Has This Winter Changed the Way....

[pansy]

Mine have still managed to go out every day - we are in the Midlands that hasn't been hit too badly - I did have a couple of liveries & they went before Christmas (mutual decision) - I have decided not to replace, I have an area that is used for winter turnout and don't mind it getting trashed , will be moving them soon & it will have all summer to recover

 

[Potato!]

This winter my two have lived out on 2-3 acres and it's well trashed. I'm putting a partition into the field shelter in the summer so they will have a stable and will come in at night and stay in while weather is really bad. Even though they are out 24-7 actually they choose to stand inside all day even though I only give them hay at night. Both of them at 4pm yesterday were bone dry even though we had torrential rain all day yesterday.

 

[Starbucks]

My field has been ok actually. He's going out now and only really has mud on his hooves.

I think they can manage, staying in for a bit if they have to though. No point trashing the fields for the summer!

 

[daughter's groom]

Ours have been out 24/7 all winter and have seemed OK. We have felt terrible when we have been tucked up dry and warm ad they have been out facing the elements. however , due to changing yards and the need fro a quarantine period they had to be stabled for 10 days 24/7 except for exercise. After 2 days alternative arrangements had to be made for one of them as his legs began to swell and he began to display pre-colic symptoms with which we are all too familiar, so out he went. So it seems there is no hard and fast rule. You need to know your horse and act accordingly. Generally though I would go for out rather tha in.

 

[Achinghips]

I'm on clay. My big heavy has not been happy at all, having to come in every night .... Developed a cough, requiring antibiotics, then steroids, which he is still on, and I had trouble finding good haylage, having stocked up with hay! He couldn't be worked. No wonder he hates his stable. The little pony, though has been completely chilled. For next year I have invested in a turn out area with limestone and plainings and got all my gateways dug out and now limestone and plainings are down. I also had all the mud from the yard scraped off as the fields transferred themselves to my yard and got plainings bashed down there too. 60 tonnes went down altogether and the work wasn't cheap, neither was the vet bill!
They are staying OUT next year, for sure

 

[Toffee44]

I now ride in the rain.

But keeping horses wise I have been very lucky no grass but no different to any other year during winter but no mud as on sand. Managed daily turnout.

 

[Suechoccy]

Mine live out 24/7 but can wander in and out of their stables at will and have a small area of hardstanding outside the stables and by the gateway too.

Just one thing changed this winter - I gave up poo-picking. Ground far too soft to attempt to push an empty wheelbarrow through, let alone a full-with-poo one.