The Winter Q&A Series gives Eventing Nation readers a forum to ask their most burning winter-training questions. Panelists Katie Murphy, Doug Payne, Denny Emerson and Jennie Brannigan will answer reader-submitted questions through March, with their answers appearing each week on the blog. Have a question for our panelists? Submit it to [email protected]. Katie Murphy — www.murphyeventing.com — is answering today’s questions. Take it away, Katie!
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Katie Murphy and her former mount "First Glance" brave the New Hampshire snow several years ago.
1. Do you have any tips for winter riding without a lit arena? How effective are headlamps for riding in the dark? Are there certain features to look for? Any other tips for riding when you do not have lights in the arena? (Submitted by EN reader Leah)
Riding without a lit arena is completely feasible; I’ve been doing it since I was 8 years old. Depending on your budget, headlights offer various strengths, settings and color options. I ride with one on the front and one on the back of my helmet for my visibility and as an alert for approaching traffic and pedestrians (when riding on the road). I prefer one with a larger face for better visibility and one with a regular light (not blue), as I don’t think the blue light is as conducive to visibility in the dark. Exercise caution your first few times wearing a headlight, as your horses may be spooky about the moving “light from above.” Another option is the moon: I have many fond memories of riding in the snow-covered fields under a bright moon. With the reflection off the snow, it is surprisingly bright and beautiful! If in doubt, you can always follow Torrance Watkins’ example. I heard she used to park cars around her ring, turn on the headlights and ride into the evening.
2. Winter is a time a lot of people use to develop young horses for the next season. Do you have any suggestions for preparing a spooky young horse for a show atmosphere? (Submitted by EN reader Britta)
The more things you can expose your young horse too, the better prepared they will be for a show atmosphere. Take this time to play with gymnastics over ground poles and jumps to keep them thinking and help them build awareness of how to use themselves through the questions. If you have a ring, keep rides new and fresh by constantly changing things: jump location, fillers beneath the fences, fold a tarp under ground poles or a jump, place a towel over a ground pole/jump, etc. Organize a time to ride with other people in the ring so they have the experience of riding in a group. If you can, vary your time of day when you ride. Activity in the barn may act as a stimulus for your youngster that can relate to the distractions and energy levels at a show. If you don’t have a ring, ride in the snow, ride on the road (changes in footing are a great preparation for cross-country tracks), ride at varying times so lighting becomes part of the question: shadows, dark surroundings beyond a lit area, etc. Do whatever you can with what you have to keep it fresh and fun. If you have the time and transportation, take your horse to new areas to hack out, school, etc. They will continue to learn, grow in confidence and build their attention span despite environmental stimuli.
3. My farrier wants my horses to go barefoot through the winter to grow more hoof. I want to keep riding through the winter — mostly dressage work — but we will be attending some gymnastic clinics and doing lots of trail rides with long, slow distances over ground that will be frozen at times. What, if any, shoeing changes do you recommend in the winter? (Submitted by EN reader Sarah)
I keep shoes on my horses throughout the winter because I like to hack out whenever possible. Most of my riding is on the dirt road (often icy in mid-winter) and snow-covered fields. My farrier adds boriums to the heels and two at the toe of the shoes for traction, and rim pads to prevent snow from compacting in the shoe. Some people prefer the pads that pop snow out after enough has packed into the shoe. Share your riding plans with your farrier and discuss how your horse will react to doing gymnastic barefoot and riding on various surfaces. If you do a lot of hacking, your horse’s hooves could get worn down and this could slow his hoof growth in the spring.
4. What are some good exercises that can be done on snowy and/or hard ground to build hind-end strength? These eventers have the luxury of going south for the winter. However, some of us are still stuck in snowy/cold areas with no indoors. How do you suggest that the cold-weather people stay competitive? (Submitted by EN reader Amy)
I am a huge fan of stifle-strengthening exercises and I do them year-round. You can do this by walking your horse over raised ground poles, and by backing them up at the walk in a straight line in-hand (active walk, not dragging the hooves). Be careful and mindful, as these are targeted exercises and can make your horse sore if you do too many repetitions. Start slow. Other strengthening exercises include walking and trotting in snow — be prepared for bounce! — and hacking up and down hills when the footing is safe. I also like to do low gymnastics, fence lines with varying distances, questions; and low wide oxers.
I have only been able to go south for the last two years — and my time was limited at first to one month, and then to two months. As a young rider, I competed through Intermediate without a ring or indoor and did not send my horse away for training. You can stay competitive by taking this time to strengthen weak areas of performance and education. This is dependent on your footing and available riding areas. Until three years ago, I did not have a riding arena or consistent footing. I relied on a neighbor’s fields, a 15m x 25m area for flat work and our slanted field for jump exercises.
In the winter, I hack out a lot and ride through snow to improve fitness for me and my horse — and it is fun! Often I have to ride in darkness after my office hours — with a headlamp and reflective gear — in the fields or on our dirt road. This is a wonderful time to further your communication with your horse. Hacking down a dirt road with icy areas builds trust and sharpens reaction time to the aids. If you have reliable footing, school on the flat and build on your level’s movements toward the next level’s expectations. Ground poles and gymnastics are a great way to sharpen your eye for distances, approaches and adjustability. You do not have to jump large fences to become a better, more effective rider. Build your core fitness as well through various exercises — I take time in the winter to strengthen my lower back— in preparation for spring.
If you need further clarification, please email me at [email protected] or call me at 603-391-6078.
