11/25/2024
Morning everyone!
I understand that we are having unnaturally beautiful weather for the end of November here in upstate New York. But please keep in mind that just because the sun is shining, doesnât mean that we are able to ride. Please bare with me as Iâve had to explain this to a few folks and wanted to just make a general announcementâŚ. (Sorry, itâs kind of long)
Our farm is on a hill but seems to be a giant magnet for all things wind, mud and wet đ This time of year is extremely hard to ride in because the ground is not frozen yet but itâs also not getting warm enough to dry out between rain/snow storms. The old saying âhealthy as a horseâ seems to be a massive joke since in this weather horses can get abscesses, thrush/fungal infections, pulled muscles or strained tendons and so SO much more. Without an indoor arena or professional level footing in our riding spaces(itâs the dream someday but we are just a small hobby level farm at the moment and those things are scary expensive đŹ) the horses simply canât work in standing water/mud and when they do, they are generally miserable and uncooperative. Imagine trying to run across a underwater sand dune in rain boots. Itâs exhausting, makes your body hurt and in general frustrating on every level. Someday I hope to afford all the nice things for my farm and my students but for now, we work with what we have đ¤ˇââď¸
Personally, I am not willing to risk the safety or health of my horses if the conditions are not at least somewhat ideal. I understand that sounds selfish but on our farm, the animals will always come first and foremost even if it means losing out on a sale. If my horses are not on their game, then my students are at risk of getting hurt as well. Vet bills are expensive and physical/mental healing is time consuming. Not to mention that all that moisture and mud during these times takes a large toll on our lesson equipment forcing us to replace/repair more often which means lesson pricing is not able to stay as affordable. I already had to raise prices last year due to the ridiculous hikes in feed costs and I hated every minute of it đŠđ
I leave lessons open year round because there will ALWAYS be weather in every season we can ride in. But thereâs also weather in every season that itâs simply not worth the risk(extreme heat/humidity, standing water/mud, solid sheets of ice, sleet, etcâŚ) I know this is all very frustrating to navigate around but both horse and rider safety is a priority here, no exceptions. An uncomfortable or injured horse will react in unpredictable ways and it is not worth someone getting hurt over a lesson.
I accommodate every possible way that I am able but Iâm not willing to take chances with safety. Please understand this. If youâve made it this far, thank you. Donât hesistate to reach out if you ever have any questions or concerns regarding riding, scheduling or anything else.
