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 Expert
Posts: 2128
  
| Just wondering how many of you give your horses the winter off?
I'm talking December, January.. |
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 Midget Lover
  
Location: Kentucky | It's more like I give myself time off, lol. With holidays, time change, and the weather, I don't have much choice. |
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 Unknown Drip
Posts: 5624
Location: Back in MT BABY!!! | Yes for the most part they usually get Nov to April off. With the weather I am unable to condition them consistant and around here there may only be be 2 maybe 3 runs a month. With the expense of grain, shoeing, supplements etc it takes to keep them running it's not cost effictive for me to run through the winter. That being said I do still ride and start my young horses and on nice days when I have extra time I will bring my barrel horses in and give 'em a few laps around the field. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Yup. Pretty much from Daylight Savings Time to Daylight Savings Time. With the hours I work, it's dark when I get done with work and I don't have a lighted area to ride.
Plus, my horses get worked hard enough the rest of the year, I'll gladly give them a break for a few months. Good for me, and good for them.
Plus, when it is really icy outside in the winter, it's just not worth the risk of a fall. I'll do some light riding on the weekends if the snow footing is good.
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Being in southern Colorado the weather is generally nice until the last part of December, that's when our winter starts, and usually it ends around the end of March, so that's when our horse riding winter break is. Sometimes we'll get the horses out to ride or drive once a week depending on the wind chill, that's usually or biggest problem. My horse is getting an extended break this time though due to me being pregnant, all the way from September to at least April haha. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| There isnt but a handful of races left in 2016 that I plan to attend. I will prob turn out for most of the Holiday season but I hate for my horses to get completely out of shape through the winter. :( By the way TIME CHANGE SUCKS! lol |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I used to take off between Thanksgiving and Christmas because I was too busy but since I haven't hauled in 2 years, I plan to ride this winter, don't know about hauling to races, we'll see how the riding goes, yesterday my mare had an attention deficit! |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | Nope. They don't get worked or ran nearly as much. But I keep them fairly legged up, weather permitting. Granted, we have had a couple mild winters. Super cold, but not as much snow. So it's been easier than usual to keep them going. I don't like starting from scratch at the end of the winter. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | I give some time off - usually daylights savings to the New Years. I do have a heated indoor, so I'll start legging him up in January. Hoping to hit races by March, but I'm a HUGE baby driving if there is any ice on the roads or there is a chance of snow. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Nope, I give him the late summer off- August through September??. But I live in South Texas, soooo yeah.  |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Kind of, yes. I pretty much don't get to ride in January, and I usually am only able to ride half of December and half of February. The weather is bad and the days are short. But between daylight savings time ending and then beginning again, I usually only get to ride once or twice a week any ways when I get to ride, and that is enough to kind of keep their muscles warmed up. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| I usually give mine part of December off. I live in Arkansas though. Last night was the first time iv rode in a jacket this year. But while they are taking a break I have plenty of colts to ride. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | We will take most of Nov. and Dec. off and will go back to competing the middle of Jan. |
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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | I gave mine off last winter and I'd really like to give myself a break too, but I have a 3 year old I'm trying to pattern and I'm afraid if I don't keep going he won't be ready for the Open next season. But I'd really like a break from him, lol. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Yes. Our last barrel race was Oct. 8-9. They have been ridden twice since, will probably get rode on Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays from school and maybe once in awhile if the weather is nice, to make them feel loved.
My goal is to start legging up around Valentine's day, but I usually am forced into March by the weather. We usually start hauling in late March or April, depending on if we can get them legged up or not.
Edited to add, they are on full turnout in a couple acre lot unless the weather is bad, then they are stalled overnight. They get fed inside during day, but turnout doors are open so they can come out if they want.
Edited by Nateracer 2016-11-10 2:24 PM
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| No |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | Yep, typically for me it's mid November to March/April. Depending on the weather. This year I was done on Halloween weekend. My mare started having hock soreness anyway and I've had issues with a bad case of white line disease all summer with her anyway so not only was she over this year, but so was I. This is my hobby and sometimes it's nice to be able to step back and take a break from it in the winter. Plus with my work schedule and it getting dark so early right now keeping one legged up is a terribly difficult chore. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| GLP - 2016-11-10 11:10 AM Nope, I give him the late summer off- August through September??. But I live in South Texas, soooo yeah.
This ^^^ |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 682
Location: Northwest | I don't. If anything, my horses might get worked a tick more than in the summer. I have a great indoor arena 10 minutes from me that I haul to. |
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Do you give your horses the winter off?