Do we make having horses more difficult than it needs to be..???

[Leo Walker]

I've done the field thing for the last 5 years and when I had young horses it was brilliant. Now I have something I want to ride it just wasnt for me! Muddy horses, no facilities, no one to ride with, and a move down South meant much smaller acreage and endless poo picking! Mines now at a big livery yard on assisted DIY, ad lib haylage and straw, horse fed and turned out/brought in by yard. In turn up once a day, muck out quickly and spend the rest of my time brushing him, doing groundwork and just generally spending time with him. All undercover in american barn stables with automatic water, rubber matting and corner hay feeders. I can pay a few quid and put him on full livery for the day as and when suits me as well.

It is soo much easier than slogging it out in a muddy field! I came very, very close to giving up, having moved him I am loving having horses again! And to be honest, its really not that much more expensive than keeping him out 24/7 by the time I've added it all up

 

[luckyoldme]

I love having my horse out 24/7. I also love the fact that all the other horses where he lives are on the same regime. I would hate to be on a split yard though because many owners still read out 24/7 as neglect!
There is a vast difference between throwing a horse out all winter with a rug on and letting it get on with it , and caring for a horse out 24/7.
It does amaze me how many folk just leave them to get on with it then get a shock in spring when the rug comes off to see a walking skeleton with bald patches on its chest.

 

[risky business]

I think we over complicate most things in life tbh, horses too.

 

[p87]

Yes, I agree, I keep things as simple as I can.

I have an auto immune disease, and when it's really bad (there's good days and bad days) I physically cannot move, it feels like I have an overweight person lying on top of me, and if I do manage to move it feels like I'm trying to run through waist deep mud. With four horses to look after there is no way I'm going to be able to get up early to turn out/muck out then have a few hours rest before bringing in, changing rugs, grooming, riding, feeding etc... I just physically cannot do it.

So they all live out, which they are very happy with. On a bad day I amble up at some point during the day (whenever I can manage really) to feed and give them a wee pat. On a good day I can groom and exercise (two out of four) and on the rare really good days where I am bursting with energy I can get things done like poo picking, and general tidying.
On REALLY bad days, I text my friend and she feeds for me.

 

[Slave2Magic]

I've been pondering this lately as at some point I will have to merge my 2 at the same yard. Youngster is out 24/7 on youngstock livery and mare is on DIY and out during the day and in at night. Ideally I would like the youngster to be able to live out 24/7 still when he is backed next winter but places are few and far between where I am. I am hoping to find somewhere that will suit both them and me.

 

[Mince Pie]

I'm all for having horses out 24 / 7 but they still need to be checked twice a day SLH! I seem to find that a lot of grass kept horses aren't being cared for properly - not pointing fingers at anyone on this thread - fed once a day even though there is no grass so horses are hungry for 20 hours, feet not trimmed often enough etc. Perhaps thats just the people in my area?
When mine were out 24 / 7 they had a round bale of hay in the feed at all times, checked twice a day, and field was poo picked twice daily. I found it a similar amount of work - poo picking instead of mucking out, raking up the old hay instead of filling haynets, scrubbing the water trough weekly, checking fencing etc.

 

[Clodagh]

Horses for courses.When I had the time and money I loved having my horses in overnight, I loved going up to see them at my bedtime and the lovely warm smell of horse and watching them eat hay all snug for the night.
Now I don't have the time or the motivation so they live out, I am lucky as they are at home and I have a perfect field set up but they are just as happy. I don't ride much though now, I think if I was hunting twice a week like before I would prefer them in overnight.

 

[L&M]

I think everything in the horse world has become way too complicated....whether it is feeding or rugging, the choices are overwhelming and downright confusing!

In an ideal world the simple ways are the best. However with the decreasing availability of quality grazing, and the increase in the number of horse owners, 24/7 turnout is not always an option. I know of no yards in our area that offer it, so unless you have the luxury of your own land, is not always possible.

I am lucky that I have my own land but still choose to bring my horses in overnight in winter. The reasons are many fold - one is a wimp and come october 'wants in', and as they both hunt, find it easier to prepare them for a days hunting and monitor their condition. It also ensures I have good grazing for when they are turned out 24/7 in the spring. This is when I reap the benefits as they live of nothing but good quality Dr Green.

I am doubly lucky as I only work from Mar - Oct, so come winter can tailor these months around my horses, so have the luxury of time when it is most needed.

Each to their own!

 

[Asha]

Great post.

I think we do over complicate. Ive certainly been guilty of it over the past few years. Always brought mine in at night, especially the foals. How could they possibly cope in the dark wintery conditions , and without rugs. Shameful. having recently moved, and my stables still under construction, ive been really worried about the youngsters being out. Well crikey moses, they are actually OK, i'd go as far to sat that they are happy. they have done something which my previous foals haven't, actually grown a serious coat, ( you lose a hand when giving them a scratch)

I am looking forward to bringing them in though, as I still feel awful when it rains. So, yes I do make things more difficult for myself, but it makes me happy, and at least I know my horses aren't bothered either way !

 

[amandap]

If I had mine clipped, rugged, stabled etc. I would have a nervous breakdown trying to decide which rug, when etc. are they too hot, too cold, have they been too hot at some point or too cold at some point, it's so much easier letting them regulate their own temperatures. lol
Also, personally, if I had to buy three rugs each I wouldn't be able to buy hay!

 

[scribble]

I would love to be able to keep mine out in a feild shelter but round here is all prime arable land and none of it ever sells, when it does it goes in 50+ acre batches which are £13,000 an acre, so mine is kept at a small livery yard on a private farm with a school and walker and stables and we all help each other. she lives out in summer but likes to have her creature comforts in winter. there are not many livery yards anyway round here. If i moved from where I am the next one is 15 miles each way and costs £300 a month.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Great thread.

I've finally got the happy balance, for me, in the way I care for mine. They live out here at home 24/7 but with full access to purpose built field shelters, so I don't have to worry whether they are too hot, too cold, bothered by flies etc.

I have fall back facilities though, of 3 good sized new stables, 1 per horse, so that I can bring them in at any time. I admit that if they are stabled, I still get great pleasure in providing deep beds and a cosy environment for them and peep often at the CCTV app on my iPad to check that they are happy when I am in the house!

When I was on a DIY livery at a lovely yard ruled by a dragon lady, my whole day revolved around the horse. I often had to make 3 visits a day (yard was 6 miles from home and another 3 from work) to fit into a strict regime. It was pretty crazy really, and there was no time for anything else.

 

[em_123]

I had this conversation with someone recently.

In short yes I think a lot of people could simplify how they kept their horses even if it was for a short while to get them through a tough patch rather than selling on.

I am lucky I rent a yard and have it to myself, even luckier to have stabling, floodlit school electric and water.

When I first moved here I was so excited at having the whole place, them jn at night out in day etc.

Soon enough mine all ended up out 24/7 and I found the horses much more relaxed for it, especially around feed times, I found they stopped waiting for it. They weren't there ready and stressing if I was a few minutes late like they would if I was late to turnout.

I dropped any real routine it was fab.

That point I had 2, now I have 4 and I can still keep them all cheaper than some people keep 1!

Time wise, if I kept on top of poo picking daily it wouldn't take any longer than 10 minutes. Other wise if I want to ride great if I just want to pop down and make sure all legs are where they are meant to be in the summer I can, in the winter it probably takes me 15 minutes to do waters haynets and feeds if I don't want to be there long.

I have a busy life and I manage to fit 4 horses in around 2 dogs the man and the child who is only 3 as well as various places I am meant to be on my days off shift and then 12 hour days when I am at work.

 

[LynH]

Yes, I agree, I keep things as simple as I can.

I have an auto immune disease, and when it's really bad (there's good days and bad days) I physically cannot move, it feels like I have an overweight person lying on top of me, and if I do manage to move it feels like I'm trying to run through waist deep mud. With four horses to look after there is no way I'm going to be able to get up early to turn out/muck out then have a few hours rest before bringing in, changing rugs, grooming, riding, feeding etc... I just physically cannot do it.

So they all live out, which they are very happy with. On a bad day I amble up at some point during the day (whenever I can manage really) to feed and give them a wee pat. On a good day I can groom and exercise (two out of four) and on the rare really good days where I am bursting with energy I can get things done like poo picking, and general tidying.
On REALLY bad days, I text my friend and she feeds for me.

This is pretty much exactly the same for me except I have three horses. I used to have two on part livery and they were pampered, heavily rugged, on horse walker daily, solarium when needed and half day turn out in winter, 9-4 in summer. I would, like many in this situation, have said they were happy being in and wouldn't like living out as they waited by the gate to come in and were reluctant to leave their stables on wet horrible days. One is an elderly TB who got stiff and sore so was carefully managed to ensure she was as comfortable as possible. Eventually I was struggled to drive to see them because of my health issues so we bought a place with land so they are right outside my door.

Two years on and they are living out, unclipped and unrugged last winter but clipped and rugged this winter due to work load. They have access to a field shelter and to their stables when they want. I still make sure they are spotless before I ride and I clean my tack after every ride. I have a school to ride in so when I'm well enough I try to ride as often as I can but when I'm
ill I don't worry as they can move around as much as they want.

It is really interesting to see how they use their stables. The TB will be in and out of the stable day and night but spends a considerable amount of time inside whereas the ID likes to come in and stay in for 2-3 hrs at a time. The highland pony comes in for long enough to drag her hay bucket to the door and will stand outside to eat from the stable or will stand under the overhang if it's raining. Some nights there are 4-5 poos in each stable and other nights none. They really do get to choose when to be in or out. For me the biggest reasons I would never go back to enforced stabling is because my elderly TB is no longer stiff and sore and the less than enthusiastic ID is now more responsive to the leg and more active and forward to ride. They are healthier and happier and still capable of doing the same job they did when stabled but now they do it better. I have 30 odd rugs sitting unused and there are nights when I'd like to put them in their stables just so I know they are cosy and warm but having never thought I'd keep horses this way I can now see how I would not want to go back to keeping them the way I did. This works well for me as I don't know from one day to the next how well I will be and they horses are self sufficient for most of the day and it's easy to ask someone just to pop hay or feed to them rather than asking for them to be mucked out etc too.

 

[Jericho]

My 3 live out 24/7 on 7 acres, fed small hard feeding for vits twice a day but no hay as lots of grass. We have recently moved to a house that has a beautiful stable block. All the beds are made up perfectly, hay nets up, water buckets spotless because I love seeing them like that and I love the thought my horses could be in out of the rain, wrapped up in snugly stable rugs but that's just a very human way to think. They don't come in though as pretty pointless really - less work, they are happier and it's much cheaper!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I drive past my field a minimum of 4 times a day so I always slow down to check they are ok
When I say simplify I do NOT mean skimping on the basics at all, I just mean making life easier. For those who dont find it cheaper to have their horses out...why is that..?? Surely they go through the same amount of hay regardless??
Also I have a "tack/feed room" (ok, ok..large shed lol) on site that is kept clean and tidy

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Also to add that the horse never ever goes without. Feet are trimmed regularly and EDT twice a year, jabs/wormer all up to date and comprehensive insurance in place. Rugged appropiately though not over rugged and a small hard feed once a day as well as grass and plenty of hay.
Fields poo picked regularly too, though not every day.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I don't think we always want to make things more difficult sometimes it is just what is available.

I thoroughly enjoy my horse (had a fabulous hack this morning) despite the horrifying fact that I keep him at a DIY yard with no 24hr turn-out . I don't have children or OH to worry about or any health issues so apart from work I can please myself. I do get help Mon-Fri though due to work commitments.

It would be lovely to have access to a more natural way of keeping and probably a lot cheaper but in reality decent yards or land to rent is like finding hens teeth locally. In my ideal dream place I would have a barn opening onto fields where the horses (there would be more than one ) could go in and out as they pleased. Of course I would be able to see all this from my kitchen window. I can but dream

 

[D66]

Ours have been out 24/7 this year. Previously we have bought them in at night mostly to save the field. This year has been fairly dry so far and the field is a bit churned but not dreadful, but you can't push a wheelbarrow full of muck across it! We are in the process of creating a small turnout paddock with automatic water and access to the end of a barn for use in the new year to allow the field to recover. Luckily we had over 400 bales of hay of our own hay last summer so they are getting as much as they can eat and a little extra hard feed as well. Both look really well on the new regime; the TB looks like a teddy bear - if they start to drop weight they'll be back in the stables asap.

Just read SBTS post. I can't see mine from the kitchen, but sometimes can see them from the dining room or the bathroom and I can go out in dressing gown and wellys without any danger of being seen by the neighbours.

 

[Wagtail]

I find field kept horses take me longer. I poo pick every day, which takes me longer than to muck out their stables because it's a five acre field and I have to push the barrow back up a hill. They need more cleaning up before riding too. But I do see what you mean OP. I guess if something crops up you don't have to poo pick if they are in the field, where as you do have to muck out if they are stabled.

 

[WelshD]

I like the misery, what else would we have to whinge about

I rent my land and stables so could make life simpler but choose sometimes not to. To have the option is important to me. the ponies are used to having no routine and if I am very pushed for time and know work will be busy they are both happy to live out 24/7 for part of the week

I could live with them out 24/7/365 but I would never be without access to a stable or at least a decent shelter where I can get them dry and out of the mud if necessary

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Just read SBTS post. I can't see mine from the kitchen, but sometimes can see them from the dining room or the bathroom and I can go out in dressing gown and wellys without any danger of being seen by the neighbours.

Any window would do that is something I'm prepared to compromise on

 

[windand rain]

Also to add that the horse never ever goes without. Feet are trimmed regularly and EDT twice a year, jabs/wormer all up to date and comprehensive insurance in place. Rugged appropiately though not over rugged and a small hard feed once a day as well as grass and plenty of hay.
Fields poo picked regularly too, though not every day.

mine get the best of everything and come first they are fully vaccinated, wormed, teeth and feet done as required rugged when needed worked daily clipped to keep them comfy and are fed expensive but quality foo That I wont compromise on They live in a small herd the field is never muddy and they are very happy

 

[D66]

Any window would do that is something I'm prepared to compromise on

I don't want to see them from the living room - if I can it means they have escaped.

 

[Spring Feather]

Any window would do that is something I'm prepared to compromise on

Every window of my house looks out onto my horses. Even in the bathrooms I can see horses :smile3: My pasture fields totally surround the farmhouse.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Every window of my house looks out onto my horses. Even in the bathrooms I can see horses :smile3: My pasture fields totally surround the farmhouse.

Show off :rolleyes3:

 

[WelshD]

Every window of my house looks out onto my horses. Even in the bathrooms I can see horses :smile3: My pasture fields totally surround the farmhouse.

Lucky thing. I can see my two from my spare room window if they are in a certain part of the field. I often wonder if they stand in the cold and watch the smoke coming from the chimney and watch us going to bed and think 'pair of ********!'

 

[Spring Feather]

Show off :rolleyes3:

Lol! I was lucky enough to buy a farm that was a blank canvas. I planned it this way so that I could see every horse on the property from inside the old farmhouse. It's kinda cold over here in the winter so it makes it far more practical to be able to see them from inside than having to go out 10 times a day to check on them all :smile3:

 

[YasandCrystal]

I agree good post - sometimes you ust have to take a step back and look at the basics. Unless you are competing regularly so need the clip and the clean horse - out 24/7 is a really good option to consider. I own 5 horses - 3 are currently in at night - my 2 older ones and a not so good doer. I keep everything as simple as possible - wood pellet bed on mats - bulk feed bin so they are all on the same - big bale haylage for economy.
My big WB and Dales youngster are out 24/7 - they have trashed their field to a quagmire. They get plentiful haylage and 2 hardfeeds daily - I was going to start bringing them in afer Christmas but have decided - why bother and make myself more work. I struggle with the arrangement at present so 2 more stable would really be noticeable.
My best decision was to stop depooing the paddocks for the winter - that was so hard to do with the mud and I decided it was futile - oh and another good one was I don't use stable rugs - they all wear outdoor rugs in - that saves loads of time and effort..

 

[LynH]

My girls know exactly where to stand in the field so they see in and can be seen. In the summer they were in my neighbours field and worked out how to get my attention. They also seem to keep watch on the back door for either me or my OH to come out or someone to drive in so thy can plead starvation.