Horses melt in the rain !!!!! quick bring them in !!

[Goldenstar]

Just to clarify- two horses were left out, one was OP's horse and the other was a horse not owned by OP which gets upset when the herd is split up? OP was not told beforehand and was concerned in case the other horse then upset her horse? have I got that right OP?

Quite reasonable to express frustration that nobody had let her know as in those circumstances she would have obviously preferred that her horse came in too.

I can understand wishing for a text.
But the title of the thread was horses melt in the rain well I am sure the owners of the other horses know this is not true but I would not leave my horses out to shiver because of someone esles however if the horse had had a clean and bedded box I would have happily brought it in for OP.
But title of the thread suggests that she feels the horses should have been left out in the rain ,its not reasonable to expect that.

 

[ester]

but its poss it was the individual owners deciding to bring their other horses in, not a yard decision as such (which it wasn't as OPs horses were out) so a text earlier in the day may not have been possible as many may not have decided/noone knew how many would be in by that point.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ours are in because of them killing the fields, two come in at night usually the TB and the oldie and the Cobby and Shetland stay out in the fatty paddock with some haylege.

In this weather there is no point in them trashing the fields. I know of people on other yards who are turning out despite the weather and their fields are already looking horrid and winter like.

I don't bother what others are doing, I do what I need to in order to keep mine happy and my fields in tact.

 

[Antw23uk]

Gosh lots of nit picking today ladies, are we changing the forum 'room' from The Tack Room to DIY Livery Bitchiness?

OP I got what you meant but sadly when your on a DIY Livery yard communication is generally poor and its one rule for one and one for another but I understand your frustration!

 

[noodle_]

they dont melt i agree

for me i dont care if its raining - i DO CARE about the ground!.... wet/flooded is a no go but they do still need to stretch their legs as well as possible

 

[PolarSkye]

Free for all, do as you like yards must be a nightmare for the horses. No wonder so many exhibit signs of stress diagnosed by groups of owners as brain tumours bad teeth or just bad temperament.
Bit of communication would solve the problem. But the "I'm all right jack, pull up the ladder" attitude of some owners on livery and sod the horses as a whole, seems to be growing.

The days of a well run livery yard with strict rules for the benefit of the horses not the owners are long behind us.

This . . . mostly. Our yard is run very loosely by the YO/YM, but for the most part liveries try to be considerate, etc. about other people's horses (there are always exceptions, as I found to my disappointment) . . . but I DO see the "I'm alright Jack" attitude more often than not.

However, I have spent the past four days rescuing other people's horses from broken fences, too much grass/colic, undone rugs, etc. This morning I could have been away from the yard before 10 a.m. (unheard of for me), but spent an extra hour helping someone out. I do it because I would hope that other people would do the same for my boy.

P

 

[PolarSkye]

Gosh lots of nit picking today ladies, are we changing the forum 'room' from The Tack Room to DIY Livery Bitchiness? !

Indeed .

P

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Meant to add ours are not on a livery yard

 

[kym]

To be honest I would only be annoyed if it meant my boy was being left out on his own and they hadn't let me know, purely because he hates being out and not being able to see other horses.

My boy normally comes in at night in winter and any other night when the weather is bad but at the moment he is on 24/7 field rest on vets advice so had no option last night in this horrible weather but to leave out.

Due to him being 28 with back and hind leg problems I just made sure he was well rugged and surprise surprise he didnt dissovle and was 100% happy this morning when I got to the yard. His 5 field mates live out 24/7 all year so I am now tempted to start leaving him out more often.

 

[Goldenstar]

Indeed .

P

That's the ideal, that people help each other out but as the stable was dirty and had no bedding people would not be encouraged to to do so.

Our stables are always left ready for use it just makes sense to me if anything happens they can come straight in.
But on DIY yards its inevitable that horses do different things people are free at different times so exercise etc throughout the day .

 

[NativePonyLover]

I am cruel lol. Cold temps - summer coat - no rug = weight dropping off fatty cob like no tomorrow
He is in at night to limit grass intake and out rugless regardless of weather in the day. Really working for us x
Btw horses won't melt in the rain, if anything they would dissolve

Ditto this. I'm quite grateful for the cooler weather and rain with my native - at least the muzzle isn't on yet!

Mind you, I'm lucky as our fields are very well draining and even in the worst of the winter weather, didn't look trashed. Just slightly muddier in places (e.g. around water trough and gate) than usual.

 

[GrumpyHero]

Mines been out 24/7 for the last 2 weeks except for 1 night in.. i think he prefers it as he likes to pull grumpy faces in the stable.

How mean am i leaving him out!

 

[RunToEarth]

I think when you are on a livery yard you have to pre-empt what other liveries are going to do based on the weather conditions, and you either have to accept the way livery yards operate, or find your own yard.

I'm not sure where in the country you are, but yesterday here wasn't very nice. We're at home, three came in and two stayed out, may main concern was not with three TBs dissolving, but more stood in a soggy corner shivering weight off of themselves. The bog ponies are a lot more hardy and their shelter more sufficient for a very cold and rainy May evening.

Posts like this do annoy me, they prompt everyone to justify what they have done with their horses, which of course they don't have to do, and as Sidney has said, every horse is different, what I deem correct for mine might drive you up the wall.

Anyway, the rain is here for a while, I would suggest you go to your local suppliers and pick up some shavings in anticipation if you don't want your horse left out again.

 

[JandP]

Unfortunately, if the mare is one that likes to do everything 'en masse' a DIY livery yard is probably not the place for her.

 

[NativePonyLover]

Or it might be worth mentioning to other liveries that your mare isn't very good at being left out on her own & if she will be - could they bring her in? Even if it's for a small fee, it's surely better than her stressing out in the field on her own. And maybe, always have a supply of bedding 'just in case' .

There is a 'no horse out on his/her own' policy at our yard & it works really well. I usually ask the YM to bring in for me if I know I'm unlikely to be there at bringing in time, but once or twice I've been caught out and another livery has just bought him - saves everyone lots of stress all around.

 

[AmyMay]

Or it might be worth mentioning to other liveries that your mare isn't very good at being left out on her own & if she will be - could they bring her in?

But the horse wasn't left on it's own - there were two of them out.

 

[stencilface]

Luckily my box rested little darling was nicely tucked up with a stable and magnetic rug on

 

[NativePonyLover]

But the horse wasn't left on it's own - there were two of them out.

Your right, my bad. I was (in my head anyway ) following on from the person who had posted above me - as a 'rather than consider if DIY was suitable, here's another idea' ....

 

[wiglet]

Everyone on my yard brought in last night because of the heavy rain forecast. I left my two out with my friends horse. We have fields with grass, field shelters and natural shelter. The horses were all rugged (one's elderly the other not much coat) and very happy to be out. Each to their own - you do what's right for your horse.

 

[Honey08]

I don't think people are justifying/making each other feel bad on this thread, just saying. I will do what I have to do, it nice to know others are, I'm jealous of those that don't have to bring in. I want one nicely draining field with a big shelter!

 

[DragonSlayer]

My lot (own place) all live out 24/7 whatever the weather. At the moment, not a rug to be seen, we've had rain for about 24 hours....easing up now, still got going to put a rug on!

Field is fairly well sheltered for wind and my horses are all decent weights, not a fat sod or skinny mini among them.

People do what they want, I'm not bothered, nor do I care what they think of my lot, done the same thing now for 7 years, no-ones dissolved, I've not been done for cruelty and neglect.....

Must be doing something right!

 

[Angua2]

it is very hard on a livery yard to please everyone. My yard is fairly flexible but the rule is all are in overnight regardless. It is easier for the YM to bring them all in at the same time so she can police the fatties, the "accident prone", the skinnies and those with apparently absentee owners!!. My horse decided that she wanted to be on the same routine as the rest of the yard, and with all honesty I don't blame her. I just pay for it.

 

[mel_s]

I had this issue all last summer. My filly (yearling then) was in a field where she could see 4 other horses. But every time the forecast was rain they'd randomly bring in - and from the field, the stables arent visable. I obviously couldnt have my yearling left alone. Sometimes they would ring but it wasnt limited to overnight either! I'd get a phone call at 9.30am or whatever saying everyone was bringing in if i didnt want my filly leaving out alone.

Now - i work full time and i'm at work by 8.30am every day and dont leave until 4.30. none of these people seemed to have jobs and didnt appreciate you couldnt drop everything and turn up. None would handle her either (the only ones who offered to were fairly novice and i didnt deem it safe) so it was a nightmare! Needless to say i left. Whats frustrating is - you stipulate these things before you move on the yard (have a young one, cant be left alone etc) and the YO is like, yeah its fine. Then once you are there it never works like that.

 

[martlin]

I have a yard full of ''special'' liveries, lol. The ones that have to go out first, the ones that have to come in first, ones that need to always go out/in together and so on. I couldn't imagine how any of them would survive on DIY yard, to be honest. As it is, they are all cared for by me and my staff, come in at the same time, go out at the same time and in the right order.
I suggest that if you have a horse that is of delicate, easily upset nature, a DIY yard where horses come and go at different times, is not a place for you.

 

[PolarSkye]

I had this issue all last summer. My filly (yearling then) was in a field where she could see 4 other horses. But every time the forecast was rain they'd randomly bring in - and from the field, the stables arent visable. I obviously couldnt have my yearling left alone. Sometimes they would ring but it wasnt limited to overnight either! I'd get a phone call at 9.30am or whatever saying everyone was bringing in if i didnt want my filly leaving out alone.

Now - i work full time and i'm at work by 8.30am every day and dont leave until 4.30. none of these people seemed to have jobs and didnt appreciate you couldnt drop everything and turn up. None would handle her either (the only ones who offered to were fairly novice and i didnt deem it safe) so it was a nightmare! Needless to say i left. Whats frustrating is - you stipulate these things before you move on the yard (have a young one, cant be left alone etc) and the YO is like, yeah its fine. Then once you are there it never works like that.

This sounds frustratingly familiar.

P

 

[Jaycee]

Your title reminded of a trip out on a very wet day with some very non-horsey friends, driving past a field with some ponies and shetlands.

Friend: "Why are some of them so small compared to the others?"
Me: "Oh my god they've shrunk in the rain!!"

She almost believed me!

 

[amandaco2]

Why would they call to say their horses are in?as long as yours isn't alone I don't understand the problem.

 

[Marydoll]

This thread makes me so glad im not on a livery.

 

[xDundryx]

I hate yard politics, I keep my business out of others horses (tho i might not always agree with what they do!) and if they stick their nose in mine they get a swift response (welfare issues aside obv) My lad is a bit of a wimp when the weather is crappy and our field is pretty bare so hes in at night atm but soon I will be kicking his ginger behind out 24/7

 

[Antw23uk]

This thread makes me so glad im not on a livery.

I hear ya