What To Do in the Fall/Winter

Not sure if you've noticed but the cooler temps are setting in and I'm thinking the official start of fall is going to be a chilly one this year. With that said horse show season is coming to an end in MD and shorter days and frozen ground season is upon us. So with no horse shows for at least 3-4 months, what the heck are we supposed to do besides chip the ice off our horses whiskers?

I've thought of a few fun winter horse activities to consider:

* Foxhunting -  Foxhunting is very popular in MD despite not as much talk about it. Anyone can join but it's best for new riders to go cubbing or to an open introductory hunt that some of the hunt groups provide at the beginning of the season. Below are a list of local fox hunting clubs to check out:

Potomac Hunt Club
De La Brooke Foxhounds
Goshen Hounds
Elkridge-Harford Hounds
Marlborough Hunt
New-Market Middleton Valley Hounds
Wicomico Hunt
Carrollton Hounds

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* Clinics - When horse shows aren't happening, there are sure to be some opportunities to keep your horse in shape and your riding up to par by attending a clinic or 3. You can find a list of clinics in your area either on The Equiery or other organizations like PVDA or MD Dressage or local barns just like you'd search for a horse show. There are plenty of places that have indoor rings, too, that might host jumper clinics.

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* Trail Ride -  When the foliage is lessened due to winter months it is sometimes a little easier to hit the trails. The sun shines through and you aren't constantly dodging branches. A trail ride also provides endurance for your horse and I know I get to catch up with friends since I never ride alone on a trail..

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* Dressage Boot Camp - Winter is the perfect time to really focus on your dressage work. Make a goal for you to accomplish within your dressage work for the winter months to make it more interesting and see how far you get by March! Make it more fun by tracking your progress with video/photos and give yourself and horse a reward for accomplishing your goal at the end of winter. Your reward could be a new dressage whip or more horse treats or to enter into a dressage show at a higher level you normally would ride.

* Goal Setting - Winter is a great time to assess what you want to accomplish next year. Sit down and write out some goals and then more than likely you can make a plan for what you need to do in the winter to achieve those goals. If you want to move up to Novice next season, plan on memorizing the Novice dressage test and practicing it in clinics/schooling shows. Work on grids in jumping that can still be easily set up and done in winter months. Do trot and canter sets in a field to keep endurance up. By the time spring rolls around you won't have to hurry up and get fit again!

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There are plenty of activities to keep you at the barn and your horse in shape during the winter months. Granted the ground might freeze and the temperatures can be tough but if you plan a few activities or set some goals for yourself and your horse you can still make the winter a great time to ride!