sprite1978
Well-Known Member
Just wondering what people tend to do with their horses when they are turning them away to grass....Boots etc? and whats your routine.
Any tips for turning away?
- Thread starter sprite1978
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Cazza525
Well-Known Member
I don't use boots (even on the silly one). I try and leave them naked so as to get nice and wooley for a while and only bring them in if absolutely lashing down. Let them be horses for a few weeks after a season's competing. 
Snowysadude
Well-Known Member
Dont boot at all as when left on 24/7 most rub and cause more damage than protection. Dont rug yet let the coat grow through properly! What breed/age etc of horse is it?
Not got any turned away at the moment but in the past still used to do twice daily checks/rug changes/feeding/feet picking, others on the yard did once daily and a few less than that - checks are still quicker than jobs and a lot cheaper!
Not got any turned away at the moment but in the past still used to do twice daily checks/rug changes/feeding/feet picking, others on the yard did once daily and a few less than that - checks are still quicker than jobs and a lot cheaper!
sprite1978
Well-Known Member
Its a 5yo ISH, but I`ve never really done the full turn away thing.... I cant decide whether to rug up or not. If I do, how often do I change, or give them a breather?
Luci07
Well-Known Member
If they are rugged you should check twice a day and resite the rugs (i.e take off and put back on again). You are honestly better off not bothering and trying to get the horse to grow a really thick coat if you can't get to check the rugs twice a day. Horses can drop off so very quickly in the winter. The other thing that I have seen all the grass liveries do is to check their turnout rugs very very carefully and they all have back ups. Might seem obvious but I have seen people really stuck when a rug gets damaged and they have nothing that can be used in the the depths of winter. It makes for a very expensive error as you then have to buy in a hurry.
We have a number of grass liveries on the yard so their horses will be working through the winter, some will be clipped and then rugged accordingly. The youngster and the retired mare have had back shoes taken off and are being left unrugged to get the coats through. Everything that is being wintered out, regardless of working or not has been under close observation to try to ensure that they are going into winter with some spare weight on. The only exception being the sec a as he is prone to laminitis but his owners monitor him very closely anyway.
We have a number of grass liveries on the yard so their horses will be working through the winter, some will be clipped and then rugged accordingly. The youngster and the retired mare have had back shoes taken off and are being left unrugged to get the coats through. Everything that is being wintered out, regardless of working or not has been under close observation to try to ensure that they are going into winter with some spare weight on. The only exception being the sec a as he is prone to laminitis but his owners monitor him very closely anyway.
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