Horse doesn't like being out?

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Polo*Pony

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Hi all,
Fairly new here - this is my first thread!

Just reading another thread in which someone said that winter turnout would be a make-or-break situation for them - it would be better to have the horse further away and out than stabled closer to home. I completely understand this - I used to regularly get into (minor!) arguments with yard staff when I'd learn that my horse had been left in all day. I always felt quite protective of him getting his time out in the field - I saw it as his time to just 'be a horse' and roll and play with other horses etc.

To my embarrassment though, since he is now being turned out religiously for a few hours each day, I'm beginning to suspect he doesn't actually like being out in the mud/cold! :o He rolls, eats for about 20 minutes and then spends the remaining time looking longingly over the gate at his stable, ignoring all the other geldings. When the gate blew open last week, he took himself out of the field and into the first available stable.

So, no real point to this - just musing out loud really! Anyone else got a horse who doesn't like being in the field?
 
I have a new horse who I was told would wait by the gate all day to come back in and was quite happy spending the day inside.
The weather here has been dreadful all day, the farrier came at lunchtime and so to keep their feet clean and dry the horses stayed in until after his visit.
The new horse, who has been coming in 2nd all week, was the last to come in today, after a shorter time out than usual - we had to go and look for her! Just as it started snowing again.
So no, I thought I had a horse that doesn't like being out but it seems not.
 
We had one mare on a livery yard that, if it was too hot/she was bored would jump the fence and put herself back in her own stable. Had to be hers, not any old stable, so you had to leave the door open or she got quite miffed!
 
One of mine would happily stay in now the field is muddy...oce he's out he's fine but getting him into the filed can be tricky!!
 
In the winter months , if the weather is not to my horses satisfaction ie , windy, raining , she will stand in the field and look over at the house and Neigh her bloody head off until i go out and bring her in ....

and that is after myself and husband, him leading her and me shoving her bottom to the field ! no such thing as a dumb animal ,she loves the comfort of her stable when the weather is horrid.

when the weather is horrid you can leave her stable door wide open and she Will Not go out of it !
 
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Polo*Pony said:
Hi all,
Fairly new here - this is my first thread!

Just reading another thread in which someone said that winter turnout would be a make-or-break situation for them - it would be better to have the horse further away and out than stabled closer to home. I completely understand this - I used to regularly get into (minor!) arguments with yard staff when I'd learn that my horse had been left in all day. I always felt quite protective of him getting his time out in the field - I saw it as his time to just 'be a horse' and roll and play with other horses etc.

To my embarrassment though, since he is now being turned out religiously for a few hours each day, I'm beginning to suspect he doesn't actually like being out in the mud/cold! :o He rolls, eats for about 20 minutes and then spends the remaining time looking longingly over the gate at his stable, ignoring all the other geldings. When the gate blew open last week, he took himself out of the field and into the first available stable.

So, no real point to this - just musing out loud really! Anyone else got a horse who doesn't like being in the field?
Click to expand...

I completely agree with this. All six of the horses at my yard want to come in after an hour in this weather. They like going out and they have a run about and roll, play and eat but then it's a orderly queue (in pecking order) to the gate. Come summer though and they are happy to be out 24/7. I wouldn't like them to be in all the time though, but they are more than happy with 3 hours a day in the all weather or 6 hours in the paddocks when it is dry enough. I don't think any horse is happy in mud.
 
Wagtail said:
I completely agree with this. All six of the horses at my yard want to come in after an hour in this weather. They like going out and they have a run about and roll, play and eat but then it's a orderly queue (in pecking order) to the gate. Come summer though and they are happy to be out 24/7. I wouldn't like them to be in all the time though, but they are more than happy with 3 hours a day in the all weather or 6 hours in the paddocks when it is dry enough. I don't think any horse is happy in mud.
Click to expand...

I dont even have any mud in my fields , so my horse does not have that excuse !
 
My horse went through a phase of being completely miserable in the field. He'd go out, and stand by the gate until he was brought in. Be out about 2hrs max. He didn't eat, didn't drink. He also became very funny about going out, and would plant himself and refuse to move on several occasions.
Now, he has a haynet each morning before going out. He's much happier, potters about in the field with a friend (a RS cob who's always in lessons) rolls and socialises with the others. Have seen other horses try and play with him... he's never interested!
He does love his stable and will quite happily stay in if needed. He's much happier about going out and it's not as hard as it used to be. Stays out for longer too :D
 
My pony lives out 24/7 in the warmer weather but hates being out in this weather. I have tried to get her used to living out for the past 3 years (since I fell pregnant) but we have encountered a number of problems inc colic, choke, stress, possible ulcers, and weight loss. Her new routine means she is turned out from 12-3 and she is sooo much more content and is thriving.

I do believe that some horses prefer to be in and for me, I would rather my horse in her stable with access to adlib hay rather than standing in her shelter unwilling to graze because she hates the cold and damp.
 
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Are you feeding him hay in the field? Most of the time it is just that they prefer the hay to grass and much less energy involved to stuff it from a haynet! If you put piles of hay out I suspect he will be happy being out!
 
Libby generally likes to be out, unless the weather is extremely bad!!! When she is out she has a cosy rug and plenty of hay to munch on! She make it clear when she wants to come in- hovering around the gate! :rolleyes:
 
Captain,my boy, does not go out in the field from September to approx end of April. He hates the cold, wet or wind; won't stay out in any bad weather or even anything below 60degrees. We used to insist but he started taking the gate off and taking himself back to his stable. So now he is not forced to go out and is perfectly happy in his stable. We are lucky our yard has an indoor arena and we use that for exercise.

Fany goes out as and when she can, when the fields aren't waterlogged, and loves it but is always happy to get back to her stable and her haylage pile!

FDC
 
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