We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine November 2017 | Page 26

Winter Riding Tips

Story and photo by Robert Eversole Trailmeister

For many of us there isn’t much motivation to get out and ride in the wintertime. Dealing with the extra layers, and the extra effort required at both ends of a ride make for much more hassle. To make the extra work worthwhile the ride had better be long and relaxing! To help make my rides more comfortable, safe, and fulfilling I’ve taken to following these steps during the winter months.

What’s the Forecast?

The weather forecast is a rider’s friend, a great planning tool, and something that we should pay attention to. For winter trail riders this is especially important as winter storms are noted for their sudden appearances and ferocity. Being caught out, without being prepared, in freezing rain or heavy snow can wreak havoc on your ride as well as the health of you and your mount.

What’s on the Ground?

For many of us our mental image of winter riding is cantering through a blanket of fresh powder. Fresh snow is an absolute joy to ride in and it’s a great workout. However, once that coat of powder has melted and refrozen, that feeling of unbridled joy will quickly change to one of slick terror. Trying to ride through snow covered in layers of ice makes for a grueling and miserable time for both you and your horse. Save yourself from wretched ride, and your horse from potential cuts from the ice, by staying indoors during these conditions.

Stay on the known Path

For me trail riding is all about going off trail and exploring what’s around the next bend. Winter isn’t the time for going cross country like that. That beautiful blanket of snow is deceptive and can hide ankle twisting holes and sharp sticks waiting to poke your mount. As tempting as it is to take off through a forest covered in pristine snow it’s best to stay in areas where you know what lies beneath.

Start Early

Daylight takes on banker’s hours in the winter; it starts late and goes home early. Riding in the dark, especially in the winter isn’t something that I usually enjoy. You’ll have to start early not only to bundle yourself up but also to accommodate the increased time and effort you’ll spend adjusting tack to fit over that vast mass of shaggy winter coat that your mount has grown. For this reason most of my winter rides occur either on the weekends, when I can head out at first light or in a lighted arena after dark during the work week.

Warm up your ride

It can be tricky to dress well for winter riding. Often being warm can be at odds with being able to feel the horse beneath you and having a good feel of the reins. Fortunately there are a number of modern insulating layers that are thin and toasty. I’m a fan of lightweight wool under layers but there are also synthetic materials that provide great protection without adding unneeded bulk.

Warm it up

Be kind and always warm up the bit before you bridle your horse. Putting a cold bit in a horse’s mouth is similar to having an ice cube stick to your hand. It hurts. If you wouldn’t want a cold piece of metal in your mouth don’t put it in your horses. I tuck the bridle and bit assembly into a warm inner layer of clothing before I start tacking up. By the time we’re ready to bridle, the bit is warm and we both get off to a good start to our ride.

To Shoe or Not

I generally take a break from shoeing in the winter months. Going barefoot gives hooves a rest from nails and shoes, reduces the chances of a nasty slip, and not least because metal shoes tend to accumulate snowballs that bother the horse and are a pain for us to try to remove.

Don’t Sweat

If you work up a sweat on your ride where will your horse be able to dry out without catching a chill? My barn isn’t heated, most aren’t. Any wetness from sweat will still evaporate and cool the animal. Cooling in an already chill area will drop your horse’s body temperature far too much, potentially causing illness or worse. My winter rides are long and slow to avoid raising a sweat. And when I take the saddle off I generally through on a blanket so that he cools off slowly without getting a chill.

Stall Your Horse Afterward So He Has a Warm Place to Cool Down

Although most barns aren’t heated, they are still a bit warmer than out in the open and are protected from the chilling effects of the wind. After a ride my horse likes to settle into a stall filled with dry shavings before heading back into the main paddocks. I’ve found that this helps to keep him warm while he finishes drying out and gives him a chance to enjoy a roll in fresh shavings.

As always, for more information on trail riding as well as North America’s largest equine trail and camping directory please visit www.TrailMeister.com

time to take control of your fall. If you were to keep a death grip on your horse your fall could become an uncontrolled event that turns much more dangerous. With that in mind let’s go over the four main parts of an emergency dismount.

Kick your feet out of the stirrups and drop the reins, do not maintain a death grip on your mount. – The idea is to break all forms of attachment to the horse, you don’t want anything holding you to the horse; you want to be free and clear when you land. Don’t worry about the horse running loose; if you are in danger, then your safety comes first.

Lean forward and use the horse’s neck to maintain some bit of control over your speed and direction as you dismount. As you’re coming off, use the horse’s neck to push against so that you land away from the horse and not underneath where you could be stepped on.

As your feet hit the ground, try to stay upright. and back up a few steps. If you’re already off balance, you may still fall (tuck and roll may help). Try to do it away from the horse. If you fall, tuck and roll away from the horse.

In an emergency dismount, try to land on your feet. This is much safer than landing on your head, your hip, or trying to break your fall with your arms.

As in most things in life an emergency dismount works best if it’s a habit.

If you can perform these steps when you are in control, you are more likely to be able to do them when you lose your balance on the trail in the middle of the proverbial “train wreck”. Consider practicing an emergency dismount at home, in a safe setting with good footing for a practice fall at halt, to get the idea. Then try at walk. Once you feel comfortable doing an emergency dismount in a controlled situation, you may be much safer the next time you need it.

In addition to knowing emergency dismount techniques, how to come off your horse in a somewhat controlled manner here are a few more tips to help you battle the “fear factor”, whether you’re in the backcountry, the front country or anywhere in between.

Relax. Yes, this is much easier said than done. When you’re tense, your riding suffers and it feels even more frightening. If you can get your body to relax it will help you feel more relaxed emotionally as well.

Breathe. When you’re tense, you unconsciously hold your breath. To start breathing regularly try talking or singing; when I get nervous and tense you’ll often hear me singing. Badly. You may not win a Tony but you will feel much better.

Balance. When you’re tense, you tend to lean forward into a fetal position. Fight this by sitting up straight and deep in the saddle, putting your shoulders back (I tell my students to sit tall like a soldier). and feel how much easier it is to breathe, and sing, and relax.

And finally find something to focus on that’s positive. Think about what a great day it is and how much fun it is to ride with your favorite trail buddy. Fear can ruin a great ride but you can overcome your concerns by centering on all the wonderful circumstances that have led to you being in the saddle and on the trail.

As always, for more information on this and other topics, as well as the nation’s largest source of horse trail and horse camping information in the U.S. please visit the all new www.TrailMeister.com.

Know your route and how to “Stay Found”.

Unfortunately it happens all too often.Before heading out with Fido your mount should also be prepared. Hopefully your horse is used to your dog and won’t kick when the dog is following behind. She’ll also need to be calm enough to deal with a variety of different situations such as a dog running underneath or suddenly appearing out of the brush. If your trail mount is a trail novice or high strung adding a dog to the mix may be too much to ask without significant additional training before the three of you hit the trails together.

The third and most important part of this trail riding menagerie is you, the rider. The reason most organized rides ban dogs isn’t because of the dogs, it’s because the human component has failed in their obligation to ensure that they can control their dog in a safe and responsible manner. Have you taken the time and effort to teach your dog what is expected of it on the trail? The training doesn’t stop with the dog either. It’s a great idea to teach your horse to remain calm during unexpected encounters. After all it may not be your dog that bounds out of the brush alongside the trail. And finally have you spent the time required to become a competent rider as opposed to merely a passenger? As the pack and herd leader it’s your job to address all of these issues before you hit the trail.

From a cowboy’s faithful companion to coach dogs that bounded alongside stagecoaches, dogs have been a wonderful part of the equine world for centuries and I hope that they remain so. For me few things are better than going on a ride with my dog along. That being said, my dog doesn’t get to accompany me nearly as often as he’d like to. His trail rides are restricted to front country areas where the chance of encountering other riders is low. Boo has generally been a good dog, and he’s become even better as the years have gone by, but my concern is for the other riders’ capabilities and their mounts. For me it’s safer and more enjoyable to include my dog on rides where my worry factor can stay low.

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