accidents in muddy fields

[margiegran]

was just wondering if its better to keep your horse in when the fields are very muddy, Iv read on facebook of horses slipping and breaking legs. This is only the second winter Iv had with my horse, she's my first horse so Im not that experienced but I am sensible. Some of the other liveries are keeping their horses in. p.s Im a 59yr old woman, and love any help and advice.

 

[McW]

I tend to reduce the time out when ground is bad, less chance of boredom and starting to run about.

 

[Izzwizz]

Personally I like to put them out whatever the weather for a little while at least. Less chance of them running about stupidly and having an accident through excitement and freshness.

 

[amandaco2]

More likely to slip after galloping about due to lack of turnout imho. If they are out daily they are less likely in general to run about

 

[Elvis]

That depends on a few things- how muddy is the field? And how does your horse behave in the field? Does your horse mind being in or prefer being out?

Unfortunately the fields won't get any better anytime soon, and you can't keep your horse in for the rest of winter. By keeping your horse in for a few days it might mean that when they finally get turned out they really let rip. I'd weigh up the situation dependant on the answers to the above questions.

My horse is turned out everyday regardless of the weather (except snow) at least for a few hours, but he's only in a field with one other horse and the field is quite flat.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We do keep ours in when the weather is atrocious because we are so exposed but tbh if we kept them in when the ground was wet and muddy and slippery, they'd probably be in from the end of September to the end of May.
Yes they could have an accident in the field but I'd rather they spent their last day enjoying themselves and behaving like horses, if that's what's going to happen than have been bored rigid for months, developing all sorts of bad habits cooped up in their stables and still manage to do themselves some sort of damage, making their own entertainment.
We have 2 youngsters who do like to play, especially if they've been in for longer than just overnight but we make sure that they have plenty available to eat in the field, which at least reduces the madness during the first hour or so out. The older ones tend to wander around glaring when they catch sight of us, so probably aren't as much at risk.
Over the years, I have learned that anything can happen at any time and that we can't wrap them in cotton wool (or if we do they will choke on it or something). So we just carry on as normal, cross our fingers and hope for the best.

 

[margiegran]

thank you for your kind and helpful answers, and I agree keeping her in would drive her crazy and she is very good in the field she's not one for galloping around like a lunatic. you all have helped me decide to put her out a couple of hours.xx

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Depends if she bombs round or not. Mine just mooches round when I turn put or call him in. I'm in more danger of falling over than him!

 

[noodle_]

as others have said - depends on field and horse!

im in a loose loose situ...mine hates mud, but keep her in she goes mad....so she goes out for a couple of hours now and comes into a big net...be better when she has company though :/

 

[Donnie Darco]

I'm in more danger of falling over than him!

Yeah - don't do that again!!

 

[KidnapMoss]

We kept husbands horse in most of Monday (we were one of the worst hit areas for rain and floods) and by Tuesday when we turned him and our little livery out to join my native three who had toughed it out he was SO fresh and had a hoon for five minutes which I had to watch with my hands over my eyes. Yet today he just got let off and mooches around (he's in at night) so as a few replies above I would rather them go out for a bit whatever the weather / field conditions than risk an accident after days and days in. Even on Monday he was out for 2 hours before he demanded he should come in! We are lucky having about 20 acres in all for our 4 but it still gets very wet even if not muddy. But would still rather he went out

 

[Daytona]

Our yard keeps in if high winds or very wet

Last year 4 geldings were charging in the high winds , crashed into each other. 1 was killed instantly with a broken neck, another got spinal damage.

2 were ok. (Mine was one of the lucky ones)

So now they take no chances at all. Thanks god.

 

[cptrayes]

Our yard keeps in if high winds or very wet

Last year 4 geldings were charging in the high winds , crashed into each other. 1 was killed instantly with a broken neck, another got spinal damage.

2 were ok. (Mine was one of the lucky ones)

So now they take no chances at all. Thanks god.

Surely this is an accident that could have happened at any time? My two geldings go mad every now and then, gallop themselves into a sweat and then stand with their sides heaving. It's got nothing to do with the wind in their case.

The last horse I heard of which died in the field was found with a broken neck in a flat dry field on a calm day. The owners think he had just tripped. Accidents happen unfortunately, we shouldn't wrap them in cotton wool, they will only find a different way to hurt themselves. I knew a horse that broke its pelvis in the stable overnight.

 

[maxapple]

My horse broke his leg in the field on a perfectly quiet, mud free day. No idea how as he was just found there a few hours after being turned out.

My two now live out and on the whole are pretty calm. There's 5 in total in a 20 acre field - whenever I'm there they just mooch about but there are lots of hoof marks / skid marks so they are obviously having a hooley around at some point in the day or night!

 

[WelshD]

I remember someone (i assume you) posting about that Daytona, what happened with the injured one - did he recover?

I cant blame a yard for imposing a rule following that, yes it could happen on a calm day but then it would be seen as a complete accident, if i was the YO i would feel hard pressed to explain things if there was another accident during high winds

I wont turn my ponies out in the field that is muddy with short grass as its so slidey, i try not to even lead them over the mud preferring to get them to follow me so we can all use our own natural balance! I will turn out on the field i have with long grass though even though it has much less shelter i see it as a lesser risk

 

[*hic*]

Mine will be staying a bit longer today as it is so very wet atm, then it'll be a judgement call as to whether I chuck them out in the sandpit and yard or let them take themselves up the track and into the field. The track is the problem part, it's getting worse and worse.

I did have one suffer potentially terminal injuries in a fall in the field. It was a wonderful sunny summer day with perfect ground conditions.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Mine goes out everyday and I'm usually quite keen for him to stay out for as long as possible. However when the weather is really bad we've turned out at least half a day but the boys are happy to come in by lunchtime. Although there is a risk at anytime the risk of injury in my experience seems to be higher in bad weather and when there is less grass to keep them occupied. My boy starts hooning around if he finds the fields too sparse and the hay runs out despite being a bit of an 18yr old fatty.

 

[s4sugar]

Accidents happen.
A friend lost her homebred 7yo after a freak accident in his stable last month.
Had he been out he probably wouldn't have smashed his foot but who knows?

 

[Daytona]

Absolutely could of happened on a calm day but it never it happened on a windy day and as someone said YO now must feel pressure for it not to happen again, it's not only about the horses in high winds but she has a obligation to keep her staff and leading large comp horses in gales in and out if fields can be risky so she takes a call and says no, today they stay in if it's high winds.

The horse that got spinal damage he recovered enough to travel back to England to the owners parents, the vets were unsure if he could every be ridden again, they were going to give it a few months and if he could not be ridden he would be PTS, I'm not sure what happened to him as he left the yard, did not look promising though.

Same at our yard if they are charging about excessively the grooms go and bring them in , again it's about not wanting them hurt. I agree though accident happen and all we can do is reduce the risk the best we can. That's what our YO try's to do. This keeps us all happy. I cringe when I see horses galloping around the field, it's like watching your pounds notes charge around , I just think noooooo vet bills :-( please no.

 

[Cortez]

Interesting. When I used to own a lot of horses (broodmares, youngstock & young horses in work) they mostly lived out. If we saw them running about the fields we cut the feed (or worked the riding horses more). Always a chance they'll hurt themselves if they are running around like eejits no matter what the ground is like. If you're worried perhaps you could work him/her before turnout?

 

[Auslander]

I cringe when I see horses galloping around the field, it's like watching your pounds notes charge around , I just think noooooo vet bills :-( please no.

I think that's a really sad thing to read. I understand the risks, but still choose to allow my horses to play in the field. I love watching them enjoying themselves - even though I do cringe a bit when they are really silly. Everyone needs to let off steam occasionally, and a charge round the field is how horses do it. I don't see £ signs, I see happy horses...

 

[DragonSlayer]

Mine live out 24/7 and we only have 1 stable for emergencies....

I hate them being in anyway and in all the years we've had them and all the horses we've had.....no issues. They are horses, they will run around.....they have fun....it's just one of those things....

 

[Tiddlypom]

They are horses, they will run around.....they have fun....it's just one of those things....

Mine live out too, and will still have a mad 10 minutes at some point most days. They are just being horses. They would probably be even worse if they were on restricted turnout.

The other day I went out to bring them in for their evening feed after dark. I heard teenagers shrieking outside on the lane, and saw that the mare and filly were quite excited. When I went to catch the HW maxicob, I realised that all the 'shrieks' were him squealing with excitement! No idea why, he was just full of the joys!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Ours have gone out this morning, it is a beautiful day here but of course the ground is still wet. Next door have put a new pony in their field, on its own, they've moved their other horses out of the way. Should we have kept ours in, in case they run around? However long could that have been? They would have run around whenever they first saw the new horse. They have to be allowed to be horses.

As for seeing pound-notes charging around .......I'm appalled! When I cringe, I'm worried about the horses, not my bank balance!

 

[cptrayes]

I think it's a sad day we have reached if horses are not allowed to be horses because yard owners are scared of being sued and horse owners are afraid of vet bills

Having said that, thirty five years ago I did it myself, out of sheer inexperience. So I do understand why. But my pet hate at the moment is postage stamp individual turnout, depriving the horse of both movement and social interaction. I once refused to sell a horse to some people who were going to keep her that way.

 

[MileAMinute]

Have to admit, I enjoy watching my horse charge around the field - it's lovely to watch him stretching his legs and feeling happy. I certainly don't think of vet bills (or is it just a case of ignorance is bliss?!).

As for stable vs turnout, I'd vote for turnout every time. Accidents easily happen in the stable too.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I once refused to sell a horse to some people who were going to keep her that way.

Me too.

Its a long tedious life locked in a stable. I'd rather mine had a shorter life, enjoyed to the full.

I have occasionally had to balance turnout with safety though. We're on clay this year and its like a skating rink in certain conditions but then 4 legs manage better than two.
I was struggling to stay upright in the field when the horses spotted me and galloped flat out to the gate. It took me another 5 minutes of slipping and sliding to meet up with them.

 

[be positive]

I think that's a really sad thing to read. I understand the risks, but still choose to allow my horses to play in the field. I love watching them enjoying themselves - even though I do cringe a bit when they are really silly. Everyone needs to let off steam occasionally, and a charge round the field is how horses do it. I don't see £ signs, I see happy horses...

Horses being horses, mine were really charging around this morning they are fine and settled now in the sunshine, the field is another matter, huge divots and skid marks but it will recover.

 

[Holly Hocks]

The field mine are in is swamp like at the moment. The option is to ride and not turn out. The TB would eventually explode and injure me if I kept her in all the time - I'm afraid that I would rather risk her being injured in the field than me being injured because she has exploded with me on board. I am limiting their time out and some days they are only out for an hour, but it's enough just to stop her losing the plot. Accidents can happen any time and in any conditions. You can't wrap them in cotton wool just in case they happen to slip in the mud.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Personally I like to put them out whatever the weather for a little while at least. Less chance of them running about stupidly and having an accident through excitement and freshness.

My thoughts exactly.