[Carried Away]

Saw this over on H/J Forum and thought, what a great idea!

Anyone can join in - it will hopefully help motivate us to keep riding in the snow and cold unlike those who are lucky enough to go to Ocala or Aiken!

I am trying to average 5 days a week of flatwork or jumping exercises, but the dark/cold/snow/laziness kicks in every so often.

Please use this thread to post what you are working on and what helps keep you motivated during these tough winter months. Any specific goals to work on before the season starts?

My goals are to learn the Training tests and practice the parts that are tough for us, ride with no stirrups more, and work through jumping exercises to sharpen the front end and build confidence.

[Daisey-Bogie]

i'll join. I had a lesson last Saturday. We were required to have a neck strap. I b*tched and complained. It all came up to that I didn't know HOW to ride with a neck strap. I was never taught. Well long story short after some explanxation, from a A level pony clubber, I got the hang of the neck strap and violla excellent jumping. It is almost as hard as to ride without stirrups. You have no idea how dependent you are on tour hands. Even the first approach to the jump was funny, we were like having directional issues. We learned very quickly and can't wait for this Saturday, if the weather warms.

[deltawave]

*sigh* We're still walking, just starting to trot a little after a banged tendon in late October. Keebler got to go to Ocala with his new kid and I am hoping to have some vicarious thrills there, and Bonnie is under lights while I figure out if I want to breed her.

So my horse life at present is a whole lot of truly tedious stuff and "can't wait until May!".

[Win1]

Well DW, I'm stuck with walking too. No injury, but no indoor and we've reached the footing that's only good for walking season I feel your frustration, bring on some May!!!

[judybigredpony]

After some awesome hunting and getting spoiled with the lovely weather...planned a show and more hunting and got the $&@?! Flu. Now that I have finally recovered enough strength and energy to ride its sub zero froze ring time..crap...hope some good clinics and less severe weather come this way....

[Carried Away]

Maybe we need to get a "countdown until May" going? Looks like less than 100 days

[reay6790]

I have a new ride this season, we have had our second dressage lesson. He has never learned how to really carry himself correctly, and is struggling a bit. He is rounding up nicely in dressage and really working on the bit now, but I can tell the canter is going to be a while.

[kcmel]

Sigh. I just had my horse going well again after having most of December off. And now this cold snap. Hoping to get on him tomorrow and Sunday, but probably won't do too much. It's still going to be cold! But two days in the upper 40s next week. Yay!

[JFCeventer]

Today is the fourth day off in a row for the little brown horse because of the weather being so cold. We actually have rubber footing in the ring so it doesn't freeze but with the wind chill making everything even colder, I worry about working them in that kind of weather. You can tell he's had four days off because he's started the mouthy/playful biting, incessant pawing in the crossties, and he's got that look in his eye that tells me I'm in for quite the rodeo when I finally climb aboard next time!

We've been doing a lot of dressage work which involves a lot of "Yes, you CAN go forward AND be round, and yes you ARE going to do what I say despite your temper tantrums." I've also been doing a lot of pole courses and such to avoid the wear and tear on his legs but still work on things like distances and stride length. I wish I could get OUT of the stupid ring!

We've also been working through the Training tests because we're moving up this season, working through First Level 2 & 3 because that's a goal for us this season, and also reintroducing the baby steps of shoulder-in, travers, and renvers. We had a not-so-good dressage instructor for a little while who tried to push those things much too soon so I have backed off of them so he could de-stress a bit but I think he's ready to start back up slowly.

I do have plenty to work on but I am quite ready for spring!

[kkindley]

We had dropped to 5 days a week work, but since we still had nice weather I could ride outside under lights during the week. Not a lot of jumping, but good dressage schools and fun rides with friends on the weekends and strength stuff like raised cavaletti's. Have to try to mix it up so maresy doesn't get sour. Then with the sub zero temps this week we got stuck in the indoor with 500 lesson kids that railroad track the footing in a day. I can ride late enough to be after the lessons, but it's even colder then and the uneven footing makes her nervous and tight because it gets so deep in spots. So with this cold it's more about just sitting on her back for a while at night.

Of course today I got her in to ride (in the daylight!) and she has a cut on her heel bulb from the frozen mess. Nothing terrible, but she'll be off for at least a week. Sigh. So she's miserable stuck in a stall and we'll have to be content handwalking up and down the driveway.

Once she's back to work, its gonna be just keeping her as fit and strong as the weather allows, so we can start the season off strong.

[Mouse&Bay]

Well, I'm spoiled as we are in an eventing barn with a fabulous indoor arena, fabulous coaching and winter schooling shows to whip our butts into shape.

No rest for the wicked when there are things to do!

Had a crazy stadium school a couple of days ago. Mr. Gelding was feeling *full* of himself and had a bit too much fun with the jumping. For me it was a good reminder that *I* need to be in control and he *has to* listen to me. All the way through the course!! We figured it out by the end of the lesson but it still left me scratching my head. He is just so much more sensitive than the mare and yet a bully that likes to ignore me when he decides that jumping is fun. Just requires a tactful ride and I'm still trying to figure out that part of the equation.

We have the jumper show tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to reproduce our final round from our lesson, which was brilliant, even with the pressure of spectators/show nerves. Fingers crossed!

[Win1]

Haven't ridden in a week, but got to walk around on the roads for a 90 minutes with this heat wave giving us a high of 26! Get excited

[Carried Away]

Haven't ridden in a week, but got to walk around on the roads for a 90 minutes with this heat wave giving us a high of 26! Get excited

wow you are brave going out on the roads after a week off! Mine has been snorting at everything outside of the indoor arena and I am a little nervous to go out to the roads but dying to hack as well!

A little lunging and indoor turn out/run around time since the ground is so slick and frozen in the paddocks has worked wonders on the 2 I have been riding...they get to play and let off some steam before it's time to work