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The Listening Lounge

Winter Riding

By:
The Lost Soul (Northeastern Wisconsin, USA)
Date:
Hello! 100 lessons completed

I live in an area that has a notable snowfall this time of year and has average temperatures in the low to mid 20's. I don't ride my horse (Beamer) hard, so he never breaks a sweat during this time of year as to prevent him from getting chilled. I am just wondering what other people think about riding in the snow and cold.

phantommustang1 Walsenburg, Colorado, USA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Did it all the time when I was a kid, like you, didnt ride hard so didnt sweat up my horse, and everything was fine, except I got cold, but it didnt bother me then. I lived in northern Colorado then, now I live in southern colorado and it gets quite a bit of snow, except for this year, but is really windy nearly ALL the time.

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

If you and your horse are safe, well, warm, and happy then enjoy :-) Ride him enough to keep him warm, but as you say, not so hard that he is too hot.

A pet peeve of mine: clip their coats and then rug them up all winter -

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

sorry, hit enter before I'd finsihed, Why do people do this???

The Lost Soul (Northeastern Wisconsin, USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed

I have no idea why people do that. Why create more work for yourself for one and second, a rug is just one more hazard that a horse can potentially get injured in. I would never dream of clipping Beamer.

phantommustang1 Walsenburg, Colorado, USA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

I dont understand it myself. They have perfectly good hair, why clip it and then put a blanket on? Doesnt make any sense.

Kicki -- Sweden
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed 400 lessons completed 450 lessons completed 500 lessons completed 550 lessons completed 600 lessons completed

Up here in Sweden we have no choice but to ride in winter. :)
The horses never seem to have any problems with this - but there is a big market for warm clothes, socks and mittens. ;)
The race horse association for trotters have a ground rule about not racing when the temp hits below -15C (+5F)(I *think* it is!) But that is more for the amounts of cold air going into the horses lungs and for the sake of the jockeys driving them.
.
As for clipping, there are - as always - different needs for different horses.
A horse that does a lot of his training indoors - or very hard physical training on a race course - can break into quite a sweat and will have trouble drying up in the cold afterwards, risking catching infections. Clipping and rugging is usually a lot better alternative in that case.
.
My older horse has a very good winter-fur - too good! When the temps raise above the freezing point - which it does frequently on my latitude - she gets very uncomfortable even outdoors without a rug. So I clip her neck and chest to keep her cool.

vicci - UK (North Wales)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed 350 lessons completed

Interesting points Kicki, thank you

phantommustang1 Walsenburg, Colorado, USA
Please upload your photo 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Ok. Makes sense. Thank you.

The Lost Soul (Northeastern Wisconsin, USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed

Thank you for all of the insight. I overlooked horses that are working hard in these conditions when posting about the clipping.

Horse addict (From the good old USA)
Hello! 100 lessons completed 150 lessons completed 200 lessons completed 250 lessons completed 300 lessons completed

Horses look so cute in the winter. They look like fuzz balls with there heavy coats. lol! I've ridden a few times in winter.

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