I used to do that when I boarded my horse at a facility that had an indoor arena. He doesn’t try to bolt after rolling. I would keep a careful eye on where the lead rope was so he didn’t get tangled.
If there were no other horses in the arena, I would also let him free so he could roll.
We did have to take a rake and even out the area where the horses rolled so there would be no “bare” patches.
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8966270]
I would be very surprised if your BO appreciated you letting your horse roll on the indoor footing. It packs it down and makes it uneven. I really don’t appreciate rolling, pawing, and otherwise destroying the footing in my outdoor! I don’t care if you let them roll in the grassy or snowy areas outside while hand walking but I think it is rude to let a horse roll on good footing.[/QUOTE]
Times 1000
LMAO - in regards to arena footing. If you’re properly maintaining the footing it should not make a difference.
When my mare was laid up due to injury and after I was supposed to start the leading re-hab, I would do just that. If there was a rider in the arena, I would ask and if given the OK, she would just roll, get up and that was that.
Once she did think she could just drop and roll, nope pony! She is smart and didn’t try it again.
I had a mare who would roll when she was hot walked if you weren’t careful. After the initial shock of not having a horse next to me - she just quietly dropped in the sand - it wasn’t a huge deal. I didn’t appreciate my clean, shiny horse rolling in the sand though!
I would not let a horse roll where they are worked. Work is work, play is play. I wouldn’t want them think rolling in an arena where they are generally expected to tow the line and do what I want is acceptable.
This must be one of those barn culture things. I kept my horses at a barn that allowed rolling on leads in the arena (and also “free-longeing”, which was code for “shake a whip and let them rip around”), and the footing was systematically destroyed.
Additionally it’s not great to be in the middle of, say, a half-pass schooling sequence and then have to steer around the random handwalker in the arena.
I really do believe the arena should be reserved for schooling horses. That’s its purpose in life. It’s not for hanging around and talking, it’s not for handwalking (unless weather is an exigent circumstance, in which case I back off of my stance here), it’s not for letting loose horses play. Be respectful of your fellow boarders (if you have them), and recognize the purpose of an arena.
As far as rolling on a lead outside of the arena, I don’t have a hard stance on it.
Depends on the horse and the surroundings. I’ve done it, on a longer lead rope or lunge line and chain as mine are show fit Hunters and tend to come up with a (to them) joyful, sometimes explosive buck and I don’t want to be too close. Or, far worse, lose them amongst other horses, that would be rude and put the other riders at risk.
For OP, if it doesn’t bother the barn owner, others are aware and everybody’s horses are well behaved? Have at it.
Me? I wouldn’t do it in the arena with other riders. Everybody thinks their horse is well behaved and impeccably trained, including the one rolling. The reality is everybody thinks wrong and shyite happens. Nothing worse then an excited, loose horse ripping around a crowded arena on a cold day. It happens anyway if somebody has a fresh horse dump them, no need to ask for it.
Not in any of the arenas! We have really great footing, and mag chloride applied to the indoor. I don’t want that on my horses’ coat.
I go hand grazing or hand walking outside***, and my senior always takes the opportunity to roll. I let him, he’s very gentlemanly about it.
**when it isn’t a windy 11F day, of course. Ready to warm up now!!
Plus, I don’t want to compact the footing, or have a hoof slip and get down to the base. I love our amenities too much!
Regarding letting them loose in the areas - bear i mind that a if the horse is a little bit high, he may gallop, stop, turn and can easily damage tendons, legs, etc. One owner had to have her horse euthanized because of this.
Another time it was very frosty and the underlay of the footing had frozen, was very hard and horse slipped and fell after it had not been worked and could not be put outside.
Safer on a lunge line.
I’ve seen a boarding barn with a sand pit for this purpose. In a designated location (away from the indoor), on cue, I think you could avoid the concern that Dobbin will “stop drop and roll” any ole time he feels like it. Maintain rules for the behavior.
Echo others about indoor footing.
Do you have a paddock or a round pen you could let him roll in, instead? I would hesitate to let him think it is okay to roll in an arena.
Does he not roll in his stall? mine are notorious for dropping down right after a bathe in their stall and becoming dust-covered 
they love a good roll in their stalls (usually why I have to either lunge-dry or feed them at my washrack and make sure they’re super dry before turning them back out/putting them back in stall) 
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8966270]
I would be very surprised if your BO appreciated you letting your horse roll on the indoor footing. It packs it down and makes it uneven. I really don’t appreciate rolling, pawing, and otherwise destroying the footing in my outdoor! I don’t care if you let them roll in the grassy or snowy areas outside while hand walking but I think it is rude to let a horse roll on good footing.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly why, as a rider, I HATE this practice. Granted, I get when it’s nasty and snowy and there’s just nowhere else to roll… But I hate how badly it compacts the footing. It’s also my experience that it tends to be horribly in the way, especially if your indoor is smaller. There’s nothing like schooling lateral work and having a horse roll, get up, and have a fit that carries them right into your path. Especially if the horse gets loose.
Granted, it seems to be pretty standard practice at this barn, so you can just go with the flow. I DO appreciate that people at least ask. I sure wish that was a more common practice!
Most barns I have been at require the owner to rake up the area to re-fluff.
I don’t let my horse roll on the line, too worried about mirror issues to let him loose.
My barn owner would have a cow if I let my horse roll in her carefully maintained footing. I remember vividly her berating someone for allowing their horse to (repeatedly, having been asked not to, but you know, rules are for little people,) make “sand angels” in the outdoor ring. I think she would have publicly beheaded her if she had done it inside…
My guys roll in their appropriately-sized stalls or in turnout. They all love to roll in the snow.
I think rolling is important for a horse, and if the horse is blanketed 24/7, they should get a chance to roll without a blanket. I much prefer to let the horse roll in turnout, with no lead rope, since I do worry about the rope getting tangled in their legs. You can avoid this, of course, if you take care to hold it up and away. If there is no other choice, or we have come in to the arena do ground work, I will let maresy roll on the lead line.
As far as rolling in the riding arena or when other riders are presents, be guided by whatever the going practice is at your facility, but also be considerate so you don’t become the problem that makes them ban rolling in the arena! I understand all the arguments against it, but if it’s allowed where you are, then not your problem.
As far as rolling without permission, you should start a routine where you give a signal for the horse to roll. Maybe involving standing back, with a voice cue. And then mix it up. Come in some days with a dressage whip and tap tap tap keep him marching smartly in-hand for 5 or 10 minutes before you stand back, let the rope slack, and say “OK, roll!” Don’t let it be a routine of enter the ring, drop and roll, before you can even get him out of the way of everyone else. And if you longe, be prepared to back up the “don’t roll yet!” command.
As far as buck and blot when he gets up, if you know he does this, be prepared. If you know he doesn’t, then it’s a lot safer to let him roll in company.
We actually do use the indoor for handwalks, routinely, for horses on layup/rehab. It is actually the safest place, given our recent weather. Typically we will do this early in the morning before lessons, and later in the afternoon. If the hand walking horse gets rowdy, or is not paying attention, we leave the arena.
On rare occasion, we may handwalk a horse in the barn aisle, if the vet has requested that.
If we are hand walking while someone is riding in the arena, we stay out of the way, and the rider calls out what s/he needs: diagonal, outside, center line, etc.
Never had one drop to roll while hand walking, but I have had one or two try to park out to pee! Uh, NO!! :mad:
I do think stalls are generally more than sufficient for this purpose. Buy a fresh bag of shavings, spread it out, and I assure you your horse will roll in glee! Or ask your BO if you want to take barn shavings, which is also OK with me as a BO. I need heavily and my horses adore coming in to nap in their stalls. I often ride with everyone in after I feed in the AM, and sometimes I will come back in with a few of the 7 here snoozing happily on their shavings beds.
Need = bed. Autocorrect and COTH won’t let me edit tonight.
My horses roll multiple times per day- lucky them. I have let my mare roll in the sand after trail rides. She has never attempted to roll on a lead line when I didn’t want her to. She seems to know when it’s OK and when not. Mare thinks best place to roll is at the beach.
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