Do you agree with keeping horses in 24/7?

[loverly]

Just wondering if anyone agrees with keeping a horse in 24/7? May be with only a "mooch" area to walk around.

I know it is fairly common on the continent, but is it realistic and fair to do so?

 

[MerrySherryRider]

No.

 

[Surreydeb]

No I believe horses should be kept as naturally as possible and out as much as possible 24/7 but this obviously depends on health laminitus status etc

 

[Cocorules]

No a horse kept like that cannot move enough to express its natural behaviour. I would expect that to lead to mental and physical problems for the horse.

 

[Jackson]

No. not unless they were in really substantial work, and walked out regularly.. and then only if they were turned away for at least a bit of time to be horses at some point in the year? but even then

 

[Montyforever]

No. I have a very laminitis prone mare who can only handle up to 4 hours in the field a day and she's happy with it but if it ever gets to the point where she is in 24/7 I would rather PTS

 

[giddyupalfie]

Absolutely not!

 

[loverly]

That is pretty much the same as my own opinion.

When my previous horse went schooling at an eventing yard he didn't get turned out but was worked fairly hard... I have also seen a livery which only allows 30 minutes to an hour's turnout in the winter. Another only has turnout on to a concreted area. And that is quite the same with quite a few liveries near me. So as my previous livery is being sold to some who will be using it for private use I'm looking aorund (for when I finally find a horse!!).

I have an acre at home and a barn to make a large stable (think 20x15 or bigger), so would be able to do this at home rather than spend the £100+ per month on livery.. But I'm not sure I completely agree with it, unless I work the horse twice a day and allow it to mooch on the concrete area in winter..

 

[quirky]

Yes

 

[rema]

Nope unless for medical reasons.

 

[Sparkles]

Long as it's not a tiny stable and the horses go 'out' as such, then I don't have a problem with it personally.

In an ideal world, yes, I'd like to see every horse in a field. But it isn't an ideal world sometimes, so c'est la vie.

 

[Ali27]

Mine Our out 24/7 from Spring to autumn and then out during day from 6am to 6 pm in winter. If I had my own land then they would be out 24/7 in winter too! Keeping a horse in 24/7 is not natural!!!! I would never choose a yard that kept horses in all the time even in winter!

 

[FreddiesGal]

Thats like saying do you agree with keeping a child locked in his bedroom 24/7.

That would be classed as child cruelty - I have the same view regarding horses.

 

[starryeyed]

No, definitely don't agree with it. Can't imagine myself stood in a box all day and all night with only a walk out / exercise to look forward to, I'd go mad.

 

[PolarSkye]

Nope. Not unless it's for medical reasons.

P

 

[soltydog]

No and anyone that does it should be done for mental cruelty.

They should try living in their bathroom for a month and see if they still think its ok afterwards.

 

[LittleMouse]

No. I could handle in during the day out at night or vice versa but not 24/7 hahah. all ours live out 24/7. I think its so unatural to be in ALL the time, and i imagine it as being stuck in your bedroom for your whole life hahahaha...id go insane xx

 

[LollyDolly]

I must admit that my boy currently only goes out 4 times a week, and then only for 4/5 hours max.
I do this to keep his weight down, and because he struggles in the sunlight and with the flies. He must have sweet blood or something because the flies LOVE him!!
So in the summer his turnout is limited, however he seems happy enough. He has low stable walls and a laminetic horse next door so they have a chat, as well as getting haynets and exercise.
Sadly his paddock is right by a brook so the flies are atrocious, he actually gets better turnout in the winter really!

 

[katherine1975]

No I think it is cruel to keep horses in 24/7 even if they are exercised a lot. I think they need time to be a horse and move around ad they want to, if they are exercised a lot they still don't have the freedom to move where and how they want. My horses live out 24/7 unless the weather is really bad. I recall reading on here that a competition rider kept their horse in 24/7 as it wad too laid back if turned out!

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It depends on the circumstances whether I agree with 24/7 stabling. Depends on the horse too, some can't tolerate it at all. It's not ideal, but I've done it before and I'd do it again. There are things you can do to improve the situation. Eg. Hack out with others so horse has company of sorts, tie up outside a friends stable so the horses can socialize over the door, skip out all week then do a full muck out on the last day and find somewhere for the horse to wander round while you're doing it, give plenty of work, remove tack at the end of schooling so horse can roll, scratch all over with curry comb daily since horse can't groom itchy spots with others, change feed if necessary to something horse can have ad-lib, use several types of forage not just one so horse has some choice and variety. I'll also not tell the horse off for any bucking etc under saddle or lunged to allow it to let off steam so its not all standing in stable or serious work. I've known plenty of horses have to live in almost permanently and the owners make it work. The alternative for some people is not to have a horse. Not all areas have land for turnout, or yards where fields are properly safe for turnout, leading to frequent injuries and/or risk of death in unsuitable fields.

 

[StrawberryFish]

No - a horse needs to move and graze for its digestive system to work correctly amongst other important things (mental health being one)

 

[ebonyallen]

NO.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I can't say I agree with it. That's not to say I'd force my opinion onto someone else, however it's not my management of choice personally.
On the grand scheme of things I can imagine it's a lesser of a few evils, but that doesn't make it right either. I'd always like to see a horse granted turnout time.

 

[Mrs B]

The alternative for some people is not to have a horse.

IMO, neither should they. 'Tolerating' is hardly good enough, is it? You can list all the displacement activities you like and you may say the 'owners make it work' (who asked the horse?) but no human intervention is going to make up for a naturally free-ranging herd herbivore being kept in a cell.

 

[rascal]

Only for medical reasons, horses should live like horses not poodles.

 

[emma.is]

No, I keep my horses in at night and out in the day. I think of their stable as a 'bedroom' and I wouldn't want to be in my bedroom all day!

 

[smellsofhorse]

Totally cruel.
No way, not fair.
If you you can't provide a nice living for a horse then you shouldnt have a horse!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I have an acre at home and a barn to make a large stable (think 20x15 or bigger), so would be able to do this at home rather than spend the £100+ per month on livery.. But I'm not sure I completely agree with it, unless I work the horse twice a day and allow it to mooch on the concrete area in winter..

Would the horse have a friend?

Could you make an all weather turnout paddock with hardstanding for a hayfeeder and water trough, room to canter and a soft (sand maybe) rolling area?

When the grass was very rich, I put my stable mats down in the sand school (school is 20 x 40) and tied hay nets over them, plus buckets of water. I then turned the horses out in it during the day (in a tiny paddock at night) and even my 'wont stable' TB was happy with that set up. Keeping the mats clear of fallen hay was a right pain, which is why I suggested a hardstanding area and hayfeeder if it was a more permanent arrangement.

I have also known youngsters that were quite happy to be barn kept over winter. However they were in very large, light, airy barns (could canter and play in them) and in a small group of horses the same age.

 

[rhino]

No. There are some injuries I think box rest is useful for, but not otherwise. I'd much rather have a yard with fewer facilities, which is further away, than a yard with no or restricted turnout. Facilities may be good for me, but the horse comes first

 

[loverly]

I'm going to continue to look for liveries to be completely honest.

The horse would have access for 1/4 acre of hardstanding straight outside the barn so can go in and out as the horse pleases and then in summer have the acre to graze.

Ahhh not sure what to do as my plan of going back to previous livery is not going to happen as planned.