Anyones horses living out this Winter for the first time?

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Izzwizz

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As title really, my 2 mares have moved to a place where they live out for the first time in their lives. I have the use of stables if needed and they come in every 2-3 days on a morning for hay, grooming, riding etc. Otherwise they have their hay in the field shelter along with their feeds. There is a lot of natural shelter/wind breaks too. One is a hanoverian/TB, the other an ID/TB and I have to say they are both so chilled out and seem happy. Both are well rugged, one is 17, the other 15. We have no greedy mare eating as much as she possible could and is a lot trimmer, the other less stressy through not being confined to a stable, both mentally very chilled girls.

Would be interested to hear what other peoples experiences are...
 
Well i have a ex racer who i living out for first time since being a baby i imagine. He is doing well, as you have use of stable if needed he has loads of natural shelter in field and haylage out everyday. He is comin in for few hours every few days for a groom and when weather was good a ride.
He is very happy- much more chilled out and settled as he is not hanging around gate like at old yard. He is a good weight at present but will keep a close eye on him.
He is fed only once a day at present and is well rugged for all his needs.
 
Izzwizz said:
As title really, my 2 mares have moved to a place where they live out for the first time in their lives. I have the use of stables if needed and they come in every 2-3 days on a morning for hay, grooming, riding etc. Otherwise they have their hay in the field shelter along with their feeds. There is a lot of natural shelter/wind breaks too. One is a hanoverian/TB, the other an ID/TB and I have to say they are both so chilled out and seem happy. Both are well rugged, one is 17, the other 15. We have no greedy mare eating as much as she possible could and is a lot trimmer, the other less stressy through not being confined to a stable, both mentally very chilled girls.

Would be interested to hear what other peoples experiences are...
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The same really much happier
 
I was a little worried how they would cope, I know its early days it just being into December, but its funny, when they are in after an hour or 2 they are ready for out. My older girl has had tendon injuries so thats the main reason for her living out, she used to belt round the field like a nutter and has had 2 injuries to both her front legs. Have to say she does seem a lot more "flexible" not being stabled for so long. Where she was kept before the restricted winter turnout meant she was inside her stable for a day then out the following day, not for long either due to the muddy conditions. I was always on edge at what she might do to herself and though we all know they are better outside, I always thought she looked happy in her nice warm stable..
 
i've an exracer who is wintering out fulltime for the first time ever. His hooves have gone soft but he seems to be coping ok! Its funny ashe is usually a wuss with water and mud, but now he's in a boggy field with ditches and rivers, so I hope it makes him man up a bit!
 
I'm doing it a little differently this year, would religiously bring in st night once the clocks went back but since I moved them this summer to where I have my own 8 acres of great grass and great natural shelter, I only bring in if its wet. They seem very happy with this routine by having more turnout, and so am I having less mucking out!
 
tonight will be my lads second night out! :D he has been on box rest for 6 weeks with damage to both his hind suspensories, was scanned yesterday which showed minimal improvement so to save the sanity of my horse i decided he would be happier to be on field rest as he wouldnt stop box walking, refusing to eat and generally being unhappy :(

stopped by and saw him today, he seemed happy he had clearly been playing in the pond, as there was only one bit with broken ice and his legs and belly was wet! :rolleyes: he has always loved water!!!! :D :D :D

he is a TB so i have rugged him in a medium weight and will probably put him in a heavy weight when the snow comes (if it comes!)

im just glad he has made some new friends and is finally looking at me with what seems like a smile on his face, he was so unhappy being on boxrest. i can only hope he slowly fixes himself over winter *fingers crossed*
 
paddi22 said:
i've an exracer who is wintering out fulltime for the first time ever. His hooves have gone soft but he seems to be coping ok! Its funny ashe is usually a wuss with water and mud, but now he's in a boggy field with ditches and rivers, so I hope it makes him man up a bit!
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Good luck with him. I've found Kevin Bacon hoof dressing helps keep their hooves repel the water a bit, the elder mare doesnt have the best hooves either. I just paint it on a couple of times a week or so. I'm also using the pig oil & sulphur on her too as she's had a little mud fever but its wonderous stuff and we seem to have it under control now. My other mare is a tough little cookie and seems to suffer nothing particuarly - so far!
 
Irishbabygirl said:
I'm doing it a little differently this year, would religiously bring in st night once the clocks went back but since I moved them this summer to where I have my own 8 acres of great grass and great natural shelter, I only bring in if its wet. They seem very happy with this routine by having more turnout, and so am I having less mucking out!
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Sounds great, less mucking out = cheaper for you and more time to ride...
 
I'm feeding mine twice a day an have started putting hay out today. Didn't eat it thou as just moved into rested field and loads of grass in there. Have also taken his shoes off and feet are doing well too. I was tempted to let my other one live out too but the recent constant rain has put me off a bit !!
 
alex2601 said:
tonight will be my lads second night out! :D he has been on box rest for 6 weeks with damage to both his hind suspensories, was scanned yesterday which showed minimal improvement so to save the sanity of my horse i decided he would be happier to be on field rest as he wouldnt stop box walking, refusing to eat and generally being unhappy :(

stopped by and saw him today, he seemed happy he had clearly been playing in the pond, as there was only one bit with broken ice and his legs and belly was wet! :rolleyes: he has always loved water!!!! :D :D :D

he is a TB so i have rugged him in a medium weight and will probably put him in a heavy weight when the snow comes (if it comes!)

im just glad he has made some new friends and is finally looking at me with what seems like a smile on his face, he was so unhappy being on boxrest. i can only hope he slowly fixes himself over winter *fingers crossed*
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Good to hear and all sounds positive for you. The younger mare of mine has kissing spines and also hind suspensory pain. She is able to be ridden as its not so bad, had the Physio for on Friday and its less of a bleak picture than I could have hoped for her. She used to hate being in her stable and turned into a fussy eater, not no more now! Best place for her is out
 
Mean to say my kissing spine mare has only been back with me for a month since we sold her 4yrs ago. Never thought I would own her again let alone ride her!
 
I do! Tb's first year living out, the other lives out anyway.

Tb seems to be happy, very calm but that's prob cause he is on magnesium! He gets cranky at feed time, but they have shelter, loads of hay and I way prefer them out. Selfishly it's easier for me, but they like it. He box walks and is a pain if he stays in.

I was worried he would not grow a thick enough coat or would lose weigh but he has steadily gained some much needed weight and is very hairy!

And I love no mucking out! Though poo picking in cold is horrid in field!
 
Mine are out too, no idea if my new boy has lived out before, my mare definitely has, but not for a few years. Both come in morning for a feed, the boy comes in for an evening feed too, we hay the field twice daily, or as we have at the moment dragged a big haylage bale that they have free access too. He is fully rugged up, she stays naked unless it rains when she has a lightweight rug on. Both very happy, retaining weight nicely and very chilled out!
 
My boy is out, lived in at nights last year, but now out with two friends and what's left of a round bale of hay, seeing how quickly they've eaten it, and is so much happier, might cost more in hay but I'm saving on time and bedding, and he is the most chilled I've seen him :)
 
Yes my Arab is. She's much less stressed. I'm hardly rigging her. She's just in a rain sheet because I want to give her body the chanc to do it's job properly. I've not starting feeding hay yet either as she is looking plump on the winter grazing. She has natural shelter and the drainage is good so even in all that rain sh was as happy as larry. The best thing I've done with her.
 
I'm about to.

My tb has been off work with a shoulder injury since spring despite operating he's not doing as well as we hoped so I'm about to turn him away.

I'm moving on weds to a private yard where he can have grass livery in a huge field and there's a stable for my loan horse who is in work so we all stay together.

He's been going out daily in a small paddock with other horses and it's not made him worse and I've been roughing him off in that until last week he was unrugged with only a rainsheet on wet days. This week it got cold enough for a mw and I have a hw and extra liners if needed.

There is lots of natural shelter in the field and plenty of grass at the moment as it has no been grazed and he will be checked daily and fed so hoping he will cope.
 
criso said:
I'm about to.

My tb has been off work with a shoulder injury since spring despite operating he's not doing as well as we hoped so I'm about to turn him away.

I'm moving on weds to a private yard where he can have grass livery in a huge field and there's a stable for my loan horse who is in work so we all stay together.

He's been going out daily in a small paddock with other horses and it's not made him worse and I've been roughing him off in that until last week he was unrugged with only a rainsheet on wet days. This week it got cold enough for a mw and I have a hw and extra liners if needed.

There is lots of natural shelter in the field and plenty of grass at the moment as it has no been grazed and he will be checked daily and fed so hoping he will cope.
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I think your doing the right thing, theres a lot to be said for letting Dr Green do his stuff! I turned the elder mare away after her box rest when she injured her SDFT for a year and it was the best thing for her. No further problems (she says fingers x) Rug liners are the best invention, sounds like your organised, good luck with your lad!
 
Mine has been out about 8 weeks since no improvement after Tildren and hocks injected. He's moving better already. And jumped the 5 bar gate a few days ago, so def feeling better :) had told myself I'd retired him as bought a new one, but I may try him again in spring.
 
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