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Elite Veteran
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| I've never had to keep my horse in super good running shape before when we've gotten super cold. I've always just been able to lay them off for that period. But, I have an important show this weekend and it's supposed to get in the teens all week. How do you work horses during that? I'm afraid of hurting/burning their lungs with the frigid air. Any advice? Thanks
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Member
Posts: 19
| I'm also looking for more info on this. I live in Canada but recently purchased a horse from Oklahoma, I worry a bit more with exercising her in the cold as she is not as used to it as the horses born and raised here.
With my other horses if I can stand to ride in it, I usually just try to do quick rides in the extreme cold with a long warm up and cool down. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Lately the weather has been pretty up and down where I live, going from high 40s to -2 plus snowing (which is the temperature right now). Yesterday I took my horse on a trail ride and trotted a little to get some antsyness out of him. I'd try to not get them too sweaty when it's cold out to I really pay attention to what work we do, how much we do it, and how sweaty they get. My horse isn't stalled inside, doesn't have a blanket, and has a good winter coat on. If your horse isn't used to the cold I'd start off by just walking and trotting, if you work outside, and gradually work up to loping. If your horse is used to the cold, work them normal but pay attention to how much they are sweating. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Been having heck trying to ride with this weather one day it 10above and thenext its -30......we r getting bad right now...-24 with a -34 winchill....so I just have to wait for it to break and get back at it...........patient I am not and the groundhog lied.....M |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | Cold air and especially cold dry air can and will cause issues with exercise. In some cases it maybe best to just take your horse out for a walk and nothing more. The airways will constrict with the cold and if you put the horse to work during frigid dry spells you could cause potential problems. Keep exercise mild that way the air has time to warm and humidify slightly before it hits the deeper and more fragile smaller airway structures.
This is a great time to introduce stretching to your horse if you have not done any in the past. That keeps his body limber and ready for you to jump back into the arena when the weather breaks. Good luck and keep you and your horses safe. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 387
| mruggles - 2014-02-04 7:54 AM
Been having heck trying to ride with this weather one day it 10above and thenext its -30......we r getting bad right now...-24 with a -34 winchill....so I just have to wait for it to break and get back at it...........patient I am not and the groundhog lied.....M
same here! I broke down and took my horses to an arena to board at, I'll have to drive a half hour but its better than nothing!
I'm from manitoba and winnipeg's groundhog said we are gonna have an early spring.. I dunno about that....  |
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Member
Posts: 19
| Very similar weather here in ontario, its been hard to ride consistently even with an arena! I cant wait till spring! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
| We haul our horses to an arena 10 minutes from our place and just ride them lightly. Hubby's mare is in good shape because he's roped on her all winter so it takes a lot to make her sweat, but he's just starting to leg up his good horse so he ponys him and does lots of walking and trotting in both directions, and will lope him on warmer days when sweating a little isn't the end of the world. We only rope on nicer days because it's hard on calves and horses when its cold, and we make sure everyone (horses and calves) is dried right out before we put them outside or load them back up to avoid getting a chill.
ETA: They are on vacation if its colder than -20... to cold for them AND us!
Edited by Tys-ol-lady 2014-02-04 10:02 AM
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | I've been doing my best to haul when weather is tolerable, to ropings and for just workouts.....this week I'll only get them rode yesterday since temps have dropped a lot! I don't feel my horses are in terrible shape.... I can't ride at home there is ice everywhere.... A reason why I don't give my horses "time off" since weather does it for me in winter...
Edited by dream_chaser 2014-02-04 11:00 AM
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-02-04 8:42 AM
mruggles - 2014-02-04 7:54 AM
Been having heck trying to ride with this weather one day it 10above and thenext its -30......we r getting bad right now...-24 with a -34 winchill....so I just have to wait for it to break and get back at it...........patient I am not and the groundhog lied.....M
same here! I broke down and took my horses to an arena to board at, I'll have to drive a half hour but its better than nothing!
I'm from manitoba and winnipeg's groundhog said we are gonna have an early spring.. I dunno about that....
I hand walk mine if I can't ride. I wonder though. I'm 8 hours away from Manitobas and 8 hours away from Ontario's groundhog. Which one will I get. Ontario's ground hog said 6 weeks more :(  |
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Member
Posts: 19
| Hopefully the ontario groundhog is wrong, some of the horses are starting to shed, I hope they're right! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
| we use our theraplate to keep the tissues ready for exercise, probably doesnt do alot for lung capacity but it does open their airways more and will help reduce chance of soft tissue injury due to lack of traditional exercise, also i know it absolutely helps our older horse with his arthritis. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 422
Location: Fort Bragg North Carolina | i take it easy in the winter riding on days 40 degrees+ only because i knows its tough to exercise and suck in cold air to me to i dont want to expect my horses to have to exercise in it that my opinion idk if it works the same but it makes me feel better. lol the most i do when its under 40 is trail riding or light groundwork maybe some bareback riding etc. |
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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| I am somewhat hard core. I ride in anything that is above 5 degrees. When we get into wind chill warnings and advisories and below zero temps. I don't ride for safety reasons for me and the horse.
I just make sure I properly warm my horse up and cool him out well. I always keep him moving, especially when cooling him out, I walk until dry, brush down, then blanket. Never had an issue. I would not be afraid to work your horse. I have put a few wet saddle blankets on my horse too, never once has he shivered. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I'll ride if its above 15 and safe ground conditions.....aka no ice for any horse and no snow for the ones with shoes on because it balls up too much in my gray horse's feet. I have two that have been being hauled somewhat regularly all winter but my old man hasn't run since December 1st so I'm trying to ride him a little more. Right now I'm still mostly walking and trotting and trying to increase the time of our rides and the amount of trotting we do. I figure when I finally get to start riding him 3-4 times a week, I'll let him lope some. I ran cross country & track in high school and college so I'm aware of how to work up to intense workouts & competition shape. I just apply those same basic ideas to my horse.
As far as bundling up to stay warm, fleece lined tights are the best thing I've ever bought. I have one pair of footie tights and they're my favorite. I wear those, a pair of jeans, thick socks, a cuddlesilk shirt, a fairly snug long sleeved t-shirt, a hoodie and a jacket, plus a stocking cap and gloves, and try to ride where the wind is blocked by trees! |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I just read something on Stacy Westfall's blog where the air won't "burn their lungs" because the windpipe is so long that it warms the air before it actually gets to the lungs. And also that it'll be too cold for humans before it's too cold for horses.
Personally, if it's warm enough for me to go out and ride, I don't have any second thoughts. Typically I can only walk amd lightly trot out in the field because the ground is frozen. I would say 10 is my cutoff. Definitely skipping riding if there's wind and it's below 30 out!! |
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Keep me outta the basement
Posts: 1246
| ndiehl - 2014-02-04 11:43 AM
zansbeunogal_2268 - 2014-02-04 8:42 AM
mruggles - 2014-02-04 7:54 AM
Been having heck trying to ride with this weather one day it 10above and thenext its -30......we r getting bad right now...-24 with a -34 winchill....so I just have to wait for it to break and get back at it...........patient I am not and the groundhog lied.....M
same here! I broke down and took my horses to an arena to board at, I'll have to drive a half hour but its better than nothing!
I'm from manitoba and winnipeg's groundhog said we are gonna have an early spring.. I dunno about that....
I hand walk mine if I can't ride. I wonder though. I'm 8 hours away from Manitobas and 8 hours away from Ontario's groundhog. Which one will I get. Ontario's ground hog said 6 weeks more : (
That ground hog is a lying little B**T**D!!! |
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Keep me outta the basement
Posts: 1246
| I used to work for a race horse trainer in Alberta. We worked them up to -30 like we would if it was summer. All outdoors but they were Barned and blanketed when done. Slow warmup |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 503
| hammer_time - 2014-02-06 10:03 PM
 I just read something on Stacy Westfall's blog where the air won't "burn their lungs" because the windpipe is so long that it warms the air before it actually gets to the lungs.  And also that it'll be too cold for humans before it's too cold for horses.
Personally, if it's warm enough for me to go out and ride, I don't have any second thoughts. Â Typically I can only walk amd lightly trot out in the field because the ground is frozen. Â I would say 10 is my cutoff. Â Definitely skipping riding if there's wind and it's below 30 out!! Â
Yup I agree with this. If it's too cold for me, it's getting to be too cold for my horse.
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