Anyone else's horses not want to be turned out?

Ginger Bear

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 November 2010
Messages
1,319
Location
Essex
Visit site
In the last week or so my boy doesn't really want to be turned out for very long.. About 3 hours and he's had enough.. Have even opened up their second winter field which is full of grass, but once he's had a munch he's ready to come in.. Anyone else having the same with their horses?
 
Yup mine are always waiting at the gate. The little one doesn't want to come out his stable in the morning - takes someone behind to push him out!

I think they just know where the food and warmth is.
 
I used to have a pony that stepped out his stable and if it was raining heavily dug his heels in and no amount of tugging/pushing got him to move .. Until I said fine go back to bed and he did! :D loved the cheeky little guy!!
 
Mine absolutely hates it out there at the moment, I literally have to drag him across the yard in the morning and then his more than happy to come in doesn't even look out of his stable to see whether anything else has come in! I've never had a horse like this before my others would all stay out what ever the weather!
 
Haha!! He's not so bad this year but in his second winter ( yearling to two year old) my gelding was out every dry night and in on wet ones... Only when we opened both doors, his dartmoor companion scooted out to the field at speed, and the yearling ambles out of his box into the dartie's... Then once I'd mucked his out I went into the dartie's box and shoved him out- gate still open and he used to slither back into his and stand at the back so I couldn't see him...!! Even now, if the gateway is muddy he has to be shoved out- I just take him and my section D out together now and use the D to push him out!

On the plus side, I suspect he'll enjoy box rest if he ever needs it! ;)
 
For the first time in many years of having horses, all mine are very reluctant to trapse through the mud to go to their fields :( at least i seem to be getting an extra workout carrying several pounds of mud on each foot!
 
My big mare wants to be in all the time.. I think it's because the alpha mare and herd leader of my lot died 367 days apart.. I also had my instructors horse for 6 months to bring back into work for her to sell who went September and the 5th member of my original 5 in on yard rest with pedal rotation.. She herself was in 6 months after breaking her shoulder so I think it's mostly a security thing for her.. If given the choice she stays in..
 
Mine has gone from being unhappy to be stabled, to refusing to go out! There are two spare stables at my yard so in the morning I pick his feet out and let him wander round the yard (no feeds left out). He normally goes and stands in one of the other stables and just waits for me to muck out. I let him stay in for two days but forced him out yesterday. Mind you, it can't be much fun out in a muddy paddock on your own so I don't really blame him.
 
Not just mine then? Lol.. On sunny days I cant get him to come in but on grey days he doesn't want to go out! Even if it's not raining.. He's even spotting us from his field which is quite a way from the yard & coming to the gate!! In the summer he never wants to come in!
 
I have had 3 horses that hated being turned out. My tb mare would just pace at the gate but eventually learnt to wonder off :) although as soon as she heard the gate go she was first over to the gate
I also had an ID x who hated TO I would put her in field and would be mucking out and there she would be again by stable:D I checked everywhere that there was no escape routes, she was jumping the fence out she done it on numerous occasions
My last horse when I first got him would rear and bolt back to stable the first few times I tried to TO I resorted to a chifney and he ended up loving being out :D
 
Ethel loves being out, if other horses go out and she doesn't then she weaves badly. When it gets to about 2ish she stands by the gate with the others but I'm mean and just ignore them :p

We had a yearling at work who refused to leave his stable when it had snowed but I think he was scared of it :p
 
and i thought it was just my little one! Lilly is 8 months old and really is not fussed about going out until at least lunch time after shes had her mid morning nap and then only for a few hours until she whinnnies at you to remind you its nap and tea time! I do try and get her out for at least a few hours a day but I would rather have a happy foalie than her being miserable out all day!
 
Mines like that atm. I can get her to the first field in which then she plants herself and i have to literally drag her through the next 2 to get to hers. This is when it is dark in the morn and no one else is out. he is fine once in her field but refuses before hand. She once just stood at the gate way as soon as i turned her out! Silly ponies!

Then when she has had enough, (even with all the grass she has, and being a cob!) and waits by the gate. I swear she thinks I ought to have a teleport machine, she's so impatient that she will gallop and bronc till I get up there, she even does it when she's sees someone else bringing there horse in and not her!
 
Last edited:
Mine have been in since Monday I upped the work they where going out for 2 hours but by the time an hour had passed they where sick and irritating each other.
Not much to eat left in the sacrifice field it's been muddy and windy we are giving them a turnout in the school for a roll.
They will have a go out tomorrow am as I can't ride and won't get through four in the pm .
Roll on spring.
 
Bought myself a heavy cob thinking it would be 'easier' than the years of bringing up tb's... I was so wrong, she refuses point blank to leave the warmth of her stable, she scoffs the hay like its free and if she does go out it takes me a week to get the mud from her feathers!!
I honestly think I could leave her in all winter, providing she has 'on tap' food ... she's happy as larry!!
 
Mine was like this until we had to start putting hay in the field last week. Now he marches out quite merrily in the morning - and marches back in just as merrily (if not more so) come bedtime :rolleyes:
 
Bought myself a heavy cob thinking it would be 'easier' than the years of bringing up tb's... I was so wrong, she refuses point blank to leave the warmth of her stable, she scoffs the hay like its free and if she does go out it takes me a week to get the mud from her feathers!!
I honestly think I could leave her in all winter, providing she has 'on tap' food ... she's happy as larry!!

^ Same! :)
 
Top