Does your horse live in 24/7 in winter??

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Megibo

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As title. Want to know who else does this!
One of mine now does whilst the other 2 go out. Up until last week I was making her go out each day and she was making it more and more clear she didn't want to go out in the mud and cold! She is now in, coming out everyday for ridden exercise or a mess about in the school and is back to being happy and relaxed again etc! I used to be completely against it but obviously it is working for her and what she was after...
The others are still perfectly happy to go out everyday.
 
Yep, probably a lot wont agree but neither of ours go out in the winter, they go on the walker everyday and are ridden everyday, both seem happy.
 
No! Although I have a friend whose horse sounds similar to yours- he refuses to go out if the weather is even slightly bad.

Barry is having his third night in since I got him in may tonight!
 
Not in the stable 24/7, no, I wouldn't do that to any creature, but I have one who will only reluctantly go out in the field at any time of the year. He'll also only tolerate 2 - 3 hours out in the sand paddock, but he does get ridden and/or lunged EVERY day.
 
heck no she turns into an evil biatch from hell if in for more than a day, makes her legs swell too so she's out from 8 till 4, she comes in happily enough but that is because she knows her tea is waiting!
 
Cortez said:
Not in the stable 24/7, no,
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I meant not being turned out in a field basically. So either an hour or so out in a sand paddock/school etc or ridden exercise every day which is what I am doing with this mare at the moment !

At my old livery yard, they had a few horses for a 'riding school' and share day thing. If the horses weren't ridden (and they weren't ridden everyday maybe MAX 4 times a week if that) they just stood in the box all day and night no coming out for exercise.
How they managed to behave when ridden I really don't know.
 
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Megibo said:
I meant not being turned out in a field basically. So either an hour or so out in a sand paddock/school etc or ridden exercise every day which is what I am doing with this mare at the moment !

At my old livery yard, they had a few horses for a 'riding school' and share day thing. If the horses weren't ridden (and they weren't ridden everyday maybe MAX 4 times a week if that) they just stood in the box all day and night no coming out for exercise.
How they managed to behave when ridden I really don't know.
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Quite possibly they were A. not over fed, and B. used to it. Horses are adaptable creatures, and in possibly the majority of horses kept in places which-are-not-the-UK do not get turned out quite as much. They do fine.
 
my horse hates being in the field at anytime never mind winter, he goes out everyday even if its just grazed in hand ,ridden, or lunged but hes very happy in his stable . i tried very hard to put him in a field every day and have just resigned myself to the fact he gets very stressed if hes out and doesnt if hes in.
 
Used to live in Germany where the fields were closed off in the winter months. Some of the horses were turned out into a sand paddock for a few hours a day but my horse was in the stables that each had a yard attached so the horses could go in and out as they wanted. I felt he had least had the choice. However, it seems to be the norm over there and the horses appeared to accept it.
 
No they don't however have done in the past in Belgium where all horses were in 24/7/365. As the yard was closed on a Monday they all had a day off so no exercise at all on that day. As Cortez said it's a question of management-not one of the horses displayed any vices and there were no cases of colic whilst I was there. This was almost 30 years ago.

I think my ex-racer would be perfectly happy in 24/7 over the winter but he gets chucked out for 12 hours a day - tough love!
 
my friends mare used to be a horse who didn't like being turned out- after a few hours she was walking the fence line. then she moved to where i am, and lives in a mixed herd- she is always furthest away from the yard at dinner time, still grazing. only comes in to keep her other horse company and it is muddy so trying to prevent mud fever. but she would happily live out 24-7 now. think it was before she was in a little paddock on her own, so was bored.
mine happily go out at 6.30 am with a spring in their step, although are usually ready to come in at 3.30 now. but only since november. october they were keen for dinner, but april-september they were out 24-7 except when it was very hot they were in during the day.
mine do share a section in a barn, and if i do need to they can stay in for a few days without getting very worked up to be honest, they are quite chilled. if stabled in normal singled stables my boy would start weaving and pawing to be let out in the morning, but not with a stable buddy.
 
Cortez said:
Quite possibly they were A. not over fed, and B. used to it. Horses are adaptable creatures, and in possibly the majority of horses kept in places which-are-not-the-UK do not get turned out quite as much. They do fine.
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I disagree with that. Yes, horses are very good at getting used to things like being stabled but IMO its no life for a creature who by very nature is designed to live out, graze and socialise. Personally, I could just never do that to a horse. Most of these horses are simply bored to death and have given up fighting it, you think they're fine but actually they're probably depressed as hell!

I don't believe that most of the horses on here "prefer" to be in, I think its simply because they know they have a big haynet or feed waiting for them in the stable hence they want in. One of my horses was kept in pretty much permanently when I got him, he would go nuts when I let him out so I had to do it very very slowly,increasing the amount of time he spent out until after about 6 months he was out 24/7. He's a different horse, so chilled out and calm. He loves it. And that was a horse who seemingly loved his stable. You only really notice the difference once they're out properly.
 
We have excellent all year grazing.. In fact so much grass that we cut hay down in winter not summer! However my tb goes out until he refuses when the weather gets bad & freezing.. I got sick of fighting him at coming in time when he would drag me along.. He usually wants to stay in for about 2 weeks then he goes back to normal..
Thee are lots on our yard that do stay in 24/7 all year round for fear of injury.. Some cope, some don't..
 
Mine will tolerate a day or two in but after that start going a bit loop the loop!!! Since having them at home they go out every day whatever the weather. They do want to come in earlier when the weather is bad but they are always quite eager to go out.

I do think though a lot of it is what the horse is going out to, I can even notice the impatience mine have to get out when I change them to a new field and it has more grass, a day out on that and they cannot wait to get out the next day, whereas when they are going into a poached/not much grass field they are not so keen.

If there is plenty of grass, good companions, good shelter (trees etc) then I think most horses prefer being out and having fun.
 
I have an ID mare who used to hate going out in winter, I couldn't even drag her out. She'd come out of the barn and slam the brakes on, if I let her loose she would walk straight back in. Biggest problem was that my TB wouldn't then go without her and would box walk if left in. I gave up trying and the TB settled much better and I exercised them both twice a day which wasn't fun with a full time job.

Now they both happily live out full time! I've been meaning to do a post about my current situation as I now leave the stable doors open so they have access when and if they want. I've been ill recently so have had plenty of time to watch them. It's very interesting to see how they use stables when it's entirely their choice. The one who box walks actually spends the most time indoors yet as soon as you shut the door she starts pacing around!
 
I wonder if offered good grazing with access to hay and a well matched herd, the horses who dislike winter turnout would prefer being out instead.

My mare had 2 years living out during long snowy winters and she loved it. She'd come into her stable prior to being ridden and fed and then couldn't wait to get back to her companions.

Now we're on a yard where the horses come in at 3pm. She's first at the gate, pawing the ground or fence running if not brought in with the first lot.

Its not that she prefers to be in, its just that her environment has changed.
 
MagicMelon said:
Most of these horses are simply bored to death and have given up fighting it, you think they're fine but actually they're probably depressed as hell!
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Oh yes, that is them exactly. They have no hard feed and an armful of terrible quality haylage (its practically silage) twice a day..
They had a very promising 5 year old mare turn up there, jumped the pants off it etc etc just because she could jump well-when she turned up she was a friendly, happy inquisitive horse it turned into a miserable cow you didn't want to go near and bad to handle etc so they sold it on for a massive loss and god knows where she is now.
 
dogatemysalad said:
I wonder if offered good grazing with access to hay and a well matched herd, the horses who dislike winter turnout would prefer being out instead.
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If the field wasn't a 5 minute walk away and there was grass in it etc etc she would absolutely still want to go out! The cobs we have are happy to go out in all weather but she just wouldn't stand for it and now in is far happier and less stressed. As soon as it dries up enough though she's going back out and will be out 24/7 as soon as the yard allows :)
 
Megibo said:
If the field wasn't a 5 minute walk away and there was grass in it etc etc she would absolutely still want to go out!
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Just to be facetious... how do you know she objects to the 5 min walk?!

To answer the question, no. At the current yard, he is out 24/7 in summer (approx mid April to mid/end Oct) and stabled over night in winter. They might have the odd day in here or there, but it's rare. Mine likes to be with other horses so if they are in, he'd rather be in. If they are out, he'd rather be out.
 
I dont see the problem. If it suits your horse to stay in, if they are happy, then keep them in. On the other hand if they go loopy after time in, put them out. Mine goes out at 7.30, comes in about 4, but on a wet windy day like today, he stays in. Suits me, suits him. I think people should do what suits their horses, not what suits other people.
 
Mine would HATE it. He lives out 24/7, excepting a few nights each winter when fields are flooded. He doesn't even like being in his stable for a few hours - he'll call and box-walk. And he's a TB ex-racer so he is used to it, has just realised how nice it is living out and lets me know about it!!

Personally, I'd always offer at least a few hours' turnout. But I know people who keep horses in 24/7 and they are absolutely fine and happy with it.
 
MagicMelon said:
I disagree with that. Yes, horses are very good at getting used to things like being stabled but IMO its no life for a creature who by very nature is designed to live out, graze and socialise. Personally, I could just never do that to a horse. Most of these horses are simply bored to death and have given up fighting it, you think they're fine but actually they're probably depressed as hell!

I don't believe that most of the horses on here "prefer" to be in, I think its simply because they know they have a big haynet or feed waiting for them in the stable hence they want in. One of my horses was kept in pretty much permanently when I got him, he would go nuts when I let him out so I had to do it very very slowly,increasing the amount of time he spent out until after about 6 months he was out 24/7. He's a different horse, so chilled out and calm. He loves it. And that was a horse who seemingly loved his stable. You only really notice the difference once they're out properly.
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I agree I think people are socialised to think of cosy stable horses munching on hay = happy horse but when you think about the size of the animal compared to the size of the stable and how horses have evolved to move it just seems wrong... we won't do it to a dog or a cat it just seems we have different standards for different animals. I have no problems with horses being in out of the mud ie. on a yard or in a barn or sand school as long as they can move freely and socialise and in my mind standing in a 3m by 3m box 23 hours a day those needs can't possibly be fulfilled.
 
Liane said:
I do think though a lot of it is what the horse is going out to, I can even notice the impatience mine have to get out when I change them to a new field and it has more grass, a day out on that and they cannot wait to get out the next day, whereas when they are going into a poached/not much grass field they are not so keen.

If there is plenty of grass, good companions, good shelter (trees etc) then I think most horses prefer being out and having fun.
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There is a mare at work who demonstrates this perfectly she is first down to wait to come in and if there is little grass she will pace up and down until it's her turn however if there is grass she will wait 5 minutes realise shes not coming in yet and go back to the grass quite happily. Now there is haylage in the shelter she takes a lot of persuading to come in at all.

LynH said:
Now they both happily live out full time! I've been meaning to do a post about my current situation as I now leave the stable doors open so they have access when and if they want. I've been ill recently so have had plenty of time to watch them. It's very interesting to see how they use stables when it's entirely their choice. The one who box walks actually spends the most time indoors yet as soon as you shut the door she starts pacing around!
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I think thats fascinating I knew one horse that loves to stand in the shelter in the middle of summer and yet stands out in the driving rain and wind and another that weaves by the gate to come in when everyone else is coming in but happily goes back out 10 minutes later with her friend after she's had her tea. I can totally see how yours might be anxious when 'trapped' as such when the door is closed.
 
Cloball said:
I think thats fascinating I knew one horse that loves to stand in the shelter in the middle of summer and yet stands out in the driving rain and wind and another that weaves by the gate to come in when everyone else is coming in but happily goes back out 10 minutes later with her friend after she's had her tea. I can totally see how yours might be anxious when 'trapped' as such when the door is closed.
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Mine are exactly like that. Shelter was only used in summer, they ignored it during the winter.
They'd been keen to come in to the stable to eat and then couldn't wait to get back out to their friends.


This year they have to be in at night so my mare will stand with her stable door open because all her companions are in neighbouring stables and she can work out for herself that returning to the field would be a waste of time.
 
my old horse never saw the point of snow, especially horizontal snow (he was foreign!) and I believe was pretty happy in for the odd day and he certainly was good at box rest. however the ponies turn into idiots if kept in for more than just overnight-they actually prefer to come in and eat and go out again. Mind you they have good weather proofing!
 
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