horses living out?

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

a completely non offense intended post, so please nobody take offence!
but i was wondering how different horses cope with living out? can all horses adapt or do some just need a stable? feet wise, yay or nay? can it affect them riding-wise etc? of course pictures of ponies that live out are welcome, in fact even pictures of ponies that live in are welcome! can you tell i love seeing pictures of horses?

 

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

bump

 

[rockysmum]

Anyone got the popcorn

 

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

oh dear, is this a very controversial topic then?

 

[Laafet]

Well our heavily pregnant TB's are currently living out unrugged but it has been mild this year so they've been fine.

 

[TigerTail]

The vast majority of horses will live out totally fine IF they are fed properly (not bagged commercial *****e) and have shelter, natural or otherwise.

Its what nature intended!

However, not so many owners can cope

 

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

ohhhhh, good to know that many horses can adapt well! i take it that by not being able to cope you mean keeping clean? i can see where that may be an issue alright

 

[ridefast]

Oh yes riding wise it can affect them terribly, they become fat lazy plods, get covered in mud and sometimes don't want to be caught. Then you have to throw carrots at them which is very cruel to carrots

 

[caberston]

my fluffy pregnant pony mare is rugged up out full time she hates being in and does fine out so no problemo there

 

[Lolo]

Reg is a 11yo TB, he raced til he was 7, had 2 years off completely and has now been ridden by my sister for just over 2 years. He lives out 24/7 because he dislikes being stabled for long periods- he trashes the place and gets very het up, and can't eat his morning feed. Since he started living out properly, he's flourished and is a lot calmer in general as well. He events at BE100 level from grass, and during the summer gets fed twice a day as well as being on good grass. He loves being out.

He is still fed substantial amounts- nothing can really change the fact he's a horse who just doesn't really care about food and so has to be fed what he likes. If it means he's suddenly partial to cherry (?) mollichop, so be it... If it means he'll eat, it's fine! Although he is doing very well on Blue Chip feeds, so hopefully he'll keep eating those.

Since the start of November, he's been on his holidays on a massive field with a donkey. He's been fed once a day, rugged up (unshod though) and had access to shelter and haylege. He looks fab- he's coming in and being clipped/ shod on Wednesday and despite 3 months off work isn't looking like he's lost an awful lot of muscle. He'll be moved to his summer fields and will continue living out.

It also saves time- Al sorts him out before she goes to college, and it's so much easier for her if she doesn;t have to muck out!

 

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

seems that a lot of horses are very good with living out

 

[Meowy Catkin]

of course pictures of ponies that live out are welcome, in fact even pictures of ponies that live in are welcome! can you tell i love seeing pictures of horses?

You twisted my arm!

 

[iAMASHOWJUMPER]

lots of happy horses in that field faracatthe dark bay even looks...CLEAN!

 

[Dreckly]

I moved my boy to living out just over 2 years ago now. He is a TBxID, ex competition. It is the best thing I could have done for him. I have had him 5 years and although he has never been a stressy horse, there was always some tension to get rid of when schooling him. He no longer suffers from tension, he is much calmer out hacking, life is one big long chill out. I school him 3 times a week, lunge once and hack out at weekends. If due to weather etc I don't get a chance to ride it is of no consequence, I can not ride him for a week and I then take him straight in the school and he will behave perfectly.

He lives in a settled group of 3, he has a large field with very good natural shelter, 2 hard feeds a day and hay. At the moment, they have a very large pond in the middle of their field (this comes up when we get rain), and they have a wonderful time walking it, splashing in it, it really does not bother them.

I am lucky he is not affected at all my mud fever or any other nasties. The only downside is the mud. When I ride him I clean the necessary bits, head, belly, legs for boots and leave the rest - there really his no point but it is very hard as I used to be the person that had a spotless horse every time I rode. Once a week I clean him up completely to check him over properly. Because he works quite hard he has a full clip and at the moment is still only in 300g of turnout rug.

He is now 16 amd his field companions are ex-racehorses in their mid twenties all are happy healthy and all the fitter for being out instead of stuck in a stable. I love it and would not change him back to stabled.

 

[rockysmum]

Well I feel like a very cruel mum making my three go out every day in the nasty cold, rain and mud.

They hate leaving their nice warm stables, stable rugs and haylage nets to wander round a field. Its not even as though any entertainment is provided. Unless you count watching the odd bits of traffic on the road and through the yard. The interesting stuff happens in the yard, not the field.

Getting there also involves tiptoeing through some nasty mucky mud in the gateway, the way our show cob feels about this idea shows very clearly on her face.

If they want a nice lie down they have to do it on cold wet ground instead of 2 feet of straw, how would you like it if someone took away your bed and made you sleep in the garden.

Also feeds are only provided before and after this so called recreation time. They have to make do with grass during their ordeal. Now the grass might be acceptable in the warm weather but they do not look very enthusiastic about it at the moment.

 

[coss]

mine live out 24/7 and is far happier for it- used to bring him in overnight but in the heavy snow my main concern was the roof of the sheds collapsing so he was left out and perfectly happy - so i've kept him that way since. As always, some horses like being in but i think that's more from getting in the routine of doing that from an early age or when they are older and in a routine for coming in.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

lots of happy horses in that field faracatthe dark bay even looks...CLEAN!

She's retired so she doesn't need to thwart my plans by having a mud bath.

The gelding, on the other hand loves to be muddy even though he's too young to be ridden.

 

[Crazydancer]

Aw Faracat, he's looking lovely! What a handsome young man!

 

[TigerTail]

Rockys mum has just made my point for me

Some owners anthropomorphise our human needs/wants/emotions and think that because its cold/wet etc the horses dont want to go out, cant cope etc etc.

Ive got a QHx and tbs living out, the tbs first time out, and their owners cannot believe how much better they look (Despite me taking rugs off every day ) .

some pics for ya

And in -15 last year

Mine used to curl up under a tree if she wanted to lay down, this year she's decided the only muddy patch in the field, by the water trough, is the place to sleep!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Aw Faracat, he's looking lovely! What a handsome young man!

Awww, thank you. He's a real character and the grey loves him, they get up to lots of mischief together.

Coss and Tigertail - lovely photos.

PS. How does the Rambo optimo fit sizewise compared to a Rambo Duo?

 

[SO1]

my new forest lives out, how does he cope well he is a native pony of great britain designed to be able to live out in the british climate, in fact he thrives living out.

 

[TigerTail]

Havnt the foggiest as iv only ever had the optimo! However id recommend it til the cows come home

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Havnt the foggiest as iv only ever had the optimo! However id recommend it til the cows come home

It's good to know that it's a good rug though.

 

[rockysmum]

Rockys mum has just made my point for me

Some owners anthropomorphise our human needs/wants/emotions and think that because its cold/wet etc the horses dont want to go out, cant cope etc etc.

!

My god, is that what I did !!!!!

I thought I was taking the piss

 

[shortstuff99]

Well.... My native really doesn't care about weather etc will live out through anything! My cob however, must have only been pampered as she refuses to live out 24/7! And yes I have tried! She refuses to lay down in the field, will not go out if windy/rainy/cold/dark but likes to go out at all other times. I think it varies from horse to horse.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Well.... My native really doesn't care about weather etc will live out through anything! My cob however, must have only been pampered as she refuses to live out 24/7! And yes I have tried! She refuses to lay down in the field, will not go out if windy/rainy/cold/dark but likes to go out at all other times. I think it varies from horse to horse.

Flippin' 'eck, you're going to try to convince me that horses have brains, thoughts and opinions now! Stop your crazy talk! Right now!

 

[rockysmum]

Flippin' 'eck, you're going to try to convince me that horses have brains, thoughts and opinions now! Stop your crazy talk! Right now!

Mine seem to have more of these attributes than a lot of people

However they dont seem to understand logical arguments. For example when my 36 year old objected to joining the Barefoot Taliban, I fully explained their arguments to him, to no avail. So either he is thick OR, best not go there

 

[DosyMare]

I think as long as a horse/pony comes out of the summer/autumn - stays living out and unrugged then they well adapt to the colder winter months fine.

My 9 month old colt is rugged and stabled - he wants to come in. The 14yo warmblood mare is out 24/7 and looks like a hairy bear with a mud coat.

 

[shortstuff99]

Ha lol! It's the craziest thing though! I am like 'you are a horse and a cob, you must like living out' her 'I will not move from this spot and you can't make me go!' me 'yes I can!' her fine but I will stay by the gate roll in the mud and stand by the gate some more! Daft horse!

 

[milesjess]

Well my thoughts are (sorry if I offend anyone but it's my opinion so I'll say it how I think it )

I prefer to see horses out in their natural environment. Socialising and living how they were born to.

My boy used to be stabled. I got him last winter and it was re-stricted to an hour per day! So he went totally nuts and was very nearly sent back. I ended up moving him to 7/8 hours a day turnout but again he was still quite 'fresh'... Long story short, he developed bone spavins so the general advice was to have him living out to keep him moving. So we moved again (last time thankfully!). He now lives out 24/7 on good grazing. He has 4 other horses in the field right next to him 24/7, of a night he is in his own field on his own but his girlfriend joins him during the day

I feed him once per day and he gets a slice of hay at night with a few carrots. He wears a M/W rug too at the moment.

He has completely calmed down and has become very laid back to handle and ride.

I do have access to a stable incase the weather is horrendous (and I mean really bad!) but otherwise he's out

I never thought he'd cope as he used to hate the rain at the old yard but now he doesn't bother at all. Even his mud fever has cleared up! I even have time to get a lie in and a sort of social life

I hate seeing horses stuck in their stables all the time. I understand some prefer it but a lot of owners use it as an excuse incase their horses get dirty or something!

I recently emailed a lady about loaning her horse with a view of living out. The reply was a joke - saying he's a comp horse he will NOT live out!

Each to their own but me and my boy are very happy

Genuine owners will always do right by their horses so they know what's best for them, whether that's stabled or being out.