5 Ways to Help You Make the Best of Your Indoor Riding this Winter
Presented in Partnership with Hylofit
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Riding indoors, in the cold, most likely at night, is not exactly an average rider’s cup of tea.
But alas, it’s the hand many riders are dealt during the dark and dreary winter (unless of course you’re lucky enough to head south for the cold weather).
There’s a lot to be grateful for if you have a covered or indoor arena to ride in. Think of your compatriots slaving away riding outdoors in the snow! — but with that list of benefits comes a corresponding list of things you’d rather not deal with. Horses seem spookier in the indoor, the footing can be harder in the cold, and let’s face it: It’s cold!
Even in the face of the long months ahead, we’re here to help you stay positive.
Winter is all about setting goals and putting the pieces in place to achieve them. Without further ado. here are 5 tried and true ways to beat those indoor blues for good.
1. Set Your Goals Early
Whether or not you’re a New Year’s resolution type of rider, it’s still a good idea to jot down some goals for the upcoming season. Even if you aren’t a hardcore competitor, many riders are progress-driven, motivated to keep chipping away in the pursuit of improvement. Even if you failed on your going-to-the-gym-at-6-am-daily resolution or if you just can’t seem to put down the cookies, there’s still plenty of time left in the winter to make some realistic and achievable goals.
The wise Sinead Halpin once wrote that “bite-sized goals” are the bread and butter for any rider.
Bite sized goals can be minuscule, seemingly insignificant; perhaps you’d like your horse’s left-lead canter to improve, or maybe you just want to jump an oxer for the first time.
No matter what “size” your goals are, they’re never too small, and setting these smaller goals can be much more attainable — and motivating — than setting grandiose, lofty goals that you may have a hard time realistically achieving.
Of course, it’s still important to reach for your big goals — but take the time to work backwards and set smaller milestones that will help put you and your horse on the right path.
2. Change Up Your Routine
If riding in the indoor after work does a lot more to demotivate you than it does inspire you, you’re not alone. But, riding in the indoor doesn’t have to mean endless trips around the rail or boring circles at each end. Try changing up your rides from time to time; this helps keep your horse engaged and more in tune with you.
- Incorporating ground poles or cavalletti is a great way to strengthen your horse without a ton of impact.
- Try learning some groundwork and practicing with your horse.
- Do some lunge line lessons to get your seat fine tuned.
- Drop your stirrups to change-up your ride
- Make up a pas de deux to your favorite song with a barn friend.
All of these activities are ways to keep things interesting indoors, and they also go a long way to help keep your horse’s attention on you.
3. Monitor Your Horse
Monitoring his heart rate is a great way to “check in” on your horse’s well-being as the work gets less varied. Perhaps your horse is spooking in the same corner during every ride — but a check of his heart rate using technology like Hylofit reveals that his heart rate stays normal even during the spooks. This indicates that your horse might be “faking it” and simply needs some more engagement to keep his mind occupied and his spooks to a minimum.
Or, perhaps you notice that his heart rate recovery is a bit higher than normal. This could indicate some underlying issues such as pain, tension, or stress. Keeping a close tab on your horse’s vitals during the winter season can help you find ways to set him up for success as the new season draws closer.
Ready to try Hylofit? Shop here.
4. Practice for Your Next Outing
Winter is a great season to participate in some educational opportunities. Do a quick browse through the calendar on STRIDER™ and find a clinician that piques your interest, or set your sights on an upcoming schooling show.Â
As you get ready to achieve your winter goal of lesson-ing with your favorite clinician or moving up a level at your next show- keep those in mind!
Yes, your outings may be learning opportunities and need not be perfect, but you can still do a lot to prepare. So use that time in the indoor to do just that!Â
5. Ramp It Up Smart For Spring Competitons
You have to get ready for spring season. So ramp your horse’s fitness up with some long, slow trots in your indoor (using a heart rate monitor such as Hylofit also helps to monitor this part of your training), and set up some exercises similar to what you think you might see away from your “home” barn.
Remember: a horse should be fit enough to do its job. Be careful not to pull a  horse out of vacation to go straight into an intense lesson. A clinic or horse show including travel can be tough work.
With any luck, the winter will pass quickly and soon enough we’ll all be enjoying the outdoors (and the extended daylight!) once more. But in the meantime, there is plenty you can do to stave off the winter boredom blues and use this time as preparation for the upcoming season. So bundle up, chin up, and just keep kicking — we believe in you!
About Hylofit: The Hylofit System is a heart rate monitor for horse and rider that provides real-time feedback and post-ride insights for both athletes. With wireless hardware and an intuitive app and web platform, Hylofit provides insights into the emotional and physical state of your horse. For more information, head to www.hylofit.com
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