Of bad weather and no covered arenas - FOUND ONE!!!!

[Avola]

The weather has been stormy with no end in sight, which is pretty typical for this area this time of year. My place is lovely but it's hilly and the "flat spot" is WAY too small for any riding, good for lunging but little else. The beach is fantastic but not during storms (or during high tide, or on really windy days). We border the national forest but hunting season is in full swing and we can hear gunshots going off on a daily basis, which means no riding in the woods through December, as I don't need some idiot mistaking my horse for an elk or a deer. Plus, it's storming. The rain comes down in buckets and sideways during the numerous daily downpours. I'm not necessarily a fair weather rider only but I object to getting soaked to the bone and so do my horses.
So I've been looking at trailering out to a place with a covered arena. When we lived in California I had three places within a 25 miles radius that I could use, for a fee of course. I realize this is not exactly what I would call a thriving horse oriented community, but I'm having NO luck at all finding somewhere to go. There are a couple of boarding barns around here and I contacted both but one is a no trailering in at all (pretty rude about it too), and the other is available for rentals if you are organizing a clinic and that's it. As far as I know, those are the only two "options". I even thought about boarding a horse for the winter in one of the places, which is far from the ideal situation but what the heck, but, alas, they are full and not accepting new boarders.
I "could" go to Eugene, maybe, but that's almost two hours away in the car so I'm thinking longer than that each way pulling the trailer, which makes it for a heck of a haul for a 45/60 minutes ride once or twice per week.
Meanwhile my horses are not getting ridden and I am getting more and more frustrated by the day. Last year I was still working ridiculously long hours each day so I knew I couldn't really ride but it was different, if somewhat equally frustrating. Are any of you not riding during the stormy months? How do you manage?

UPDATE......I popped in at the place where I was told the covered arena rentals are only for clinics, met the owner and...well...begged. And...She is going to let me haul in twice per week, as long as it is in the early morning, as long as it is not on the weekends or on Mondays, and for a ridiculously low haul in fee to boot (shocking, really, it's practically free). I cannot use ANY of the tack up areas (but if it's pouring rain well...ok...I can), I cannot use the wash racks (don't care), I have to park in the one spot she indicated, get in, ride, pay, get out. If a boarder wants to use the arena, I am to use one corner only or stop riding and come back at another time.
I'm an early riser, I prefer to do my riding in the morning, I'm officially retired so it makes no difference which days of the week I can or cannot use and the arena is old and bit dark but HUGE ("one corner" is bigger than a number of "regular" covered arenas) and with decent footing. And completely, utterly, empty in the mornings on Wednesdays and Fridays, which, unless something changes, are now "my" days. YAY!!!!

[gypsy still flies]

I gave Rustle last winter off for being saddle sore long before the never ending snow storms. I did clicker training with him. I also did lots of hand walking around the farm. If we have another winter from hell, I'm going to teach him to ground drive.

[exploding pony]

I think the only way someone is going to let you haul in is if you are in a training program. From their point of view, why would they? Ring fees are minor and that's one more person causing chaos in an already crowded covered/indoor arena. My BO won't even let folks who normally haul in for lessons haul in when the outdoor arenas are closed.

Probably your only option is to board them for the worst of the winter months.

[Avola]

Well....I would consider a training program, I really would, but I have no interest in running barrels or doing other rodeo-type stuff and I think I'm one of the three or four people who doesn't ride in a big saddle with a big horn around here so that's out.
And the boarding barns are full.
But I'm liking the idea of doing ground driving to keep myself and the beasties occupied.

[Tuffytown]

Interesting. There's 3 or 4 arenas within a 3-4 mile radius of mine and we all allow haul ins. I do understand that the minimal income doesn't really offset the impacts.

[Code3]

I wish you were closer! I'm very lucky in that I have my all weather outdoor, and I'm a 15 minute haul to my trainer's place with her covered arena. I do lose some riding time, but surprisingly little. In your situation I would ground drive and play games. Teach them horse agility.

Let's hope the storms pass by next Sunday!

[Avola]

Yes, let's hope it passes!

[mld02004]

I think the only way someone is going to let you haul in is if you are in a training program. From their point of view, why would they? Ring fees are minor and that's one more person causing chaos in an already crowded covered/indoor arena. My BO won't even let folks who normally haul in for lessons haul in when the outdoor arenas are closed.

Probably your only option is to board them for the worst of the winter months.

Maybe it's a regional thing but here in New England it's pretty easy to find indoors for haul-ins. I've been at two places within a 15 minute drive that allow me to haul in without lessons or training. But maybe we have lots more indoors due to winter weather?

[exploding pony]

Maybe it is a regional thing.

Here in CA land is so expensive, boarding facilities are pretty densely populated!

[Avola]

Maybe it is a regional thing.

Here in CA land is so expensive, boarding facilities are pretty densely populated!

You are in the East Bay though, right? I used to be in Sonoma County and, even though all boarding barns were at or close to capacity, I had no issue finding a place to haul in. Perhaps because they knew me and I'm very low maintenance?

[Woost2]

Any fairgrounds around?

[Avola]

Any fairgrounds around?

That is a thought! Where I lived before you couldn't use the fairgrounds but perhaps it's different here. The fairgrounds aren't exactly around the corner but definitely close enough for a weekly trip. I'll check it out. Thanks!

[Fatcat]

I'm fortunate to have an all weather arena, but before that I would trail ride in the winter on graveled logging roads, or local parks. I also trailered to the nearby county fairgrounds, or the University's Horse Center. Do you have a nearby fairground arena? If not, I would spend the rest of November and December doing some longeing and ground work and when hunting season ends spend the winter trail riding.

Oops, I see someone else hit on the fairground idea...

[Artemis]

My barn borders on private timber land (this is in Oregon). There are hunters. Let me tell you, there are many different permits and seasons for hunting. There are bow hunters, hunters who are disabled with special permits, etc. I gave up trying to figure out when any particular season starts. The scariest of all are the hunters who break the law and hunt whenever they feel like it.

I do have a covered arena, but we (all us boarders) ride in the woods all year.
I wear orange (you cannot have enough orange) and my horse wears a loud jingly bear bell. I still get scared if the gunfire is close. And it's best to ride with a buddy - I figure my banter might tip off a hunter that my horse isn't a moose. Or something.

[kande50]

Winter shoes or boots are always an option too, although that won't help with the hunters.

We're fortunate here in MA, because there's no hunting on Sundays, and here in western ma there are way fewer hunters than there used to be.

[Sue B]

Make friends with cutting horse people. Their covered arenas are usually small, but better than not riding at all. I don't have anyone near me who rides dressage but I have plenty of western riding friends who will let me come in out of the weather if I want to; usually a small fee is involved to help defray expenses.

As far as riding out, you can cover yourself and pony with blaze orange pretty easily. Riding while others may be shooting, and learning to keep calm, is great for horse showing nerves both for you and your horse. When my arena becomes unrideable, I usually wind up riding the dirt roads around my house to keep pony and myself in shape. As I write this, it is very grey outside, 35 F with a 15mph breeze...I don't feel like riding and probably won't. lol

[Avola]

Here's the thing: bow hunters don't scare me nearly as much as rifle hunters and no, this has nothing to do with gun phobia. Only, bow hunters HAVE to get close so they absolutely will recognize the difference between a horse and and elk (some of them, including my farrier, even hunt on a horse so they can get as close as possible) while the great majority of rifle hunters shoot if something moves and think later, not to mention the danger of stray bullets flying around.
So, even though there are different hunting seasons at different times, November and December are out for me in my neck of the woods because it's rifle season first for deer, then for elk, then both deer and elk (don't ask which week is for what because I have no clue).
I do have a blazing orange quartersheet which is a total eyesore but does the job. And the jingle bell is a great idea and one I'll most probably follow up on. But I don't trust anything during rifle season. Nothing.

[Woost2]

Apropos of nothing, Wisconsin legislature has voted on blaze PINK as official hunting color. Along with orange The idiots seem to believe more women will hunt if there is more pink. *headdesk*

[piedmontfields]

Avola, you are smart to be extra cautious during rifle season. I do think it is worth knowing what season is on at what time/place, as it gives you info about likely behaviors (and who is not following the rules). Look for the wildlife resources commission website in your state---it will have all of the seasons. In general, deer/elks hunters are most active early in the AM and late in the afternoon, so high noon is a better time to be out riding.

I don't know if you have a day off from hunting in your state? In NC, there is no hunting on Sundays for example. Other states/areas have specific rules for specific days. National Forests tend to have the least restrictions, but sometimes wildlife areas permit some trail riding. You might also look for dog field trial grounds (and see if riding is permitted when they are not having an event).

At least you have a beach nearby! I would die for that.

[Kelo]

Apropos of nothing, Wisconsin legislature has voted on blaze PINK as official hunting color. Along with orange The idiots seem to believe more women will hunt if there is more pink. *headdesk*

Wut? That is so silly!

They're predicting lots of precip this winter, so I'm gonna be in the same boat. I have an indoor I can haul to, but it'll cost me, so I have to juggle need vs. cost.

I like to work on clicker tricks when I can't ride. Gives both of us something to do in a small space, and my horse is never opposed to eating a pocket full of alfalfa pellets.

[Avola]

Happy update first post.....

[Kyra's Mom]

Hip, hip hooray.

I noticed a barn not too far from my barn threw up a Coverall arena. Now, mind you, we have an indoor where I board but between the icky footing and dust, I am not too inclined to ride in there if I can help it. My trimmer said they allowed haul ins so I am going to have to go scope it out.

Happy riding

Susan

[Saddlebum]

Ohhh, happy for you! That's AWESOME!