24/7 stabled to 24/7 turnout advise please

Antw23uk

Antw23uk

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So rightly or wrongly it looks like i have found a rather lovely diamond in the rough who im collecting Thursday. I did say i'd wait till spring but right horse right time and all that :D

He's at a yard where he has been a couple of weeks, his past is a bit sketchy but i believe turnout was a major part of his life. He is currently stabled 24/7 and ridden every day (hmm apparently!) When he is brought home to me he will effectively live the life of riley and be out 24/7 with access to the yard and stables. I've always had an open yard policy although its designed to close up to keep them on yard and stables in the most dire of weather, should i need to.

I feel a few months without a horse has made me a paranoid newbie ... do i just turn him out? should i introduce grazing gradually? (I've enough grass to likely not need hay this winter, lol!) I dont plan to stable but keep the open yard policy.

Advise and opinions on this would be appreciated. Advise and opinions on buying and collecting a horse in lockdown not so welcome but im sure there will be a couple who cant resist ;)

Thanks
 
I’d say it depends on your grass quality and the horse.
If they’re a sensitive sort and your grazing is rich it might be a bit risky.
If grass and horse are tough as old boots chuck out.
If not I’d be inclined to increase turnout over the space of a week or so to give you the chance to watch for any upsets and nip in the bud.
Eg if he’s out for 3 hrs day 1 and comes in with cowpats slow down if not try more the next day ?

Congrats and good luck with your new boy!
 
What are you doing with the other horses? One left in alone may find it hard to be alone in a stable watching the others. If possible, I would put in a big turn out area which has been grazed off so not great quality and next to the other horses and add in hay so can make a gradual change to just grass.
 
My only worry would be his companion(s). You really need them to get on before you allow them to come and go as they please. I got a mare at the beginning of the year and she really did upset the apple cart. She’s settled now but still traps my cob in the stable sometimes (not aggressively, but she’s claimed him as her man and he’s too gutless to argue ?). She’ll go to sleep in the doorway and he just stands there looking helpless. I do split them up overnight now so that it doesn’t happen too much.
 
We have an open yard policy it’s up to individual owners whether horses are in or out. I often have mine out for several weeks just bring in to ride, but if weather looks dire they will spend a night or two in then they go back to living out super situation cheaper and easier we do have good ground that doesn’t get chewed up and no horses chasing about so works well. Just turn out and go from there and see how you get as to what routine you have
 
Moved mine to 24/7 turnout a couple of months ago. He went from being stabled at night and out on a fairly bare individual paddock with hay during the day, not because he needed this just because of how the yard was.
I did just put him straight in with the 2 mares he now lives with. The field is old rough grass, but there was plenty.
Worked well for him.
They don’t have stables, just a large field shelter.
 
Antw23uk said:
Thanks all. Grass quality isnt wonderful thankfully and he's a RID so should be tough as old boots. I'll attempt a few days with gradual grazing and see how we go. Best get some bedding, lol!
Click to expand...

Friend has a RID that is prone to colic if given too much grass. And the grass isn't even great. Congratulations on your newbie.
 
Having a horse who colics whenever there is a change in grass I would be another who would want to introduce the grass gradually over a week or so.
 
With an RID you may want to look at some restriction. They have a tendency to be rather good doers! I would introduce slowly over a few days and make sure he has company at all times or at least can see others.

Mine have been out at least 12 hours a day since I brought them in, but even putting them onto new winter field yesterday was only for an hour and will build up over next week. Field hasn't been fertilised nor grazed, just topped since they left it end March. Even with an hour they were very full bunnies last night and fatty still had hay to munch after breakfast this morning.
 
I would fence off a smaller paddock round your stables, just in case he tanks about to begin with then see how it goes. I got a horse who had been stabled 24/7 and have the same set up as you - the stables are left open directly into their field so they use them as shelters whenever they like. He would gallop around a lot to begin with so I literally had to start with a very small (highly fenced!) paddock then make it bigger over a few months - he was a galloper and thought nothing of jumping out hence I had to fence it high. After that though, he lived out in a field 24/7 no probs.
 
I'm going through exactly this with my youngster at the moment - he's just arrived from Spain so no grass, although he wintered at my yard last year so is used to 24/7 turnout and his field buddies.

He arrived on Friday and had to stay in for two days after having a wormer on arrival. He was out for two hours on Monday, and the yard are building up the hours this week for me (I'm too busy at work currently, boo!). He's been out for much of today and will switch to overnight in the next couple of days, then out 24/7 from the weekend.
 
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