Can horses just NOT like going out?

if weather is bad , my horse just does not want to go out .plants her feet ! looks at me in sheer disgust.
she also hates going out any time before 7am when its dark , as shes still 1/2 asleep, blink blink blink lol ! she loves her sleep !
 
nikkiportia said:
Is there any reason why he can't stay out too then? :)
Although, to me, it doesn't sound like there is anything wrong with him, a look over by the vet will put your mind at ease.
If you've ruled out anything physical, then I would personally start thinking about teaching him to walk on when being led. Otherwise he will start to get in the habit of dragging his feet when he doesn't want to do something ;)
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Nikki - he has been living out for the past 15 months but as I am paying for the stable I felt it a shame not to make use of it, plus he's a right wimp and when its raining he gets cold etc. As a baby he did catch flu or whatever they get so i am a bit paronoid about him now lol....

In regards to walking - walk in from the field and he walks out great and even over taking me...
 
I think a lot of horses start to associate the stable with food and hay, hence the keen-ness to come back in is not actually for love of the stable itself! Horses who are fed hay in the field usually seem much keener to go out than those that don't!
 
In my opinion Yes!, I have two, my little one lived out for over 10 years, I bought him in due to injuring his eye and now he loves his stable during the winter months, walks over to the gate as soon as I go out on the yard. Its not that he's hungry, even does this with hay in the field.

But he soon tells me when he wants to stay out when the weather turns nicer ( can't get near him!, he just looks, squeals and runs off as if to say " no thanks, haha, you can't catch me!!")
 
With the youngsters I've had, they tend to be stiff in the morning after a night in the stable and move slowly on the walk to the field, which is why I'll never have another youngster unless I can guarantee they will have 24 hour TO.
I have a cob who is oblivious to cold and wet weather, but when the grass is poor, he loves his stable and refuses to come out unless he can bring his haynet with him. Stuffing his face from a net without having to move and forage is his idea of heaven. If his haynet was in the local primary school dinner hall, that would be his favourite place too.
 
Horserider - yeh see im stuck as to what to do, on one hand he doesnt really cope well in this weather gets cold etc but on the other hand if he is going to get stiff by staying in dont really want that either??? arghhhh I do have the option of turning him out 24/7 again will just lose my lovely large stable that i've 'queued' for ever for....

On that note - the stable is huge so he can walk around etc. Everymorning he is covered in shavings so obv has a lay down during the night.
 
Just a thought - is it the rain he doesn't like ? Does he have a rainsheet on to keep him dry ? Donkeys need protection from the rain, unlike horses .(Some horses anyway...:) )
 
horserider said:
Just a thought - is it the rain he doesn't like ? Does he have a rainsheet on to keep him dry ? Donkeys need protection from the rain, unlike horses .(Some horses anyway...:) )
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Lol Ron isnt actually a donkey - he's a 15month old colt ISH x Holstein....I just call him donkey cause he's so laid back!!

And yes to rugs and he's not fussed by rain - just going out in general. Fine weather this morn and the farrier turning up on yard had to help push him up the drive lol...
 
MrsMagoo said:
arghhhh I do have the option of turning him out 24/7 again will just lose my lovely large stable that i've 'queued' for ever for....
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LOL ! I feel your pain, mine are on grass livery, but I love having a stable too. Its still quite useful as part of his education to be able to stay happily in a stable.

OOps... def not a donkey then....LOL !
 
I have 2 horses like chalk and cheese. One wants out at all opportunities, rain, snow, hurricanes dont bother him. The other wants haynets and warmth, maybe a quick turn out but prefers home comforts, ahhh you may think but the beast is over 18hh high, big baby.
 
we've a tb hunter who HATES outdoors! You have to drag him out of the stable to the field and then he wont move from the gate all day waiting to come back in. he also hates hacking in company, anything else is fine, just hacking with others sets him off into a vile sulk!
 
I am glad I come across this I have two warmbloods one is a 16 y.o TB who had very ill and stabled for a long time and a 3 y.o. dutch warmblood, he lived out for 2 years now they have been out all summer but in at night, since its got dark they normally go out at 6.30am and back at 7pm but since its got colder even though rugged up go out for an hour and want to be back in, they both have good manners and although I work full time they still get around 4 hours a day of my attention, they are glad to see me when out in the summer and we play in the field and have fun as well as serious stuff, neither one would hurt me they are both extremely loving but have decided its time to come in, I do not pamper to them and I know people think horses should be out not matter what, but if you travel to competitions there is no grazing and I feel although not their natural environment to be stabled if you think about it they do not live naturally as we have domesticated them and they fit in with us not the other way round which I know will cause further debate they must learn to be in as well as out, if they ever have an illness and need to be in you will cause too much stress by putting them in if they are not use to it. My horses still want to come in if I feed hay in the field they eat this and then stand at the gate, I feel that some horses simply like human interaction and shelter, my horses have a stable where they can still interact and groom each other but apparently sleep a lot when I am working!. Neither one is bad tempered but I feel they are telling me what they want and that some horses simply do not want to stand out in the rain, wind or snow. Glad there are other horses that feel the same I have LOL at a lot of the comments as I can relate.
 
I think it sometimes depends what mood they are in. Mine can't get out quick enough some days, and others he is most reluctant to leave the stable let alone the property. But a friend's rescue doesn't like going out - PERIOD. Happy schooling, but gets really stroppy and obstinate hacking. Each to their own I guess.
 
I think very few horses would actually choose to stay in rather than be outside. Can you think of any reason why he doesnt want to be out? Is he rugged well enough? Does he have a companion he gets on with (if he's bullied then clearly he'll be unhappy)? Is there enough grass or hay? etc. etc.
 
I feed my horses twice a day in the winter. In the morning when they go out they have their breakfast in the field - luckily they happily share. In the evening they are fed in their stables. Consequently they are eager to go wherever I want them. In spring the TB tells me he wants to stay out overnight by refusing to be dragged in. In winter they will wait by the gate when it gets dark and walk into their stables without being led.
 
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