Hmm, what to do?

W

weasel27

Active Member
Joined
12 November 2006
Messages
34
Visit site
Just after some quick advice.

I keep my horse at a lovely yard - is just me and my YO who is a lovely lady and also my instructor. We have individual TO and there is no turn out in the winter (except an hour or so on hard core area) but the horses have small all weather pens attached to their stables.

Anyway was told this was just in the winter months and my horse has been out since April on and off. But the problem is EVERY time it rains I have to bring her in and keep her in until the ground is completely dry!

I understand she doesn't want to ruin her grass, but the other say she text me to ask me to keep my horse in 'cos it 'might' rain tonight!! She has now been in 24 hours for the last week.

Am I unreasonable in thnking this is a bit OTT? I'd hate to fall out with her, but every other horse I know is at least out during the day/night, and I feel really sorry for my horse.

What would you do?
 
Turnout is one my main priorities and if it was me, I'd move but it depends on each and every horse - although your yard does sound ridiculous!
x
 
My horse must have turnout every day all year round. Allthough I do understand that some yards are not able to accommodate this.

However, the arrangements you have at your place sound unreasonable, and I would not keep my horse in such a set up.
 
If it were me I would move. I like Baron to be out as much as possible. He is out 24/7 now in a massive field with about 40 horses of mixed sex. In the winter he is out all day and in at night but sometimes I keep him in for a few days on the trot as he gets mud fever.

I think horses need to go out for a few hours a day at least but 24/7 if possible.

Is your horse happy? Or is he showing signs of stress?
 
that sounds way OTT to me. I have problems with my field getting boggy and like to keep the ground nice - I bring my horse in at night when it is wet but she still goes out in the day. At the yard where my other horse is they are out 24/7. I'd move if it were me but it depends on how your horse copes with being in all the time. Got to do whats best for the horse at the end of the day IMO.
smile.gif
 
She seems happy enough to be honest, but it's not what we agreed when I came to the yard - I was told I'd have 24 hour turn out in the summer.

The thing is it's perfect in every other way and there's not much choice of yards around me. I am also taking delivery of a second loan horse this weekend, so don't want to rock the boat in terms of having two horses to suddenly find accommodation for. Not that she'd kick me out I'm sure.

Do you think it's worth me sitting down with her and tactfully saying I think she is being too fussy and I want my horses out at least part of the time (ie during the day)?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Do you think it's worth me sitting down with her and tactfully saying I think she is being too fussy and I want my horses out at least part of the time (ie during the day)?

[/ QUOTE ]
definitley - although tbh id still move but if that isn't feasable, try and get horses out at least 5/6hours a day
x
 
Does sound a little OTT to me. Last year at my yard our YO kept keeping our horses in everytime it rained to try and preserve her grass and it got a bit ridiculous when at the slightest hint of rain they'd have to stay in and then in again the next day if it was still too muddy! Horses were bored and frustrated - and owners frustrated as most had to come and ride unmanagable horses every night!

This year same YO has done total u-turn and they are out in all weathers!!! They go out 8am - 2 pm so its not like any of them are out 24/7 but think she realised when she kept them in the next day she had trouble turning them out cos they were all being so strong - so now they go out all the time !

Turnout for me is very important - its no life for a horse being stuck in a prison cell all day, no horse deserves that! I know sometimes we have no choice but if we do have a choice I'd choose to give my horse freedom in return for letting me get on his back!!
 
I would move too, even if it does rain this time of year it does dry up again fairly quickly so I think she is being a bit OTT. I'd rather have happy horses than perfect paddocks!
grin.gif
 
I know its been wet but ours have a choice of staying in or going out, the pony goes out in all weathers loves it, the oldie prefers to stay in, having said that, only 5 days out of a year would our YO ask us to leave them in, that is way too much time to be stuck in a stable unless they are doing lots each day?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top