Do horses prefer being out in bad weather than in a stable?

[Anna2015]

I have a 19 year old mare that hates her stable. She paces, starts calling and became a nightmare to catch (when shes always been good). As I was trying to get her used to it I would let her out after 10 minutes and her and her companion would gallop and rear at each other in excitement as if they spent months a part!

In the end I thought ad lib, toasty rug and she can stay out but this weather we are having - rain with horrible wind I can't help but feel cruel. I feel like going up there making a nice thick straw bed, swapping her wet muddy rug for a nice dry stable rug but is that really for my mental benefit?

I stabled her companion when I tried stabling her, I tried getting her slowly use to it with just feeding and stuff in there but she hates it. Before me she had an injury so had to have box rest for a straight 18 months. Not sure if this plays a part??? Would you leave her out in this???

 

[Michen]

Well do you think that all the people on here with field kept horses are cruel?!!! Of course not. They are horses. Mine is in overnight (yard rules) and I keep him in when the weather is awful but he likes his stable, if he didn't I wouldn't dream of doing so.

 

[Damnation]

If she is happy leave her out She won't dissolve, promise!

My mare is not great in a stable, nothing dangerous, she just bloody hates it!

I think that coming from Holland she probably didn't get alot of turnout and its given her a bit of a complex.

Perhaps your mare is claustrophobic? Or the box rest for 18 months has just traumatised her!

 

[horsemum]

Horses coped for thousands of years before humans came along and put them in cosy stables with rugs on

 

[huskydamage]

I have a stable with a caral and my old pony chooses to stand in the pouring rain looking miserable, instead of just go in the stable. So she might as well be out lol i have all these expensive rugs that can survive an artic winter so i put them to use! i only really bring her in for torrential rain and wind and its more to make me feel better than her.

 

[Anna2015]

No michen I don't think they are cruel as some people are fully against stabling. This question was really aimed at people that do believe a horse should be stabled in worst of weathers. It only plays on my mind more as certain parts of the field are slusshy and she refusing to walk over them.

I always believed horses should live as natural as possible and have as much turn out as possible but when I am sat in my warm home and look at the window.. seeing the rain and wind and picturing her huddled under the trees I feel terrible lol

 

[abb123]

I used to keep my two in a field that had access to two stables. When it started raining the big WB would gallop to the stable whereas the little arab would just carry on eating the grass. It had to be persistently bucketing down to find the arab sheltering in the stable!

 

[Magnetic Sparrow]

I think it depends on the horse and how much there is to eat in the field. Some horses just seem to love to be in and cosy, but most seem to prefer out provided there's food.

 

[Limbo1]

Very timely - I have just put the little pony in as we have hail and sleet. He has no shelter in his field and a thin rug. So I can hear him calling - he has wolfed down the hay and wants to go back out! Watching the other 3 who are out rugged with a barn as shelter and non are using it. They are grazing by the hedge with their bums to the wind - all 18-22 age wise. So I conclude they are happy out.

 

[Annagain]

My old boy and his two friends spent many years in a field with access to a barn. The only time we ever found them in there, even the TB, was in the height of summer when they would escape the flies.

In winter we'd put a big bale of hay in the field and another in the barn. They'd always choose the one in the field and would only eat the barn one when the field one had gone.

If it's bothering you, could you set your yard up so she has access to the stable? That would give you peace of mind and her the choice.

 

[Princess16]

I think it definitely depends on the horse TBH. Mine is field kept 24/7 but had to stable him recently as weather was too bad and field resembled mud pit. But believe me he couldn't wait to get back in his field - hates being stabled. Was positively doing a paso fino back to field had everyone in stiches lol.

So in your shoes I would keep yours out with rug but have access to a stable if weather gets too bad. And yes I second the comment rain and snow won't make them dissolve ! On the other hand mine is a native and has fab winter coat at mo if yours is clipped or TB make sure he's rugged accordingly.

 

[LHIS]

I like to have mine out being a horse whenever possible. Sadly the field was under water over Christmas so they were in for weeks on end. If it's really horrible weather he will get at best a light fill rug as he's a hairy native and has a fluffy coat. The other horses who are finer and a bit more delicate get duvet-like rugs on.
But yes, as others have said they won't melt, does them no harm.

 

[TGM]

If you are really worried do you have the option to leave the stable door and field gate open so you can see what she chooses to do given free choice? But to be honest, I think if she is rugged, with ad lib hay, and there is some form of shelter in the field (hedges, trees etc) and there are dryish areas of field to stand on, she will be fine. I also have a 19 year old mare and she has been out almost every night this winter - she is well-rugged and is as happy as larry!

 

[Wheels]

Mine have a choice, there is a laneway from the field to the stables all left open for them to come and go as they please. They sometimes do come in when the weathers bad - heavy rain they will come in for a bit, wind and they prefer to stay outside.

Sometimes they just stand on the stone lane but the vast majority of the time they prefer the field.

OP, is there a proper shelter in the field? Somewhere with dry floor/ bed etc so your horse can shelter if she wants to?

 

[Goldenstar]

Horses differ some love being stabled some hate .
Learning to be stabled is a matter of training and it should be done when the horse is young .
When I bred horses I caught the mares most days in summer and brought them in the foals learn to lie and rest in the stable the stable becomes a normal part of life .
At weaning I would handle them and take them into the stable with a calm friend in the next stable until it's just what you do .
All my horses except one likes the stable over turnout in bad weather so they go out for a few hours but of course they are in work out of work horses need to be out much more .
My outside horse asks to come in sometimes we bring him in he rolls and rolls then eats a while then he wants out so we turn him out again this lifestyle suits him better.
Horses that won't be stabled exist on a knife edge one bad injury and that can be that .

 

[madlady]

It definitely depends on the horse.

I don't have 24/7 winter turnout but luckily none of mine mind being stabled. Our yard itself is a decent size, we have a couple of acres of field available and a small paddock (that has been a mud pit since November).

If the small field is too bad for them to go in then they have the run of the yard - it's so interesting to watch what they do. We hang several haynets around the yard and around the mud pit so they have plenty to eat and can at least mooch around the yard and groom one another.

What we have found is:

Danica and Dandea point blank refuse to step a toe out of their stables if it's raining hard or very blustery (but Dandea doesn't mind being ridden in bad weather?) - they have both avoided the mud pit since November. Daegan will go out in anything and immediately goes to the mud pit for a roll. Freyja doesn't like very windy days but doesn't mind rain or anything else - she loves snow - she also goes straight for the mud pit for a roll.

The yard we used to rent had field access directly from it so we used to leave them to it pretty much - without fail whatever the weather they all brought themselves in at night and in summer they preferred to be in during the day and out until about 10pm then they trundled back into their stables to sleep. We used to go up in the morning and open all the doors - when we got back in the evening (about 6pm normally) they would be in their stables.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

My horse is out during the day and in at night. At night he has a large concrete yard to walk about in, an undercover area then access to his stable. Guaranteed no matter what the weather, he will be out in the yard even if it is hurricane weather. His haynet is tied to a pillar and he could stand under cover to eat it, he never does - he always stands out in the open air to eat it. I think he only goes into his stable to drink water, pee and have a lie down. If he could stay out in his field in all weathers all year round, he would.

 

[windand rain]

Think it largely depends on where the horses have been fed as babies and growing up stables are nice if thats where every meal is served all you life. Mine live out 24/7 dont much like stables but will if needed settle well. We had a field shelter but they never ever set foot in it in winter only in summer when a storm came along or for shade.
So it is habit if stabling is the habit they dont like going out. If living out is the habit they dont like being shut in. Some have the best of both worlds and can chose but in most cases that choice is usually to stand out in the wind and rain unless fed indoors

 

[wiglet]

My girl is out during the day an in at night, all year round - Yard rules. On a *****ty winters evening, sometimes by lunchtime on a really wet or cold day, she loves coming in to her stable but only because there's haylage waiting for her! During the better weather, she comes in - it's her routine but she does stand looking longingly over the stable door.

 

[Kezzabell2]

My 31yr old mare hates, hates, hates being stabled, so much so that at one point she would plant at the door and refuse to go in. she has lived out for about 12 years now and has a large field shelter, she loves it in there, and spends about 80% of her time in there!! but i think she likes to be able to come and go as she pleases!! she is very independent, bless her!

 

[mytwofriends]

I arrived at the yard this morning during a full on hail storm, wind, lightning, the works. Our boys had been turned out earlier and I was planning on bringing them in. They were all grazing happily, so out they stayed.

It's easy to humanise them. I know I tend to, but today they basically told me to butt out, they were fine thanks!

 

[Dry Rot]

Just come home in atrocious weather to find my nine Highland ponies sheltering behind some rather pathetic natural cover. They prefer that to the large field shelter I sweated blood to erect for them! But they do use the shelter as I can see from the foot prints.

The stallion and brood mares have acess to a small wood. Again, they'd rather be out in the field. But tracks lead into the wood so I know they use that too!

So I am snug and warm inside next to the wood burner with an easy conscience!

The worst thing is for them to be out in bad weather without sufficient food, i.e. ad lib hay, and the worst type of weather is near freezing rain or sleet with a gale behind it. That will strip the flesh off all livestock very quickly. They don't really mind when the temperature goes below zero as the air is dry and their coats stay dry and dry hair is a very good insulator.

 

[Luci07]

Current horse preferred his stable today...but his field is clay and muddy and his stable had haylage and 2 of his barn companions in, plus we had been out XC schooling so he wasn't bothered. My old mare can go in her box when she wants to and always goes in when it is raining. Previous poncy well bred warmblood was actually happier living out although would come in for feed. Most would honestly seem to prefer to be out as long as rugged/fed/hairy enough to cope. We rode past ponies today in a field that resembled a very large mud pit with no grass. However, ponies were all rugged, and had a large area of hard standing with a large bale of hay and a water trough on it. We returned home with the wind really getting up and the rain starting to really come down. Ponies were completely unperturbed!

 

[DappleGreyDaydreamer]

My boys are both hardy, native breeds so they always prefer the field! My cob is a light hack so he isn't clipped at all nor is he rugged unless it's below 5 degrees, but my Connemara showjumps so he is clipped and rugged and still enjoys being outdoors at all time. My yard requires all horses to spend the night in the stables, but they have full outdoor turnout from 8am - 5pm.

 

[smja]

My horse lived out 24/7 before I got him. I was really worried how he'd adapt to being stabled overnight in winter.

Needn't have bothered, the princess pony decided he'd had enough of being out in the wind and rain, much prefers to stay in when it's bad!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

mine like to come in for a weather break if we are having driving rain. They go into a byre though, not stables (unless at home and trust me, at my place they would rather be in than out during rough weather, we are extremely exposed). I don't hesitate to keep them in if its crap outside and they don't seem to mind at all.

 

[MDB]

My horses would hate being stabled. Goodness knows what I would do if one needed boxrest. They are out 24/7 in all weathers, naked. They have a selection of field shelters which they use only in the foulest of weathers. Their choice. Most of the time it is bums to the wind and rain, head down and munching.

 

[LittleGinger]

I would OP, yes, if that's what she preferred and I trusted the fencing to stay up in the wind.

I once cancelled a meal out with friends to go to the yard to bring in my gelding. It was the most horrendous rain and high winds and I was sure he'd be drenched and freezing. Got to the yard, which had no electricity. Fought my way through the wind and mud in the dark to the field. Yelled. He didn't come, so I went in search. Should have been my first clue. Brought him in, attempted to dry his sodden legs and face, put cosiest rug on and big full haynet. Felt like I'd done a real act of kindness for the boy and told him repeatedly as I towelled his little ears that wasn't I a wonderful Mum and wasn't he just the luckiest little horse in the world? Horses either side of him munching their haynets contentedly too.

Go to leave, grateful for the thought of a cup of tea. Despite waterproof everythings, am still wet through to my knickers and can't feel my hands anymore. Round the corner to the carpark... Can hear whinnying. Not just any whinnying - my horse. And banging. Thinking I must have left him tied outside or something, I turned back... Nope. Back round the corner to find him eyeing up the door to see if he can scramble over it. In the end I rugged him back up in a turnout, got his head collar and opened the stable door, thinking "Ha, you'll be quiet now, won't you?" Well yes he was, but that was because he took me back up to that field so quickly I had to hang on to his neck and kind of bunny hop along, because I couldn't pull my feet out of the mud fast enough. By this point, I looked like I'd been white water rafting without a raft.

Utterly soaked, splattered with mud, I made my way back to the car and concluded that he clearly prefers to the field. Fine by me now I know!

He does love a stable when it's hot, though - he likes a nap in the shade.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If she is happy leave her out She won't dissolve, promise!

My mare is not great in a stable, nothing dangerous, she just bloody hates it!

I think that coming from Holland she probably didn't get alot of turnout and its given her a bit of a complex.

Perhaps your mare is claustrophobic? Or the box rest for 18 months has just traumatised her!

My Westphalian was brought. up in Germany/Holland and would much rather spend the entire winter hibernating! Unfortunately for her, we put her out whenever possible. She has spent more time inside this year tnban ever before while she has been with us, because the land has been so wet��

 

[my bfg]

Definitely depends on the horse but they can change their minds
When I got my mare she had been stabled, so I stabled her each night, she hated it, moved to a yard where she could live out with a shelter which she never used even in the worst weather even though I bedded it up.
Had to use the shelter as a stable for a bit when she needed box rest and she's been addicted ever since! Now on a yard where all have to be stabled at night which she loves, also if it's very bad weather she loves a duvet day and if I untie her to turn her out when it's raining she will try to go back in! Think she's become a bit of a wuss!
I would do whatever makes the horse happy where possible, a good rug (if required) some shelter and enough grazing/hay can make an outdoorsy horse very happy but some do love their creature comforts