With a foot of snow dropping in Virginia, its official. Its winter, my least favorite time of year. I dont like being cold, I dont like the wind, and I hate emerging from my carefully crafted nest (Im part hamster.) I do like cute winter clothes though, so I guess there is a positive.Winter is not fun for horseback riding. Horses might need special shoes for the snow, they can get especially frisky, and they also hate the wind, Stu mentioned this one to me specifically. (by acting like a crazy horse.)With all that, it can be hard to get out to the barn to ride. If you too are struggling with getting out there, here are some things that help me.Remember Your GoalsThis one is probably the biggest. The pain is worth the gain.If I dont get out and ride Stu, hes not going to advance. Im going to keep having struggling, green horse rides. I want to actually get out and accomplish things next year (my goals are a whole different post Im working on). If I dont force myself out there, Im putting myself back on getting to my goals. Ill basically be starting at zero. Again.Think about what you have planned for the spring. Are you going to be showing? Going on trail rides? Attending a clinic with a big name trainer? Your future self will thank you for spending the winter preparing for whatever adventures youre going to have in better weather.Bundle UpYou wont worry about the weather if you cant feel it! Its true what they say, theres no bad weather, only terrible clothing choices. If they can survive on Mt Everest, you can survive going to the barn. (aside from those who dont. But I think thats more an oxygen issue than clothing choices.)Try a fleece base layer (Im in love with these shirts, I have them in multiple colors and I wear them all the time!) and put on lots of layers. The layering is important, as youre likely going to warm up once youre in the saddle Youll want to be able to remove them, or youll be suffering in another way.A piece you might forget about is your neck. Covering that will warm you up so much. Ive been very excited about wearing this piece from my friends company, Sync Equestrian. It is so warm! Im wearing it everywhere. Its an interesting design because it pulls up fully over your head, or it has a flap to just cover your lowered face. Its seriously a game changer.They sold out before, so I dont know when they will be restocked, but grab one if you can!Peer Pressure YourselfChoose a barn friend and set a reoccurring weekly date to show up at the barn. You dont want to disappoint your friend, do you?? Youd better not, they are counting on you. Get bundled up and get out there!Heck, do it with multiple barn friends for rotating days. You arent cheating on anyone, its okay to make the rounds. Set up weekly challenges for yourselves. Can you set up a little course for everyone to do? What about calling each others dressage tests? Set up some obstacles from Working Equitation or trail stuff. Maybe some bareback rides? Pretend youre 13 year old barn rats again, except now youre adult (I assume?) so you can slip a flask into your vest. Get those creative juices flowing, and aim just to have fun with no pressure. Youll be itching to get out to the barn.An alternative to this is just to stick with a weekly lesson, where an instructor guides/forces you through stuff. There will definitely be the pressure to show up, because canceling a lesson feels super awkward. But outside of lessons, I think its more fun to be creative and try something you wouldnt normally try. Or, why not both? Have creative days with your barn friends and lessons!You know, if youve got that magical unlimited time and money. Someone out there surely does.Board Somewhere with an IndoorTheres no question in any equestrians mind, its way easier to ride when theres an indoor. Shelter from all weather, all the time?! No sense of time to rush you along? Yes please!If your horses are somewhere without an indoor, see if moving them to a barn with an indoor is an option at all. This option has lots of complications, so think through it carefully. You might have to pay board at two places if you want to keep your spot, or you risk losing it entirely. If you keep them at home, you wouldnt lose your spot (Id hope) but itll be a big expense.But, for less expense but a bit more preparation, there may be barns nearby that offer trailer-in times at their indoors. This may be a way more affordable way to get access to an indoor. I see people ask on Facebook for indoor arena recommendations so its not unusual at all. Join some local Facebook horse groups and spread the word youre looking for an indoor.Give Yourself a BreakPony has no issue with taking the winter off, and encourages any and all time off.Going against everything on this list, theres nothing that says you cant take the winter off. You dont have to ride if you dont want to. If you dont find it fun, then dont do it, and feel no guilt about it.There are many big trainers that are known to just pull their horses shoes and let them relax for the winter. They just pick up training again in the spring, no big deal.Horses also benefit from a bit of a vacation. A horse thats in work constantly might love just relaxing for a bit.Dont feel bad about it. Horses dont care if they are worked out or not. Only humans care. As long as the horses are still getting exercise from turn out, they are happy just being horses.Of course, you might be missing out on some incredible winter rides and experiences, but you might also miss being part of the next Horse Whisperer movie (you know the scene), so really, youre doing yourself a favor.The weather will change soon enough, and youll be back in the saddle.The post Motivating Yourself to Ride in the Winter appeared first on An Equestrian Life.