Anybody give their horse the summer (2 months or so) off (as opposed to winter) due to heat, humidity, and numerous other commitments !? How has that worked out?
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Yup. It’s not uncommon in my circle. If you’re not dead set on a show schedule that requires preparing your horse during the “Satan’s Armpit” season, there’s no reason you can’t give your horse a vacay. Plenty of horses get the dead of winter off and are no worse for it.
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oh thank goodness someone else feels the same as me. I’m not riding as much during the hot months, but I’m still working my guy out to make sure that he stays sane. He tends to get very uppity if he’s not worked and I don’t want anyone to have to deal with him. I’m voting to have my riding seasons to include spring, fall, winter and the occasional cool days during the summers after it’s rained.
If I feel like I want to peel my skin off, I’m sure my horse does too. Ugh.
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Yes. I show and ride seriously in the spring and fall. Summer in Alabama is for swimming. My horses live outside.
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Always the horses were given the summers off as rest of the year is ride-able, they are kept up usually during the hot days under fans
We never had one relapse, they picked back up where they were
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I never (pre) enter any competitions in July and August (except for one, sometimes two, shows that have breed specific classes for my breed, and luckily this year the weather is supposed be cooler this weekend).
I don’t give them the whole summer off, but I don’t ride on the days when it is too hot (for me).
Years ago, I commented to my vet that I felt guilty that I wasn’t keeping my horse fir enough (I event), and he responded that he was treating lots of concussion related injuries for horses whose riders maintained a regular riding schedule through the summer, and that cutting back on riding in the hot summer was a “good thing”…
I never had any problems with my horses being fit for the September Horse Trials
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This is an interesting idea and makes alot of sense. I wonder if it applies to older horses, or if they would have a harder time adjusting back to a regular work load.
I definitely make our rides short and sweet during the summer. I think it’s harder on me than it is him, although I always feel badly for all animals when its so darn hot and humid.
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OP, giving a horse two months off during bad weather is great, with caveats:
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How old and arthritic is the horse? When I had an older show horse who had his share mileage on his joints, my vets advised me to not give him the winter off (I was in snowy Central New York). Their point was that the “going back to the gym” for him would be harder than just staying a bit in shape.
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How is your horse kept? If “time off” means 24/7 turnout (summer or winter), I think it’s fabulous for almost any horse. But if they aren’t given free choice about how to use their body, I think it’s less beneficial and a bit boring.
I, too, live in a hot part of the country so I’d like to have a good reason to give my horses July and August off. But that can also mean that they do things like get ponied on trail rides (which both horses really seem to love if the alternative was to go alone) and other mind-expanding stuff like going to an obstacle course…
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I don’t necessarily give mine off completely, but I don’t “seriously” ride when the humidity + heat is over 130, which is very very often here in my state. I might get on and doodle at the walk in the arena, but when you get sweaty just standing outside, it can’t be pleasant for the horses.
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