Question for everyone.......
Ok LJ friends! It's that time of year again. The time of year where the weather is crap and cold. So i am asking you all a question. Everyone has their own opinions, I am just curious what others think. Here we go...
At the barn I grew up riding at, lessons were generally cancelled if it was -20 C or colder and no one really rode if that cold. The thinking behind it was, its damn cold and the horses have adjusted to that cold (keep in mind that here -20 is really like -26, -30 or usually even colder with the darn wind chill) and if we bring them in to work them - or even bring in to feed if it was in the -30s without wind - it warms their internal temp up and just like us if we were working outside, once you've adjusted to the temp its not too bad, but if you come back in and warm up and then go back out, its WAY worse and WAY colder and takes a long ass time to adjust again. Plus it's harder on their lungs. So in that case, -20 was usually the limit of coldness for the barn to ride and get them warm (barn is heated, arena is heated enough to take chill off). That is just how I've always been taught and done. However, the more I talk to people, I learn that so many people have different ideas of whats too cold or not. My sister for example will ride in -20, just lightly, not getting him hot. Her arena however is not heated (i believe). I have a few other friends that still do lessons and still ride regardless of the temp, (some of them board at barns with really warm heated arenas and barns - which doesn't really help the "going back outside into the freezing cold" argument. My barn is small and has always went with the side of cautiousness for EVERYTHING and it's always been a barn rule that the arena is generally closed if it's too cold.
So my question for you guys. How cold is too cold for you to ride in? What temperature does it have to be for you to say "nope too cold, not fair to ride in" and does this include or not include wind chill? I am curious since last winter I had so many different opinions from people in the area. I also ask this as if we get the winter they are talking about, then it's going to be a cold one! Like this week for example, it's been near -20 all week and this am it was -30 with wind chill (-26 usually during the day). With the temps the way they are, how cold is too cold in your opinion.
P.S - I'm thinking about putting this up and asking on equestrian (to get some other peoples perspectives) so if your on there and see this, just ignore it lol. Thanks
ETA: I know some places are colder then others, and that if you didn't ride in the cold you'd never ride. I'm just asking opinions, thats all.
At the barn I grew up riding at, lessons were generally cancelled if it was -20 C or colder and no one really rode if that cold. The thinking behind it was, its damn cold and the horses have adjusted to that cold (keep in mind that here -20 is really like -26, -30 or usually even colder with the darn wind chill) and if we bring them in to work them - or even bring in to feed if it was in the -30s without wind - it warms their internal temp up and just like us if we were working outside, once you've adjusted to the temp its not too bad, but if you come back in and warm up and then go back out, its WAY worse and WAY colder and takes a long ass time to adjust again. Plus it's harder on their lungs. So in that case, -20 was usually the limit of coldness for the barn to ride and get them warm (barn is heated, arena is heated enough to take chill off). That is just how I've always been taught and done. However, the more I talk to people, I learn that so many people have different ideas of whats too cold or not. My sister for example will ride in -20, just lightly, not getting him hot. Her arena however is not heated (i believe). I have a few other friends that still do lessons and still ride regardless of the temp, (some of them board at barns with really warm heated arenas and barns - which doesn't really help the "going back outside into the freezing cold" argument. My barn is small and has always went with the side of cautiousness for EVERYTHING and it's always been a barn rule that the arena is generally closed if it's too cold.
So my question for you guys. How cold is too cold for you to ride in? What temperature does it have to be for you to say "nope too cold, not fair to ride in" and does this include or not include wind chill? I am curious since last winter I had so many different opinions from people in the area. I also ask this as if we get the winter they are talking about, then it's going to be a cold one! Like this week for example, it's been near -20 all week and this am it was -30 with wind chill (-26 usually during the day). With the temps the way they are, how cold is too cold in your opinion.
P.S - I'm thinking about putting this up and asking on equestrian (to get some other peoples perspectives) so if your on there and see this, just ignore it lol. Thanks
ETA: I know some places are colder then others, and that if you didn't ride in the cold you'd never ride. I'm just asking opinions, thats all.