Cotton Wool Horses!

[Onyxia]

I agreed with most of that, apart from this bit.

Mine live out, it suits me, it suits the horses. They are very happy in a small herd with a huge field with varied terrain and lots of shelter. Nothing wrong about it. None of them are pining about to come in, so Im not 'forcing them' to live out so I can feel like a good owner.

Then you are not the type of owner I was thinking off when I wrote that- you clearly have a management regime in place that suits you and your horses

I was thinking of the people that leave their horses out because they belive 24/7 turnout is best and do not take into account what is best for that particular horse.

 

[ester]

is it wrong that I have images of horseowners digging up their fields to replace their soil type

 

[Enfys]

I don't know anyone with a field shelter whose horses actually use them!

Well now you do

At the first drop of rain, flake of snow or pellet of ice one of mine is across his paddock like a bullet and assuming the turtle position ie: head out of shelter but the rest of him stays firmly indoors.

Give him a couch, TV and a crate of beer and he'd be your classic couch potato.

 

[Enfys]

Horses shouldn't be kept in fields so muddy it causes them mud fever and such. If you have unsuitable field for your horse perhaps you should consider finding a better field? And no, cows are not kept in fields over winter, they're jam-packed into crap filled cowsheds.

But not everything is so black and white Not everyone is in the position of moving because their grazing isn't perfect. Judging from the amount of laminitis related or "shall I muzzle or not?" threads on here modern day grazing isn't perfect for some horses at all.

Once again, you can't have seen many cow sheds! I live in dairy country, cows round here are cossetted, food on tap, clean, airy barns that are temperature controlled.

 

[pennyturner]

Just to throw in my two 'penneth.
Mine are out on water-meadow 24/7. There are plenty of well-drained areas, but they choose to spend half their time up to their chest in the streams, eating water cress and duck weed. They get no hay or hard feed, and all are on the 'well' side of a bit tubby.
During recent wild and windy weather they were spread out in the open, totally oblivious.

 

[Nocturnal]

Horses are NOT made of glass

My horse is made of glass, actually.

 

[C&C]

Sorry but im a wrapper!!

Both my horses are wrapped in cotton wool and have very good lives. They look amazing, are healthy and very happy.

I dont turn out when its pissing down with rain, if i did Chance would be extremely peed off. They get ad-lib hay at nite, i do not believe in giving a horse a net at 6.30 in the evening and the poor sod has nothing left by 8pm but has to wait til maybe 8.30 (or longer) the next day!!

There is NOTHING WRONG with wrapping your beloved equine in cotton wool as long as you are sensible with it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sarah1]

This is one of those topics we're all going to have to just agree to disagree on because so much is down to individuals interpretation of 'wrapping a horse in cotton wool'

For instance C&C in the post above said they feed ad lib hay - I don't think that's wrapping them in cotton wool at all that's just good management IMO (providing it's appropriate quality for the horse ie not liable to cause health problems before anyone starts jumping up & down!)

People need to treat each horse individually - my own horse is a hardy type and it would cause more problems than enough if I was to stable him a lot or over rug or over feed him but I appreciate that other horses need a slightly different carry on

On paper a cob type or cob x horse, that's fairly hardy & a good weight with a full coat shouldn't need a MW rug in these temps (in theory they shouldn't need that until it gets realy cold) but if the horse is cold it's cold! What can you do about it!?!?!

Sheesh people, let it go!

 

[C&C]

This is one of those topics we're all going to have to just agree to disagree on because so much is down to individuals interpretation of 'wrapping a horse in cotton wool'

For instance C&C in the post above said they feed ad lib hay - I don't think that's wrapping them in cotton wool at all that's just good management IMO (providing it's appropriate quality for the horse ie not liable to cause health problems before anyone starts jumping up & down!)

People need to treat each horse individually - my own horse is a hardy type and it would cause more problems than enough if I was to stable him a lot or over rug or over feed him but I appreciate that other horses need a slightly different carry on

On paper a cob type or cob x horse, that's fairly hardy & a good weight with a full coat shouldn't need a MW rug in these temps (in theory they shouldn't need that until it gets realy cold) but if the horse is cold it's cold! What can you do about it!?!?!

Sheesh people, let it go!

Thanks

 

[Sarah1]

Thanks

Welcome

I've just made myself giggle a bit - I have visions of a thelwell looking/cobby pony stood in the field shivering and the owner trying to explain to him that he's not really cold & saying 'you can't be cold you're a cob now run along & eat your hay...', I have a strange sense of humour...

 

[Capriole]

Well now you do

At the first drop of rain, flake of snow or pellet of ice one of mine is across his paddock like a bullet and assuming the turtle position ie: head out of shelter but the rest of him stays firmly indoors.

Give him a couch, TV and a crate of beer and he'd be your classic couch potato.

One of my mares (TBxID), who very happily lives out all year with her mates, well this summer I saw her head down and belting towards me when it started to rain, first drops of rain and she was off...she had a new foal at foot and wanted the baby inside So she came in. Rest of the time she'd rather be out.

I dont mind letting her choose if she wants to be in or out, within reason.
If she was a high maintenance type that only wanted to be in all the time, Id have to think about moving her on as that wouldnt really fit in with things here.

 

[stargirl88]

Every horse is different. I know that my horse just waits at the gate to come in because she knows dinner will be served up. If there was good grazing outside when in winter - she'd be happy never seeing a stable again in her life.

Some people really do go overboard though, the first horse I shared... the woman told me to put a duvet under his TWO stable rigs at night. It wasn't even snowing and he was a big, solid, fluffy horse. Le sigh.

 

[diamondrockharvey]

Someone complained about the way I keep my horses last year, because my young traditional cob is un rugged and it was snowing!
He looked like a wooly mammoth, had access to a huge shelter and as much hay as he could eat, they weren't fussed about my other horse as he was rugged but only as he is an Irish Sport Horse and he only wears a lightweight rug.
Apparently leaving them out in the snow without rugs is cruel???

I also got accused of being cruel once before for not having shoes on my horse!

Some people just don't get it!

My horses would much rather be out roaming their 5 acres than cooped up in a 12x12ft box day and night!

 

[diamondrockharvey]

ETS - I haven't read all of the replies & didn't read this one properly to begin with! I agree some owners are just a bit silly with wrapping their horses in cotton wool & treating them like humans (or babies) rather than horses but I would never not check on my horse at least once a day. He can get into mischief at the drop of a hat and he's very good at pushing fencing down & doing a runner!
He's a big strapping lad who's young (ish), fit & healthy - I don't think he needs rugging to the eyeballs and molly-coddling etc but at the very least going to the field and checking them over for cuts etc at least once a day is basic care as far as I'm concerned.

I agree, I do not molly-coddle my horse, as I have said above, but I do check them twice a day and if I can only make it once for some reason my friend does the other check for me. I wouldn't feel right going to work in the morning without having seen Harvey and Clarkie first!!

 

[Ruto]

Okay first off, I do not neglect my horses. Again I NEVER said they're not checked on everyday. :S
And again, I'm NOT trying to bash people who stable/rug/feed their horses! I used to stable my pony all the time until last year. By using the term 'cotton wool' horses, I'm more getting at the people who are EXTREME with their horses. I.e. horses that are happy to be put out, want to be turned out for a couple ours of day but don't get let out because of a little bit of light rain or simply just because the owner doesn't want to let them out or putting a medium weight rug on in the moderate weather whilst it's raining just because the owner feels a bit cold! Stuff like this. Not regular stabling and turn out. I do know clipped horses DO need rugs and older horses DO need a lot more care. But I'm just generalising on your everyday average horse/pony. Not your clipped competition horses, special care requirement horses or veterans. Because I do know they do need a bit of extra care.
I wasn't complaining about people looking after their horses, or telling people HOW they should look after their horses I was just starting a thread to see what you guys thought, what your day to day routine is with your equine and maybe funny stories on people you may know that take the biscuit with their 'cotton wool' horses?

 

[Ruto]

Some people really do go overboard though, the first horse I shared... the woman told me to put a duvet under his TWO stable rigs at night. It wasn't even snowing and he was a big, solid, fluffy horse. Le sigh.

Haha this is more the stuff I'm getting at.

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Amen to that! Horses thicken and thin their coat according to the weather. They don't need rugs (in the MAJORITY of cases). Unless you do a lot of road work or your horse has some sort of hoof condition shoe's are also unneeded. Horses are much happier outdoors then cooped up inside- unless they have to be on box rest or what not like you said.

Rubbish.

My mare grows an incredibly thick, strong coat and is happy to live out in the snow, unrugged and as it happens unshod. Whilst my gelding will bring himself in if put out in winter. You can not legislate for every horse, they are all individuals with individual needs. One size does not fit all and a GOOD horse owner takes no notice of what care the horse in the next stable/field is getting and tailors the care they give to the horse in front of them!

I hate these, "I do it this way and you are wrong if you don't do it my way" threads! Find a way that is right for your horse and be prepared to adapt depending on many issues.
FDC

 

[Mare Stare]

For me, it's not other owners, it's the people who have never owned a horse who pee me off.

Y'know the ones who had about 3 lessons 20 years ago and then go around thinking they can tell you that you NEED to keep a horse in a stable and you NEED to have them rugged in the winter.

 

[Sheep]

Rubbish.

My mare grows an incredibly thick, strong coat and is happy to live out in the snow, unrugged and as it happens unshod. Whilst my gelding will bring himself in if put out in winter. You can not legislate for every horse, they are all individuals with individual needs. One size does not fit all and a GOOD horse owner takes no notice of what care the horse in the next stable/field is getting and tailors the care they give to the horse in front of them!

I hate these, "I do it this way and you are wrong if you don't do it my way" threads! Find a way that is right for your horse and be prepared to adapt depending on many issues.
FDC

*applauds*

 

[Ruto]

For me, it's not other owners, it's the people who have never owned a horse who pee me off.

Y'know the ones who had about 3 lessons 20 years ago and then go around thinking they can tell you that you NEED to keep a horse in a stable and you NEED to have them rugged in the winter.

LOL, yes. :')

 

[NoltonSeaShell]

is it wrong that I have images of horseowners digging up their fields to replace their soil type

That's my plan for the weekend haha

 

[Welshie Squisher]

Oh god don't even get me started.
There is a tw*t at my yard that insists on ramming every food going down the throat of his seriously obese cob.
Had a big row the other day with another livery about putting hay into the fields, his horse gets cold without it u see!
The field is full of grass, its massive,she has a heavy weight rug on and a crest that any stallion would be proud of.
Poor thing spent months on box rest with lami last summer.

He thinks my 2 cobs are anorexic because they don't have huge apple bums and cresty necks, doesn't know what books I've been reading but that's not how cobs should be

It's a running joke now about my cobs being thin and me being a wicked biatch only giving then 1 net a night and shocker - no breakfast, worse still the daughters cob has to gallop

 

[Ibblebibble]

is it wrong that I have images of horseowners digging up their fields to replace their soil type

i shall be scouring the internet looking for companies who can sell me the correct soil and while i'm at it i'll be looking for some seed for grass that grows all year round because i obviously have the wrong type of that as well as mine stops growing in winter i mean how can i provide all year grass when that happens

 

[NoltonSeaShell]

i shall be scouring the internet looking for companies who can sell me the correct soil and while i'm at it i'll be looking for some seed for grass that grows all year round because i obviously have the wrong type of that as well as mine stops growing in winter i mean how can i provide all year grass when that happens

If you could pass the details on that would be great....

 

[JFTDWS]

Afraid we will have to disagree on this one. Agree horses enjoy being out if they have enough well drained land so they have something to eat and are not stood around in mud. Also if they have good quality shelter if the weather turns bad. Most people I know who do 24/7 turnout do not have this luxury.

I feel so dammed sorry for horses stood out in a foot of mud, in freezing wind and rain, with a bit of hay, but owners think its OK as they have a rug on.

I also dont agree with clipping horses who are expected to live out 24/7, so I would have to agree its not easy to ride. You spend ages cleaning them up, if you can get the mud dry enough to brush off, and then the horse sweats up with any real work because its not clipped.

Oh dear, you'd probably die if you saw mine, my horses are out 24/7 in mud with limited grass, they get straw instead of hay, it's pretty muddy for the first 20m or so of the field, the highlands don't get fed (they don't need it!), one of them was fully clipped and rugged, now is only in a LW - he's still warm) and completely muddy. I don't even bother to brush the mud off. It's not bothering him

since their stables are in the front field, they could go in them when I let them out of their usual field (periodically I let them out while I feed / catch one or other of them) and yet the choose to have a hooley round the fields instead I can conclude that they just don't agree with you

How I keep my horses may not work for others - though I agree with the OP's sentiment about owners wrapping their horses in cotton wool and treating them like their children being bizarre and rarely in their best interests - but I do object to blanket statements like this...

 

[JFTDWS]

and while i'm at it i'll be looking for some seed for grass that grows all year round because i obviously have the wrong type of that as well as mine stops growing in winter i mean how can i provide all year grass when that happens

Oh I have some of that - it's growing right now I will sell you some seed for an extortionate price in spring if you like - for all the good it would do you

 

[Jesstickle]

Oh dear, you'd probably die if you saw mine, my horses are out 24/7 in mud with limited grass, they get straw instead of hay, it's pretty muddy for the first 20m or so of the field, the highlands don't get fed (they don't need it!), one of them was fully clipped and rugged, now is only in a LW - he's still warm) and completely muddy. I don't even bother to brush the mud off. It's not bothering him

since their stables are in the front field, they could go in them when I let them out of their usual field (periodically I let them out while I feed / catch one or other of them) and yet the choose to have a hooley round the fields instead I can conclude that they just don't agree with you

How I keep my horses may not work for others - though I agree with the OP's sentiment about owners wrapping their horses in cotton wool and treating them like their children being bizarre and rarely in their best interests - but I do object to blanket statements like this...

Yep, they're definitely mistreated are your lot You had better send them to me. Especially J

 

[JFTDWS]

Yep, they're definitely mistreated are your lot You had better send them to me. Especially J

The filthy hairy thing? Sure, I'll give him the bus fare and send him off when I get home then... I'll send Darach with him, you can take on the challenge of keeping the little devil in the field he's meant to be in

 

[Jesstickle]

The filthy hairy thing? Sure, I'll give him the bus fare and send him off when I get home then... I'll send Darach with him, you can take on the challenge of keeping the little devil in the field he's meant to be in

Ahh, D and BH would love each other. They could follow each other around all day looking slightly clueless! Is he staying in your fields or escaping properly little rascal?!

 

[Syrah]

I have come to the conclusion that owning a horse is pretty similar to being a parent.

When you become a parent, you become public property to be bashed at every opportunity by anyone who has an opinion on how you should bring your children up whether they be complete strangers or people you know

There are endless debates on breastfeeding/formula feeding, give sweets/don't give sweets, junk food/no junk food....... the list is endless.

A bit like owning a horse but the subjects are different