Do you turn out bring in by headcollar or just open doors?

Gingerwitch

Gingerwitch

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2009
Messages
6,102
Location
My own planet
Visit site
Just been chatting with one of my horsey mates, about bringing in - she goes to one yard that just opens the gate and lets the horses onto the yard.

Turn out is the same - doors opened and they find there own way to the field as well.

Anyone elses yard do this ?
 
we used to many years ago when we rented some land and the stables were in the middle of the fields. we just opened the relevant field gate and opened the doors.......same in evening in reverse, they all went into their own stables..it was really easy. except for one night when my horse went into the wrong stable:(, i went in a put my hand on her nose and her mane and she shot out, knocking me to the floor in the process...i dislocated my elbow...not pleasant....lesson learned, if horse in wrong stable, get a headcoller and do it properly!!!!!!
 
My boy came from a place that did this. When he arrived with me he was in the field as far away from the yard as possible, and had to be led past the liveries in other fields. Shall I say our first few weeks of turning out were very scary! :o
 
my YO lets the horses run in and one horse slipped onto her side and skidded on concrete and slammed into the wall ! she has skinned her whole side on fetlock hock and flank where they made contact with the ground . really nasty and completely avoidable accident :mad:
 
Know of somebody that does this and it frightens the life out of me. Loose Horses wanting to come in + wet concrete + a corner to get round = potentially a nasty accident. Makes me feel all funny thinking about it.
 
All very well and good, until they decide to race in, especially in slippy mud or on ice!!!

I lead mine to the yard and about 20 ft from their stables, chuck their ropes over their necks and let them walk in.
 
I do this at the moment as the horses are just separated from their field by 2 strips of electric fence and are allowed to come and go during the day. They are quite happy and know which is their stable - even getting both ponies in one box and jazzy in the other!

I do head collar them to their summer paddocks and they still retain their manners although I do have a dually halter if mouse forgets to behave!
 
Think it completely depends on your set up. If my stables were in the field I would probably do this, but my stables have always been on yards so headcollars it is - or a rope round the neck if I'm being lazy!
 
I think it very much depends on the set up and individual horses.

I used to let ponies, all two of them to put themsleves in, however I knew them both well and never a problem. I also used to bring them in on headcollars with lead ropes as when it suited me.

If common sense used don't see a problem.
 
My yard has a gate straight into the field. The stable doors are 0, 10 and 25 feet away from the gate and the yard is 45 feet by 15 feet and safely enclosed. They always come in and go out in single file and as good as gold. And I don't get my boots dirty.

I got in a big argument on another thread recently where people were trying to say that some ridden behavioural difficulties that I have had with my horses were because I did not lead them in and out. And the same people were also assuming that because I choose not to lead them in and out through the gate, that I could not do it if I wanted to, and that I never led them through any other gates either. Complete rubbish of course :D
 
Last edited:
I combine the two. Mine I stick a headcollar on with leadrope over her neck & she walks at my side, except in the barn where she makes her own way in or out. When the gateway is muddy I also open the gate wide, unclip lr & let her jump the mud in/out cos she hates it, & has earned the right to avoid it if she wants. Daughters we let loose on the yard to go in the barn & to her stable. But not otherwise, she's good on a lr but loose would be off like a rocket. As we've discovered on a few occasions when she's got out. Only 5 though, so that will change I'm sure.
 
If I had my own stables I would if the setup allowed it.
Was on a yard where when a fella left the yard it was empty. By the time he let his stallions in, I was on the yard with my mare!
It was scary and I only just managed to get her in the stable without one of them with us :eek:
 
First yard I was on did this. Made getting 20+ horses in so much quicker = done wthin 10 minutes.
Horses knew their stables. Let 4-6 in at a time so there's not a mad dash. Any that are likely to have a mad dash/not go to correct place, get a headcollar on.
Same for going out = ensure gate is open, open stables and herd horses out. 5 minutes and its done.

While I was doing it, I can't think of any injuries that we had and new horses didn't take long to learn the routine. Horses that went to other yards etc, were well behaved to be led in.
 
Gingerwitch said:
Just been chatting with one of my horsey mates, about bringing in - she goes to one yard that just opens the gate and lets the horses onto the yard.

Turn out is the same - doors opened and they find there own way to the field as well.

Anyone elses yard do this ?
Click to expand...

This is an accident waiting to happen, i hope whoever does it is well insured
 
I have 5 and they bring themselves in and put themselves out. Always in the same order, they know their stables and the routine and its very rare there is a problem. I can imagine if they were let out in the wrong order then it would cause a bit of stress.

All my own horses, not so sure I would do it on a livery yard with other peoples though !
 
That is one of the main things I hate to see people doing! Especially if your on a livery yard! I will hold my hands in the air and say I do move our broodmares and youngsters from field to field by opening gate and them following food this is because they are moved with my dads cattle and it is only done with a lot of people so it can controlled! We used to have a lady at our yard who ran around 6 from one side of yard down a Track and into the stables as she was too scared to handle them all! This led to them going places they weren't allowed climbing over fencing and was really dangerous as they would charge through other liveries and upset the other horses, it also, meant that when she actually did have to handle these horses especially the youngers they had no manners and would often try and canter off ( usually succeeding)
 
We rent our own little yard and have 2 stables in each field.

At night I just open the stable doors and my old boy puts himself to bed first, then l
I let my pony into his stable, then do the same with our other 2. They all seem to have worked out which order they go in.

In the mornings I simply open the doors and let them out. Again there's an order I follow and they are all well mannered and wait nicely / don't barge out. My oldie usually takes a little while to come out - he likes to take his time, and the girls saunter out at their own pace.

It works really well as the stables are in the fields and we have a laid back little herd of 4. I wouldn't do it on a yard or if the stables were all together.
 
Would never do it to turn out, my horse is hard enough to hold back in the mornings as it is - she'd do some serious damage if I was to just swing the door open and tell her she could go :eek:
I do let our little oldie in at night by opening his paddock gate, he potters round the yard and (usually ;)) into his stable - on the odd occasion he doesn't, he's not big enough to do any damage and usually just runs about the grassy stretch by the stables. He's in a separate paddock to the rest so it's not causing chaos. Wouldn't do it with the others.

I once worked somewhere where she had a block of ex & current racehorses and used to just open the doors and let them go out for their 20 mins turnout - it was terrifying to watch, I refused to do it that way as it was an accident waiting to happen. Never seen so many sparks!!
 
Last edited:
With my own, head collar and rope, sometimes just rope round her neck. At work, open door, grab rug and lead to field. To bring in, open stables, open gate and stand back, they go straight in to their own stables. It is only 10 yards, and they are very well trained!:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top