Guilt trip

[PC Steele]

I have owned my 24 yr old for 20 yrs, he was my dressage horse now retired. He has had lameness issues for the last 5 years we are at a place now where he is field sound but if he stands in a stable for a period of time he comes out lame. He gets better after walking it off. He is arthritic and has just had a course of joint meds which have made the world of difference. My vet has said he needs to live out and so far he is doing brilliantly!!!! Never hanging by the gate (unless his feed is coming) not stressed, good weight etc. But when I’m lying in bed and hear the lashing rain and howling gales I feel racked with guilt. It is keeping me awake at night. I feel like I’ve pampered him for 20 years and now he is in the field. He has his friend for company, adequate rugs etc but I just feel so bad

 

[Winters100]

You are doing the very best that you can for him. Remember that while you are lying awake worrying he is sauntering around the field warm and dry under his rugs and living a great life! I know it is hard, I also spend my whole time worrying about whether they are the right temperature, but I am guessing that he probably is. If you are really worried you could buy an orscana, I use one from time to time, especially when I got the new horse. If you are not around late at night it can be a bit of an eye opener to see how differently seemingly similar horses need to be rugged! Lucky boy to be living out his retirement with such a lind owner.

 

[Nasicus]

I've always been one for keeping mine out as much as possible, but I've definitely had those nights where I've listened to the wind and rain lashing against the windows and felt that awful guilt.
Best thing I did was get my remote camera, as a quick check of the camera at those times reassured me that the ponies weren't the least bit bothered, and were quite happily stood out in the open and grazing, as opposed to huddling under the trees for shelter.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I feel bad because my arthritic old boy is tucked up in bed, all cosy dry and warm... but in my head I know it’s the worst thing I can do for him. I can’t turnout 24/7.
Be happy In the knowledge you are providing the best possible situation for an older stiffer horse. I’d kill to have that opportunity.

 

[asmp]

After years of laying awake listening to the rain I’m just about to get a field shelter. I well aware that they’ll probably not go near it,?

 

[Cortez]

After years of laying awake listening to the rain I’m just about to get a field shelter. I well aware that they’ll probably not go near it,?

Yeah, a field shelter lets me sleep soundly, even though the horse rarely uses it

 

[milliepops]

After years of laying awake listening to the rain I’m just about to get a field shelter. I well aware that they’ll probably not go near it,?

My oldies only use their shelter when it's hot ?

He will be fine, OP i was the same when I first retired my old girl to be out 24/7 but she and her buddies live the life of riley and I stopped worrying quite a while ago ?

 

[AdorableAlice]

My elderly show horse lives out with a barn for shelter, he does use it and I can set my clock by his routine. There is a camera on him and I worry if his routine changes as it is an indicator all is not right. He doesn't do rain and we all laugh when we see him going trotting into his house, he is telling us rain is due in the next 5 minutes. He will be out grazing now but back around midnight for his haylage, then he will snooze until 3ish and then a lie down. More haylage and out at first light, back for breakfast at 8am and then out again, back mid morning for a snooze another lie down and then out until teatime. I can close the door if needed but he throws a big hissy if shut in or out of his house. We recently shut him out for a whole day whilst we laid more gravel under the mats, his temper tantrum at missing his mid morning snooze was impressive and the sulk lasted for hours.

He would have been long dead without the set up his has now and I am very fortunate to be able to keep him as he is. He can move and shelter as he wishes and it has kept him healthy and happy for 9 years of retirement.

 

[still standing]

Most horse's instincts are sound & I'm sure he will find a sheltered hedge, bush or tree or the lee of a slope or even another horse, they get to know the best places! And a good rainproof rug for whatever the season is like, gives you great peace of mind I find.

I also have a 24year old ex-dressage/TREC horse, now retired for 3 years due to a catastrophic field injury. He's more of a TB type with a fine coat and he'd been stabled every night from the age of 5 when I got him. He needed to be free to move around after his injury, so he was moved to retirement field livery and literally from one day to the next, started to live out 24 hours.

It was November so luckily he'd a good midweight turnout rug on, but that first night was the first VERY HEAVY frost of the year, not well forecasted. I hurried down to the yard that morning, dreading to find him shivering and worried about what to do next but of course he was fine. And has remained fine every since, despite whatever the weather has thrown at him.
Now when I bring him in to the stable to check him over, he is restless to get out again to his paddock and buddies. So try to stop worrying if you can, if your boy looks well and contented, then you are doing the right thing for him and he is having a great life!

 

[SEL]

I'd love to have mine out 24:7 but we're on clay....

After torrential rain yesterday I thought they'd be really happy to come in early, but all were grazing and looked surprised to see me. I think they cope better than we do!

 

[chocolategirl]

I’ve had these battles with my conscience many times over the years, and have been known to traipse out at 2 and 3am to bring in!?‍ If it’s any consolation, from experience, they fare very well living out, providing they’ve got some form of shelter, plenty of forage, and rugs are changed when necessary. Very wet rugs are so darn heavy ? this year I’ve set it up so that my 2 little old ponies have a choice of going from their paddock in and out of their stables. If I happen to wake in the night, I check the cctv, sometimes they’re in, sometimes their out, and the weather doesn’t seem to be a factor?

 

[TGM]

It does help if you have rain-proof shelter of some sort just for your own peace of mind! We don't have a man-made shelter but our field joins onto mature woodland and there are plenty of overhanging trees where they can shelter out of the rain.