Okay folks, I finally got around to winter training with Thunder – that big chestnut stallion who usually thinks snow means vacation time. Figured I’d share exactly how it went down this morning since you asked about cold-weather routines.
Gearing Up Before Heading Out
First thing – checked the weather like a crazy person. -5°C, no wind, dry snow. Perfect. Dug out my thickest gloves and grabbed Thunder’s quarter sheet. That stubborn mule side-eyed me when I walked into the barn, like “You serious right now?”. Gave him two carrots as a peace offering while throwing the blanket over him.
The Actual Session Breakdown
Didn’t waste time once we hit the arena:
- Started with walking laps on a long rein. Let him snort at snow piles sliding off the roof – better to get the spooks out early.
- Moved to trot work after 10 minutes. Focused on keeping his rhythm steady, not speed. When he tried jogging like a stiff robot, I pushed him forward with my seat until that froze-up back loosened.
- Threw in simple transitions every 2 minutes – trot to walk, walk to halt, back up again. Made him actually listen instead of zoning out.
When Things Got Slippy
Hit an icy patch near the gate. Saw his hind legs slide a bit and immediately shifted to big circles. Small ones risk slipping, wide ones keep balance. We did figure-eights using the whole arena until he stopped tensing. Key thing? Never pulled hard on the reins. Let him find his footing – he’s got four legs, I’ve got one brain.
Wrapping It Up Right
Cut the session to 25 minutes flat. Cold muscles tire faster. Walked him until his nostrils stopped flaring steam, then peeled off the sweat-damp quarter sheet INSIDE the barn. Rubbed his legs with a dry towel, checked hooves for ice balls. Left him munching hay with a liniment wrap on his knees – old dude deserves it after putting up with my nonsense.
Why This Works For Us
Thunder’s no young prospect. Consistency’s everything. Short sessions, clear expectations, zero fancy moves. If he’s calm and forward by the end, I call it a win. Tomorrow we repeat – but maybe with more carrots.
