Another turnout question..... What would you do??

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steph21

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Just wanted to know what you would do in this situation??

Basically at my livery (well shes with a family friend) there is now only Storm and YO horse, there are two good size fields, both horses are good dooers and Storm only being four I dont want to work her to hard and to many times a week. But they are in the larger field at the moment which has been rested so has quite a bit of grass.

YO hates electric fencing as her horse had a nasty accident once so wont section off the field. Last year YO horse had a small bout of laminitis and at this rate is going the same way this summer! YO doesnt want to have to bring them in at all so........

Storm is also the type that would go that way she lives on fresh air!!

Dont want to have her in 24/7 so what would you do??
 
Move her...

I find it mind boggling that your YO's horse had lami last year and she is turning her out in a large field with lots of grass. That's a welfare issue IMO. She hates electric fencing because it caused a nasty accident yet she's quite happy to risk her horse getting lami which is an extremely serious, potentially life threatening and always very distressing condition. Makes you wonder about people...
 
How often do you go to the yard? Could you go up and bring your horse in every night and ask the YO just to turn out in the morning?
 
YO's horse is not your concern.

Your horse (if it were mine) would be stabled overnight (or during the day) to restrict its grazing if I thought it were in danger or laminitis or getting too fat.
 
I have electric fencing which I have offered to put up and get a box, I think im just going to have to bring Storm in seperatly, and then maybe she might do the same, to be honest her horse isnt fat at all at the moment and is doing alot more work than last year but I dont want Storm going the same way! ahhhh
 
Yes im thinking to bring her in during the day would be best as she does get hot and as the weather is so nice at the moment there are also loads of flys. Would you stand her in all day without any hay or feed? I dont want her to gorge herself when she does go out??

I feel so stupid asking these questions but have always had horses that I have had to chuck food at all throughout the year and they were still skinny, so not sure what to do with my fatty! haha!
 
I would talk to YO and say that you are really worried about the horses having too much grass and the risk of lami. I would keep the conversation light but clearly let her know that you might need to consider moving your horse somewhere more flexible. There are lots of horses that couldn't safefly be kept like that at this time of year so you are not being at all unreasonable. Not using electric fencing is unusual, most accidents are caused when the battery goes flat and the horses walk through it, so maybe you could persuade her to try some more robust electric fencing and offer to keep the battery regularly checked and recharged?

I wouldn't risk staying there if she can't accommodate your horses needs, you have to do what's right for your horse.
 
Just re read your post and see you have two fields. Can you shut the gate between the two and then strip off a section for your horse. Therefore your horses is in a much better situation and the YO's horses won't come across any electric fencing.
As others have said, brining in during the day would also be a good idea.
 
I would bring your horse in during the day and give her plenty of soaked hay so that she's getting full up without the calories and then doesn't feel the need to gorge when she goes out. I'd also put a grazing muzzle on your horse so that it is restricted even when it goes out.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys, im thinking of getting a grazing muzzle for when she is out, the other field is about a f min walk away and they have become quite attached now so think that would be more harm than good. Right im going to stand up for myself tonight and like you said just say it how it is but try to convince her that bringing her horse in would also be a good idea.

Do I need to feed when she is in or would it be ok to leave her stand in with just water, I dont want her gut to stop working all day, or does that not really make a difference??
 
Do I need to feed when she is in or would it be ok to leave her stand in with just water, I dont want her gut to stop working all day, or does that not really make a difference??
Click to expand...

Depending on how long you intend to stable for, I'd just feed some 'old' hay.
 
steph21 said:
Do I need to feed when she is in or would it be ok to leave her stand in with just water, I dont want her gut to stop working all day, or does that not really make a difference??
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You should never leave a horse without something to eat so you will need to make sure she has access to hay all day if she is stabled. Get a small holed haynet or put one haynet inside another net - this will slow her eating down. And if you soak the hay for 12 hours before you feed it will leech most of the sugars out.
 
QR; That sounds a bit odd, that she would favour a lami risk over electric fencing!

I would definitely see the electric fence as the lesser of two evils, even if I didn't particulary think the fence situation was that evil?

What actually happened? Can you not advise her of a soloution where the type of accident (whatever it was) wouldn't happen again as you somehow figured a way around it?


Options are;

Move to somewhere that is suitable, sometimes rather than dealing with huge issues move them and get rid of the issue! Sounds so simple.. lol

Either Muzzle day time (as I am doing) and take off at night if you are worried, that or bring in in the day. Bringing in in the day is much better than at night, because of the sugar content in the grass in much higher sunrise and upwards, but evening it will of dwindled down so would be much safer for them to eat. A quick way someone (I think a vet told someone who told me) sun and sugar no sun and no sugar. Obviously that's not scientific or anything or not exact but you get the idea!!!


xxx
 
ok great thanks for all the advice, we have quite a bit of hey left over from the winter so will do that, fingers crossed YO decides to do the same!!
 
just say to Y/o that you feel storm is getting a bit too fat for your liking so you're going to bring her in during the day.

As others have said, soak a net of hay so that she has plenty to eat but all the calories are reduced. if you soak it overnight and take it out in the morning, then hose it off it will be perfect for feeding during the day. just make sure she isn't gorging on her bedding too!!
 
You are right to take this seriously - getting lami is no joke and I'm surprised at your YO.

Good luck with whatever you do and I hope she sees sense.
 
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