haha! It looks like so much fun doesn't it!?! I would like a trail ride too but there aren't any where I ride we'd have to find somewhere to trailor the horses. But sometimes they do trailor them somewhere and they ride, but I've never done it before. I'm hoping that now that I'm leasing I'll get invited too!


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## Mickey4793 (Sep 24, 2009)

I want to try it so bad! Question though, what about the footing under the snow? Usually ice lies beneath snow so isn't it dangerous?


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> I've never had a problem with ice before. You have to be careful on roads and snow plowed areas because they get pretty slick, and also you have to be aware of what's under the snow, but I've been riding through snowy fields for the majority of my 25 years and the worst thing that's ever happened is getting my horse stuck in a snowdrift!
> 
> If you can see grass poking through the snow, those areas are SLICK. Be CAREFUL. The horse has no traction, and grass can be as bad as ice. We get several feet of snow, and once it's past their knees they get such excellent traction in it, you actually have LESS risk of slipping then on grass in the summer.
> 
> ...


 
That looks like SO much fun! Have you ever trotted in snow?


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## ridesapaintedpony (Apr 14, 2009)

I answered "I love it" because "I hate snow but I live in Michigan and deal with it if I want to ride" wasn't available.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ haha!


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## Arksly (Mar 13, 2010)

Mickey4793 said:


> I want to try it so bad! Question though, what about the footing under the snow? Usually ice lies beneath snow so isn't it dangerous?


 
You just have to be a little extra careful. I found that, the deeper the snow, the less slippery.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

wannahorse22 said:


> That looks like SO much fun! Have you ever trotted in snow?


Oh heck yeah. Cantering/galloping is the most fun in deep snow, they just leap through it like deer. Here's a vid of us going for a nice run in a snowy field! I'm the one on the blue roan (Shay-las mare), and Shay-la riding Dove and video taping!



And bouncy trotting on the Arab! This is Shay-la on Szerina!










And me on Zierra!











Maybe we're just spoiled? We're surrounded by crop and farm land, so we always have big vast snowy field to ride in where we know there's nothing but earth beneath us and I have NEVER had a horse slip in a field. I've had them slip on roads, or places where I KNEW there was ice, but I always ride where I know there's no ice underneath and never ever had a problem.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

^^^^
I want to do that! Have to wait till next winter though No Deer riding for me!


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

We don't get a lot of nice snow around here, mostly icy mess. But once in a while we get the fluffy stuff, and the first thing I always do is jump on my old man (he's 29 this year) and play for a bit. It's a tradition for us that we ride in the first snow of the year (which is often the only snow, lol) This is from last winter, the only white Christmas we've had since I was a kid.


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## Rachel1786 (Nov 14, 2010)

I hate the cold, but you guys are actually getting me excited about riding in the snow! it was flurrying when i rode yesterday and i was freezing, but next time i will just dress a little warmer and suck it up lol, i can't wait till we get a few feet, if only i could work while on horseback, i walk dogs so walking dogs in the snow is gonna be crappy lol


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Rachel1786- that's what we're here for!! 

apachiedragon- ooh that looks like fun!!


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## IloveCastori (Nov 25, 2010)

Love the snow I dress extra warm it makes horses colors pop!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## rissaxbmth (Feb 2, 2010)

I am really looking forward to riding in the snow for the first time. However my horse is shod. I'm thinking of getting his shoes pulled but he has soft soles so if he hits a rock he'll be ouchy. I don't want to ride and he slip. However I really want to ride in the snow for the first time. We don't get too much snow here though.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ oh okay well have fun once you get the chance!


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## BFFofHorses (Jan 29, 2010)

I love it!! And my horses do too! They get all frisky! I never have had more fun riding then in the snow, with the possible exception of swimming with horses!


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

^^ oh swimming with horses!! That's something that I wanna do!!


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

I have been riding in the snow lately. Just walking a jogging I can't take a chance so instead I only lope him at a a local arenas.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

It's snowing here now. This is practically unheard of this early in the winter here, lol. At least it seems so. But with temps in the 40's tomorrow, if I don't get up bright and early it will all be gone before I get to go riding in it.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Oh cool! 
The arena where I ride is just perfect for riding in right now, the sand is moised, but not frozen!  There is a little patch of ice on one end, but if you avoid that area you can do anything! It's awesome, I haven't ridden for what seems like ages (3 weeks approx.)!


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## Juniper (May 4, 2007)

Amblin Cowgirl, your horse looks like a "one in a million" kind of horse.


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## Ne0n Zero (Dec 25, 2008)

I've ridden in minimal amounts of snow, but we're just getting moved up to Erie, PA so I'm super excited to go romping around bareback in the snow up here ^^ It's gonna be a blast, my boy loves snow. 

On the plus side, he's barefoot and I ride bitless too so no cold bits on my belly to warm them up before putting them in his mouth


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