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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
   
Location: Montana | I have been wanting to start legging up my horses, but we have had a terrible cold winter with lots of snow. How cold is it before you quite riding? I've been letting it be under 25 degrees and I don't ride, but have heard others ride as long as it is above 0. But if I don't start riding soon it will be June before my horses are in shape. What is or should the cut-off temperature be? |
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 Straight Shooter
Posts: 5725
Location: SW North Dakota | There was a post on this a few weeks ago, and a discussion on Facebook that talked about a small study that was done... Short answer, the study and comments seemed to indicate the 20 degrees was the magic temp for actual "workouts" with little risk to lung damage. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. If you NEED to get horses legged up, you may not have a choice but to accept the risks.
Edited by ND3canAddict 2018-02-20 11:26 AM
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Depends on if I have to or want to. Anything above freezing is good if I want to. If I have cows that decide to go on walk about, any temp has to work ?? |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | wyoming barrel racer - 2018-02-20 10:50 AM Depends on if I have to or want to. Anything above freezing is good if I want to. If I have cows that decide to go on walk about, any temp has to work ?? Good point. I don't have cows, so no "have too". I just wanted to start hitting the spring barrel races here soon, but it looks like it will be at least April before I can go if I can start riding the first of March. I also have a horse that is supposed to be going to training the first of March and the drifts are tall enough in the driveway (like 4 feet tall) that I don't know when I can get the trailer out. Need a tractor or I get my workout shoveling out the driveway.
Edited by mtcanchazer 2018-02-20 12:05 PM
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Air temp is one thing to look at, but so are other factors.
It can be 5*F but no wind and sunny and feel wonderful!
And it can be 35*F with a cloudy sky and a cold windchill and feel terrible.
I have a hard time keeping my fingers and toes warm, so that's my main factor if I am going to ride or not (outside).
Now someday in my dreams when I have my own heated indoor arena, I'm set! 
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Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | r_beau - 2018-02-20 11:59 AM Air temp is one thing to look at, but so are other factors.
It can be 5*F but no wind and sunny and feel wonderful!
And it can be 35*F with a cloudy sky and a cold windchill and feel terrible.
I have a hard time keeping my fingers and toes warm, so that's my main factor if I am going to ride or not (outside).
Now someday in my dreams when I have my own heated indoor arena, I'm set!
Yes we deal with windchill temps on top of already low temps. I always figure if my lungs hurt to breathe, theirs will too. |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | wyoming barrel racer - 2018-02-20 12:08 PM r_beau - 2018-02-20 11:59 AM Air temp is one thing to look at, but so are other factors.
It can be 5*F but no wind and sunny and feel wonderful!
And it can be 35*F with a cloudy sky and a cold windchill and feel terrible.
I have a hard time keeping my fingers and toes warm, so that's my main factor if I am going to ride or not (outside).
Now someday in my dreams when I have my own heated indoor arena, I'm set!
Yeah, no kidding. I joke about having a heated indoor arena around our house...sadly no one has given me on yet...sigh. I put on multiple layers because I am out in the cold a lot in the winter removing snow at our business. Hate it, but have learned how to stay warm.
I always consider wind chill...yesterday it was below zero but was tempting to go riding because the sun was out and no wind. Today is another nice day without wind, but just barely above zero.
Just want to make sure I do what is healthy for my horses. :) |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
Location: MN | I usually ride when its at or above 10. With or without windchill. I dont make him do anything too hard - just trotting at most when it's that cold. Doing just enough to keep him in some kind of shape since he's an absolute air fern. As long as I can keep myself warm, were out there riding. |
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Expert
Posts: 1599
| Y'all need to invent a mask for horses similar to what runners wear when it's cold to prevent lung damage. That would be $$!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | Below 20 degrees I do a lot of walking and some trotting. They walk around on their own so I don’t feel there is much harm. Our horses will take off running and going crazy on their own on those bitter -20 mornings. I won’t do anything too strenuous till it’s over 20.
If I had to wait till it was 20 above to ride at all I wouldn’t ride between November-March at all.
I don’t take windchill into account at all as I have the privilege to ride inside but it’s not heated. Just keeps the elements off you. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I am one of those that can’t keep warm regardless of how many layers. Hubby bought me a heated jacket this year. So thermal socks, long underwear, jeans, long sleeve, heated jacket, Carhart, face mask, beanie, and I’m still a popsicle.
I know a lot of people think Arizonans don’t experience winter, but here up north we definitely do. Granted, this winter has been fairly mild, 20 during the day is still not my riding weather. But we tend to have the wind chill of -2 or so. I’m sure the ponies would like to get out and stretch their legs, but I prefer sitting next to the wood stove. ;)
Luckily, it’s been fairly warm the past couple months and I’ve kept them decently legged up. So hoping the mild weather returns as we have a race on March 3rd. |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | MidWest1452 - 2018-02-20 2:06 PM Below 20 degrees I do a lot of walking and some trotting. They walk around on their own so I don’t feel there is much harm. Our horses will take off running and going crazy on their own on those bitter -20 mornings. I won’t do anything too strenuous till it’s over 20. If I had to wait till it was 20 above to ride at all I wouldn’t ride between November-March at all. I don’t take windchill into account at all as I have the privilege to ride inside but it’s not heated. Just keeps the elements off you.
Yeah, I know what you mean about not being able to ride if we you wait for the weather to warm up. That's why I have been in such a dilemma...I've heard what isn't good for the horses, and yet I have cabin fever so bad and the need to get them in shape. Winter is lasting a little long, LOL. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 534
Location: Ohio girl moved to PA | I normally will not ride if real feel is below 25 just for sake of my horses lungs. For one, I HATE the cold and i can never stay warm. Luckily we have been staying in the 30-40s so ive been fortunate enough to start getting them back into shape. Where im at now has an indoor so its helped so much, but ill be moving end of march and all ill have is corn fields. lol Hoping the weather will stay nice by then. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| I think it really depends on the conditioning the horse has had. Right now my horses have had most of the winter off so I wouldn’t do anything above walking and a little trotting when it’s below 15*-20*. If they are in shape and conditioned to working in the cold anything above 0* I’m ok with. Last winter we were roping in 0* - 10* weather (indoors/not heated) and they had no problem, but we took a long time warming up and cooling down. |
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 Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | Right now, it's slick as snot everywhere you step. Otherwise if it was a balmy sunny day, no wind, I'd probably at least walk and trot or put them on the walker. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | If you live somewhere that its real cold then the ground is frozen and you're not doing heavy work outs IMO to hurt their lungs. I watch my horses run, buck and play and it doesn't matter how cold it is.  |
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | CYA Ranch - 2018-02-21 8:29 PM If you live somewhere that its real cold then the ground is frozen and you're not doing heavy work outs IMO to hurt their lungs. I watch my horses run, buck and play and it doesn't matter how cold it is.
Not only is the ground cold and hard, there is at least a foot of snow on it too (except where it blew off). My gelding is a running, bucking, player, but he is also the first one when out of shape to me like, "mom, I'm tired." LOL. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| At low temps like that, I will keep it at walk. Ill work on softness and other simple things. Im not worried about lungs and the cold, im worried about sweat and potentially getting a sick horse. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | mtcanchazer - 2018-02-22 12:31 PM CYA Ranch - 2018-02-21 8:29 PM If you live somewhere that its real cold then the ground is frozen and you're not doing heavy work outs IMO to hurt their lungs. I watch my horses run, buck and play and it doesn't matter how cold it is.
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How cold when riding?