Grazing and restricted turnout

[crabbymare]

Ok this is obviously theoretical, and a very big if but bear with me and it may make some sort of sense. I know that the ideal would be for horses to live out or have daily turnout in winter but IF all the yards within 75 miles either had only a couple of hours turnout a day during winter, and the only option for all day or 24/7 turnout was to pay £100 a week per horse/pony for DIY field and stable only (obviously a mythical cost), which of the following options would you take?
The reason for 75 miles is that its a distance that would mean you would only be able to see or ride the horse once a week
The reason for £100 a week is that it would mean a cold house as you could not afford much heating, no going out and very basic food only
So please take these in the spirit thats they are intended, when you reply!

1, cut back everywhere else in your life so that you could let the horse have proper turnout

2, move the horse 75 miles away so it could have turnout but you would only be able to visit once a week

3, Sell the horse

Only these options allowed

 

[Bertolie]

I voted for option 1 but then I am a big softie and couldn't/wouldn't sell my horse or move him so far away. Not sure what husband and kids would say though

 

[MerrySherryRider]

This was a real issue for me a couple of years ago. Horses had had no turnout for weeks due to the weather. Options I seriously considered where either sending them to a friend for the winter, who lived about 80 miles away, or selling them.
I found it completely unacceptable to have them stabled 24/7 and it was enormously stressful and exhausting spending all day with them, exercising one after another and then repeating the cycle.
Finally found grass livery (with a stable) and moved them there. Downside was in losing the wonderful facilities, which I still miss, but their emotional and physical wellbeing is so much better now they're out grazing, socialising and moving all the time.

 

[lynseylou1]

I controversially voted to sell her. My family life is already cut back to enable me to have a horse and if she only had 2 hours turnout a day she would be very miserable.... so would be sooo gutted but have to do the right thing by horse and find a home that could offer her more.

 

[StormyMoments]

sell the horse - i love him to pieces but i wouldnt be able to cut back anymore - 5 people living in a 2 bedroom house, feeding 5 people for 2 weeks on £26 i dont think i could possibly cut back anymore without being homeless so sell the horse it would be

 

[fidleyspromise]

I'd have to sell.
It's a ridiculous amount to only see horse once a week plus wouldn't be able to keep her fit.
Having a horse is my decision and even on absolute basics, still wouldn't be able to afford that plus its not fair to penalise my family for my hobby

Just the way I see it from the options given here I'm £96 for 24/7 turnout a month for 2 ponies so £100 a week for one would just be too much for me.

 

[unbalanced]

My horse hates going out in winter anyway. I'm not sure how I could cut back anymore and at 21 she's not really sellable so if I couldn't keep her in and I couldn't find a way to make enough cuts or extra income probably PTS.

 

[HollyB66]

No point having a horse you only see once a week.
Family are already on restricted rations.
Only leaves 'sell the horse'

Thankfully we have good all year turnout, unless it rains like a monsoon and then might have to have the odd day in, but would then ride in the school to get her out and about.

 

[Dancing Queen]

I voted for severely reducing standard of living..... BUT in actual fact i think I would look to move jobs and houses to give myself and my horses a better way of life. x

 

[irish_only]

I'm just being nosey )
I have a livery yard and we don't have all year turnout, but we do have a 20m x 40m playpen, plus they can loose school on the arena. Even when we didn't have liveries, our own horses were not out in the winter, and this includes broodmares and youngsters. The youngsters have all managed to mature into well rounded, happy, sane horses.

 

[noblesteed]

Move to a private yard/farm for the winter!

I gave up an arena and all the facilities of a competition yard, but now have a very happy calm horse on the farm. Yes it's rubbish not being able to ride on winter evenings but if your horse is 75 miles away, as you say, you can only ride once a week then!!!

AND what would you do if horse was taken ill?

 

[EstherYoung]

Actually, in terms of the impact on family finances/time, the £100 a week for turnout vs keeping the horse virtually stabled aren't that different. If I were to keep a horse virtually stabled, I'd be wanting to get that horse worked/exercised at least twice a day, ideally more. If the rule of thumb is that a horse will walk 15-20 miles a day in the field, if I'm keeping the horse in I need to replace that with something. So that is quite an impact in my time (ie that I would want to work or walk it for at least 3 or 4 hours a day), or in money (ie that I would need to pay someone else to work or walk it for at least 3 or 4 hours a day). In the summer that might be do-able, but in the depths of winter that becomes quite hard if you're also trying to hold down a full time job. So then you're looking at dropping your hours at work or paying someone to do it, which will soon take you over the £100 a week for the turnout.

Although I prefer to keep mine out, I don't have a problem per se with stabling if done properly. One of the happiest stabled horses I knew lived right outside his owner's door as part of the family (he couldn't tolerate mud) but he used to get two long rides and two in hand walks every day without fail. What I do have a problem with is stabled horses that don't get enough exercise. It's a big job keeping horses in.