From stabled to 24/7 turnout

Gusbear

Gusbear

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17 February 2012
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Was Richmond, Surrey now a mountain forest in Oz.
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So after writing a War and Peace type saga post, I’ve edited it to:
How do I adjust my rising 12 year old (very spoilt and demanding gelding) that is stabled overnight with 2 hard feeds a day to a new and a small private boutique yard with 24/7 turnout.
New property is simply I’ve died and gone to horse heaven with manicured lawns type scenario. It is simply the most beautiful and well maintained horse yard I’ve ever laid eyes on. Owner’s OH is an award winning horticulturist so everything is simply stunning, plus miles of off road hacking through the forest, hacking trails, etc., etc. I could rave on for days. It’s along the same country lane that I kept my last late horse for many happy years. That and current yard are very much chalk and cheese and couldn’t be more polar opposites if you tried. I miss being able to hack off site as I know my horse does. We are both bored to the back teeth riding in arenas and riding the same 20 min onsite hacking trail.
The yard does have stables, however at present due to the owners health issues they are DIY which I can’t do. I feel his health will benefit from being out plus allows me more flexibility with riding times for various reasons.
In 30 years of owning horses he is the first one I’ve ever had stabled and to be honest the cost is crippling me financially.
I’ve never had to move a horse from stabled overnight to full turnout. Will he cope? He’s a horse for god sake so my head says no problem, however my heart and over protective mindset thinks he’ll hate me for it.
The fields are well sheltered and he will have a field buddy if I want one.
YO says as long as he has plenty of food and is suitably rugged he’ll be fine.
Why am I having anxiety attacks over this? As everyone tells me he’s a horse. He needs to live out. He doesn’t compete and I know he won’t freeze, melt nor die of shock if he is turned out in a lovely field with a friend.
Anyone able to reassure me I’m doing the right thing?
 
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New yard sounds to die for!!!

Your horse will survive, flourish in fact! A friend and I recently moved ours to yards with more turnout and they look 100x better.

I’d be more concerned about laminitis/colic than the elements being harsh for the horse. Is your horse a native/lami prone?? If so I would gradually increase turnout/restrict the field so they don’t go out and gorge!

I’d love my pony to be out 24/7, I love seeing them graze and stretch their legs for as long as possible. I think your anxiety is normal, any big change will naturally make you feel
anxious but I guarantee once you turn them out and see them with their head down you’ll feel much better.

Now attach some photos of this yard!!!
 
The tack room is cleaner than my kitchen and that is saying something. The owner is the most friendly, chilled out and beautiful person you could ever wish to meet. This property is her life’s dream. She said she has worked and saved for this her entire life and my god it is Nirvana and a real credit to her. I nearly cried when I viewed it yesterday it was so beautiful, tranquil and very much this is where my horse and I need to be. She has even built a little cottage with a deck on a hill overlooking the property where you can relax in the afternoons/evenings with a vino watching the resident Kookaburras, wombats and kangaroos coming for their evening feed time.
The fields are pristine, they use dung beetles to help clean up the manure.
I went to view it yesterday and my jaw dropped.
All the fellow liveries were so very friendly. It really has a lovely community feel. Everyone was very keen to get me to move my horse there so we can ride out together on weekends.
There are a maximum of 12 liveries on over 65 acres. The owner wants to understock to ensure each horse is happy and healthy.
She even keeps the address private for security reasons. You would not know this property existed, as I didn’t even after riding past it for years.

www.valleyhorseagistment.com
 
Horse will be fine. I was on grass livery for years. Every horse arrived and got immediately turfed out 24/7. I had to muzzle sometimes but none ever struggled mentally with being out.
 
You really are worrying over nothing. Your horse will love being out full time. Most are more than happy to stay out providing they have company and grub.
 
I rode a very fine, hard to keep weight on mare who stressed about everything and seemed to love her 'stable comforts'. Unfortunately, she had to retire and her excellent owners have put her out to retirement livery. She's now out 24/7, in all weathers and all seasons and she looks amazing! The best she has ever looked. Good weight, less stressy no more ulcers. Turns out we were the worried ones and so far it was for no reason!
 
Ours come in overnight in winter, then when the weather is good enough, they stay out. Sometimes we bring them into the stables for a bucket feed. This year, we just have 2 and give them their bucket feed in the field. They don't miss coming in. They are wearing rugs currently because the weather here is wet, windy and not as warm as it should be. They have hay in the field if necessary.

Your new yard sounds wonderful, stop worrying and enjoy it!
 
When the farm buildings were sold I changed mine and the one or two liveries I had then to 2 hour turnout, they were fine. I am lucky to have good grazing, high hedges and am not overstocked. I also use electric fencing to manage the grass and for a lami prone pony.
So I would go for it if I were you, the yard seems amazing. It is also reassuring that there are stables for any emergencies; I have use of one and it has come in handy odd times.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. That’s what I needed to hear. I’ve tried to convince myself for years he doesn’t need to be stabled however YO’s have managed to convince me otherwise.
So the decision has been made. We’re moving.
Oh, the relief. I’m really looking forward to this move now. Once again back to lazy weekends with long happy hacks in the countryside. I can’t wait! 😁
 
We’ve only been allowed 24hr turnout since last year my now 24yr old took to it like a duck to water after never been out overnight since I’ve had him 14yrs) He was in last night as was raining all day and night and thought it would be nice for him to snooze in the dry. Well this morning he couldn’t wait to go back out and was full of it.
 
He'll love it. My friend took a year to decide to move to my yard as she was so convinced her horse wouldn't cope, but she absolutely loves it, as does he. She has said she'd never go back to stabling, now.
 
Just turn him out! If he really doesn't settle then you might have to revisit but you won't know unless you try. Why worry until you know whether there is anything to worry about?
 
Woohoo we moved today. I cried tears of joy when he was bought off the truck.
It was a day of dramas. Truck arrived and my lovely friend that used to be his YM and continued to look after him for me at the and we just left was in tears, as was I.
She spend some time with him and bought him in from the field. She then had some time alone with him for a final kiss and cuddles. He went to load him for me, he objected, and bolted off and went through a 4 strand wire fence at a gallop. He was ok and no injuries thank goodness. Tried a second time and I think that she was so upset she wasn’t concentrating so he got away again and bolted off in the other direction. Cue a group of us sprinting like Usain Bolt to try and get him before his disappeared altogether. By this stage I was craving a strong vodka shot or 10 and a packet of cigarettes and it wasn’t even 10:00am 😳
We finally caught him and the Brandon the lorry driver thankfully took over and coaxed him on board. Bless you Brandon! Poor guy was supposed to be on a day off today after a 7 week stint moving horses all over the country. I think I’ll buy him a bottle of something as a thank you..
Then dear Brandon somehow got lost as his Sat nav took him god knows where. I’m thinking he’s kidnaped my horse as he did comment he’s f***ing georgous and wanted him. He finally managed to find us. I did mention the place is well hidden. The name of the property is Hidden Valley and aptly named indeed.
So a very sweaty and and nervous horse was offloaded and is now happily in his new home.
He spent s few hours in a day yard to settle with some hay. We introduced him to his new buddy which was lit in the yard next to him.
I was more than pleasantly surprised/shocked/over awed to be honest as we left my horse in a day yard to settle and cool down and I was taken to see his news fields before we let him lose. Each one is over 5 acres. He old one was less than 1/4 acre.
Very hilly, lots of trees, deer coming into the field to graze plus kangaroos jump the fences at night too. Hope horse doesn’t have a heart attack tonight when they all bound in!
Led dear horse into his new abode with another livery also on a second lead rope. Take off head collar whilst half hiding behind the gate and release the beast.
He galloped flat out up the hill, turned around and csme bsck down agsin, realised it was a little slippery and whilst my heart was in my mouth, he s.lwed down before he cou,d skid to a halt at the gate. This was repeated at least 4 or 5 times.
By the time he’d worn himself out we introduced his new little buddy to the mix.
His little friend trotted off with my large boy merrily following him with his muzzle on his new pal’s rump.
They would stop have a muzzle Kos then off agsin.
This was repeated several times until,they were both worn out.
Both had a lovely hard feed and I left them happily munching grass this evening.
YM had just returned from a hackmtomthe local pub and said he seems very settled and happy. She can see him in his field from her Vogue like home whilst she and her fsmily have meals. My goodness he home is breathtaking. She has an infinity pool with a waterfall overlooking the fields.
Here are some pics. I have a video but can’t seem to get it to compress to add here
 
I’ve had one too many drinks to be honest after a very long and very stressful day. His little friend is the same size as my GSD and more than a pain to lead as he kept spinnIng around. YO text me earlier to say all good so fingers crossed he copes ok tonight sans stable.
I’m off to bed now as exhausted and a little tipsy to be honest.
Hope my dear boy is ok tonight.
I will update you all in a few days. 😁
 
Just an update on my horse’s move 2 weeks ago from stable to 24/7 turnout.
He has settled in incredibly well and he and his little buddy seem to be joined at the hip. Well hip to hock anyway 😁
This was a horse that could be a handful to bring in as he was so hell bent on getting to his stable that I was towed in from the field on many an occasion over the years.
He is now the most calm and happy horse. Complete change of personality. I can’t believe it.
He also had reoccurring problems with a swollen sheath. It literally went down overnight as he now has a lovely hilly 5 acres to stretch his legs. The YO deliberately puts the hay roll on top of the hill and the auto water is as the bottom. Clever thinking as it means he needs to walk around 150 metres to get between the hay and water.
He’s fed a low fizz horse muesli in the mornings, and she then spreads out a couple of biscuits of a newly developed rich in magnesium Lucerne hay (something just developed here in Oz). Again spread out so he and his buddy need to move around.
We took his rug off yesterday fully expecting him to have lost some condition. Low and behold he’s actually put on some weight and looks amazing.
He’s also so happy in his new abode he ignored me when I called him to the gate to him him a treat. That was a shock.
Lovely YO sends me a photo everyday without fail to let me know he’s ok.
After all my worry and angst over would he cope, I’m so very pleased to say yes he has and I’m over the moon happy at making the move.
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Great news. My three love being out. One of them, who has been on livery all her life, was a nightmare when she had 3 weeks of livery while we were away. I dread to think what will happen if I ever need to stable her again.
 
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