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Hi Vanessa - as your neighbor only slightly north of you, and having
horses in the back yard since '92 (Fjords only for 4 years), our riding
schedule goes pretty much like this.
Starting in March, you remind the horse who is working for whom,
since the past 3 months of non activity might have clouded his memory. I
start with some ground work - I have tried clicker training, Parelli,
Lyons etc, maybe some lunging, walks in hand down our long driveway. Some
ground driving with the youngest horse. On a nice day if the ground is
unfrozen, I might get on in the ring or walk down the drive and through
the woods. Shoes go on soon. April brings real riding and except for the
mud is one of the nicest months to ride in Connecticut. Towards the end
of the month we start trailering to parks to ride. May is a very nice
month and we are in full swing, as is the first part of June. Towards the
end of June the deerflies come out and we have yet to figure out a
comfortable way to ride with them. Some places, like the shore at Bluff
Point, are better than others.
July - deerflies, August - deerflies until middle of the month,
so we start trailering seriously again. I've done a Judged Pleasure Rides
in both June and August. Beware of yellow jackets in the ground. Plan to
see of course the Fjord show the 3rd weekend. September is a lovely month
as you can imagine, but the first part of the month you must be en garde
against yellow jacket nests. October is grand, but wear your orange vests
for the hunters and best to stay out of some places except on Sundays.
November we usually get a few rides in, with the trailer being cleaned
and packed away mid month. Shoes are pulled near the end of the month,
and nothing much is done Jan and Feb, except on a nice day I love to
brush them while they stand around.
Most of my horsey friend follow this schedule, but one gal rides
all winter. She has had her horse slip, though, a couple of times with
her and I am too worried about the ice to ride in it.
Have fun!
Valerie
Columbia, CT
