chocolategirl
Well-Known Member
I run a livery yard and have done so for the last 15 years. The last time I can recall my winter paddocks being in the state they are in now was 8 years ago so although the geldings winter paddock usually looks like it has been ploughed by the time they have finished with it, I have never not allowed turnout whatever the weather conditions.that said, my liveries accept that once they move to their winter paddocks, they do not move from them until spring no matter what state they are in. We accept that every spring we have to re sow and give these paddocks a long rest to allow them to recover.what does really bug me though is that if I didn't put a curfew on when horses have to be brought in,some owners would still have them out at 9 pm ( which has happened in the past) no matter what the weather!! Our horses go out anytime between 6 and 8am every day but I personally think that once all the grass has gone it is pointless and unfair to expect horses to stand out in a muddy field for more than 8 ours a day. I am a great believer in keeping horses moving but there has to be a line drawn and common sense has to prevail. It also astonishes me that in some cases, after a very small breakfast, owners are quite happy to leave their 'beloved' steeds out on a bare field all day with very little to forage on. Over the years I have thrown hay out for them that has either been on the bottom of or the side of the stack because I worry about them being hungry, however, at a charge of only £23 pw for DIY, I am not obliged to do this and this year with the price of hay rising, I am having to pick my way through these substandard bales to feed to my own ponies. I know how important daily turnout is to my liveries and I am lucky that the majority of them are accepting of the way I do things and as I tend to have a very low turnover of clients, I am fairly confident I am doing something right. We all enjoy 24 hour turnout from April to October so a few months of shorter grazing days is a small price to pay isn't it?