For those of you with horses at home that live out...

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YouOnlyLiveOnce

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And if you work full time:

Particularly interested if yours are retired / or you don't ride them.

What is your daily routine with them?

Im interested to know if its possible to do this with them living out with just a field shelter? (will have 2 acres of turn out for one 15.2 good doer, and will need to get a companion, thinking either a goat, or smaller pony)

Do you just skip out the field shelter every day and then do a full muck out at weekends?

Am thinking before work would be feed, water, change rugs if necessary and any hay to be put out in winter. After work feed, check water, hay, skip out and change rugs again when necessary, and pick out feet and any other bits to be done.

Do you think its possible to do this without any other extra help coming in during the day?

Would appreciate your thoughts, thank you :)
 
Have them at home, out 24/7 and work full time. I don't do twice daily rug changes etc though! No need, their rugs fit well and don't leak. I only use 100g fill half necks so if the sun comes out they don't boil. They're never cold.

If it's really miserable and horizontal rain I'll turn them into the barn with hay overnight, then poo pick the following evening. They never use the barn by choice, there are lots of trees and natural hollows and hills. So that doesn't need cleaning out much and their field is 20 acres plus - no way I'm poo picking that.

We have sheep grazing all year though and cattle as well in summer. The farmer harrows, rolls, etc. I'll do hay and fresh water before work if necessary, i.e. it's frozen. They only get balancer (Suregrow) so minimal hard feed, which is in the evening. Any riding, grooming, etc etc is done in the evening. Why would they need help during the day? It's only stabled horses which need constant attention as it's such an unnatural lifestyle.

So really there's not a lot of work, but then we are lucky having lots of turnout.
I would go for a pony companion over a goat, etc. They're much happier with their own kind.
 
I have three at home all living out with a field shelter. Although I don't work full time I have serious health issues so somedays my OH does them before and after work but the routine is similar. One is rugged so has rug changes as per weather, they get feeds AM and PM in winter and depending on which field they are in, weather etc they get hay once or twice a day in winter. In summer they get one small feed for supplements. They tend not to mess the shelter so that gets skipped out when necessary sometimes twice a week sometimes every two or three weeks if they haven't used it. I have a boy poo pick fields completely once a week. I have a huge water trough that lasts a week so refill every weekend and I make up all feeds for the week in 15l tubtrugs and then just add sugar beet on a daily basis.
At the evening check I pick feet, weigh tape, remove and redo rugs so I can keep an eye on the one that drops weight and the fatties that may need more exercise. When I'm well they come in for a groom and exercise but mostly over winter they are off work. We also do a late check before bed when we take the dog out as this is typically when we find a problem (my non horsey OH has spotted colic symptoms in mine and next door's horses three times at late check so worth doing) but otherwise problems are easy to spot from the window.
I have a couple of people I can pay to help and very good friends who text most days to see how I am and if i need anything doing but my OH can manage and seems to enjoy doing the basics if I can't. I love having them at home and no longer worry about them as I did when they were on part livery.
 
Nudibranch said:
Why would they need help during the day? It's only stabled horses which need constant attention as it's such an unnatural lifestyle.
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Thank you so much for your reply. This was my thinking, although never having had him at home before I guess I wanted reassuring! I was slightly worried that we are out of the house all day at work, but they will be checked / fussed morning and evening :D

Do you think 2 acres would be enough to have 2 living out all year round?

Thank you
 
Thanks LynH. This makes me feel more confident that it would be do-able. I didn't know if it would be too much work to fit in around working hours but sounds like if you're organised it can be done! Appreciate the reply :)
 
Yes - horses don't need 'love' during the day like dogs! What's a rug change? Mine keep same rug on as warmer rather than faffing around with different ones.

No - 2 acres isn't enough for 2 if both live-out. Rule of thumb is 2 acres for first one and an additional acre each for any further horses. I would get yourself a teeny tiny companion who needs a starvation paddock and then you'll be absolutely fine as long as you section off areas and strip graze your horse.
 
My boys love being just horses (one is companion the other on temporary retirement while I'm pregnant), I alwasy physically put my hands on them twice a day (while walking the dogs) even if it's just a nice face itch. Some days they come in for a few hours some weeks they don't come in at all! I do however constantly spy on them out of the windows (20 ish times a day if I;m here!) and over the years have learned a lot about them and spotting how happy they are from 300 meters.

They seem to thrive.

You land estimate seems quite low - I have 12 acres and while we do keep a few pigs and make our own hay (and it's heavy clay land) I'm not sure I'd want many more than 2 or 3 on here full time without having stables in bad weather.

Oh - and they never poo in the field shelter (or even go in it other than to avoid flys in the summer)!
 
Nicnac said:
Yes - horses don't need 'love' during the day like dogs! What's a rug change? Mine keep same rug on as warmer rather than faffing around with different ones.

No - 2 acres isn't enough for 2 if both live-out. Rule of thumb is 2 acres for first one and an additional acre each for any further horses. I would get yourself a teeny tiny companion who needs a starvation paddock and then you'll be absolutely fine as long as you section off areas and strip graze your horse.
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I was planning on getting a small companion as am aware it is not an abundance of grazing, i think that would be the best option... Mine is a good doer too who also has EMS therefore will be restricting grazing at times also
 
ours are stabled in winter and out in the summer, in winter we just skip stables and muck out properly at the weekend. you def wouldn't need any extra help.

But I cannot see 2 Acres being sufficient tbh, we have 4 (for 2 15 handers) which is plenty in summer and we do manage to get a hay cut off it too but wouldn't want any less in winter as we would just end up with mud and nothing for summer (and we don't want too much but there is a limit!)
 
Not living at home, but they are living out 24/7 with natural shelter and I do work full time.

Mornings on the way to work I do rug changes (if needed), poo pick field and in summer put on fly masks, suncream etc, and after work I ride and feed.

It is very difficult in the winter as we have no facilities and no electricity, so riding takes back seat. But we make up for it in the summer and have lots of land to play in and good hacking :D
 
ester said:
ours are stabled in winter and out in the summer, in winter we just skip stables and muck out properly at the weekend. you def wouldn't need any extra help.

But I cannot see 2 Acres being sufficient tbh, we have 4 (for 2 15 handers) which is plenty in summer and we do manage to get a hay cut off it too but wouldn't want any less in winter as we would just end up with mud and nothing for summer (and we don't want too much but there is a limit!)
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The amount of land has been a concern. It is split into two fields, pretty much equal. I have never had to take a part in land management before as always been on full livery, therefore my knowledge is thin! Would it be possible to split each field into 2 do you think and rotate, to help keeping them from getting trashed?
Maybe it is just not do-able on that amount of land :o
 
I've got a big pony and a little laminitic who live out (although the laminitic does come in during the day when the grass is growing) and they manage fine. I do have a bit more ground than you do but only use the big field in winter due to them both being such good doers that they would balloon if I let them in there for the rest of the year.
So, you say yours is on restricted grazing anyway, I'm guessing that you feed hay to supplement this? So only having 2 acres might work out, especially if you can section it off and rest it bit by bit. Mine live all spring and summer on a field that's only 1.5 acres, in fact I find that this is too much grass for my two and I close off part of the field until the autumn comes or they get too fat.
I do work full time and find it's not a problem getting everything done really. Only when the little one comes in during the day, then I do have a problem as he can't go all day without food of some sort. A kind neighbour usually helps out with that, I leave his hay in a net and she will chuck it in for him at lunchtime.
 
I think it will very much depend on how well draining your land is really and get a companion not inclined to play ;)
 
Mine live out as much as possible but be aware, with limited land (2 acres for 2 horses) you have to poo pick often year round.Mine are at home now but had them away from home before.

I have one horse, 2 ponies with one 3/4 acre field and one 5 acre field which is invariably divided up depending on the time of year as all are good doers. I always have too much grass but when its this wet, it's a problem. They like to have shelter from heat and flies mainly-the rest of the time they don't care. Only one is ever rugged.In the winter the field is poo picked weekly and in the summer 2/3 times a week.I pay someone else to do when I am too busy.

I feed hay year round-to restrict their grass and to help in prevention of things like grass sickness and atypical myopathy but never use a ring feeder. A river runs through both paddocks so I only worry about water when it floods!

I work full time plus part-time job, plus 90min commute daily.
 
suestowford said:
I've got a big pony and a little laminitic who live out (although the laminitic does come in during the day when the grass is growing) and they manage fine. I do have a bit more ground than you do but only use the big field in winter due to them both being such good doers that they would balloon if I let them in there for the rest of the year.
So, you say yours is on restricted grazing anyway, I'm guessing that you feed hay to supplement this? So only having 2 acres might work out, especially if you can section it off and rest it bit by bit. Mine live all spring and summer on a field that's only 1.5 acres, in fact I find that this is too much grass for my two and I close off part of the field until the autumn comes or they get too fat.
I do work full time and find it's not a problem getting everything done really. Only when the little one comes in during the day, then I do have a problem as he can't go all day without food of some sort. A kind neighbour usually helps out with that, I leave his hay in a net and she will chuck it in for him at lunchtime.
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Yes he will be on restricted grazing, he will get hay to supplement. Its a very different situation to what I have been used to, he has always been on full livery, out in day, in at night. But, he is now retired and I don't need the facilities any more so thinking it could work to have him at home.
 
I know several people who keep 2 horses on less than 2 acres fine. Ok so in winter the land becomes just mud but feed hay in the fiel shelter to prevent it getting churned in and give horses somewhere dry to stand and it's fine. I have 4 acres for 2 living out full time but in summer I probably only use 1-2 acres.

In terms of routine feed, check water, poo pick, hay in morning, quick check over, prepare feed for evening and sort rugs if necessary. Iin the evening, feed, hay, change rugs if necessary. My horses will sometimes go 4 or 5 days without me changing their rugs or picking feet out. I try and poo pick everyday (usually whilst they are eating breakfast so buckets are empty by the time I finish) as it becomes such a horrible time consuming task.

Op - I think you will be fine. The beauty of having them at home is you can fit in little jobs here and there or change a rug last thing at night if weather changes. Invest in a good head torch if doing in dark though.
 
I think that's a good point actually if you can plan to provide them a sufficient area of dry standing that can be fenced separately that you can hay them in if it gets really bad it should be manageable. A friend locally has 2 on similar and has an old bark arena that they live on for most of the winter :).
 
I just give mine all a hard feed (morning and evening), some hay (in haynets tied to the fence or in their stables (which I leave open for their shelter). They often have their turnout rugs on for a few days until I take them off just to give them a brush and put it back on again. Will only change their rugs if the weather changes or if one gets wet etc. Do this with all mine (2 x retired veteran ponies, 1 retired due to injury horse and 1 competition horse).

With regards to the mucking out - because mine have free rein to the stables, they're rubber matted so I normally just leave a small square of straw for them to pee on, otherwise I just poop scoop every morning. Doesnt take long at all. I have one concrete based shelter (ie.no rubber mats) and in the winter I normally deep litter it because its big and if snow etc. blows in it would take forever to keep mucking out wet bits!

Keeping horses out is SO much easier than stabling - I dont know why more people dont do it!
 
I've had 2 on 2 acres for 12 years (a 16hh good doer and a smaller companion). They live out with a pair of stables with doors open, hardstanding by stable and gateway.

My routine is to visit them twice a day, provide feed/hay when needed. Poopicking tends to be once-daily in spring-summer, and twice-weekly in winter.

At some times of year the field has enough grass for grazing.
At other times I treat it as turnout and provide hay.
In very very wet conditions I've sometimes stabled them at night.

Keep on top of rolling (treading divots is my 2nd hobby after horseriding), on top of weeds (strimmers are your friends), reseeding (I spread my hay loosely across field to reseed while they feed).

Fertiliser's a tricky one. I have spread (by hand) bags of fertiliser bought from local agrigarden shop but reading up on it, it seems better to spread slower-release stuff, so this year the field's been fertilised with last year's composted manure/shavings (poopicking from field and poo/shavings from inside the stables).
 
I have 4 at home, 2@14 3 and 2 midgets, I have stables but don't use them as I don't agree with locking a horse in a box for hours a day. Mine have access to a barn 24/7 and live on about 15 acres. Winter they have access to about 12 acres and summer that gets locked off and they have a 3 acre paddock.
I skip out the barn once a day during the week when I'm working, twice a day at the weekends. Every 4 days or so I take out the wet bedding. Every 3 weeks or so I take the whole lot out and start again.
Mine aren't rugged unless it's pouring with rain then the 2 big ones get l/w rugs.
I think your 2 acres would get totally trashed in winter and you wouldn't have anywhere to go for it to recover in the summer months. Perhaps you could find some nearby grazing for the summer months to give your paddock time to recover
 
I've got four at home.
They are three in full comp work, one semi retired.
Am they get legs felt and hay if needed and water checked.
Pm ride,hay and water if needed.
It's sooo easy...
 
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