I pretty much agree with Maxine. Today I've woke up to 21 degrees. Now that may not see cold to some people, but in the south.... Let's just say I'm a summer person. What about horses? We know in the fall and when it's windy that bombproof kids horse turns into a snorting tornado that we can't hardly ride, but at what point do even our horses get cold? I've got "city" horses (it's kind of like city slickers, they're only used to city water, won't go outside if it's rainy, cold, dark etc). If it's to cold they stay inside their 12x24 stalls snug as a bug in a rug, if they ride, we stay in my very wide 100ft hallway. See my horses stay slicked out all yr long, they don't grow a winter coat do blankets is a must. But what about riding? If we have performance horses, should they stand all winter with no exercise at all? While it's good to have a break, no activity can be bad also. If you don't ride for a month, you will not want to start back, so your horse will set even longer. I'm lucky to live next to a long open power line which means tons of sunshine and enough trees to block off huge wind gusts. The winter is when I try to give my horse just a legging up and stay in shape without any drilling on the pattern. Horses get bored. I get bored. My students will if I always teach the same thing over and over. What is your winter routine? Or is this your first horse winter? Today why don't you set down and write out your goals. Maybe your horse has a few issues you need to work on, so what better time to get out of the arena, teach something new (maybe working cattle, roping, dressage... All have great benefits for the horse and you as a rider.) Set down with that list and work out a lesson plan for yourself, maybe eat healthier, workout, make one for your horse. Try teaching them to be supple, keep their muscles toned, just get them out (remember I'm hitting more on very seasoned horses but this is also good for colts, maybe with one day a week on the pattern.) and enjoying riding and being a horse! Set your goals for next season, but stay realistic! It is great to dream, with enough drive and dedication you can reach them, but if it's your first year running, you most likely won't qualify for the NFR this time around, but set a goal of consistency instead. Set them and then make notes, that way you can see the progress. Remember praise the horse also. Sometimes we ask the wrong way.
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