Too cold to ride, if only walking?

[sublimequine]

So, today the temps here are pretty miserable. The high today is 8F, with the windchill around -10F. My mare lives outside, and is blanketed.

Problem is, theres a lot of ice in her paddock, and so she gets stiff just standing around. Is it too cold to ride bareback, at a walk, using her halter as a bridle? She always looks forward to coming in and getting a chance to move around in the nice footing and out of the wind in the indoor arena, but I'm afraid the air may be too cold for her, even just walking say for 15 minutes bareback.

So COTHers, what do you think? I could handwalk her, but honestly that doesn't seem any different than riding for 15 minutes, especially since, like I said, I'd be bareback and no bit. :confused:

Riding a horse at the walk for 15 minutes, bareback and riding in a halter, in an indoor arena, in -10F windchill temps, to keep her from getting too stiff. Bad idea, or acceptable? :uhoh:

[Simkie]

More than acceptable in my book--I'd say it's recommended.

I will often hop on and walk around the indoor when it's bitter cold. I think it's good to get them moving.

[sublimequine]

More than acceptable in my book--I'd say it's recommended.

I will often hop on and walk around the indoor when it's bitter cold. I think it's good to get them moving.

Yeah, I could definitely tell my mare felt a ton better after our bareback ride yesterday (it was quite a bit warmer though). She was realllllly stiff when I got on, but by the end of our little 10ish minute ride, she was supple and swingy and comfy. :)

So you think it'll be okay to walk, even with these temps?

[allpurpose]

You bet! Helps keep things moving in the gut department, too!;)

[sublimequine]

You bet! Helps keep things moving in the gut department, too!;)

Forgot about how walking is good for the gut, thanks for the reminder! :)

She'll be getting a nice hot alfalfa soup after her ride, so that'll be good for the tummy too. :winkgrin:

[RiverBendPol]

You'll both be happier if you do more than walk. Are you worried about her lungs freezing or something? Go out and do some work! It won't hurt HER and it will keep YOU from freezing to death!!:eek:

[merrygoround]

Local rider came in after 3rd level work, and realized that it had dropped to 7 degrees. :cry:
Both horse and rider were fine. :)

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Sometimes I do that with my TB.

Get on and walk. Maybe do some bending or trot work to loosen up.



Or I will turn him out in the indoor arena so he can go around by himself, sniff things, roll etc.

[joharavhf]

I'd say no worries! Probably better to allow her to walk around rather than just stand all day!

[allpurpose]

Forgot about how walking is good for the gut, thanks for the reminder! :)

She'll be getting a nice hot alfalfa soup after her ride, so that'll be good for the tummy too. :winkgrin:

Well, gee, I'll come walk too if there's hot alfalfa soup to be had at your place! :lol::lol::lol: I'll bring molasses cookies for all of us, horse AND hooman!

[Auventera Two]

If YOU can take it, so can the horse. I ride regardless of how cold it is. As long as I can stay comfortable, I know the horse can. I use a heavy pure wool quarter sheet with a long drape on it, and ocassionally I put a wool quarter sheet around her neck and clamp it underneath if its going to be particular windy (she's blanketed so not a ton of hair.)

I'd just go ahead and work her. If you have a good indoor arena, there's no reason not to. Do a 15 minute warm up with walking and stretching, then get to work! Around here, lessons go on as normal even when it's 0 or below. I was trimming a horse one night and it was -5 and there were 3 lessons going on in the ring at the same time! If we all shut down when it got cold, we wouldn't ride for 6 months of the year. :D

[ImJumpin]

I don't agree with the "If you can take it, so can the horse" motto. You need to keep in mind a few things. The most important factor to consider would be the horse's fitness level and age. An unfit or older horse is going to have a harder time with the colder temps.

You need to consider dryness. No, the cold itself isn't going to damage otherwise healthy lung tissue, but the air moisture content can cause problems. The colder it gets, the dryer the air tends to be. The nasal passage, throat, and even the lungs can have problems from the dry air. With humans, we would suggest putting a covering over the nose/mouth so you could retain some of the moisture (think about a scarf covering your nose/mouth and the condensation that builds up on it). You can try to cover your horse's nose with a scarf-- but good luck with that!

You also need to consider exposed areas. The legs, ears, nose, and even "boy" parts are going to be uncovered, even if you ride in a wool sheet. These uncovered areas are susceptible to frost bite or at least getting extremely cold.

[asterix]

um, how are those "exposed parts" going to be any more exposed than they are when the horse is standing around in the paddock? I doubt a walk will hurt -- lots of folks do regular light work in cold temps.

[Laurierace]

Horses aren't as sensitive to breathing in the cold air as we are. I guess its because the air has a longer way to travel before it gets to the lungs. If you can handle breathing, your horse will be more than fine.

[ImJumpin]

um, how are those "exposed parts" going to be any more exposed than they are when the horse is standing around in the paddock? I doubt a walk will hurt -- lots of folks do regular light work in cold temps.

Oh no-- I am all for a good walk when really cold! Those parts are going to have more cold air whipping by them while in constant, quick motion-- especially if people are riding outside and not in an indoor.

It is not the temp, it is the air moisture content and the wind that are the big factors to consider! Plus, consider the footing. Even the best footing is going to freeze at a certain point and become a lot harder.

[Auventera Two]

Horses are a LOT tougher than people give them credit for. Of course you have to use common sense, and if your horse is struggling, you don't do whatever you're doing. The horse will be much warmer working in a trot or a working walk than they will be standing there doing nothing. Muscles generate heat as the cells metabolize waste from exercise. I am am a big supporter of quarter sheets though, good wool ones. But other than that, if the horse is in good weight and healthy, and they get a proper warm up and cool down, there's no reason they can't work in an indoor arena when it's 0 degrees outside.

[Huntertwo]

I ride in all temps. if I can handle it..:)

Honestly, all this talk of cold air being bad for the horses lungs? Been riding all my life in CT and never had a problem yet. And never knew anyone else who had problems. I don't really know how this has become an issue lately, unless I missed something.

Plenty of ranch horses out west working in zero conditions too... Just something to think about.

[sublimequine]

Well we didn't ride... because I was severely underdressed! :lol:

Ontop of that, miss diva turned up her nose at the lovely soup I made. She prefers a lightly dampened mash for her alfalfa cubes, thank you very much. :rolleyes:

Ah well. Tomorrow I'll try and ride.. and I'll make her snack correctly, I suppose. :lol:

[Two Black Cats]

I'm in Illinois as well -- I flatted my guy in the indoor today after a nice loooong walk around the ring to get him loosened up. While he was stiff at first, he was great after we were all warmed up. The key is to just takes things slow when it's this cold out, I've found!

[Auventera Two]

This evening, and tomorrow it's supposed to be -15 below actual and -35 to -45 below windchills. pffffttttt now that's getting to be cold. :lol:

I REALLY feel for the people in northern minnesota where the actuals were about -36 below this morning. :eek: Good grief, that's like being in Antarctica.

It was -11 when I did chores last night and my gloves kept freezing to the bucket handles and stall doors. I had to fill the water tank and that danged hose was so stiff it was like steel pipe. Last year when it got to -17 below, even the heated water buckets froze, so I am not looking forward to that tonight. I kept telling myself I'd buy better ones but never did.

[Lilykoi]

I ride in all temps. if I can handle it..:)

Honestly, all this talk of cold air being bad for the horses lungs? Been riding all my life in CT and never had a problem yet. And never knew anyone else who had problems. I don't really know how this has become an issue lately, unless I missed something.

Plenty of ranch horses out west working in zero conditions too... Just something to think about.


I have to agree. I maybe am not going for a gallop but even a walk through the forest preserve can be quite nice on a cold day. I always have a harder time keeping my feet warm than keeping my fluffy companion comfortable. A quarter sheet is nice if you have one. If you have an indoor, why even think twice? Its only been in the second half of my riding life that I've been in heated facilities. We always rode in indoors that I swear, were colder than outside!:lol: And it is cold here in Illinois this morning!
I'll have to add Standardbreds to the list of cold weather working horses.
And they seem to have a much longer racing career than TBs.