Winter or Summer riding?

Question

Just for fun- would you rather ride in super-hot weather or in a freezing snowstorm? I know there both bad, but which would you choose and why? P.S I vote cold :)

Answer 1

I'd choose super hot weather, because I'm a California girl an my tolerance of the cold is nonexistant.

Also, if I'm riding in hot weather I can just drench myself with the hose in the washracks when I'm washing off the horse, in the cold I have to freeze my butt off grooming and feeding afterwards.

And I know it might seem cruel and selfish to work the horses in the heat of the day in the burning hot summer, but they're quite used to it and seem to have a lot less trouble handling the heat than us riders.

Answer 2

Summer. Riding in the winter is miserable - I'm a Florida girl. :) I don't handle cold weather well, I can't even stand riding in 60 degree weather. My nose starts running and my eyes water and it's just plain miserable.

I don't exactly like riding when it's in the high 90's with 100% humidity either, but I can take the hot weather for longer than the cold as long as I have plenty of water and some shade to stand in occasionally.

Answer 3

Where I live, winter for sure, coz its fairly mild (even though I find it cold) in QLD, Australia. Not in Stanthorpe or anywhere like that coz it sometimes snows, but yeah I like winter better than summer, coz it gets up to 38-39 degrees C here and the poor horse would probably kark it. It'd be nice though if you were riding in the shade and there was a creek or stream nearby that you could cool off in. NEVER would i go riding in the desert!!! no way!! even though people have done it before.

Answer 4

I definitely like to ride when it it hot, rather than in the cold. I can buy fly spray, but COLD HURTS!!!!!! Well, it does me, I get to where I can't even hold the reins...one of the main reasons why I like to ride in the spring and summer is that the horse's hair is easier to groom and even though it is cold, your horse sweats under all of that winter hair. Your horse needs to be blanketed and cooled out slowly or it can make them sick and or stiff and sore, not to mention just downright cold. Another thing to remember is......... you can, and most of us do feed some grain in the winter, but actually, hay makes a horse warmer than grain, because for it to digest hay, it makes more body heat and will keep your horse warmer. I like to see free choice hay for a horse all winter. Also, another tip for those "winter warriors" is to use Crisco or similar product on the soles of their horse's feet after using the hoof pick and prior to riding, it helps keep the ice and snow from balling up and making it hard for them to walk.

Answer 5

How cold we talking because where im from cold is like -30 degrees celcius and that is cold and you cant feel the back of you legs so I prefer to ride in hot weather.

Answer 6

cold - i can put layers on in the winter, but a horse doesn't have a choice as to when someone rides it. i think anyone who rides their horse in the blazing heat of summer is selfish and has no compassion for how their horse may feel. When I ride in the summer, it's before 9am or after 8pm.

Answer 7

Cold, the heat is bad. Plus I hate flies, my horses hate flies, and the heat drains the orses completely. In hte cold there are no flies, the horses haev more energy and do not get exhausted. I can always wear warm clothes plus Ihave lived in Buffalo NY all my life I am use to it by now

Answer 8

that is a tuff question, id have to vote neither! if i could id pick either spring or fall. BUT! since i have to choose, id pick summer, i know its hot, but just because its hot doesnt mean you have to work and overheat your horse, there are tons of fun things you can do with your horse in the summer time to keep cool, one you can get up early and ride before it gets warm, or you can ride in the evening when it cools down a lil. but you can go to swimming holes, lakes/oceans, you can take your horse and maybe a friend(s) or that "special someone" and go to a shady spot by the water and have a picnic or tie the horses up and go swimming, im not a big fan or cold, it is easy to layer up on clothing to keep warm, but i dont like my fingers/toes and face feeling like its frost bitten :o)

Answer 9

DEFINATLY cold. Horses can die a lot faster in heat, but I'd bring a hoof pick, cooler balnket( kindof a misnomer, huh?) and some matches. I love the cold way better than the hot! Oh, yeah. :)

Answer 10

oooooo - tough question!!

I'd choose hot - as long as we get to go swiming in the lake to cool off. The only thing about that is all the bugs around during the summer months.....