Horses living out..... your thought?

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redmerl

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I have a friend who has her comp horse living out all year round 24/7 (good rugs, shelter, awesome field and with friends). Her horse is very happy (gets good results) and obviously he is low maintanence and is kept on a fantastic yard with very good facilities.

I have never concidered keeping neddy out, but it does seam like a good idea. He is never stressy, doesn't get stiff and always looks well (he isn't a native type either).

What are everyones thoughts on 24/7 living out?
 
I have a stable but mine still stay out 24/7. I poo pick daily as it makes life alot easier but that is much easier than mucking out. Providing horses have somewhere to shelter from the worst of the weather they are far happier to stay out. On days like today I do sometimes relent and bring in but by the time they are dried off they are desparate to get back out again
 
When I was a kid competing in affiliated sj and PC my ponies lived out 24/7 and competed from grass. All the other showjumpng ponies at the yard were out 24/7 also - never stopped them from competing at the higher levels - some jumped at Grade A level an competed weekly from grass. The young horses I have had for breaking since then hve, for the most part being worked from the field.
Certainly worth a try, most horses can live out 24/7 a long as your management is good - ie can ensure there isnt too little/too much grass for your horse and have sufficient grazing for him.
 
Its more than possible to keep a comp horse at grass

My little tb x lives out, although does tend to get quite/cold shivery through the colder months and dropped a bit of weight so I idealy would have her stabled at night through winter, but her fieldmate is a TB that events, who does well living out. Shes owned by RachelFerd on here who I recall made a topic on the same subject not long ago..
I think it keeps them chilled, stops them getting stiff, mine lives on the side of a hill which I think does the world of good building muscle as shes constantly walking up and down.

here is rachels prev thread.. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=321941
 
At first I thought OMG! but if I think about from a horse point of veiw it seams a good idea, as you say, as long as the management is good and they have good shelter.

They are visited twice a day and staff are on sight so they are left unattened.

Mine isnt awesome comp horse just RC stuff. Mmmm....... defo worth a thought.

I guess they are warm under rugs they wont mind bad weather?
 
I have always kept my T/B horse in the stable at nights, i like to know she is safe and sound and warm and dry (i pamper her too much :) ) but she can be a little whizzy most times and spooks, so i have been keeping her out for 24/7 since the warm weather and i have to say she is like a different horse to ride, very chilled :) :) i would say if you are able to leave your horse out at the yard, i would give it a go, they luv it :)
 
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my TB has been living out 24/7 since recovering from a suspensory injury, he has been out 24/7 for 18 months now.. i event him off grass (only intro level tho!)

i still go up to the yard twice a day to check him. he is fed and hayed twice a day in the winter, with good rugs, he was always toasty warm even in the worst of the weather. i poo pick pretty much every day too.
i have noticed no difference in his energy levels since being out 24/7 and i have noticed a definite decrease in field related injuries and lost shoes since living out too.

whilst i agree that all yards are not set up to allow people to have horses out 24/7, lack of grazing being the main factor, i cannot see any downsides to having a horse out 24/7.
actually there is one - having a grey horse who lives out the cleaning isn't fun but then mud is a lot easier to clean off than poo stains!! :)
 
As soon as it dries up out in our field ours stay out 24/7. if i had a lot of good grazing I am sure D would love to be out all year 24/7.
 
glenruby said:
When I was a kid competing in affiliated sj and PC my ponies lived out 24/7 and competed from grass.
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I was much the same. My first three were all kept out 24/7, all year round. I competed in dressage/eventing as well as doing regular PC activities and hunting. They were all successful and I never missed anything due to horse/pony lameness or illness. Very happy animals!!
 
My ISH, TB & very old mare are all out 24/7, with a double field shelter, well rugged as necessary. Fed & hayed twice a day. When I've got something sound & able to compete, I BS or BD most w'ends off grass.

Can't say if I find it better or worse than part stabled as I've never tried part stabled! Too much like hard work.
 
Mine is out 24/7 in the summer (although was turned out full tine in March this year!). I do RC eventing and BSJA. I think keeping them out if you have the grazing is far easier than being in. Less time consuming, happier horses and less regimented feed/visit times etc.

Our field is large though (12 acres for 4 horses - split into 2 fields), hilly with lots of natural shelter and a field shelter in their winter/midsummer side of the field. :)
 
Mine are out 24/7 all year but with access to a stable when needed (flies/apalling weather). Ive done 2 & 3 day events out of the field and without an arena! And been placed.:)
 
I used to with my pony - I might keep her in the night before a competition just for convenience as I could bath and plait the night before. Did all the pony club interbranch stuff and she was super fit especially with all the hills we had in south devon.
In the winter she came in at night as she didn't like the cold but in the summer she lived out 24/7.
However it's really difficult to find places that allow for and are really set up for 24/7 turnout, I would consider keeping my tb at grass if I had the right set up.
 
Bronson used to live out during the summer and went out every day without fail throughout the winter. I used to SJ him at 90-95cm and was going to event him at intro this year, he always coped fine in the summer/autumn but had to be careful with his lami (but not his weight, skinny pony!) during the spring.
YO's old horse used to event at novice from the field, he stayed out as he was so much calmer that way, yet his current one would be a dope on a rope if he lived out so stays in overnight. So all depends on your horse. My new one will be staying out hopefully starting tomorrow!
 
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