Anybody else’s horses fed up of the weather?

[Ceifer]

My two horses are fed up of the rain and wind. They have grass in the field but the consistent bad weather means they are either stood sheltering by the hedge or in the shelter looking miserable. They’ve only been doing 6 hours out and they’ve had enough and want to come in. They have hay but only the one is interested in eating it. Last year they were doing 8/9 hours and not overly bothered about coming in.
There’s no option to move fields atm and there’s definitely grass available (in fact all my neighbours are jealous as they have none).
I just feel bad they’re in so much. Even though they are very happy in.

 

[asmp]

Don’t think the horses but I am! Went up to ride this lunchtime as the forecast was rain later but it started as we were tacking up so horses were chucked back out (it wasn’t a drizzle).

In answer to your question some horses do prefer to be in but I weigh up the extra bedding used and more mucking out to them getting wet (they have full neck warm dry rugs) so out they stay!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

One of mine is, he’s a woolly yak but once the hay has gone he stands away from the herd looking utterly miserable. He’s only out from 8am to 3pm as any longer and he starts beating the others up. It’s spitting with rain at the moment and I’m contemplating going down to get him in early as I know he will already be by the gate.

 

[humblepie]

I turned mine out yesterday and he turned round and looked at me as if to say "what are you doing".

 

[Abacus]

I think mine are fed up with the gateway mud and don't much want to come in through it, to be ridden - normally they come straight to the gate when they see me. Otherwise they seem ok, good rugs and they are definitely warm and dry underneath. They stand on the sheltered side of the shelter but not actually INSIDE... why! (they only use it in summer). I guess that means they prefer being out really.

 

[Peglo]

I feel horrible putting mine out in the wind and rain. My old one spends a lot of time standing around looking for in but it’s because of her I leave them out as long as possible as I dont want her standing in too long. Young one doesn’t seem to mind as she meets up with my cousins 2 in the field and she likes her mare especially. Roll on spring. I’m also fed up of the wet.

 

[JBM]

My mare hates being in
She meets me at the gate for her daily hard feed and as soon as she’s done promptly disappears off into the trees again!

 

[eggs]

I try to keep mine out until the light starts to go but before it is dark - a hang over from when one of the horses got very ansty if he wasn't in before dark. However these last few days they have been standing around looking fed up so they have been coming in at about 2 and not going out until about 9:30 after a feed and a bag of hay. I walked the dogs round another field at lunchtime and the horses were all stood by the gate waiting to come in so I will probably go out and get them in very shortly.

 

[limestonelil]

Well yes, but I think I'm more fed up than they are!

 

[SEL]

Mine were on 24:7 turnout until yesterday. My little unclipped native decided she was coming into her stable last night no matter what. She'd busted through fencing and was destroying the energiser when we got there - there was intent in her eyes!

So OH and I got beds down all round, filled water buckets, filled haynets and told them it was bedrooms overnight for the next few weeks. Youngster was a bit confused because he hasn't done an overnighter but he was plastered in mud when he came in yesterday and met me this morning with a dried mud / shavings combo so he's slept flat out. Both mares looked a lot happier.

Me on the other hand? Well mucking out 3 horses at the busiest time of year work-wise wasn't a plan so they've all had to promise to poo in one corner of the stable and no mixing it in.

In turnout this morning someone stood in a muddy puddle and sent a wave of disgusting water up the back of my leg and down my wellie boot. I am ready for spring.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Mine are out for 4/5 hours a day. Tb won't stay out much longer than that!! Its a huge improvement to 10 mins year before last so I'm taking it as a win!!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Ours are out 24/7 and seem happy. They did look pretty fed up yesterday morning as the weather was foul but fine later. They aren't rugged and are looking well on just grass, no hay and just a tiny feed to take supplements.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My horses go out every day, even if it's only for an hour while stables & haylage is sorted for them. When it's raining heavily they just stand at the gate waiting to come in & if it's wet & windy they freak out & charge around seeing all kinds of demons in the wind. To be honest they are almost as happy in the stable as in the paddock.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Luckily mine is unfazed by most weathers
More annoying trying to treat thrush when the field is so muddy and wet
She lives out but comes in for breakfast and a rug change

 

[JBM]

Luckily mine is unfazed by most weathers
More annoying trying to treat thrush when the field is so muddy and wet
She lives out but comes in for breakfast and a rug change

My mare used to get thrush every winter but weirdly I took her shoes off this year and no problems

 

[smolmaus]

Ours are on hardstanding rather than fields but I still got a proper neigh yesterday when I went to fetch in. Normally its just a cheeky head toss so I think she was genuinely glad to see me ?

We are both v sick of the bloody wind. When will that big tree by the arena stop trying to kill us both? ? she can only keep us safe by teleporting sideways at every breeze for so long

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes they are sick they broke a fence rail last night one rug got trashed and a hood got torn off .
I have a broken fence on the quarry side waiting for attention the fencer is coming Saturday then we will have a swop around .

 

[Zoeypxo]

My mare used to get thrush every winter but weirdly I took her shoes off this year and no problems

i have the opposite problem, my horse gets thrush when i take the shoes off ?‍?
Farrier said its usually the opposite way round
Determined to keep her barefoot this time

 

[JBM]

i have the opposite problem, my horse gets thrush when i take the shoes off ?‍?
Farrier said its usually the opposite way round
Determined to keep her barefoot this time

Oh strange! Are her frogs very close to the floor?

 

[Zoeypxo]

Oh strange! Are her frogs very close to the floor?

yes low heels all round
Gone barefoot to try and get better hoof structures

 

[JBM]

yes low heels all round
Gone barefoot to try and get better hoof structures

Hopefully starts to get better be worth it!

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

For those of you that are worried about your horses hanging about in one place when turned out and/or looking depressed ! Our set up for two elderly mares is an L shaped block of 4 stables with a very large over hang , two of the stables are deeply bedded and the doors fastened open . On the yard they have a trough for hay ( given am and pm ) and a trough of straw ( unlimited ) . The yard leads on to a small all weather area and from there onto the field ( massive thick hedge ) , they have free access to the lot and can come and go as they please .
By choice ours will spend most of their time in the field but when the weather is really grim ( it's been lashing it down here for the past few days ) they tend to spend most of their time either standing under the hedge or lurking on the yard , not necessarily under the overhang and not necessarily eating - just sort of loafing about , which could easily be interpreted as either looking bored/depressed or dozy/ content , depending on your view .
They hang about on the yard but rarely go in the stables during the day ( poo pick am and pm , no droppings at pm ) but they will sometimes have a lie down inside overnight if the ground is wet ( shavings on them in the morning ) but even overnight in torrential rain they will have spent most of the time outside - only one or , at most , two droppings in the stable in the morningswhilst the yard looks like a minefield . but there are also usually droppings in the all weather area and the field so they obviously go for a mooch when they feel like it .
I would say that as long as they have some sort of shelter , natural or otherwise , I wouldn't worry about them looking ' depressed '' . They are all different but I think horses can ' switch off ' quite easily ( in a good way ! ) and are often just chilling/loafing/hanging out rather than being ' fed up ' .

 

[spotty_pony]

Mine are out nearly all the time but come in for a sleep/some hay/to be ridden for a few hours most days. They are in tonight though as we are forecast high winds and torrential rain. I don’t mind having them in on odd nights but we have plenty of grass here and it’s great not having to muck out every single day!

 

[Parksmum3]

My 3 are out for about 8 hours a day at the moment. They are always keen to get out in the morning but just as keen to come in at night, they have a clock hidden in the field I swear it, 4.00 on the dot they are at the gate waiting. Golden oldie loves his bed at night and comes out covered in shavings without fail every morning. Think my Youngest would happily live out 24/7 as he seems to go in search of mud to lay in. luckily our ‘winter field’ is on a slope so it doesn’t get overly muddy. Today however it has rained non stop and they did look a bit peed off, but look on the bright side the nights are slowly pulling out.

 

[Merrymoles]

Ours would happily live out but we are short of grass at the moment (awaiting a post to be put in so we can fence our second field).

On Tuesday, we decided to bring in after mucking out as had torrential rain and they were both bemused and I had to trek all the way up the field to catch both of them. Generally, they are very happy out but now starting to want to come in for tea because of the lack of grass.

 

[Birker2020]

Mines out from about 9am - 4pm, in an open paddock that has no shelter, but neither do any of the ones on the strip. They get by. He has a 50g rug on and when its very wet he has a neck on too. Has grown a nice coat. He is stood by the gate when I get there after work but ambles up and down the field and grazes when he wants, he also has a bit of hay in a tub to eat.

He's happy to come in when I get there after work - he's at the end of his paddock now so no fresh grass. It has been horrible weather lately, its meant to snow at the weekend apparently.

 

[Ceriann]

Mine tell if they want in, which is most nights at the minute. If they want to stay out they don’t come to call or follow me back when I do the evening check. If they stay out they are typically very keen to come in the next night - be careful what they wish for and all that. It’s a balance of encouraging movement, with ridden one needing hocks medicated (holding off for more weight loss - she’s on half a sachet x 2 a day for now) and then being miserable (especially her - she’s a bit special). I worked her lightly in school last night (we don’t do circles just full use of school and my surface is good) and she was traumatised as raining a little and I left her naked ?. Weight has to come off!!

 

[Goldenstar]

I think we will manage all winter without them having a night in fingers crossed .

 

[Annagain]

The swamp donkey - 29, naked and fluffy, is in his element. The glee with which he rolls has to be seen to be believed. Wig doesn't seem to enjoy the rain so much but he was out 24/7 in his old home so I think he's just making the most of his new arrangements. We take it in turns to turn out at the yard and I've done the last two days, I've just had to text a friend to say her oldie has been very reluctant to go out in the mornings. He was quite lame the first few steps this morning but it eased by the time he got to the field. Even then he just stood at the gate looking sad. I felt terrible leaving him there.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Mine started going through fences over night so is now out during the day. And is a lot more settled. He's shouting at the gate as soon as he spots me. Despite having hay out with him.
I don't think he minds being in a bit more at the moment.