Summer Riding

Summer time can be one of the best times of the year to hang out at the barn - it can also be the hottest. Here are some simple solutions to those hot weather complaints that you may say or hear from other horse owners.

There are too many flies and insects.

The most obvious answer to this would be to break out the fly spray and spray your horse all over. There are so many different types of fly sprays out there. You have to test different kinds to see what works best for your budget and your horse. There will always be those bugs that never seem to leave no matter what you use to prevent them.

If you do decide to ride when there are a lot of insects out, you can put a fly mask over his bridle. This will help him to focus on his job rather than shake his head around to avoid the bugs.
You can also try and ride at times when the bugs are less active such as the early morning or evening. Flies are out more during the day whereas mosquitoes come out at night time.

There are several preventatives you can take to help keep your barn and pastures fly-free. Try and remove as much manure, standing water and other waste materials from around the barn and pastures as possible. You can also set up fly traps around the barn to help collect those pesky bugs.

There is so many other people and kids at the barn.

If you board your horse at another farm you have probably noticed that there has been a jump in the population at the barn during the day. Since school has been let out and the other boarders might be off of work or preparing for show season, the barn might seem packed and busy. Now all of a sudden the riding ring is packed and you seem to be waiting in line to even hose off your horse.

One good thing about avoiding flies and heat is also avoiding crowds. If you can try and get to the barn early, there you may find peace and quiet and no lines. Most people don't want to get up early on their summer vacation or their days off. Some people also don't find it easy to get a ride in before work either. So if you can manage to crawl out of bed early enough, then do it. If not, wait until later in the evening when the crowd seems to die down.

If your barn is home to summer camps, then this will add a whole new light on barn traffic. Talk to the barn manager to see what times and days the summer camps are. Ask what areas are reserved for the summer campers and if there will be a ring available for the boarders to ride in while the summer camp is in session.

If you are free during the summer, you might even be able to help out with the summer camp in exchange for money off of your board or a riding lesson or two. Even if you can't help every day of the summer camp, there still may be need for an extra set of hands.

It's way too hot to ride.

Every single day of summer, you will hear someone say "it's too hot to ride" or "it's not hot, it's just humid". You have to remember that humidity can be more dangerous than the heat. Humidity can compromise both you and your horse's ability to regulate our internal temperatures. Watch the weather and see what the temperature is going to be as well as what the temperature is going to feel like with the humidity.

You can still get rides in when it's hot; just wait for the sun to go down. Once the sun is down, the temperature goes down too making the temperature more tolerable and less humid. See if you can get a group of friends together and go for a trail ride. Even if you can't ride in the arena, you can always take your horse for a ride through the woods. It is always a big cooler in the shade.

If you have a lake, a pond or a stream near your barn, take you and your friends for a swim on horseback. Your horse may find that splashing around in the water feels cool and refreshing.

If you can't seem to find a good time to go to the barn when it's not crowded, sometimes the best option is to join in. If your barn seems to be overflowing with people, you can probably find a riding partner to ride with. Knowing that you have some friends at the barn waiting for you might give you some motivation to go ride.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1352027/summer-riding.htm

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