Horses out 24/7, how much fitness can they retain?

[Crazydancer]

I was watching my two the other day, they were playing, pretty full-on for nearly an hour. Maggie (5 yrs) was almost 'herding' Khan (20 yrs) and practically lunging herself around him at trot. Then they were both up and down the field, trot and canter. Some rearing, and rug biting (grrr) and they were on the go like this for ages. Others at the yard have seen them like this at other times.
So how much fitness can they keep do you think? The 20 yr old only gets hacked occassionally, and our 'round the block' is about an hour of flat level walk. We try and do that once/twice a month or so, but I often get off and walk the last third with him in hand. He always seems to enjoy it, pricked ears, and as soon as I feel him drop a little, I get off. We don't have lights or a school, so winter riding is difficult.

I was wondering, as we were wandering around the lanes yesterday, just how much fitter a grass-kept horse could stay, compared to one on the usual livery routine of stabled 14 - 16 hrs, which was our old routine?

 

[Noodlebug]

They must get some form of exercise. Mine gallops around the field and must work far harder than if I was on him!!

 

[ChwaraeTeg]

### I was wondering, as we were wandering around the lanes yesterday, just how much fitter a grass-kept horse could stay, compared to one on the usual livery routine of stabled 14 - 16 hrs, which was our old routine? ###
__________________

in my humble opinion, grass kept horses are alot fitter than those on your old routine CrazyDancer
Teg

 

[Honey08]

They can be fitter than stabled horses. It totally depends on how much they eat while out there! And how big the field is to some extent. My horses have to be in either day or night to get competition fit as they are too good doers! think they still need decent exercise to get fit whether in or out.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I think horses out 24/7 are much fitter naturally as they have the freedom to move all the time. I am currently thinking of moving my two to somewhere which offers 24/7 turnout...

 

[fidleyspromise]

Mine keeps fit to the degree that when I start riding her, a couple of one hour long hacks in walk to get her back in to it and then I start my trotting work.
This has worked for us for several years.

 

[Orangehorse]

It depends on whether they are active - like to gallop around, roll, play and will eat enough and then rest OR they get out and never move except to take the next mouthfull of grass.

I have had 2 of the former, both TB x and they were so easy to get and keep fit and always liked to put maximum effort into whatever they were doing. The second sort are just eating machines.

 

[Spring Feather]

There was some research done a few years ago, and there's probably been quite a few studies done since, where the conclusion understandably came out that horses living out were far fitter than their counterparts who came inside every evening. Depending on the size of your field, whether it's hilly or flat will make a difference to the level of fitness. My broodmares live out all year round and are in a very large hilly field and I have no doubt this contributes to their overall well being and fitness. It's good for the mind and for keeping the brain/senses well exercised also.

 

[gunnergundog]

Have evented up to intermediate one day on a horse out 24x7 and a friend on Exmoor keeps her hunters out....they only come in the night before a meet - purely for convenience rather than anything else.

 

[Cortez]

Horses out are undoubtedly fitter then those in, but horses running around while out are simply overfed! Horses in the wild only run when they are chased.

 

[Lolo]

Reg stays well on grass, as he's out 24/7 and doesn't lose it quickly at all. He doesn't gallop about though- I've seen him doing that about 6 times in 2 years, and most of those were due to snow-related excitement!

 

[Waffles]

Bound to be fitter being out 24/7 - also, they are probably far calmer as they can burn off any excess energy/spookiness in the field rather than when you are on them!

 

[marmalade76]

Horses that live out are easier to keep fit, I even notice a difference in my boy's level of fitness when he is paddocked in the summer to keep his weight down - he loses weight but also loses fitness!!

Mine spent last winter on six acres of steep bank and despite not being ridden at all during the snow, he maintained enough fitness to hunt again three week after the snow had gone.

The down side is that he is now off work due to a strain caused by hooning round on slick ground

 

[coss]

I have an arab that keeps himself fairly fit - had him at a friend's house for a short spell for a few reasons and without being ridden he got fitter! Had hacked him to my friend's (about 3.5miles) and after he'd been there a while i hacked him home. I worked him about 3/4 times in the month he was there. This included lunging as well as ridden work. 10-15mins of trot/canter work without a break didn't break him into a sweat and the 3.5mile hack home he was quicker and again not phased by the last mile of uphill being done in trot home. Not even breathing hard! Before he went to my friend's he was on 24hour turnout with very little work.
So IME they can keep their fitness very well and even improve fitness on turnout but as others have said -depends on the nature of the horse

 

[TigerTail]

They will obviously be fitter to some degree - provided your 24 hr turnout isnt a half acre swamp

The other major benefits for older horses or those with leg problems is that they dont stiffen up through being stationary, nor get fluid filled legs etc. Horses with arthritis are much better outside so they dont become imobile - any one with experience of joint problems will get this!

 

[Crazydancer]

Thanks all, very interesting!
Mine are kept out because the 20 yr old has a condition called desmopathy, a swelling/inflamation on the tendon sheath, and stabling makes it worse. Beacuse he is semi-retired, I bought the 5 yr old earlier this year, but due to various reasons, haven't been able to give her the time she needs, riding-wise.
They are in a 2 acre flat field, fed at one end, and water at the other, so do have to move a little. 20yr old is unrugged, 5yr old is rugged. They get only haylage, in the field, twice a day. I think they run around because they are bored - the 5 yr old is always the instigator, she is very playful. The haylage doesn't last long, and the grass isn't great now. I can't feed them more as they are verging on porky as it is!!
I was wondering firstly if I was being fair, only riding the 20yr old once in a while, and also how long it will take to get the 5yr old going again, as she hasn't been ridden now for 2 months, and can't see that changing until the weather does and the fields dry up.
So from the answers I feel a bit better about the first, and am thinking it shouldn't take too long for the second!!

Thanks all!

 

[TigerTail]

PS i disagree with the comment about horses outside only playing if over fed. What Rot!

Of course they play, they're animals like us! Ours often have a mess about and certainly are not over fed

 

[TigerTail]

PPS your oldie would probably appreciate hawthorn (not blackhorn) and willow branches to nibble on as he chooses, the first is an anti inflammatory and the second a pain killer

 

[Spring Feather]

PS i disagree with the comment about horses outside only playing if over fed. What Rot!

It's not "rot" and I agree with the other posters comments saying as much although I'd elaborate a bit more with my own findings. Horses who live out all year round DO tend to play far less and not usually for hours at a time if they are in fields with a lot of space for them to wander to relieve boredom and with a good variety of grasses and hedgerow to pick at and with diverse terrain. Conversely horses kept in small flat fields do tend to play more which is totally understandable to anyone who watches horses and knows that habitat, environment and horse management can make a huge difference to the animals behaviour pattern.

 

[Crazydancer]

It's not "rot" and I agree with the other posters comments saying as much although I'd elaborate a bit more with my own findings. Horses who live out all year round DO tend to play far less and not usually for hours at a time if they are in fields with a lot of space for them to wander to relieve boredom and with a good variety of grasses and hedgerow to pick at and with diverse terrain. Conversely horses kept in small flat fields do tend to play more which is totally understandable to anyone who watches horses and knows that habitat, environment and horse management can make a huge difference to the animals behaviour pattern.

I've noticed they play more than they did in the summer. While there is grazing, they will choose to eat rather than play, for the majority of the time. The difference now is they have a belly full of haylage, and then stand around to wait for the next lot. So they do get bored, and then they play.

 

[bugbee717]

My horses are out 24/7, they play and play hard, this time last year the field was dreadful, 6 horses 3 acres, but they still played all of them the older ones and younger ones. This year 9 acres for 6 horses, they are still playing hard and fast. They are much better out, for me the management is harder, and tbh it would be easier to stable all 12, they benefit more for being out. On a side note the ones who play the hardest are the two Dartmoor hill ponies, and the welsh hill pony, although the warmblood does try.