Pacific Northwest Eventers (Esp Portland/Vancouver WA)

[bip]

DH and I are considering a move to the Vancouver WA area in the next few years to be closer to family. I was wondering if most eventers ride outside all winter or mostly indoors/covered arena. Do people send their horses to CA the way New Englanders go to Florida?

I know when I moved out here some people said “You HAVE to have an indoor!” and other people said, “Baloney, I’ve ridden outside all winter for 30 years!”, and some even said “Just take the winter off, it’s the pits”. So perhaps the answer is that it depends more on the person and their goals, set-up, and competing responsibilities than the weather itself.

But I thought I would ask just to get an idea of what to expect. I visit every year for a week or two around Christmas so I have an idea what to expect for winter weather. It is hard to imagine what that means for riding, though, since it is so different from what we have here in New England and what I grew up with in California (mostly Central Valley).

[Heinz_57]

You will get a bit of the same mixed bag responses.

There are the “hard core” folks who ride outside with no arena and no lights (me). Usually those are the same people that laugh at “going south for the winter”. I don’t know anyone that does that, though I’m sure there are very rich people who can afford to somewhere around here (they must not have regular jobs). There will also be the people that take the winter off completely, but I’ve never seen a reason to do that unless you truly don’t have an adequate space to ride in. While my horse may return to fitness in 6-8 weeks, I feel like we lose ground in the training department and its a PIA to get myself fit again. Many eventers seem to lead dual lives, showing either in jumpers or dressage in addition to eventing, since our season is somewhat short and not as populated compared to busier areas. I can’t speak to the H/J scene but there is a great dressage community with loads of shows, clinics, camps, etc.

It rains a lot, so if you only have an outdoor it needs to have good drainage. I would give my left arm for an outdoor this winter! Most boarding facilities have indoor arenas of varying sizes, which will give you cabin fever and make you slightly stir crazy by the time spring arrives (usually late). Events run May-October and there aren’t generally many places open for XC schooling in the off season, so I find it difficult (personally) to really feel prepared to compete before June. If you are boarding, make sure to clarify the turnout situation prior to signing a contract. I scoff at “seasonal turnout” and “turnout as weather allows” in ads and on websites, as this generally means “we don’t put horses out in the rain” or “we don’t put horses out if it’s muddy” - it will rain almost every single day from October to April, at the very least. These places will not put your horse outside much.

[Outyougo]

Parts of the Willamette Valley (Vancouver Washington thru Eugene Oregon) have a lot of clay soil. The very soft sticky footing tends to keep riders indoors or on road hacks November to March. Around Tacoma it is quite gravelly soil so riding outside goes on year round. The Pacific northwest covers a lot of territory and many varying soils, terrain and riding opportunities. Mostly Warm moist winters Hot dry summers in Willamette Valey

Ride in spring summer and Fall Ski in winter

[DoubleDown]

I have a large indoor at my barn and ride year around. There are numerous vineyards neighboring us so I do hack around them regularly in the winter where the footing is decent. I go out as long as its not coming down sideways usually 4-5 times a week. My horse doesn’t care about the rain and I go crazy being inside all the time.

As someone mentioned, there is a lot of clay around me so while I have the space for galloping, the window that the griund is good is relatively small. Its either too deep and sticky, then dries out and is like concret like right now. No one I know goes south during the winter. We just hit the schooling shows and clinics during the off season.

[Thames_Pirate]

Eugene rider here. My current barn has unusual footing because of our spot on the river, so we are able to hack easily year round. When the weather is nice we ALL ride outside and when it’s particularly icky we stick to our covered. The “Oregon drool” misting rain that we have most days means we are split. If I am bored with the arena, I will ride out. If I am pressed for time and unwilling to do the whole tack cleaning thing, I won’t. If I need more vitamin D, out I go. Mostly we hack, but we can jump on our XC later into the year and start earlier in the season.

My old barn didn’t have that footing, but we had a driveway hill that I hacked regularly in the off season. I also used the outdoor, though generally the jumps were brought in for the winter and only a few poles and the trashiest standards would be in the outdoor. The lack of lights was the bigger problem that kept me indoors.

[bip]

[QUOTE=DoubleDown;7765519]
We just hit the schooling shows and clinics during the off season.[/QUOTE]

Neat! We don’t really have that here (some dressage clinics, but no showing to speak of).

[Whatagoodhorse]

All of the eventers I know ride all winter long and don’t go south for the winter. One of the great things about our weather is it may be wet but we rarely freeze. I moved here from South Florida 10 years ago and there has only been a handful of times the weather was so bad I could not get outside and ride (buy lots of fleece jackets). But boarding at a barn with an indoor is well worth the extra cost.

Once you get here check out the Woodbrook Hunt Club.woodbrookhuntclub.com We are the oldest hunt west of the Mississippi (1926) and are based out of Tacoma area. There are quite a few eventer members who keep their horses in shape by hunting in the winter.

It is a fun and friendly club and we welcome visitors.

[EquineLegalSolutions]

I’m in the Portland area. I built an all-weather sand mix outdoor arena and love it. Even after a monsoon, it’s rideable within 24 hours. The ground in our fields is too slick to ride without studs after rains, because we have volcanic clay soil (common in our area). I think it’s good for the horses (and myself!) to ride outside - we’re not inhaling dust, and they get much more desensitized to noise and movement than they would in an indoor. Riding clothing technology has really come a long way, and it’s entirely possible to stay warm and dry while riding outside on a cool, rainy day. I also have a waterproof quarter sheet that I use in cold weather, and waterproof covers for my saddles (that have a grippy surface so you don’t slide around).

When it’s really, really bad (e.g., raining sideways for days), I haul out to a friend’s indoor. But it’s not often so bad that I’m inspired to do that.

I definitely don’t go south for the winter and none of my eventer friends up here do, either. Like everyone else, I do look for clinics and schooling shows in the “off season.” However, I’ve learned the hard way not to sign up for anything in January or February. Because we live at a high enough elevation that we get freezing weather, sure as you’re born, if I send in a check for something, that will be the weekend we get snow/ice and it’s not safe to drive on our back country roads.

Hope this helps!

[Heinz_57]

Sure enough, ELS. Farmer’s Almanac says we should get another late January/early Feb cold snap this time around.

[La_Chasse]

I personally hate the weather here because I don’t enjoy getting wet. I’m from VA and melt like the Wicked Witch I guess. Compared to NE, the winters are balmy. The cold, wet here though, kinda gets into your bones and I end up freezing, but in a different way. When it got below freezing at the barn last year, no one knew what to do about water, since the pipes froze. The mud here (where I am) is greasy, unlike red VA sticky clay, and unless “controlled” with an actual gravel system (wa state extension agent has info) is bonkers. I still think winter riding boots are a must, but haven’t worn my carharts to ride in here because it’s not THAT cold.

I am personally struggling with whether to buy a farm because of my need to NOt ride in the rain. We are going to be out here for another few years and I don’t know how supportive my husband will be about tacking on a covered arena (they don’t really “do” indoors here btw) to the docket of a 4-6 stall barn except if I can justify adding boarders.

The horse world is very very different out here though. Being born & raised on a Loudoun County VA horse farm, the horse scene here can’t compare- there are only 10 events on the omnibus vs 40+. You would be close to a nice tack store though the nearest one to me is 2h away.

[Heinz_57]

[QUOTE=La Chasse;7777579]

I am personally struggling with whether to buy a farm because of my need to NOt ride in the rain. We are going to be out here for another few years and I don’t know how supportive my husband will be about tacking on a covered arena (they don’t really “do” indoors here btw) to the docket of a 4-6 stall barn except if I can justify adding boarders. [/QUOTE]

I’ve seen plenty of indoor (not just “covered”) arenas. Covered is nice for the airflow in summer but is a little inconvenient for the same reason in winter when the rain is blowing in.

[AmarachAcres]

I know a lot of 3 day eventers and they seem to have no issues. Vossenberg Farms in Ridgefield has an indoor and out door arena as well as a track / eventing field. They all ride year round.

Fox Run (sp?) farms, Farm Hill… I believe those are 3 day eventing based as well.

I don’t know the Portland area well, sorry.

We moved here from Oklahoma and love it. We ride year round.

[Calvincrowe]

Lots of indoor arenas, many all-weather outdoor rings and folks who ride in the mud and wet. That’s how eventers I know manage winters here. Many simply focus on dressage and jumping lessons in the wet season. You will find that the cross country facilities do not allow schooling fall through early spring, except for Tulip Springs out in Kennewick. They are dry enough to allow that. There are a number of jumper schooling shows fall-winter-early spring, too.

[La_Chasse]

I know of one on Bainbridge (wacky nut) but that’s the only one I’ve seen in Kitsap, pierce and (some of mason). Not a born and raised WA person and I’m in a more rural area.

Maybe near Seattle/Bellevue or further south from me? Didn’t mean to offend or be too general- sorry!

[QUOTE=Heinz 57;7777986]

I’ve seen plenty of indoor (not just “covered”) arenas. Covered is nice for the airflow in summer but is a little inconvenient for the same reason in winter when the rain is blowing in.[/QUOTE]

[Outyougo]

sometikmes Rebecca Buellher teaches at Farm Hill
Fox Run ( not active in eventing world.

Best bet is to look at FLying Changes Magazine and the Area VII Adult Riders Faceboo page.

there are lots of indoor and “Covered” arenas along the I-5 corridor --extending West to the coast and Esat to the “Dry Side” (over the cascade mountians) Western riders out number Jumper/dressage/hunters there is enough riding–competitions, clinic and trails to bankrupt a billionaire in the PNW with horses.

[Heinz_57]

[QUOTE=La Chasse;7779250]
I know of one on Bainbridge (wacky nut) but that’s the only one I’ve seen in Kitsap, pierce and (some of mason). Not a born and raised WA person and I’m in a more rural area.

Maybe near Seattle/Bellevue or further south from me? Didn’t mean to offend or be too general- sorry![/QUOTE]

Oh, I’m not offended! I don’t even have an arena, and the last two days I’ve managed to go ride in the field during the only monsoon-like downpours of the day. It’s unpleasant to look like my horse and I have taken a shower after a ride, but I remind myself of how many dressage tests and XC runs I’ve made in the pouring rain at shows and just chalk it up to practice for that.

I just didn’t want the OP to thing that there were no true indoors, at all, anywhere. I have yet to see a “heated” one, but I’m sure they are out there somewhere! It is nice to have solid walls and doors for the days when it’s pouring buckets AND blowing sideways. :winkgrin:

[UrbanHennery]

Rhodes River Ranch in Oso has a heated indoor and restaurant but that’s the only one I’ve seen. I ride at a barn with a true indoor.

[Calvincrowe]

In the Portland/Vancouver area there are many indoor rings…but perhaps the definition of indoor/covered might be unclearly applied by us posters. Locally, every major and minor boarding barn has a ring with four walls and a roof (some 100x200), though several will have one wall “open”, usually a long side, with a half wall. Outdoor rings are iffy–done right they are rideable year round, done wrong they are usable perhaps 4 months a year. For conditioning, most of my eventing friends use fields or local horse friendly parks.