Winter can be a challenging time for equestrians. Everything takes so much longer, from de-icing the car before you can drive up to the yard, to tacking up with fingers that are already frozen. Yet, despite this, autumn and winter are my favourite time of year to ride. Part of it is the nostalgia of my teens when I worked at an equestrian center. The winter days were short and cold, the work was twice as hard and very heavy, but there was always a tinge of cosyness about the yard during the darkest time of year, as we huddled together in the tack room for hot chocolate, or worked up a glow laying down fresh bedding in the stables to keep the horses warm and snug. The camaraderie was strongest during the dark of the year. With show-season over, old rivalries faded and frenemies became friends once more.
As the weather has been either cold and frosty, or wet and stormy for the past few months, its gets harder for me to drag myself out of bed in the morning and drive up to the stables. I know its going to be hard going, with the ground either too frozen or too boggy to do very much. We don't have an indoor school where I ride, so we are always open to the elements. Difficult going can make things difficult for the horses too and they will often trip over the frozen ridges - or their own feet! If you've never sat a horse when it trips, then the best way I can describe it to you is to say: its that feeling you get when your feet slip out underneath you on an icy day, but with a much bigger drop to the ground and the possibility of your mount landing on top of you! Your heart leaps, your tummy flips over and its difficult not to tense up in anticipation of a fall, but of course, that's exactly what you shouldn't do. You need to stay relaxed and trust that your horse will find his feet again, which they generally do. It takes a lot to knock a horse off his feet.
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| Isn't he a beautiful boy?! |
Riding out in a storm can be quite daunting and ponytails are a must for both horse and rider so that we can see where we are going! Horses hate the wind, so when I was riding during storms Isha and Jocelyn, it was quite tricky to keep my mount nice and calm. From a horse's perspective, the trees become shaking scary giants and there are lots of puddle monsters just waiting to get him! The familiar world becomes a scary place to him, the shelter he would normally find in the trees has turned into a fearsome forest, offering no shelter at all.
It can be tough to keep them from bolting, shying or generally playing up, but they aren't being naughty. They're just being horses. You need to build trust, so that your horse knows you will keep him safe in the storm and that you won't ask him to go through any puddles that have monsters lurking in them! A steady hand, a firm leg, a good seat and a very soft voice are all required. Singing can also help. Nervous horses love a good lullaby! It soothes their troubled spirit.
The woods at this time of year is always a delight. On frozen winter days it can be like riding through a winter wonderland, when the trees have been silvered with hoar frost and each blade of grass is picked out in silver-white. Everywhere you look, Jack Frost has made his presence felt, decorating the trees long past Yuletide. Your breath clouds in the air, mingling with that of your horse and the chill puts roses in your cheeks as you ride.
Its important to dress for the weather though, as you can get quite frozen in the saddle. I always wear thermal jodhpurs and thermal socks at this time of year, as well as my Holland Cooper riding gillet, under my red equestrian coat, plus base layers beneath. Layering up is the best way to keep warm, especially if you are out hacking, which doesn't work up as much of a sweat as when you are schooling your horse and doing flat work in the manege. It goes without saying that you should always wear reflective gear, especially if you ride on the roads. Wearing the correct gear is important, as they are the tools of the trade. Yes, equestrian gear can be expensive, but it is an investment in yourself, in your sport and most importantly, in your safety.
Equestrian gear has come a long way since I was a girl when everything was ugly, in various shades of mud! Now you can find lots of pretty things to wear when out riding, from pink reflective vests - mine says Caution girl with a whip up here! - to riding hats that have glitter panels down the center - mine is all black with a black glitter panel that sparkles in the sun.
I just recently treated myself to a new dressage whip too, which is silver with a spiral of diamante all the way up the handle and a silver top. I'll use this to tap on my boot and the sound sends the horse forward. It is not a weapon of punishment - unless you happen to be a flasher in the woods! Then I'm gonna swipe you with it! (TRUE STORY -That actually happened to me when I was eighteen and riding alone in the woods. The flasher jumped out of the bushes, opened his coat with a scream and he was naked underneath. He grabbed my leg and tried to pull me from my pony, Misty, so I whacked him round the face with my whip. Misty barged into him, knocking him off his feet, then she reared up and galloped off, carrying me to safety. I reported him to the police at the first available phone box. Gosh, phone boxes! Remember those?)
The point is that winter riding becomes much more pleasurable when you are wearing the right gear, because as the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. If you and your horse are dressed comfortably for the season, then there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy winter riding, just as much as summer hacks. You just have to put a bit more effort into getting dressed in the mornings.
I'm looking forward to riding out in the woods with my friend soon too. We haven't hacked out together in a long while because she now has a young child, so she doesn't have as much time for riding as she once did. We used to ride out together all the time and it was great to take the horses up through the woods and have a good gossip along the way. Horsey friends tend to have a strong bond, as they are the only ones who truly get it. They understand that you'd rather spend money on new jodhpurs than a meal at a fancy restaurant, or that hacking in the woods and cross country is better than a gym membership. They get it, because they are exactly the same. There is a shared understanding of the love of horses, of the sport and of how tough it can be at times.
Riding isn't easy. It might look easy, but it's really not. Its so much more than a workout. It takes a lot of strength, courage, training and practice, not to mention compassion for your mount. You have to learn to see the world through their eyes. You have to throw your heart over the jump first, so that the horse will follow it. That takes bravery and trust on both sides. Its a partnership, a duality. I cannot ride without the horse's consent. He is bigger and stronger than me and if it came down to a battle of wills, he would win! If he doesn't want me on his back, he will give me a flying lesson!
By the same token, the horse cannot stand his ground in the face of fear without having trust in his rider, because his natural instinct is to flee from anything and everything that scares him. He needs the reassurance of his rider to let him know that everything is okay - its just a leaf, a squirrel, a bit of litter. He needs his rider to tell him that there is no monster in the puddle, only dirty water - and he can handle a bit of dirty water, because he's a big brave boy!
Today was cold and damp and the ground was muddy and full of puddle monsters, so we just did some flat work in the manege. I don't mind doing flat work and I enjoy making pretty patterns in the sand. We did pole work without stirrups too, which I really enjoy as it strengthens the core and deepens the seat to make the rider more secure in the saddle. This kind of training is essential in preparation for jump work come spring. Of course, in winter, schooling helps to keep both horse and rider fit. I'd be lying though if I said I wasn't looking forward to springtime when the ground is softer so that I can start jumping again. I miss jumping and I'm eager to get that flying feeling once more! For the time being we're doing a lot of flat work, pole work and pacing out, ready for the jumps to go up as soon as the ground is ready and its safe to do so.
There's nothing quite like sitting a horse over show jumps! The slow-motion lifting of the forelegs, followed by the strength of the hind quarters thrusting beneath you and powering you both off the ground; the the moment of suspension when you are flying through the air directly above the jump itself, concluding with the thud of the front hooves hitting the ground first and the hind legs gently coming to rest behind, before the gallop onto the next fence. Its exhilarating and scary and such a wonderful feeling. Jumping is the thing I miss most during the frozen winter, but I know it won't be long before we're tackling the fences again and I can't wait!
It was a lovely ride this morning and I enjoyed myself very much. On the way home I stopped by the yarn shop and finally managed to find some army green wool for Kermit, and some more Air Force blue too, so I'll be busy with new needle-craft and Flying Fashions projects for the next few months.
In the meantime, after a day like today when its so cold, wet and windy, its always nice to get back home from the yard and jump into a hot shower, before settling down with a cup of tea, ready to get some writing done. Riding has been a part of my life for forty years and I plan to keep at it for as long as I can, even into my dotage! I might not always be jumping, but I hope that I will always ride and be around horses. It is such a privilege to spend time with them. They are my very first love and well worth the aches and pains equestrians have to endure. You know what they say - hold onto what makes you happy...and if it tries to buck you off, hold on tighter because the very best seat is always on a horse!
Serene Blessings
Marie x
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