Annoyed with other liveries!

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littlen

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Sorry for the winge!

My boy has been stuck in for the past 3 days because its snowing and the other liveries on my yard (4 of them) dont want to turn their horses out in snow because its too cold.
Now i understand that its their horse and their choice, but what on earth is so scary about turning a horse out in the snow for a couple of hours!! They all have heavyweight turnouts so I don't see the problem
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My horse used to be terrified of the stable and is a weaver and box walker and being stuck in 24/7 for days on end is not doing him any good at all. The fields are abit boggy but are not icey and the YO has said its our decision whether to turn out or not. I mean if he cant go out now then he is going to be in 90% of winter by the looks of it as it can only get worse!

I guess im just winging cause I hate seeing my horse stuck in for no reason, but then again I cant turn him out alone because he would go mad!

Would you all be having words with the others about it or just accept it as their decision?
 
I'd try again to make your argument. There's a post on here from yesterday showing a fabulous pic of 2 horses that have just been turned out in the snow having a whale of a time - the older cob isn't even rugged. What about asking if you could "borrow" one for just an hour and offer to take a photo of the pair of them - yours and hers - fooling about and kicking up their heels in the snow?
 
It is up to the owner to do what they think is the best for their horse, you cant really have a moan at them because it doesnt suit you. I have the same situation at my yard, there are only 2 of us and the other livery has several horses. My boy will not stay anywhere on his own, in or out so I have to do what she does. I have to say though, that in the main, we have the same ideas so if they are in it is for good reason and the huge bonus is that he is treated as one of their own. If they are at the yard without me he is never left in or out alone and I am never left worrying about him hurting himself. I would think your only option would be to move to a larger yard where there is more chance that some will turn out whatever the weather and you will have either option. Are they not turning out because of the cold or because they are worried the horses will get hurt on icy/rutty/frozen ground?
 
At the end of the day its their decision if they turn out or not. If they chose not to then theres not a lot you can do about it. Its not their fault your horse wont go out on its own.
I know how frustrating it is as my mare wont stay out on her own. Luckily there is usually something else out but I still have to make sure im there to fetch her in before everything else.
 
They arnt turning out as they say its too cold and theres no grass for them to eat anyway so its pointless. One is also worried about them slipping over etc.
I dont want them out for hours on end just maybe an hour or 2 a day would be sufficient.
They dont tend to run around like hooligans anyway since they are all pretty sensible except at coming in time, but after 3 days of being stuck in my boy is weaving more than ever to get out and stretch his legs. I understand its not their fault he wont be alone, but none of their horses will turn out alone either so I am forever doing favours to them turning my boy out extra early or bringing theirs in for them instead of leaving it out by itself. All other horses in our area are out its just our 4 that arnt.

I would have just walked him out to stretch his legs, but the only places to walk are iced over and im not walking on an icey road i think it would be too dangerous.

I know it sounds selfish, I just hate seeing him so miserable and I think that the longer he is in, the more he is going to explode when he finally gets out. I have only been on the yard for 6 months and was promised all year turnout or else I wouldnt have chosen to go there, unfortunatley I didnt know that all liveries would refuse to turn out in bad weather leaving mine stuck in too!
 
I would stick him out with plenty of hay on his own - see what happens. He may have a little hooley and settle down to munch or if he starts creating and getting distressed bring him back in, at least then you've given it a go and you won't feel so guilty about him being stabled.
 
as above, i'd turn him out alone as blazingsaddles suggests.
mine have been out every day for about 4 hours, they love it, they play with the snow, roll, dig, have a whale of a time. rugs are so brilliant nowadays that they stay totally toasty. hope he's a good boy out on his own, maybe the other liveries will see him having fun and decide to copy...!
 
I wish I could turn him out alone!

Unfortunatley he suffers from seperation anxiety and gets himself in a right state when left alone. Its something I am working on but it isnt resolved yet. There are horses in the next door field but its the fact he is not out with his friend that he cant cope with, not that he is alone as such. He is very attatched to his 3 field mates and hates being out without at least one of them!

When he is stabled he can touch the noses of his friends and settles right down, and again when he is out with others he is well behaved, but I would want to risk him galloping at the fences in the snow im afraid! All the other 3 ponies are hardy natives with HW rugs, mine is an arab and I am the one wanting turnout lol!
 
Agree with blazingsaddles. Obviously you will need to keep an eye - maybe you could try popping him out for just a little while during mucking out (assuming you're DIY) and see how it goes while you're at the yard anyway?

If you can't walk him out (and I'm assuming that means no riding either) anywhere do you have an arena (or even bit of the field?) that you could looses school or lunge in? Just so he can get out and have a little buck/roll/general let off of steam?
 
It is their decision what they do with their horses and you really can't rely on others to do as you want simply because it suits your horse's needs.

Which is why, several years ago, I decided to have at least 2 at any one time, even if I had to have a sharer for one of them; it means I can leave in, put out, please myself, and the horse always has company
 
Yes we have a school but it isnt fenced so I couldnt let him off and we arnt allowed to use it if its boggy or frozen (plus it costs £3 an hour to use!!)

I am DIY and the routine at the moment is he is in 24/7, comes out and is tied up while I muck out and then goes back in im afraid. If this continues tomorrow I will ask one of the liveries if i can borrow one of the ponies even for an hour while I muck out...I will even watch them for this hour incase anything happens so long as they get some turnout!

It wouldnt make any difference if i was there with him or not I wouldnt have thought (he obviously dosent think very highly of me at the moment!!) He loves a scratch and some treats but then its back off to his friends.

No riding at the moment as everywhere is icey. He hasnt been ridden for weeks because of weather and having noone to ride with, and I wouldnt dare get on him after he has been stuck in for 3 days!
 
Ok my little section A also had seperation anxiety (after never being seperated from my cob,being together 4 years) when my cob went off to be broken.She did adjust,you just have to be patient. She was glad when he came back tho.Its not like its all day and night.
Just try it and stay and watch.Put plenty of hay and a small feed out for him. Get one of those balls for horses.
 
I had a similar thing on a previous yard, some people wouldn't turn out during winter because it was muddy/raining/snowing/windy and I prefer my horses out than in but like yours he didn't like being alone (he would try to escape).

So on the days nobody turned out I put my boy in the field and stayed with him (for about an hour) and he was happy with that, he would race around the field a few times kicking his heels then have a bite to eat and I would do things like check the water, walk around the field checking the fence, poo pick or just watch him, anything that allowed him a bit of time in the field when none of the others were out and after he had a leg stretch and graze he was happy to come in. Thankfully most days at least one other horse did go out.
 
"the routine at the moment is he is in 24/7, comes out and is tied up while I muck out and then goes back in"
you have a battery horse!

Obviously you know this isn't ideal.

I'm assuming you sometimes ride alone? So, he is used to being out and about with just you at times. Def try what was suggested above re: having a play with him in the snow/hanging out in his field with him for a bit/long lining. (Treat) ball also good idea.

Or pay your 3 pounds and lunge/long line/ride in the arena if it isn't frozen.

Most horses would be seriously unhappy being in 24/7 with no exercise at all.
 
He isnt normally in 24/7, its only been this week with the bad weather and if i had my choice he would be out, hence the rant!
His normal routine is out at 7am and back in at about 6pm. Due to the snow nobody will turnout with me though.
I will certainly try staying with him and see what happens!
The arena is frozen and I think yo would have a fit if i tried to use it in this weather, he is fanatical about it in normal circumstances.

I never ride alone really. Well a few times in summer but it isnt a regular thing, he is a nightmare to hack alone hence I try to only do it with company or not at all.

I think he is unhappy being in (its been 3 days since he was last out) I will try my best to get him out tomorrow with a friend. The other liveries think they are happier in as they always stand at the gate etc when out wanting to come in, so their logic is that they would rather be in so lets keep them in. Personally I believe horses should be out as much as possible but if he will not go out alone i suppose having him safe in is the lesser of two evils.

In the stable he has treat balls, haynets,lickits etc but again its not a subsitite for turnout and I know this. Horses background is that he is a rescue who i bought from an auction after he was stabled for 3 years of his life. I dont really want to repeat this experience for him if i can help it!
 
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It wouldnt make any difference if i was there with him or not I wouldnt have thought (he obviously dosent think very highly of me at the moment!!) He loves a scratch and some treats but then its back off to his friends.

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all the more reason to sit out there with him! it will do wonders for you both! try it. even if only for an hour. take a flask of hot tea
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I must be an incredibly cruel yo
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All of mine had their pyjamas ripped off at 8am (after a filling breakfast of 2 slices of hay) and turned out in the snow with the temp at minus 6. All but 2 were naked. Oh was almost flattened by one 28 year old who couldnt wait to be turned out-he's got rope burns to prove it
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. My oldest is 31 and the youngest is my filly at almost 2-the old boys showed up my filly for their energy and mad frolics. I find it soooo sad that horses are treated like hothouse plants and not allowed to express themselves in a good buck and a fart cos they might 'hurt' themselves
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I think its more like the owners who cant be arsed trudging out in the mud or snow or cleaning off a muddy/wet but very happy horse when hes brought in
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Do you want to send him over to me for the winter? I can promise you that he would be turned out every day
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I think its more like the owners who cant be arsed trudging out in the mud or snow or cleaning off a muddy/wet but very happy horse when hes brought in
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They have a point, mine got out every day and I'm fed up with changing bl**dy rugs! At least theres no mud at the moment!
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I put 2 out this morning with piles of hay (not really allowed by YO but thought circumstances were exceptional) and they wandered off happily to nibble at the frozen grass instead!. An hour ago they were dozing in the cold sunshine!
 
Agree with blazingsaddles Id turn him out and let him have a loon about the field while you keep him company.
at least he will get a chance to stretch and exercise.If he's bothered by having no companion's then id bring him in if he got worked up calling for them..
but id imagine that after 3 days of in when he's used to out that for the first while at least he might be happy to just run and mess about on is own
 
Wilma_Bumfitt do you want to come set up a yard in Durham
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lol! I completley agree with you and I am sick of seeing horses being treated like cuddly toys! I going to chuck him out regardless tomorrow and see what happens! I have just txt one of the owners asking to lend her native tomorrow to put out under supervision of course so fingers crossed!
They all wear HW full neck rugs so its not like they are cold or can get dirty and i just cant understand it?!


(ps.I think i will need more than hot tea its so cold here lol)
 
I know it is frustrating and not particularly fair that your horse has to stay in, but as owners we have the right to make decisions for our horses based on what we feel is best. Just because you don't agree with it doesn't make it wrong!
 
Well done you for deciding to try going out with him. :-)

After a little run around he might settle in the field with his treat balls and some hay. (Is lack of grazing why the others want to come in?)

I know you said you're working on the seperation anxiety thing so that is good. Nice goal for summer 2010 is to get him more happy alone so you both have more freedom next winter. Even if you just start with 5min hacks/turning him out first for a few mins/whatever.

My share Arab is actually quite good about hacking alone with me now we truts each other although it isn't so much fun if he has had limited turn out - def best to get in a leg-stretch first!

Good luck your boy!

xx
 
I wouldn't put any of my horses out in the snow, there's nothing for them to eat and in my experience the horses either play, look misrable or start picking on each other or rug ripping..

You said your school isn't availiable for turnout and the lanes are too icey so why don't you turn your horse out and keep him company in the field for an hour, failing that lead him round the field for an hour!
 
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I wouldn't put any of my horses out in the snow, there's nothing for them to eat and in my experience the horses either play, look misrable or start picking on each other or rug ripping..

You said your school isn't availiable for turnout and the lanes are too icey so why don't you turn your horse out and keep him company in the field for an hour, failing that lead him round the field for an hour!

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??????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????
Why wouldnt you turn your horses out in the snow? Do you have any idea how much they enjoy being out in the white fluffy stuff? Okay, i dont turn out if theres a howling gail and lashing rain nor would I turn out in a blizzard but bloody hell, horses have survived without rugs (unclipped) for hundreds of thousands of years-just think, even before 'speedy beet' and co. WOW!' How did they manage without us??? My advice is-turn the poor buggers out, they deserve to get away from out hangups and neurosis(?). Out out out, boot them up but, out!
 
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