As a “Winter Weather Warrior" who rides, trains and teaches year-round, without an indoor arena, trainer, instructor and Tough1 Sales Rep Maddie Hofmeister as accumulated a few tricks to help you maybe survive and maybe even conquer the cold weather. Her first blog helped you dress for success will help you conquer the difficult task of winter training.
If you don't have access to an indoor arena, your winter riding time might be very limited, depending on your location. You might think you can't accomplish much during the winter, but with the right plan and some patience for slow improvements, it can still be a fruitful training period.
Have a Plan
Cold days, long dark nights, and overwhelming chores can make you feel aimless at the least, but you don’t have to feel that way. Talk to your trainer and come up with your goals for the new year. Write down the things you can work on in the limited light or less-than-ideal ground conditions. Make a plan for your ride and keep it in mind as you work on things, rather than just wandering aimlessly around the arena. Identify your biggest weaknesses and then break them down to the basics. Now is the time to drill those bad habits out of existence and spend time developing better strength and balance.
First Things First: Always Warm Up
Regardless of your discipline, and whether you are a horse or a human, it is important to incorporate some sort of warm-up before any strenuous activity. It is increasingly important in the winter, when muscles and joints are cold and stiff, to prevent strains and injuries.
According to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, experts recommend that 10 to 20 minutes of warm-up will help to increase blood circulation into the muscles prior to working. You can start by walking for five minutes on a long rein, which should encourage your horse to stretch from his neck through his spine.
I will then blend into the more specific work in my ride, riding according to my plan for the day, before finally cooling the horse down at the end of the ride. Just like how a proper warm-up is important for your horse's health, so is taking the time for a proper cooldown—more on that later in this blog post.
Put the Plan into Action
Remember that plan we discussed? Now is the time to put it into action. On the colder days, I mostly stick to mastering the basics at walk and trot. Of course, canter/lope work can and should be done if the ground permits and the horse is educated enough to complete it without losing balance or getting sweaty/winded.
Riding bareback, if you have a suitable mount, can be an excellent way to keep things interesting while staying warm from the body heat. The rider can also work on balance and moving with the horse. I like to grow the rider's comfort level by starting with transitions within the walk--from a slow walk to an extended walk. We then move up from a slow jog up to a trot. You can add to the challenge by riding arena figures such as figure eights, serpentines and straight lines at the trot. Eventually, you’ll progress to transitions between a trot and an extended trot, which further develops the rider's ability to move with the horse’s balance and rhythm, and not brace against it.
Use Arena Tools
Because I know how limited my time is to ride, I try to keep the rides focused. To do this, I might utilize exercises like focal point circles around barrels or cones to give my horse something to think about while we are doing slow work. I will also incorporate ground poles into different exercises to keep my horse active and interested. Changing up your exercises and obstacles while focusing on the same principles will keep it interesting, but it will also give the horse enough consistency to find growth and comfort.
NOTE: Keep in mind that many horses find the cold exhilarating and may be fresh and exhibit unexpected behaviors when the temperatures swing. Additionally, they frequently have had less turnout, as many stables do not turn horses out on days when there is ice or bad weather concerns. This makes warm-up and exercise crucial but also can be more difficult and even dangerous. Talk to your trainer about ways to help your horse manage his excess energy safely. I find that lunging and free lunging can be a way to give your horse an outlet for his excess energy when riding or turnout is not an option.
Cooling Out
A cooldown session has so many benefits, both physically and mentally, for your horse. Another session of walking on a loose rein will allow your horse to reduce his heart and respiratory rates and stretch out the muscles that were worked and became tight. This is also a good time for you to reflect on the ride and review what worked and what didn’t.
If I get finished and my horse has broken a sweat or is steaming, it’s important to put a cooler on them and walk them around to prevent them from catching a chill. I like to use my ceramic therapy sheet both for pre- and post-ride, because it serves as a cooler while also keeping blood flowing in the muscles warm, which promotes healing and recovery.
After my training session, I make sure the horse has adequate forage to keep their digestive system functioning correctly.
Know When to say No
Sometimes, you just cannot ride. If in doubt, talk to your vet about “how cold is too cold”. I typically call it off below 25°, but this varies depending on the footing, the wind chill, if it’s snowing, etc. Other things to consider would be haircoat: if your horse has a natural hair coat, or if he is going to freeze when you take his blanket off; temperament: if the horse has high energy or can mindfully complete slower exercises safely without losing his breath or breaking a sweat, slipping on ice, or pounding joints on the frozen tundra that is usually your arena. Remember, you have to work with the footing and weather you have but always keep safety and traction at the front of your mind. If traction is an issue, stay in the barn aisle and have a “spa day” for your horse, or work on some in-hand exercises to get the best of both worlds. Take advantage of the good days for work, and the bad days for rest! Don’t worry; spring will come eventually!
