Do you turn your horses out in the snow?

[posie_honey]

i don't haves stables so HRH is out in all weathers

 

[teddyt]

Yes. With plenty of haylage

 

[AmyMay]

The new yard I am planning on moviing to does not turn out when it has snowed and I am not happy about it

We don't really get enough snow to worry about it, tbh.

This years snow meant an enforced box stay for a couple of days - but when it became clear we were in for the long haul horses were all turned out if owners wanted for a couple of hours.

 

[ISHmad]

Ours all lived out for the first time last winter, including through all the snow. They were fine. Had plenty of hay, rugs to keep them warm and adequate natural shelter.

 

[celia]

Ours live out all year round so are out 24/7 in the snow. They don't seem to mind. IME horses are more bothered by 3 days of wet weather than by 3 weeks of snow! A yard I used to work at kept horses in when it snowed - although they did have good reason as the fields were down a road and it got pretty slippy - and the horses were pains to turn out for the first couple of days after it had gone. I would worry about injury when a horse has been kept in like that too - especially as the ground is likely to either be mush from it melting or still very hard.

 

[Hippona]

Yep.

All day, every day, same as usual. Loads of hay, smash the ice off the trough.......rugs if necessary- naked if not.

 

[Taffyhorse]

Yep - we did at my last yard last winter. They all went out in small groups for a couple of hours every day - in fact mine loved it so much he refused to come in again when his slot was up! I walked down a bit later to see him and he was out all on his own, with a haynet, happy as larry and definitely won the prize for pony with the smuggest expression

TBH I'd always prefer to have them out even if its just for 30 mins or so - gets them into the fresh air and have a leg stretch but thats my preference.

The yard I am now on didn't TO in the snow last year as they had problems getting to/from the fields - I'm hoping if it snows this year that we can... If it comes to it, I'd rather get him out and leave him out if thats the case.

 

[Pipkin]

Yes and they love it!!! Granted they get put in the paddock because its flat (rest of fields are hilly) Last year they flew around for ages....loving every minute....Ayla did have a tumble was wasnt hurt and wouldnt have hurt herself, just slipped on a slope, got straight up , bucked and took off again

 

[SusannaF]

Here are the Przewalskis at West Berlin Zoo last winter. Five endangered horses in a tiny paddock with a steep-sided ditch at the edge... Ho hum. But they loved the snow, as you can see. I read that they have bristley hair on their tail bone in order to let snow and rain run off more easily and not trickle down their legs. Seem to be fully equipped to make the best of the weather.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJb4NAuupqY

 

[odd1]

yes they go out what ever the weather, although last winter when we had loads of snow i couldnt turn the mini shetty out - she couldnt walk in it as it was too deep and over the tops of her legs

 

[horses13]

Even when they were born so late? Not criticizing just curious...
x

Yes, they will be fine

 

[Honey08]

On a horse by horse basis Two different equine responses to snow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__tVZFB8hsA&p=7FC5699FF0807B41&playnext=1&index=49

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzBGeEpCU7c

How funny! The arab is going "Don't you know I come from the blinkin' desert!" The Shetty is going "Yeah! Just like the Highlands!"

 

[Honey08]

This is a serious question to those that don't turn out in snow for whatever reason, What do you do with them in real snowy/icy conditions? We had serious snow and ice on the ground last year from Xmas until the end of Feb. Most people's menages were frozen, and the lanes were impassable due to ice/drifts. The main roads were like taking your life in your hands, with the cars sliding around, so for me, the only sensible option was to turn them out. Yes, initially they went mad playing in it, but we put them out in a restricted area for the first day, and after that they just got on with it, and wandered around grazing and rolling. Yes, the lane to the field could be slippy, but we sliced slight channels across the snow before it froze, to give the feet some purchase if they slipped.. Old engine oil with a bit of rock salt mixed in painted inside the hooves helps a bit with the stilt situation. What on earth do people do for all those weeks when they can't ride, if they don't turn out? I'd be scared of giving the horse azatouria leaving it stood in. Hopefully they all have indoor schools or covered horse walkers...

 

[lh1975]

Mine were stabled at night in the winter and out in the daytime. They'd be out in the snow - rolling in it, trying to eat it... all sorts and they used to like demolishing snowmen that I would lovingly build for their entertainment

 

[JosieSmith]

I'm really worried about this actually after a bad experience last year. Belle was in for 3 months (as in couldn't even leave her stable!!!) as all our fields are quite a way away from the yard and they couldn't walk on the ice and the YO hadn't ordered any grit early enough. Eventually attempted to lead her to the school but the ice was so bad she slipped and fell, then hobbled back to her stable. I think it was a combination of that, being stood in for so long and the cold temps that led to lameness and now arthritis. As it got better she went in the nearest small field with a few friends for half an hour, seemed to quite like rolling in the snow, then came back in when she'd had enough.

Don't know what I'm going to do this year, with arthritis standing in won't be good for her, but if she slips on the ice that won't be good either! Plus, the yards fields are huge and have lots of horses in so YO just sticks a full bale of hay in, doesn't spread it out, so Belle ends up standing at the side of the field miserable and hungry as she gets pushed away by the more aggressive horses who stuff their faces. If I moved her to small paddock and put piles of hay out I know I'll be the one paying for and putting out the hay and the other horses in the paddock will eat it!

Am at a bit of a loss.

 

[NeedNewHorse]

Yes of course mine goes out in snow, albeit by herself as no one will!!

There is no way I would keep my horse locked up her stable just because of snow!

Acid rain maybe lol

 

[Cedars]

We turn ours out if its JUST snow - but we have alot of problems with the yard getting far too icy to turn out on.

However, this year I think (now that the school is being built) they'll go out during the day and come in at night, and if we have really bad snow they'll stay in but get exercised every day.

My yearling will be out 24/7, but with hay and shelter (and her rug if necessary). I am more worried about the fact that we live on the side of a valley so there are quite steep hills - but they're not stupid, these horses, they don't hoon around if they're feeling really unsteady on their feet. Well, mine dont anyway!

 

[Dizzydancer]

we tend not to turn out in snow due to risk of slipping especially if it is not fresh snow. They go out onto the arena whilst mucked out a couple of them on the yard go out for few hours as will loose the plot without turnout everyday. But if it like last winter it is snow compacted to ice with fresh snow on top the ones that are in didint go out at all untill it had thawed as dont want them slipping on the yard. We do have some tough ponies at yard who lived out all winter with shelter

 

[marmalade76]

Mine are out 24/7/365, so yes.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Last winter (before I moved in February) there were a couple of days when the roads were so dangerous due to the snow that I was unable to drive to the yard. Luckily the yard was close enough to walk to. Here's some photos of my walk and the horses enjoying the snow (I was freezing by the time I made it over there!)

 

[MrsMozart]

I love that photo!

Ditto!

And mine go out in it . Dingbat DWB, Little Cob, and Little Lad (lami prone). Grey Mare will be as well

 

[Depp_by_Chocolate]

My Welshies don't come in, so they are already out when the snow arrives

 

[zoelouisem]

Ours go out from bout 10-3, there in large groups in about 30 acres so no hay as they may squabble as theres bout 15 horses in the field. The owners of the more TB types bring theres in sooner but all the ponies and more hardy horses did bout 10-3 they were all fine ven without hay, there was loads of holes down to the grass where theyd dug. When we used to go over to get them at 3 not one horse was stood by the gate and some wouldnt even be caught!

The yard is concrete but the YO put straw down and then when we all mucked out we used to put it on the yard when the snow thawed the tractor cleared all the muck away, looked messy for a bit but did a perfect job not one horse slipped over and it wasnt slippy at all. Also very cheap!!!