Horses Permanently Stabled

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Whoopit

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Out of curiosity. I've been googling stallions (to put to my little 'un) and see threads on the search popping up about them being turned out "these days" as opposed to the traditional way of them always being stabled all the time.

In the winter, I can't get one of mine to come out to turn out - it's a massive argument and I'd leave her in to save myself from getting so mad at having to fight with her on the worst days if it wasn't for the fact she has had a couple of attacks of cellulitis and I always feel as though it's sneaking up behind my back!

Does anybody keep their horses stabled 24/7 all year round anymore, for whatever reason? Exempt are cases of injury and boxrest!
 
I used to. Worked in big livery yards in UK where they all lived in 24/7. They certainly didn't seem to mind at all. Didn't have stable vices or unwelcome behaviour. Some of them went on holiday for two weeks but many didn't.

One horse I looked after at one yard hated being turned out, he'd walk the fence line and never graze or hang by the gate until brought back in.
 
my yard owner has to keep one of hers in 24/7 as it is totally agrophobic.
it came from russia when it was 4 and the previous owner tried to turn it out but every time it ended up running through anything in its path (incuding barbed wire) just to get back to its stable...
after 2 bouts of box rest equalling over 8 months of nothingness and sever scaring she gave up and sold it for £800
yo bought it and its lived in very happily for the past 15 years....ridden every day and hand grazed

bit of an odd horse but doesnt seem any different from others and is really quite happy!
 
My horse would be happy never to see grass, or more accurately, mud from autum to spring! Where she's at college they don't turn out from October ish to may ish, and she couldn't care less, in fact hates her holiday at grass over Christmas! As long as the horse has leg stretching opportunities, mines worked of some fashion at least once a day, and goes on the walker during mucking/skipping out. Some can't handle it, some can.
 
Not a way I would choose to keep my own horses. I really don't think it's healthy to keep horses in their stables 365 days a year but can accept that if they are worked fairly hard and have varied work then some are happy enough being kept in for some of the year but I would say all horses need time to themselves to play, interact with each other, physical contact with each other as much as possible.

Now there will always be exceptions to this as people have already mentioned on this thread but I wouldn't like to think stabling 24/7 was the norm anymore
 
Oh right! That doesn't make me feel quite so bad if I do give in and she can stay in on the days I want to kill her for not coming out! She's quite happy to observe the goings on outside from her stable. About a week after she first got turned out (came from a raceyard and went out in full rug and boots and managed to get booted in the stifle that left a massive hole) she got absolutely pasted and was on boxrest and a boat load of meds for about 3 weeks and I think this is whats made her so unwilling to be turned out.

Oh good. I feel much better about her wanting to stay in!
 
I would hope nobody these days would stable a horse 24/7 even alll winter never mind all year with the exceptions some people have mentioned of when they are afraid to go out, had a few from holland like that who just couldnt deal with been out and wimpy horses who prefer their luxuary in winter :)
 
no, my mare has lived out 24/7 for the last 12 yrs, I have to now bring her in Nov - Feb at my new yard and I put her in for an hour the other day whilst waiting for the vet, and she was really pee'd off! everything I walked towards her she neighed at me, was chucking her head about and wouldn't stand still, she had a really wild look in her eye! so im dreading bring her in to be honest! there is no way she'd want to be in 24/7
 
Mia&Vin said:
I would hope nobody these days would stable a horse 24/7 even alll winter never mind all year with the exceptions some people have mentioned of when they are afraid to go out, had a few from holland like that who just couldnt deal with been out and wimpy horses who prefer their luxuary in winter :)
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Why? Horses have been stabled 24/7 year round for centuries the world over! Provided they are correctly fed, worked/exercised sufficiently, have good deep, clean beds and the attention of the groom they are fine. This I say from over 40 years experience as a groom in the UK and NZ.

I have far more concerns about the ignorance of many horse owners these days, over feeding and under exercising their grass kept horses. There are far more 'damaged' horses around than there used to be. People insist on feeding their horses commercially prepared crap, rather than go and learn about feeding the basics. They feed supplements willy nilly with no knowledge as to wether they are over dosing on some minerals. Anyone who believes that any commercially prepared feed is tested on your average horse needs their heads examining! The feeds will have been prepared for racehorses and adapted for the average horse, mostly by adding more crap in the way of Soy Bean husks, Wheat Bran, Peanut Hulls.

If you own/share a horse you owe it to the horse to go and STUDY Equine Nutrition - not go and ask the person who sells the bags of feed who rarely know much except what the salesperson has told them.

We currently have a thread about a hedgehog with some people extremely concerned about its welfare, you need to have that concern about how you care for your horse too and I'm not meaning the neurotic booting up and rugging of horses but sensible, quality horse management.

If in doubt go and buy the BHS Pony Club Manual, it will guide you well.
 
Some horses are OK with it..
My welsh mare who, if not turned out during the day in winter turns into an absolute horror to handle, refused to go out winter just gone. I used to force her out for at least an hour, so she would stand and look miserable and sulk. I just wondered what is the point?! This year if she doesn't want to go out and would rather be in her comfy box I'll just make sure she gets a decent workout-simple.
 
I can see how it suits some horses but our guys go mental - we were at a yard for about 3-4 months one winter. When we went there we were promised turnout everyday. After about a week where we were able to use the field we discovered the yards idea of turnout was 1/2 hour in the indoor school. At the time there was one baby too young to ride, one just coming into work and one recovering from a bad loan home and unable to be worked.
They went mental and one of them, who had never done so previously, started weaving.
We did not stay there very long.

I'm quite happy for them to be in overnight and have been on a yard where there was 4 days a week turnout and in the other 3 but they got out to run in a field - it's much healthier for them to be out for a couple of hours on a regular basis.
 
My bosses Spanish horse is terrified of going out, Before he bought him over from spain he lived in a stable barely big enough to turn round in. It's not worth trying to turn him out as he just stresses and hurts himself, so he goes into a different stable during the day so he has something else to look at and has the radio on for company.
 
I just think it's completely wrong and unnatural for a horse to be kept in a 12 x 12 365 days a year and only come out for exercise. I think it's even sadder to hear people saying their horse was distressed at being turned out! Sorry, it's just wrong. A horse should be allowed the freedom to run and to interact with other horses. I do not agree with removing a horse from what is natural instincts and behaviour. Yes, we use them for 'unnatural' activities but who on earth would anyone want to or think it's acceptable to keep a horse cooped up?

It's not acceptable to keep a dog in a cage all the time, only to come out to 'train' or go to a show or something. People would say that dog needs stimulation and exercise so why is it seemingly acceptable to not give a horse the same?
 
ladyt25 said:
I just think it's completely wrong and unnatural for a horse to be kept in a 12 x 12 365 days a year and only come out for exercise. I think it's even sadder to hear people saying their horse was distressed at being turned out! Sorry, it's just wrong. A horse should be allowed the freedom to run and to interact with other horses. I do not agree with removing a horse from what is natural instincts and behaviour. Yes, we use them for 'unnatural' activities but who on earth would anyone want to or think it's acceptable to keep a horse cooped up?

It's not acceptable to keep a dog in a cage all the time, only to come out to 'train' or go to a show or something. People would say that dog needs stimulation and exercise so why is it seemingly acceptable to not give a horse the same?
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There are some horses who really hate being turned out, while you may think that it's wrong they really hate it.

One I looked after was turned out for the summer, he came back in looking horrendous as he fenced walked, stood at the gate and rarely truly grazed. He was with others who had been in the stable block with him.

It is important to listen to each horse, they are individuals and all different in there needs.

Ideally they should be running free over millions of miles, free as a bird to injure themselves, break legs, get Mudfever, laminitis and abscesses and not see a human or vet ever.

They do come off the moors with horrendous injuries or die in pain, starving to death because they have a broken leg.

It wasn't long ago that a Kaimanawa was spotted in distress on the Central Plateau in NZ, the land is used by the military and they sent someone out who put it out of its misery. But there will be many horses the world over who die slow painful deaths as the result of living a life in the wild.

My TB loved being in, my Clydesdale tolerates it.
 
I have been on yards where there has been little to no grazing over winter (End of Oct to March roughly). Thankfully able to graze in hand and ride, horses couldn't of cared less as long as they had hay.
 
Why do they "hate" it though? Is that because they have been kept in an unnatural environment since they were born?

Having kept horses over many years, I have not met one that loathes being out. We have had some who dislike being shut in but I have never had one who does not like being turned out. If there are ones that do, I can only imagine this is because they have been institutionalised which again I feel is wrong. A human would be the same had they been shut in a small room for their entire life!

I'm sure people will disagree but that's the beauty of a forum and everyone having their own opinions isn't it.

And to note, a horse roaming free is not that likely to suffer from laminitis or mudfever. These are conditions mainly caused a result of us keeping them as we do. yep, they could get abscesses (which would more than likely sort themselves out) and possibly break legs etc etc (if they were truly wild then their natural predators would finish them off so they wouldn't actually suffer for that long)
 
ladyt25 said:
And to note, a horse roaming free is not that likely to suffer from laminitis or mudfever. These are conditions mainly caused a result of us keeping them as we do. yep, they could get abscesses (which would more than likely sort themselves out) and possibly break legs etc etc (if they were truly wild then their natural predators would finish them off so they wouldn't actually suffer for that long)
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This is where you are wrong, a study done on the Kaimanawa horses found many with laminitic damage to their feet.

When grazing is affected by seasonal flushes then the wild horse will run as much risk as the padlocked horse. Not every wild horse lives in a barren wilderness with rough grass to eat.

Also depends if you have predators to finish them off, NZ doesn't!
 
ladyt25 said:
I just think it's completely wrong and unnatural for a horse to be kept in a 12 x 12 365 days a year and only come out for exercise. I think it's even sadder to hear people saying their horse was distressed at being turned out! Sorry, it's just wrong. A horse should be allowed the freedom to run and to interact with other horses. I do not agree with removing a horse from what is natural instincts and behaviour. Yes, we use them for 'unnatural' activities but who on earth would anyone want to or think it's acceptable to keep a horse cooped up?

It's not acceptable to keep a dog in a cage all the time, only to come out to 'train' or go to a show or something. People would say that dog needs stimulation and exercise so why is it seemingly acceptable to not give a horse the same?
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So, you go up in the morning at stupid o'clock, as I do, and how long would you fight to get your horse to come out of the stable so you can feel better thats it gone out?

45 minutes I spent once. No luck. So would you rather me battered it out with a whip just so it I turned it out? Frankly, if it won't come out, it can stay in - i've gotta go to work and haven't the time to spend pratting around with a horse that might change its mind at 10am! My other one goes out no issue.

As soon as either go out in the winter, ten minutes and they spend ALL DAY standing knee high in mud at the gate. They don't graze. I'd love your advice on how to lead a horse to water and make it drink, i really would!!
 
Yeah well, I am not in NZ! :)

Not sure what 'laminitic damage' is either as could mean many things. Does NZ have native horses then? That is an honest question as I wasn't aware they did. Presumably they don't have natural predators due to human intervention anyway. Are they actually wild or owned like the NF/welsh hill ponies etc in the UK? In which case, although left to roam 'wild' they generally are actually owned by someone so that person in responsible for their well-being.
 
ladyt25 said:
Yeah well, I am not in NZ! :)

Not sure what 'laminitic damage' is either as could mean many things. Does NZ have native horses then? That is an honest question as I wasn't aware they did. Presumably they don't have natural predators due to human intervention anyway. Are they actually wild or owned like the NF/welsh hill ponies etc in the UK? In which case, although left to roam 'wild' they generally are actually owned by someone so that person in responsible for their well-being.
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Kaimanawa horses are wild and belong to no-one, like most wild horses at one time in their history they were domesticated. There a three distinct herds that run in the Central Plateau. Weather conditions change from desert in summer to deep snow in winter.

The herds vary in type in the three different groups as the stallions either let loose or escaped are different.

The laminitic changes varied from obvious rings, dropped soles and poor foot structure.

NZ has never had any predators, that is why many of the birds are flightless. Maori brought rats, Europeans cats and dogs but we have no natural wild predators.

NZ's native fauna is birds and lizards.
 
Interestingly there are studies which show that 'wild' horses suffer from laminitis, some of the horses studied were from New Zealand..
Our westphalian mare would prefer to stay in, we think she must have spent much time in when she lived in Austria and Holland. All of ours had to stay in for a week in the snow, all seemed quite content
 
The laminitis though I think we know with our domesticated horses are different and is mainly due to a result of horses not being given the chance to roam and forage, The pastures they are kept on are well-tended and managed and often far too rich for horses.

I am sure there are various reasons for laminitic rings to appear in the feet as these are due to changes in blood supply to the laminae, often as a result of dietary changes. I am not entirely sure whether in all cases these horses have laminitis per se.

I think a horse that "likes to stay in" is only because it has been conditioned that way. I still don't think it is right.
 
My background in horses is inner London yards, no turn out and the horses seemed happy enough. I show jumped, evented and hunted from a yard behind a pub in Brixton. I wouldn't keep my horses like that now, not because I think it's wrong, but because I simply do not have enough time to give them the exercise they need to keep them happy. I have my own yard now, but when I was on a big livery yard some of the horses left in would stress as there was too much to'ing and fro'ing of other horses. My yard is small, and when they have to stay in for any reason, because they are all in, they don't get worked up about being it.
 
i personally love when mines in - i dont worry about her when shes out lol :D

she hates rain and mud, spent 2 months last winter in 24/7 (she was 2)!, and was very happy about it!! i hope this winter isnt the same, but we will see!.... :)

shes happy in but theres no way she would be in 365 days a year!.... summer is the time they go out when they can - im a realist britain rains way too much = mud and trashed fields :)
 
I don't agree with 24/7/365 stabling. I am not particularly knowledgeable, but I believe that horses need time to be horses, out socialising, grazing etc. I am guessing that those that 'hate' turn out have probably been institutionalised as they have never known anything but their stable. Which is very sad indeed. :(
 
I have no issue with horses being stabled if and when necessary at all or indeed being in for part of day if so required but, to keep a horse in that situation permanently and to a degree where it then panics about being out, just doesn't it right with me. Horses live a long time (the last one we had died aged 36) and I can't imagine a horse having to be kept in a stable for that many years!
 
VFS Lady Grey said:
My bosses Spanish horse is terrified of going out, Before he bought him over from spain he lived in a stable barely big enough to turn round in. It's not worth trying to turn him out as he just stresses and hurts himself, so he goes into a different stable during the day so he has something else to look at and has the radio on for company.
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I was sorry to hear about the twins you lost Dunromin
 
ladyt25 said:
I have no issue with horses being stabled if and when necessary at all or indeed being in for part of day if so required but, to keep a horse in that situation permanently and to a degree where it then panics about being out, just doesn't it right with me. Horses live a long time (the last one we had died aged 36) and I can't imagine a horse having to be kept in a stable for that many years!
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Wish there was a like button
 
Many of the yards where I am currently don't turn out over the winter months as there are simply not enough grazing. I'm due to move location soon so I am hoping that its not so common as where I am hoping to move to is a lot more rural, having said that, the horses all seem to cope and manage fine with being in for a few months. We do have a small all weather turn out where you can stick them whilst you muck out.
 
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