[Trevelyan96]

You are my hero!!!

Don't start polishing my medals yet. It was only the fear of my trainer's wrath that got me out of that bed this morning. I missed 2 weeks in a row end of Oct and beginning of Nov, and she's still punishing me for it.

[hundredacres]

38 degrees and I rode 35 minutes, then had to get the kiddo off to rehearsal. Her play is tomorrow evening, and then she's down to only one activity so my schedule will be more reasonable....so Monday will be a new, better week!

[Undisclosed Assets]

I literally joined the forum after reading this thread. Was lucky enough this winter to get a freebie horse, but quickly realized that horse + job is logistically difficult! Work has no set schedule (am a lawyer at the mercy of the court) so I'm trying to make it 3 weekdays and then Saturday and Sunday. Made it to the barn tonight and rode (ok really I just walked around and did a lot of leg yielding cuz I got there right after feeding.....but I'm counting it). The plan is to go tomorrow afternoon too, hopefully for a more legitimate ride. The horse is a giant warmblood who really needs the exercise, and I need to make sure I make it out there as much as I can. It really does help to bring clothes and go straight from work!

Thanks for starting this thread - I've been out of riding for 4 years while in school, and am thrilled to have this horse, but I definitely need the support group to make sure I get there when it's cold and dark.

[Appsolute]

I don’t know how I just saw this! But I am in.

I am trying to motivate to ride at the “new barn” – this will be my first winter without lights in the arena. I have a lit round pen – but I hate those things (I don’t like running a horse in circles constantly).

I am good about getting out EVERY DAY – even though it means arriving at the barn straight from work after a 12 hour day ( I leave for work at 6:15 AM, and arrive at the barn at 6:45 PM! – that is if I do not stop to buy stuff to cook for dinner). I contort and change out of my dress clothes into barn nasties while sitting in the car in the driveway! – car always has a nasty “barn shoe” smell

But, now that it is dark dark dark when I arrive (sun sets about an hour prior), I have just been feeding and cleaning and grooming and not riding.

Goal is to buy a headlamp this weekend and start hitting the arena on week nights again! (weather permitting, I will do dark, I will do rain, I will NOT do dark and rain!)

[pony4me]

Well I didn't ride today, but I've got a good excuse. My horse is coming back from over a year off, and he had another vet checkup. The vet did some injections, and suggested the farrier tweak his shoes, so he's barefoot and on vacation for three days. Next scheduled ride for me will be my morning lesson on Saturday.

[Green Acres]

Well I did find the motivation to ride today!!! I was at work and had talked myself out of riding due to cloudy cold day but then looked out the window at 4 and saw blue sky and the sun! Motivation hit and I left work 30 minutes later to get home and ride!!! Just seeing blue sky was what I needed today, had a short but nice ride!!!

Tomorrow I'm taking the afternoon off so I will go buy hay, ride, clean stalls in the afternoon. Looking forward to a horsey afternoon!!!

[SmartAlex]

I keep trying to find an excuse to give my horse the winter off, but it's really much better for both of us if I don't.

SoooOOoooo, to keep myself interested and comitted, I have started to teach him to jump. I mean, not like you guys jump, but it would be nice, when out and about, to be able to point him at a ditch or log and feel confident we are going to get to the other side. Together. At the same time.

I've worked up to hopping over the cavaletti on the highest setting. At the canter no less! Pretty big stuff for a fortysomething rerider from saddle seat land. But today he got enthusiastic enough to jump me out of the tack (yes, over cavaletti) and I was please to find that when my right leg smacked him in the flank he was willing to over look it. We are back to trotting over and cantering off until I get my base firmed up.

I think I will ask hubby to build me 4 simple jump standards to go with those cups I bought 2 years ago.

[Janet]

Got on by 7:30 this time. What little moon there was had set, but there was enogh ambient light. The ring was a bit damp, but not too bad. Lots of transitions.

[mojo7777]

I did it! Even though I locked my keys in my office resulting in all kinds of delay, I made it out to the barn anyway and had a nice little training session. So far, I'm on schedule for this week, but my usual Saturday ride is out due to my son's birthday. Knowing this thread is here helps with the motivation. Good call, OP.

[flogarty]

I got my butt to the gym and the barn early this morning. Hacked my horse, and another before going to work. I can't wait until my trainer comes home from vacation and starts clipping horses. It'll make it so much easier to actually ride for more than 20 minutes and not have to budget time for walking out, hand walking, and switching out coolers and anti sweats.

[Satin Filly]

I'm going to a hunter pace this Sunday, the low for saturday night is going to be in the 20s, and its going to be in the 40s on Sunday. I'm super excited, its my first pace, but I sure wish it was going to be warmer! I'm still planning on wearing my show coat, but I'm going to have to wear layers underneath and some long johns I think.

Now what to do with my feet? My Vogels leave me with no room in the calf for thick socks, but there's room for thick socks on my feet.

Can anyone recommend some socks out that are tall enough for boots, thin around the calf but thick at the feet? All hunting type socks seem to be thick everywhere.

[flogarty]

Satin Filly-
Have you tried Carhartt ladies socks? They are warm without being super thick. However, they aren't thicker in the foot than the calf. If you have a Tractor Supply in you're area, they have a decent selection.

[iechris]

Now what to do with my feet? My Vogels leave me with no room in the calf for thick socks, but there's room for thick socks on my feet.

Can anyone recommend some socks out that are tall enough for boots, thin around the calf but thick at the feet? All hunting type socks seem to be thick everywhere.

I have some Smart Wool runners socks, they are thick in the foot and come up just to my ankle bone. I found mine at Dicks (google warning!) a few years ago.

These are close to what I have:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/sma...colorFamily=05

More options:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~s...s-socks~d~605/

I rode last night after work in temps in the mid 40s. If I don't find my winter gloves by Sunday I'm ordering some from Smart Pak. I'm freezing! I've also decided that if I can make it to the barn after work for 4 weeks, I'm going to splurge on some winter riding boots. It is supposed to be cold in the south this winter.

[Appsolute]

I rode last night! – This thread helped motivate me. Hats off to you that have to deal with cold weather – I think it was about 55 last night! But I am tied up with work or commuting a good 12 – 13 hours a day.

Didn’t get to the barn until 7:15 (had to get groceries on the way), almost wussed out (told pony, well how about just a spin in the round pen instead), but then remembered the forecast calls for rain for the next few days and decided it was now or never.

I had a really good ride! Rode in the area, with minimal light from a distant flood light, - did a flat school mare felt nice a forward, and through over her back, just worked on some basics, lengthening and collecting etc. So glad I rode! Even if it did mean that I didn’t get home until 9:15pm (after leaving the house at 6:15am that morning!)

[Trevelyan96]

Today's grade is an F for me. Set my alarm 1/2 hour early so I would have time for chores and riding, put off getting out of bed for 15 minutes, then stumbled out in my jammies and did chores until 9 instead of riding. In my defense, the paddock and barn aisle were a hot mess as my Thursday worker doesn't pick up paddocks or sweep. I justified it by saying I'll ride tomorrow and Sunday, then remembered I have to go to a bridal shower tomorrow - for which I haven't yet bought or wrapped a gift. Must tell DH tonight to remind me to ride when I get up in the morning. I can do chores after the shower.

[Rapaloosa]

Reporting in! Got a one hour hack in today before work- It helps that my horse is at home and I also work from home. My girl was good today!

[showidaho]

Can I play too? I loathe winter and this thread will be great motivation! I did ride today...BUT my first horse was crazy wild and it wasn't as much a productive ride as a 'get the crazies out' type. I tacked up horse two, got on and when I started to trot he told me he was probably about to pop an abscess. Booooo! At least it wasn't windy today and I did try.

[dmj]

having just moved to Idaho from sunny Southern California - count me in!!

[BonneAmmie]

This is great, I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one with a miserable work/commuting schedule who's struggling to get out to the barn at the end of the day I swear sometimes I feel like the only way forward is to become independently wealthy so I can quit my job and ride in the daylight. (I bought a Powerball ticket just in case!)

But I also made progress in my lesson Wednesday night, so I am feeling semi-inspired. It was my first time jumping 2'6 on my new girl and first time at that height since I was about 15 years old! So I am hoping this will be enough motivation to get me through Saturday. I have a million awful things on my to do list to get through first, but I have 2 solid hours of barn time scheduled. I'm pretty horrified that I'm booked solid from 8am to 8pm on a Saturday though. Sigh.

[horsenuttyme]

I have some Smart Wool runners socks, they are thick in the foot and come up just to my ankle bone. I found mine at Dicks (google warning!) a few years ago.

These are close to what I have:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/sma...colorFamily=05

More options:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~s...s-socks~d~605/

I rode last night after work in temps in the mid 40s. If I don't find my winter gloves by Sunday I'm ordering some from Smart Pak. I'm freezing! I've also decided that if I can make it to the barn after work for 4 weeks, I'm going to splurge on some winter riding boots. It is supposed to be cold in the south this winter.

This. And you can add silk socks under which are very thin but provide a surprising amount of warmth.