Grass livery - a dummies guide?

JenJ

JenJ

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So I've been on various types of livery before, but always had a stable. I've just discovered a place half a mile from home, with amazing hacking, and having visited this afternoon, I love it and am going to move Tilda there next month.

But...there are currently no available stables so she'd be on grass livery, with no guarantee of a stable later becoming available.

Now whilst this sounds perfect over summer (as I've always wanted 24/7 turnout but not been on a yard that provides it) I'm a little nervous at the prospect of being at grass over winter.

I'm sure this is me over-worrying, as she's a hardy sort, a good doer and will probably love being out all the time, but are there any particular management issues associated with being at grass? Hoof wise will they have different issues? She has a tendency to thrush over winter, and her feet went through a very bad patch last winter of cracking/splitting hooves and she threw a couple of shoes, though they are now growing out quite nicely.

Is there anything in particular I need to be aware of?

Thanks :)
 
I would be slightly warey of not having anywhere to bring her in to in winter if she does have problems with her feet. Does it appear to have good drainage, or will she be up to her knees in mud?
For summer it sounds ideal. Could you move somwhere else in winter if you have to? I don't know if you're in a particularly horsey area with many yards about.
 
The only real consideration would be to check the yard really does have enough land to support them being out 24/7 through winter.
- how many acres per horse for winter turn out
- do they put/ allow you to put hay in the field when grass is gone
- do other people there winter out 24/7 or will your horse be on her own
- is there lots of nice hedges/ field shelter for the worst of the weather
- is there an emergancy stable if she's injured


You might need extra rugs so if one gets soaking you can swap for a nice dry one, is there somewhere to dry rugs? A wet heavyweight can take 3/4 days of winter damp weather to dry.
 
My pony is on grass livery and has been since February. He too gets thrush but I've managed it using Keratex hoof disinfectant. If you pick out her hooves daily it should help too, I found my boy's was worst when the ground started to dry and the mud started to pack into his hooves. Other than that his feet have been fine.

Make sure you have good turnout rugs, I'd advise having spares if you can afford it, in case she rips one/manages to take it off and it gets soaked. Is there anywhere she can stand in after riding to dry off before you rug up and turn out? It might be worth getting a waterproof exercise sheet as well, as that will keep her back dry when ridden, meaning you won't have as long to wait for drying.

How much work do you do with her over winter? I'd advise a trace/chaser/blanket depending on how much work you do, if the belly is clipped it won't take too long to dry off if she lies down, so that will save time if you go down to ride (speaking from experience, arrived down to ride to find grey pony lying in a mucky puddle, he wasn't clipped at that stage so it took ages to get it dry and clean.)
 
I would to be able to have use of a stable in an emergency. Personally, I don't like the thought of not having a stable, even if you chose not to use it.
 
Hooves may be a problem for you, but it's certainly not insurmountable. Will there be a shelter, or is it a field with a herd? What I'm getting at is hard standing, or somewhere your horse can have dry feet for a while. That would be the issue for me, as I also have one that is prone to thrush, so he needs a place I can feed hay where his feet can absorb any treatment I put on them. In the winter I have his shoes taken off, so it's easier to treat the hooves (and then put hoof boots on for a ride, so the stuff doesn't just treat the field!!).

I've always had mine living out and recently was on a yard where I only had one stable, so I was allowed to keep mine out even when others were stabled (I have two ponies). Although mine are hardy, I wasn't prepared for just how foul it was in those fields when the wind was blowing and it was hailing/snowing/raining. They were utterly miserable, so I ended up bringing them in (and so I was utterly miserable!!). Just be aware you might not have this option unless you bury another livery in the muckheap ;) Of course, your place might be much more sheltered, in which case you'll be fine!! So, I would check out the field properly for natural shelter if there isn't a wooden one. Then start browsing your local ads for rugs. Henry didn't own a rug until last Autumn. He's got 3 now! Oops! :D
 
I think it depends a lot on the amount and type of grazing. my boy always came in over night until I moved 60 miles to a yard with masses of grazing- up to 50 aches when all open in the winter, with 10 horses. so although gate ways get muddy and this past winter was the worst ever, they still have enough grazing and the land isn't all poached. they also have woods on one side which offers natural shelter. there are few field shelters but they only seem to use them in the heat, not the wet or cold. fields are also rotated and rested.
but if like many yards they only had a 1 ache patch with no rotation, I would need a stable as well as in the winter it would be too poached and muddy.
my guys do actually have a barn they can come into together as this winter they got mud fever as it was so wet: that would be my major concern. are there any convertible outbuildings? or a field shelter that could work as a stable?
other than a few shoes pulled off in the mud, I haven't really found living out effects hooves much, just keeping an eye on thrush and disinfecting frogs sometimes.
 
Dot2dot said:
I would be slightly warey of not having anywhere to bring her in to in winter if she does have problems with her feet. Does it appear to have good drainage, or will she be up to her knees in mud?
For summer it sounds ideal. Could you move somwhere else in winter if you have to? I don't know if you're in a particularly horsey area with many yards about.
Click to expand...

It's next to a river, so I know it does on occasion flood, but I don't think the ground gets overly marshy/boggy the rest of the time. I expect I would find another yard pretty easily if I had to, just none as near as this!

Dot2dot said:
also could start feeding a hoof supplement now so that it has kicked in properly by winter time as they can take a while to really work. :)
Click to expand...

I've been using Kevin Bacon as figured it would have more effect applying something directly rather than via feed, but am considerding adding a supplement.

Polos Mum said:
The only real consideration would be to check the yard really does have enough land to support them being out 24/7 through winter.
- how many acres per horse for winter turn out
- do they put/ allow you to put hay in the field when grass is gone
- do other people there winter out 24/7 or will your horse be on her own
- is there lots of nice hedges/ field shelter for the worst of the weather
- is there an emergancy stable if she's injured


You might need extra rugs so if one gets soaking you can swap for a nice dry one, is there somewhere to dry rugs? A wet heavyweight can take 3/4 days of winter damp weather to dry.
Click to expand...

Happily, there is plenty of turnout for the number of horses, hay is put out, other grass liveries winter out, there is a long ditchy type line of trees that is perfect shelter, and I'm sure I would be able to use a stable if necessary. Good point about rugs though - I love an excuse to buy a new rug! ;o)

ailbheg said:
My pony is on grass livery and has been since February. He too gets thrush but I've managed it using Keratex hoof disinfectant. If you pick out her hooves daily it should help too, I found my boy's was worst when the ground started to dry and the mud started to pack into his hooves. Other than that his feet have been fine.

Make sure you have good turnout rugs, I'd advise having spares if you can afford it, in case she rips one/manages to take it off and it gets soaked. Is there anywhere she can stand in after riding to dry off before you rug up and turn out? It might be worth getting a waterproof exercise sheet as well, as that will keep her back dry when ridden, meaning you won't have as long to wait for drying.

How much work do you do with her over winter? I'd advise a trace/chaser/blanket depending on how much work you do, if the belly is clipped it won't take too long to dry off if she lies down, so that will save time if you go down to ride (speaking from experience, arrived down to ride to find grey pony lying in a mucky puddle, he wasn't clipped at that stage so it took ages to get it dry and clean.)
Click to expand...

There are some covered areas, yes, and I have a waterproof exercise sheet. I'm thinking of cutting her work right down over winter so will be more of a fair-weather rider, maybe only 3 times a week - if she's living out I probably wouldn't clip much more off than her belly and neck.

hnmisty said:
I would to be able to have use of a stable in an emergency. Personally, I don't like the thought of not having a stable, even if you chose not to use it.
Click to expand...

In an emergency I'm sure I could use one - there are about 10 stables there, it's just that they are all being rented at the moment.

Thanks all :)
 
One of mine wintered out last year but there were probably a handful of nights that were so awful I bought him in and I was grateful I could

I take it there isny anywhere that could be converted for Tilda like a gated pen in a barn or a shelter with slip rails?

Do you know what the grazing looked like last winter? also worth finding out how fast the turnover of liveries is to see what the chances of a stable becoming available are - if everyone has been there years then you'd need to feel comfortable that wintering out will be ok

If you do end up 24/7 turnout year round then I would perhaps seek advice from the YO about what would happen if Tilda needed to be bought in as an emergency measure
 
Fransurrey said:
Hooves may be a problem for you, but it's certainly not insurmountable. Will there be a shelter, or is it a field with a herd? What I'm getting at is hard standing, or somewhere your horse can have dry feet for a while. That would be the issue for me, as I also have one that is prone to thrush, so he needs a place I can feed hay where his feet can absorb any treatment I put on them. In the winter I have his shoes taken off, so it's easier to treat the hooves (and then put hoof boots on for a ride, so the stuff doesn't just treat the field!!).

I've always had mine living out and recently was on a yard where I only had one stable, so I was allowed to keep mine out even when others were stabled (I have two ponies). Although mine are hardy, I wasn't prepared for just how foul it was in those fields when the wind was blowing and it was hailing/snowing/raining. They were utterly miserable, so I ended up bringing them in (and so I was utterly miserable!!). Just be aware you might not have this option unless you bury another livery in the muckheap ;) Of course, your place might be much more sheltered, in which case you'll be fine!! So, I would check out the field properly for natural shelter if there isn't a wooden one. Then start browsing your local ads for rugs. Henry didn't own a rug until last Autumn. He's got 3 now! Oops! :D
Click to expand...

There a small herd of about half a dozen horses, with a line of natural shelter in trees and bushes, so no hard standing shelter in the filed, but I would probably bring her into the stable yard each day to do her feet etc and give her break. Burying another livery in the muck heap could always be an option though... :D

pippixox said:
I think it depends a lot on the amount and type of grazing. my boy always came in over night until I moved 60 miles to a yard with masses of grazing- up to 50 aches when all open in the winter, with 10 horses. so although gate ways get muddy and this past winter was the worst ever, they still have enough grazing and the land isn't all poached. they also have woods on one side which offers natural shelter. there are few field shelters but they only seem to use them in the heat, not the wet or cold. fields are also rotated and rested.
but if like many yards they only had a 1 ache patch with no rotation, I would need a stable as well as in the winter it would be too poached and muddy.
my guys do actually have a barn they can come into together as this winter they got mud fever as it was so wet: that would be my major concern. are there any convertible outbuildings? or a field shelter that could work as a stable?
other than a few shoes pulled off in the mud, I haven't really found living out effects hooves much, just keeping an eye on thrush and disinfecting frogs sometimes.
Click to expand...

The field does seem lovely, and it may well be that a stable becomes available in the next 6 months or so, I;'m just preparing for the worst! ;) Luckily, she never seems to have problems with mud fever.
 
I've just had a thought, if there are other grass liveries it would be worth finding out if there is already a 'waiting list' for a stable and seeking some assurance on where you stand should one become available

That aside you'd also need to be happy that the YO wouldnt simply find an external livery to fill a stable, better to have a grass livery PLUS a stable livery than have someone internally take the stable then have to find another grass livery hich could be trickier

Hope that all makes sense!
 
Speak to other liveries and find out what it's really like over the winter there. It all depends on your grass/land/space/shelter...I have stables for my two but tbh they virtually lived out last winter as I have thick, high natural shelter on three sides and a lot of acres on good draining land.
 
My horse is on grass livery and has been for the last 6 years. You just work out ways of doing things :)

We have had problem with thrush and abscesses (treated in the field) but now I've worked out they're caused by mineral balance in the grass, I am finding I don't need to put anything on hooves and frogs, just need to put the appropriate missing minerals into the horse :)

It's best to go to grass livery just now, as the horse acclimatises and when winter comes they're already used to living out.

It helps to have hardstanding/somewhere to tack up and groom. We don't, so grooming/tacking up gets done at the gate, and hoof cleaning etc. gets done on the driest part of the field :)

Agree you do need to work out good rugs etc. - mine's not clipped so doesn't need more than just a lightweight, summer or winter. His TB pals have lightweights, medium weights and 400g rugs for really miserable weather. Neck rugs are essential if the horse is prone to dropping weight.

All in all, I wouldn't change back - horse is a happy laid back chap living out in a lovely stable herd with no coming and going - all his pals are always there, they're a real herd that moves around together in a group with sets of close friends, but all so settled that they don't even glance up when a pal goes out hacking. Gives me the independence to do things my own way too :) Just spent a happy two hours sectioning the field for summer (although I did leave 4 disgruntled horses wondering why they now couldn't get to their favourite snoozing spot...)
 
Find out about somewhere locally that does emergency livery with a stable before you need it in an emergency!

Have at least two, ideally three, of each weight of turnout rug you use so if any get damaged and or soaked, spares are readily available.

Mud rash can be an issue, as can tender feet if the ground is very wet then rutted and frozen alternatively.

I hope it works out well for you. :)
 
My old boy lived the last 5 years if his life on 24/7 with no actual shelter, he had never been so relaxed :)

Just make sure your rugging ( if needed ) is appropriate :)

I say go for it, and as long as he is rugged correctly don't feel guilty in rain, wind or snow :)
 
Thanks all.

I've agreed a start date with her, and she's confirmed that I'm the last livery to go in now, and that the next spare stable will be mine.

I'm getting so excited :)

And I get to buy new rugs without guilt :D
 
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