Do you turn out in your school?

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smiggy

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Want to know if Im being a moaning minny :)
Friend keeps her horse here and he has been in 24/7 for about two weeks with mud fever, the odd walk 5 mins up the drive about twice a week, Not suprisingly he now has filled back legs (he is an older boy).
She literally ties him across the barn while mucking his box out and today I said I didnt mind if she wanted to put him in the school while she mucked out (felt sorry for him tbh!). That was fine.
Tonight we were chatting and she said "Im going to put him out in the school tomorrow and go into town so he will have about an hour and a half out"
Now its a nice school, well maintained, post and rail fencing, private use of my horses and never ever been used as a turnout pen and my instinct is :eek:
but I am a bit of a control freak, I know that, I know some people do turn out in the school .
So an I being unreasonable?
tempted to just tell her I feel uncomfortable about it but that seems mean.
 
At the end of the day it's your school so up to you! As to whether any damage would occur I think it very much depends on the horse. I would have thought it would be less likely to cause probs if the horse has hay but that will obviously make a mess! It depends on your surface how difficult it will be to clear up. Maybe you could just say he has to be supervised when in the arena.
 
We aren't allowed to turn out in school at our livery yard. If I was you I'd let her turn out under supervision or just while mucking out. But not for a long time. Horse could get bored and chew fences or dig a hole. Too expensive and could ruin your nice school. I don't think u r being unreasonable, its your school, your choice!
 
I turn out the youngster in the school whilst i muck out and do the odd job around the yard - 30 mins max. Wouldn't turn out in there any longer - in fact one of the liveries turned out horse in there for half a day, tied up haynet in there and everything - i was really not happy, hay trampled into surface and poo everywhere, which livery failed to pick up. So yes, i turn out and allow liveries to turnout in the school for short periods, but nothing longer than half hour i'd say!
 
I would feel the same, but then I'm very precious about my school as the surface is brand new and I don't want it being trashed by having horses pooing on it and stamping it in.
 
Mine goes out in the school but not with hay and only while someone is around to keep an eye on her. We poo pick after and tidy up if she has left divots or holes.
 
My horses (8) have access to my school every day. They can go in there, the small yard & my barn. I clean up muck, they have somewhere dry to run around in winter.
 
Current yard doesn't allow turnout in the school even though its the only grass free area for recovering laminitics. Its not a problem as its used for riding in and has one of the best surfaces I've seen in ages.
Other yards do allow it, especially when winter turnout is restricted.

OP, have a word with your livery and explain that 15-20 mins supervised is fine while the horse is on box rest but if you let it go, your livery may mistakenly think its fine to use as alternative turnout for all sorts of reasons. Better to be clear at the outset than risk peace and harmony on the yard.
 
Turnout not allowed in mine! We used to and it ruined it!!! The horses that had been in for whatever reason were full of it and they used to skid in to the corners and rub on the fencing and It just battered it! When we had the ménage redone we set a rule to no turnout and no free schooling as that was just as bad and everybody respects it! Simple rules really and it works. If the horse needs excercise then lunging them twice a day is just as good and you can control them more with out having a complete hooney and causing more injury!!! Just my view!
 
I had this discussion with the person who supplied/put in my menage.

His reply that the main danger was if the sand got so thin in any place there was potential damage to the membrane.

Therefore, if your horse is unshod and your sand is reasonable thick and level then you are fine.
If your horse is shod then clearly the potential for damage is increased if you don't relevel the sand.

I do occassionally put a horse in my sand school, but then it is mine and it is occassional. TBH the main annoyance is they like to roll in it and cause great dents. But then my sand is very thick and the school was very well made.

If it was being used for turnout more frequently, I would just be very careful to levelling it afterwards, clearing up any hay etc very carefully.

Since you did suggest it, why don't you just suggest that she pays £5 per half and hour for your time in levelling it/ getting it back afterwards and be very strict about the half an hour max, that should keep useage to a minimum.
 
I turned out all last year (one horse that was pregnant) but cleared poo and raked up hay every day. Then again my mare had individual TO after box rest for a few weeks. The school is completely undamaged. Key to it is clear up afterwards and it will be fine.
 
I'm afraid we wouldn't allow it.
The usual cost for a well surfaced 60 x 20 arena is approx £15k. Add another £4k for mirrors and then some for the fencing and you begin to realise it's something that needs looking after.
Horses going potty are likely to do sliding stops and go deeper into the surface than normal ridden work would do, once the membrane is damaged the stones start working their way up and the whole arena needs resurfacing.
I would explain this to your livery and say a quick supervised play is ok , but no way turn out and go away. We do offer 24/7 turnout here so really they have no need at all to turn out in the school...
 
Thanks all
I did suggest it but only on a supervised basis while mucking out so think I will have to be firmer and go with my first opinion of longer unsupervised turn out being a no no.have never done so with my own horses.
Do offer 24/7 turnout, some of mine are out but he as mud fever so she has chosen to keep him in (no reason why he couldn't be lunged or ridden though)
 
I'm really lucky as we have a school especially for turnout and lunging. It has a fan surface but we do have the American white plastic style fencing. I think if it was wood it would get ruined! We hay in the school but like I said, it is a turnout school. Without it I don't know what I would have done about dee as she's not allowed out in the field atm.
 
Yes. Horses need to run and explode and school surfaces stand up to that better and are a lot safer for the horses than than sodden fields. A decent surface isn't going to get damaged by :eek: horses running round on it. :rolleyes: Saying that I think its fair to have a chat with the woman and say you're sorry you didn't explain clearly that if she used the school she'd need to stay there in to get him in if anyone else wanted to use the school, to get him in if he got bored and started trying to damage stuff and to skip the school out.
 
We can but I don't bother much as they're just bored after 5 mins & last time we did it they started chewing the fence! And there's no way I'm putting hay in for them to make a mess with. Luckily we have no turnout restriction so it's an issue that never really comes up.
 
No we're not allowed. I'm lucky in that we have all year turnout and if a horse requires a small paddock then one can be found. People do loose school in it though.
 
Yes, I have something turned out in mine all the time (obvs not when riding), even overnight with hay. But I do religiously pick up everything and rake daily. With the fields in the state they're in they'd not get out for a roll and a wander around otherwise. I find mine don't run about too much as they are used to being in there (and they're not underworked/overfed). I'd rather make use of the school than be all precious about it.
 
We are allowed to at our yard - we've been pretty much underwater over Christmas and its the only reasonably dry and safe place for the horses to let off steam, mooch and have a roll until the fields dry up. No damage done and poos / divots removed each time. Personally I'd rather be somewhere where there is contingency in case of snow or floods - horses need to keep moving!
 
It's your arena, so you make the rules.

TBH I think the owner needs a blooming great kick up the arse! The horse needed walking/grazing in hand twice a day.

No I wouldn't allow her to turn out, as she is just being lazy and taking you for granted.

If she had been walking him, and he was still needed a stretch then in your position I would offer the school. However she is not doing the right thing by her horse and is pushing you to the limit. Say no, otherwise she keep taking advantage and you'll find him in there almost permanently :eek:
 
I turn mine out in the school and I hang up haynets for them too-it's a bit of hay-how much damage can it do?!? But then again mine do tend to Hoover up every strand! I Like turning them out in the school as they keep the weeds down in the corners. If people are so precious about their schools why bother letting a large animal use it in the first place? My school has survived many years of being rolled on, pood on, jumped on etc. Isn't that what it's for?! Lol
 
emma.is said:
my yo would have a break down if anybody even thought about turning out in her lovely school.
Click to expand...

This except its a he!
Can see the veins popping out now at the thought of it!!And put hay in!!
YO want poop picked up immediately or asap as it degrades the surface and as its only couple of years old its fair enough so thought of horse on its own esp with no owner there def be a no no.
Its would also not be very fair if anyone else wants to use school.
At end of day its your yard so your rules
 
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