horses living out all year

jensheff26

jensheff26

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does anyones horses live out all yr round my natives do rugged up of course. i had to chuckle when i went to field this morning they looked like snow men but still all warm and cosy. does anyone have any routine to there horses living out rugging etc? im not sure if im rugging too much they all have turnouts on with thick under rugs on
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Scooby's a big fat hairy pony, and he lives out in a light/medium weight turnout rug 24/7. He was lovely and toasty today, I had my hands stuck under his rug for ages to warm them up after filling haynets in the snow!
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It's amazing how hardy natives are - but you know what's best for your ponies and how warm they need to be. I'm sure you'd know if they were too snug.
 
My native type horse is in a rainsheet which is quite heavy with a stable rug underneath.She is toasty warm like that as has a thick coat.She has plenty of hay and a shelter with a lovely straw bed to go in if needs be and she seems fine. Even happier to see me in the mornings as it means feed time as she doesn't get anything but grass in the summer.
 
they are all fat and warm they have ad lib hay and a feed twice a day they look happy and warm never cold at all it must be me being too soft if av them in the living room if i could lol:)
 
Yup my two live all all year, although this is my TB's first ever winter outside 24/7. My pony who is going on 26 has lived out all year for the past 5 years or so and he now would never have it any other way. He used to be a pansy and I swear you could see him cry ever time a little bit of a breeze hit him, now he is a hairy as a yak.
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My tbx is living out unclipped and rugged with free access to his stable and with company. He is snug, warm and totally chilled out. A very happy horse and a very happy owner
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Last winter he was on livery with limited turnout and stabled at night. He coliced repeatedly and was miserable as sin. All the photos I took of him there show a horse in reasonable condition but totally listless and disinterested in anything around him.

It may have just been that yard as it wasn't great, although the yard owners were lovely, but this winter he is back to being his usual bolshy cheeky self and in far better physical condition.
 
Mine do and none of them are British natives. Ages range from 5 months to 19 years. My minis are unrugged.
This is an 18 year old arab.
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As for rugging, mine only wear MW's, more to ward off the evil winds we get, I am very lucky that in winter we rarely get rain.

Only you can tell if you are over or under rugging your ponies, I go by the temperature at the base of the ears and I always use the back of my hand to feel that rather than my fingers which are always very hot. I never bother with stable rugs underneath as they tend to soak up the wet if they slip or the horse lies down, I should imagine that would be a bit like wearing a wet tee shirt under a coat.
 
my 3yro tbxid is living out.

he has unlimited racehorse haylage, one feed a day, hot water taken down every evening and 4 acres to roam around in.

he is in a heavyweight, full neck tunrout (not a good doer really so best to keep him nice and warm).

he is happy as larry out in the field- he doesn;t really like coming in so i don't force the issue as he is fine out.
 
Bella is out 24/7 unrugged. She is a 16 month old Sec D x Trad Cob and has a lovely fluffy coat again now the mud has gone
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Must take some more pictures of her actually (any excuse
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Yup mine all live out whatever the weather.
One is a tb and he wears a medium weight combo just to keep him dry and the rest are natives and stay naked unless it is persistent rain.
Ad lib hay/grass and a token feed
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Part-Arab, and a Welsh Cob Section D, just swapped to MW turnouts, they are out 24/7 unless I bring them in to dry off their legs & feet in prolonged rain/vet visit etc.

They'll stay in these MW now, nothing heavier, they are more than happy.

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Yes, even a couple of my fully clipped out ones live out. Mine are happier, really fat, less stressed ect. I use a combination of up to 3 rugs on the fully clipped ones in this weather and a snuggy hoods turnout hood to keep faces warm and clean. They also have ad lib hay/ haylege. The only one of mine that lives in is a kwpn mare, who hates the cold, and isn't much of one that likes being turned out at all.
 
Yup, mine all live out all year round. This is currently a Luso x TB (imported from Portugal so certainly not used to Scottish weather!) and 2 veteran natives (welsh x highland and a shetland).

They luso x TB is rugged up but as he's on his winter break just now he's super duper hairy and Ive managed to get away with a Weatherbeeta Orican with neck (normally he's in a warmer one when he's clipped). The natives I only rug if its really wet and only in MW rugs, I dont think generally a native should ever require a heavyweight rug (if unclipped).

They all get ab lib hay, 2 feeds a day and have access to 2 x stables / shelters at all times.
 
my unclipped TB is out 24/7.. he is out in the snow with a MW combo rug on and is toasty warm all the way to the tip of his ears!! he seems to have grown a winter coat a yeti would be proud of this year.. i'll be clipping him when all this snow goes so i can start riding again then he can have his super HW rug on (new purchase from Olympia!)
he gets hay and hard feed twice a day.
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Have four well bred warmblood 4 year olds who live out 24/7. They are unclipped and unrugged but do have access to a very large shelter where we put their hay.

They are currently on holiday so it doesn't matter if they get muddy. I do think it is better if possible to leave them unrugged to allow their shaggy coats do the job they are designed for.
 
Ours live out 24/7 the only reason they are rugged is that this field has only natural shelter. Hubbys shire x dutch has a coat a shetland would be proud of and is more than happy without a rug whatever the weather. My eldest daughters IDx also has a good coat, both have mw rugs and are toasty. Our cushings boys both have heavy rugs to keep them warm, one is 26 the other about 23yrs. Up until now both would have just had mw rugs, now we feel they need the extra. Natives are meant to live out on hills/moors where they get little shelter and in this weather probably little food.
 
Our two Sec. D x's are out naked all year round unless it rains for days and days in the winter, when we will bring them in, dry them off and put them back out with rain sheets on until it stops.

They are having about half a bale of hay a day between them at the moment and seem happy and warm. Both are far too fat though.
 
My WCxTB is living out this year for the first time in 8 years. He is at my friends place she has him all tucked up in a thick under rug and a heavy heavy turn out. It is quite funny as she doesn't normally pamper them but says he was cold so I guess he was. He is very good at telling you when he is too cold or warm bless him
 
my irish/Tb could leave out all year quite happilly but she would be all on her own, so I've got to bring her in so she can be with other horses (she hates being lonely)
also it is quite difficult to find yards which allow 24hour turnout in the winter with field that dont get completely trashed
Is it just me or if you tell people you leave your TB live out all year out they just look at you as if you're neglecting your horse! (obviously they dont say it out loud, but they give you the "oh really?" look)
she's been in early december and goes out everyday from 7am to 8pm and I feel that some people think I am a monster because they think only native type should be out!!! or they shouldnt even go out during the day if its too cold or it rains!
 
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