I’ve never really done it before, but with a lot of other things going on in my life right now, I decided this was a good year to give it a try! Horses are home, so they’ll still get plenty of hands-on care, but I don’t plan on doing much besides grooming a couple of times a week, and maybe hopping on and hacking around the property once in a blue moon. Anyone else?
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With no indoor in a snowy New England state, we are sort of forced to take winters off once the roads are too icy or the snowbanks are too high to get to the other pastures to ride. Unfortunately this year the roads are already too icy to be safe, so it may be a long winter vacation. I don’t love it, but I enjoy having the horses home vs. boarded. As someone once told me, if your horse doesn’t go into the winter as a potato, she’s not going to come out a potato even with a few months off. Me on the other hand…maybe not so true 
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Not exactly. But I don’t have access to an indoor and I don’t ride when it’s cold and/or really muddy, which can translate to taking the winter off, depending on the whims of Mother Nature.
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Yes. I always do.
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It’s fairly forced here, no indoor unless I want to haul (I don’t) and it gets dark at 430. I did install a french drain around the arena and am hoping to get to ride, but so far the schedule has not allowed it or the weather hasn’t allowed it. I did get to play with the yearling in the arena Friday (then rain again Sat, went out of town on biz trip Sun, you get the point).
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If it’s not fun, I won’t do it. Time spent with my horse isn’t something I should have to “endure”! I’ll still go and groom, swap blankets over, and do what I can on the lunge or long-lining but those sessions get shorter as the temperatures drop.
The winter is more about making sure my mare is fed, watered, and warm 
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No, but I take the worst of summer off here in FL. I can guarantee I’d take winters off if I lived somewhere that got cold.
I’m riding on my lunch breaks a lot currently. I have to stick to quick rides, but riding in the best weather of the day is worth it.
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Kind of.
I sent my gelding to my parents farm for the winter so I would have more time to focus on my young mare. They don’t have an arena and they’re just over an hour away, so any riding on him is limited to weekends when the weather is nice.
Still riding the mare 4-5 days/wk though.
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The older I get (and I’m not that old 
) , the more I agree with this sentiment! I remember winters in the single digits and teens where I would head to the barn for a lesson. My eyes would water, and my nose would run the entire ride. Dismounting was always the worst part, because you’d have that pins and needles sensation in your numb feet.
Now that they’re home with no indoor, the idea of hauling out in the winter sounds awful.
Today, I’m happy to run out and make sure the horses are cozy in their blankets, have plenty of hay in their feeders, give them a treat and quick pat, and run back the warm house!
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My horse has been in full training for the past two years. I recently brought him home to love on him and give him a break. I don’t have amenities at home yet, and while I can haul out, I don’t always want to. I also got very sick right when I brought him home and then had to have unplanned surgery, so we’re just hanging. He’s very nervous and vigilant, so i’m taking the opportunity to do a lot of ground work to help him cope with life.
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If the BO doesn’t fix the indoor arena footing, yep. The winter off indeed.
Same, I remember riding as a kid in Wisconsin winters and thinking my feet would shatter when I hit the ground. Now, 40s isn’t bad because I warm up quick but sideways rain or dealing with shenanigans when it’s blowing 25 mph isn’t my idea of a good time. Nice weather and ridable arena, I’ll be out there doing something, but I’m an adult ammie with no real goals other than have some nicely going horses and maybe be at the point where we don’t embarrass ourselves at a clinic, so riding in blech is a no from me.
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Welcome to my World 
Until late 2019, I tried to have my Dressage trainer come for a lesson every other week.
Then first finances, then COVID put an end to that 
Now, even with COVID in check, money stands in the way. 
.
I last rode horse in May at an outing with my Driving Club, then once or twice pootling around bareback in my indoor.
I drove my mini irregularly through October, but done now until Spring.
My horses are older, except for mini who just turned 7, and nobody seems to suffer for the lack of work.
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Not this year but I’ve done it before. I used to lease a little mare that turned into the offspring of Satan and a fire breathing dragon from December-March. Like borderline unsafe to even walk around on - something would look at her funny and she’d be at the other end of the ring before you even knew what happened. Even having her on the cross ties was an adventure. She was just so unpleasant to do anything with that we’d give her the winter off. She got turned out all day, and I would groom her and give her love but that was about it. If we had an unseasonably warm day, sometimes I’d attempt a ride but for the most time once she put on her winter crazy pants, it was game over. She wasn’t ever any worse for the wear once the weather got warmer again and her brain returned to its shell.
In the past I’ve given my horses a couple months off (common in the UK) because they were on pasture and had room to run and relax, but where I board now my horse would just stand in a 100x100’ pen. Weather wise people ride all thru the winter here but I feel a break is good for horses and I’m sad it won’t be that way (I’d have to pay double board to move her elsewhere and keep my spot where my trainer is)
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I give my horses from mid January to end of February off. I go out to groom and hang out with them. The start of march is lunging, hacking, and getting back in work. A break for them and I go skiing. When I was in Florida, they got July and half of August off.
Yeah that is exactly zero fun.
I’ve had horses like that, and horses who don’t care what the weather is, and you really have no idea until it’s too late
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I have in the past with young horses, I’m a big believer in <6 years having several weeks to months off to grow / mature / reset. Plus I’m a cold weather wuss (even with a beautiful indoor at our barn!) so choose winter to be that “vacation” time 
However current mare we suspect has mild PSSM and consistent work seems to be a key management tool to keeping her feeling good so no winter off this year 
Looks like I’ll have to toughen up (and layer up!) and work her all winter.
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remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather. only poor clothing choices… 
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Technically- not fully off but a severe decrease. I have mine at home, too. I am careful with the footing I ride in, mine does freeze if I miss a drag (base issue but it’s ridable 90% of the year so it is what it is). I am lucky to have 2 friend’s with indoors and 1 PC barn within easy driving distance if I can haul out.
Mine aren’t “missing” anything as my riding is WAY below their training level and what I ask them to do. I am going to use this winter to work on “the walk” in dressage for my one jumper who I cross train for lower level CTs, as that was pointed out as his gap. I’ll trailer out for 1 clinic so far- and honestly if it is brutal I’ll bail out.
Plus- full discloser I am definitely less motivated in the winter. At daylight savings, sometimes I can’t get out to ride until 8-9. And it sucks. Last winter I was balls out, trailering out every weekend because I was prepping for Florida. Yeah- not happening this year (or ever depedning on MidWest winters).
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