What to Do-And Why You Should Do It-When You Can't Ride
Pulling out my own teeth. Walking 10 miles on my hands and knees. Drawing in my eyebrows with a sharpie. A few examples of what I would do if I could skip winter. If you, like me, rely on an outdoor surface to ride, bad footing can ruin your day, week, month, even season. So rather than going slowly insane as day after day goes by without riding, let’s consider how we can combat the negative emotional, mental, and physical setbacks when riding isn’t possible.
Read or listen! Read books or magazines and study up. Riding is at once a sport, academic endeavor, and an art, and no one who is any good at any of those pursuits did so without studying. Reading content from professionals always helps remind me of what I can start working on when I’m back in the saddle. Here’s a list of my favorite horse-related books, but be sure to explore podcasts and articles too!
Watch videos from professionals and tape of excellent riders. There is an incredible amount to be learned by watching really good riders. As you’re watching, try to analyze everything. What are they doing with their hands, legs, seat? What aids are they using and when? How is their horse responding? Another good idea is to watch videos of yourself. This will give you an appreciation for how you’ve improved and a jumping-off point for goals to set. Here are some inspirational videos to keep you motivated when all you can do is feed or pet your horse before your eyeballs freeze.
Get your horse out of that pen, even if you get your boots sucked off by the mud (shoutout to my girl Kate who legit got stuck yesterday and thought she’d die in the pasture)! Spending time with your horse in any capacity is beneficial for both him and you. Groom him, go for a walk, or do groundwork, and you’ll go away from the barn a happier person. Check out this article about how horses help manage moods if you need proof!
Another shameless plug for cleaning tack! I made a resolution to clean my own tack and talked about cleaning tack in a previous post, but it really is one of my favorite ways to feel productive when I can’t actually work my horse. There’s something therapeutic about putting on a good movie (Harry Potter, for me) and really deep cleaning my bridle, saddle, boots or girth. It also gives me time to look over my equipment and make adjustments, replacements, or repairs if needed.
Work on your fitness in another way! Hit the gym, go for a run, or try one of these links for keeping up on your fitness:
Watch a clinician or instructor. Find a clinic in your area to go audit or ask a trainer if you can audit some lessons. I was able to watch my trainer in a dressage clinic recently and was blown away by how much I learned, and how much I was able to apply to my own riding. What started as a disappointing day because of crappy footing turned into a great way to further my education.
There are numerous ways to get a “horse fix” in the winter and I know I didn’t write them all, so help me out by sharing your ideas in the comments!