Horse Turnout

[browbrow]

Hello

I have recently moved my native cob pony to a different yard (7 weeks ago) and so far all is going really well!! She is so much calmer and relaxed. She is ridden every day and enjoys her varied workload.

She is turned out with one other pony, which is her age and type and they get on tremendously. They are turned out in a 1.5 acre field with good but not not rich grazing, with plenty of trees to keep them out of the sun/rain

She is turned out in the morning at around 8am and normally brought in for about 6pm but over the past few weeks after about 3 hours of turnout she has started to run up and down the fence and 'calls' to be brought in. As the fields are a bit muddy the little sod is trashing the field by charging about - my yard owner has started to bring her in at around dinner time and ponio seems very pleased with this, no barging to get in to the stable or out of the paddock etc......

We have come to the conclusion that she just doesnt want to be out for very long - its odd as she loves her field mate/vice vesa and goes out in the morning quite happily- and has a fly mask on so flys arent bothering her. Yard have been monitoring her and she plays with her friend for half an hour, charging about like mad,then rolls and then grazes for an hour and then wants to come in?

I am not concearned in the slightest as she is very healthy,calm and affectionate scince moving yards not to mention MUCH better behaved!!!!

Does anyone on here have horses that dont seem to like being turned out?

Thanks

 

[dianchi]

Once mine get s bored she will just stand at the gate! Tho not so much in the summer. In winter you can out her out and she will just stand in the same position until she comes in-after mucking out usually.

Im not one for leaving out as some people will-if shw would rather be in she can! Plus she is a Tb and if she isnt in the field eating would rahter she was in and eating!

Maybe is amazingly intelligent!!!!

 

[Flicker]

Oh yes - I've known lots of horses that just don't enjoy being out and prefer to be around on the yard where there is more going on, or just to be out of the heat and flies.
We were lucky in Johannesburg to have my two (TB and Welsh Section A) in a field at our house. They had stables in the field that they could go in and out of as they pleased, as well as 10 acres of grazing (in SA the grazing is quite poor so don't think they were going laminitic or anything!). During the day, they mostly stood in the stables, going out occasionally to sunbathe or graze, then stayed out grazing all night and came back in the next morning.
If it is easy for your yard to bring her in on demand, I would say crack on - at least she's happy.

 

[happihorse]

My horse loves to be turned out, but like yours he wants to come in after a couple of hours. He is a comp horse so this suits us both fine!

If I leave him out any longer, he will either hare round the field like a loon (risking injury) or stand by the hedge / gate mesing with things (again risking injury).

Some people might say just stick it out, but it suits me to get him in after a couple of hours and he is happy too, so why risk him injuring himself?

Anyways, if they are charging round in this weather, they we be a sweaty magnet to horsefly and other pests!

As they always say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[pottamus]

My Welshie cob loves being out but cannot stand the heat and flies in the summer...he goes mad if left with no where to run to. I got him a field shelter and is the best thing I ever bought as he can now come and go as he pleases and actually spends most of the day in the field shelter and then comes out in the evening and night. Perhaps yours has the same problem? I don't think it matters so long as you find out what your horse wants and keep him/her happy by providing that as best you can.

 

[browbrow]

Hello

The yard staff are amazing here and when she starts getting their attention - they bring her in - its easy enough for them to do this so its no bother!

The yard is all about keeping horses and owners happy and not keeping themselves happy by making life east for themselves!! All the staff are great.

I have noticed that ponio loves the haylage they have at the yard - methinks that might have something to do with it!!

 

[Luckylocalian]

Mine depends on the weather. He will graze happily but as soon as the sun (and the flies come out) he acts like a lunatic and runs about until he is bought in (he acutually jumped the give bar gate and bought himself in once when YO wasn't quick enough!!