Horses in the Winter

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winchester

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Does anybody not put their horses out in the winter? Do you excercise everyday? If so how long for?

Im on clay at my stables and the first bit of rain and you are in mud up to your knees - realy struggled last year and just dont know what to do!!! Especially with Mud fever
 
i've been at yards where they don't turn out because of similar reasons.. not ideal but you have to live with what you've got eh?
each horse generally went on horse walker in morning and had an hour or so in arena with a few others to run about in afternoon and was generally ridden each day too....
 
I rent my own small yard and the paddocks have not been cared for in the past,so not great,we also suffer a lot when it rains and bogs so planning this year to keep them off the fields unless it is very dry or frosty to try and save them,but they will have free access to yard and driveway to roam around in and haynets.
They are only little ponys but my mare will get as much excercise as possible even if it is just lead rein rides around the village and also my 2 year old who has upward fixation of the patella goes for nice long walks each day to try and improve his condition.
Unless I actually manage to rent another field in the area which is what Im hoping.
 
I kept my horse at a yard with practically no winter turnout for a good few years. I exercised her every day for between 30 mins to an hour or at least walked her out in hand for a graze. At the weekends i made more effort to take her out in the trailer for long hacks etc. Its a right pain though and tbh i did struggle in my mind with her being in so much.

She did cope with it ok, i think they get used to the routine after awhile. I worried about when she got older because then i think its more of a problem, when they get stiffer etc and need to move round more.

Have you got any options? other yards nearby? if not just spend as much time as you can spare exercising, hard work i know.......hope things work out
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I have 7 horses on 10 acres of grass - one 3 1/2 acre field is classed as marsh land and is always wet - i usually stick the three broodmares out there all winter ad supply unlimited hay and rug them up when necessary - there is lots of woods and shelter in there but just gets so wet! Last year we put them in the back half of the field and let them trash that then opened the front half and that seemed to help!

I then will have a weanling, yearling and a 5yo - who is boss but acts like a 2yo running round the field screaming!!! these will be on about 2 1/2 acres and hopefully in and night and out all day!

Then just the stallion who has his own built paddock!

I try to rest the other fields so they are ok for the Spring!!

THank you for all your feedback - i just hate this feeling of i cant cope with the mud and im only in September and there is not even mud around yet!! Have people started rugging up there horse now during the day in the field?
 
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