This is probably a silly questions, but… I am currently boarding at a barn that only has an outdoor arena. The last week and a half its either been ride in a pretty sloppy arena or not ride at all. Since my first show of the year is next weekend I have been electing to ride, though keeping it at the walk and trot. Are there any precautions I should take to protect my horse against injury? Do I even need to worry about it if she is a pretty sure footed trail horse that is use to riding in all kinds of footing? Right now I am kind of using it good practice for the variable footing at shows, as they go on rain or shine!
depends on how slick it is when wet. If really slippery mud, take care and go easy. Horses can misjudge and slip too, with bad results on occasion.
What kind of footing is in your arena? You say mud, so I’m assuming either grass or dirt. If grass, I’d be concerned about tearing up the footing- that will just make things worse when the ground dries up.
I agree with reubenT, it really depends on how bad it is. If the ground is just a little soft but you’re not slipping or tearing up the footing, or there are just a few mucky spots, you’re probably fine. If your horse is slipping or sinking into the mud, then IMO you need to take your ride down to a level where that isn’t happening, even if that means walking only. Your horse probably doesn’t need practice with the footing, and it will just increase your risk of an injury- especially deep mud, puts extra stress on soft tissue structures.
With regard to footing at shows- two things to think about. First, if the footing is truly bad enough that it poses a risk to you or your horse, the management should cancel (especially at the schooling/ local/ etc level). And if they don’t, you always have the option to scratch. Second, footing is (hopefully) better maintained at show venues than in your average everyday-use facility. I recently rode a cross country course after it had been raining all day, and the footing was much better than I expected it to be. My pasture at home was a mess and wouldn’t have held up, but the show facility works carefully to manage their footing so it can hold up in those kinds of situations.
Sloppy is not mud. If the arena is wet and solid, even if it’s very splashy, it’s fine. If it’s slippy, that’s a whole other thing.
We haven’t had rain in three years, but, when we did, my horses live in pasture and gallop up and down sloppy, muddy hills, jumping over and around things. Best thing in the world for them. You can’t break them. If your horse is used to these conditions, wonderful. She is probably not going to hurt herself.
The only issue is if the arena has bad/slippy footing when it’s wet and you’re working her, having her do something she can’t do in that footing.
It’s sand, and actually drains pretty well, but is for sure still wet/heavy and has puddles in the lower areas.
If the footing isn’t slippery, I would have no issues riding in it. As you say, shows don’t stop on account of rain, and it will help get your horse used to riding in sloppy arenas and through puddles.
[QUOTE=Beentheredonethat;8145205]
We haven’t had rain in three years, but, when we did, my horses live in pasture and gallop up and down sloppy, muddy hills, jumping over and around things. Best thing in the world for them. You can’t break them. If your horse is used to these conditions, wonderful. She is probably not going to hurt herself.[/QUOTE]
I beg to differ. I had a horse crank on a stifle clowning around in his turn out when it was muddy and he was NQR after that. Horses can and do get hurt galloping around in muddy sloppy conditions and it doesn’t just happen with a rider on their back.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8145302]
It’s sand, and actually drains pretty well, but is for sure still wet/heavy and has puddles in the lower areas.[/QUOTE]
Ah, ok. I will actually do much more on wet sand than on wet mud or grass. Sand won’t get torn up, “suck in”, or get slippery the way mud will. I think you’re probably fine w/t almost always, and even cantering as long as your horse isn’t slipping.
