Roosa's Horsey Life: Winter riding motivation

I'm quick to admit that I am very much a fair weather rider, which has only been fuelled on by the fact that for the last TEN years of my life I've always had an indoor arena either on the yard we were at or close by. So having to deal with the British winter weather (rain, gusty winds, showers, rain, wind, blinding sunshine and then some more rain) it's been a bit of an adjustment not only for myself, but also for the ponies 🌧💨 I always used to be a "I'll ride in any weather - if there is an indoor" kind of person, but now with no indoor arena near us, it's turned into "I'll ride in most weathers, but torrential rain and wind means a day off" kinda person. Although some people will tell me to man up and get on with it, I don't think riding my horses in terrible conditions with both the horse and I in a horrible mood is the right choice, so often the crappy weather days are for lunging, in hand work or a massage and grooming day. But anyway, here are my tips for creating as much motivation as possible for riding even on those miserable days ⤵️

1. Invest in warm clothes, gilets and shower-proof coats: Layers, layers, layers. My tactic for not only in the cold, but also for riding in the rain too as normally you won't get soaked through to the bottom layer. The more comfortable you know you will be, the more likely you are to follow through - even in miserable weather! So invest in those lined riding breeches (Pikeur FTW!), three pairs of gloves and several sweatshirts and jumpers that you can change as soon as you are done riding. My Rydale gilet is my favourite go to on dry but cold days and my current favourite knitted jumpers are from Rydale, sweatshirts from H&M and sweatshirts with motivational quotes on from Olco Equestrian 💞

2. Hire an indoor arena once a week/every two weeks: This would have been a life saver over the last few months for me! Unfortunately we've had no trailer/horsebox to use so I've been stuck using the outdoor arena. BUT, just today we found an indoor arena for hire only ten minutes from us, and hopefully within the next few weeks we'll have a new bigger car and a trailer too! Having the chance to go to a new and different place is great practise for competitions, but it also brings a sense of achievement because if you're a worrier like me, it gives you the confidence to be confident and get competing when you know you have survived an arena hire.

3. Ride with friends: Agreeing to ride on a certain day at a certain time with a good friend will motivate you for sure. It’s very easy for anyone to chose to not ride when the weather isn't great when you're on your own and to only hang out with your horses, but when you have an agreed time with a friend you'll be more likely to actually ride. It’s very easy to get depressed, feel unmotivated, and experience loneliness during the winter, so it's important to remember to keep yourself surrounded by friends. I ride one of the horses with my mum at least 5 times a week not only because it's more fun riding with someone else but also because she kicks my ass every time 👊🏻

4. Plan more exciting rides: I like to play with poles throughout the winter time, especially when time is of the essence and I have more than one horse to ride. Making the most out of a short training session is ideal in winter, and pole work really helps with this. One of my favourite (but super simple) workouts is to lay 4 poles to make a diamond shape, and then trot and canter around them on both reins. Just 20 minutes of this will work your horse well, developing their rhythm, balance and turning ability. Poles also give your rides a bit more excitement that just going around and around the arena.

5. Don't feel guilty taking a break: don’t be afraid to give yourself the chance for you and your horse to have more days off or even some proper time off ❣️ Everyone needs some time to step away and regenerate, and this includes yourself as well as your horse. I call this being “arena sour” and it’s a problem that can affect riders as well. Spend an afternoon or two just grooming your horse and taking them for a hand walk. Sometimes, a well deserved day off from riding spent on the sofa with a cup of coffee and a good film on in the background is just what you need to overcome those winter blues and renew your interest in riding. You can even spend the time looking up new exercises to try with your horse, you can find lots of exercises that I use by clicking here!