How do horses that have always lived out, cope with being stabled?

[Miss_Millie]

I am going to view a horse that has always lived out (at least with current owner), I think there is an open field shelter but that is it. On my yard in the winter, horses have to be in for bed/stabled just before it gets dark. In summer they live out 24/7. Is there any way of knowing how a horse that currently lives out 24/7 would react to suddenly being stabled at night, or is it a gamble?

 

[laura_nash]

It's a gamble. I've known two that were in their teens and had always lived out that switched to being stabled at night. One thought it was great, especially in bad weather, the other hated it and didn't settle. I guess whether it used the shelter might give a hint? The one that loved his stable hadn't had access to a shelter, he'd been essentially feral so I guess shelter and adlib hay in winter was a welcome novelty for him.

 

[windand rain]

Most well brought up horses will have been trained to be stabled at some point in their life and settle very well. There are horses that do not stable well because stabling has been inflicted on them as box rest or areas without turnout and it stresses them so they have been trained not to settle. there are also those that have never been in a stable and need to learn to settle so it rather depends on previous experiences First and last options are easier than the stressed senario but all are doable

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Mine was grass now part stabled I worried about how he’d find it , he loves it !

 

[Miss_Millie]

Hmm I see. I will try to get more info when I view her on what her history was, I think the current owner bought her unseen so she might not even know her history re-stabling. It is non-negotiable on my yard so I'd be in a big pickle if I bought a horse that refused to be stabled.

 

[Lady Jane]

Its not a great time of year. If this was summer and he could be out 24x7 he would probably be fine stabled over night in the Autumn when he wa settled. And he may love being in at night now with a lovely big haynet. They are so unpredictable. It certainly wouldn't stop me buying him if he ticked all your other boxes

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I am going to view a horse that has always lived out (at least with current owner), I think there is an open field shelter but that is it. On my yard in the winter, horses have to be in for bed/stabled just before it gets dark. In summer they live out 24/7. Is there any way of knowing how a horse that currently lives out 24/7 would react to suddenly being stabled at night, or is it a gamble?

My ID mare took to it like a duct to water, my welsh A always lived out on the moors and she had to live in here, again no worries, now they are all wooses and love their stables.

 

[SEL]

One of mine really dislikes stables but she does get into the routine so long as there's food involved! There is relief on her face though when she first gets tea in the field and realises she gets to stay out for the night. Last year she actually started bunny hopping and squealing which was funny.

 

[Onlywayisup]

I think most horses and ponies would prefer to be in in this weather, especialy old ones. l often see poor animals living up to their tummies in mud. Its easier for owners to throw them out 24/7 but not for the animals.

 

[Melandmary]

Is there any way that current owner can try stabling on their yard before you commit? I got a 12year old companion pony who had always lived out. Rescue saud she would be fine stabled but she really was not, she was stressed and often jumped out. She is now living out.... Infact they all are ?. This is unless you are prepared to move to a yard that does 24/7turnout if they don't settle. Imo it is a big gamble

 

[Britestar]

Bought an 8yr old on the summer who'd never been kept in, or worn rugs.

Absolutely loving her stable, haynets and rugs this winter!

 

[Cortez]

Depends on te individual, but most will be fine.

 

[TheMule]

I think most horses and ponies would prefer to be in in this weather, especialy old ones. l often see poor animals living up to their tummies in mud. Its easier for owners to throw them out 24/7 but not for the animals.

Up to tummies in mud is an unacceptable way to keep any horse, but my experience is the direct opposite of yours. Most horses prefer to be out, especially oldies that struggle with arthritis, and it is most certainly not easier for owners to 'throw them out 24/7'

 

[milliepops]

one of mine really hated to be confined in any way when i first got her, after a long period of living out (alone). horseboxes, undercover area for shoeing etc, stable, she would freak out. but she has got it all sussed now and is currently on her 3rd month of box rest looking pretty content about it all.
so even if they are unsure, even then they can get used to it, the key is making the stable safe and inviting and having calm horses around for company i think.

 

[Melody Grey]

Is there any way you can try before you buy if the horse ticks all other boxes? If you’re really worried, Would the owner bring him to your yard to try him stabled for a few hours while you’re around or overnight? ...or better still offer him on a short trial on this basis? I’ve done that before in this situation. Otherwise, it’s a gamble but you can use stable toys/ licks/ mirrors to help them settle.

 

[tda]

Definitely ask the question, most should learn to love being in
Mine all live out but can be stabled if necessary, except one ? she came to me like that and will categorically not be contained in a stable, took her in a stable last night to change her rug away from the youngsters and you would think the world had ended.
Don't know what has happened in the past and never will

 

[paddy555]

seems to be total gamble. I bought a very friendly, well handled and just broken 4yo. He had lived in a barn with field access. Didn't see a problem with a stable. Now 13 years later he still hates it and will weave for very little. Wouldn't like to shut him in overnight and when he spent a few days at horse hospital he didn't cope with being stabled,

OTOH 9 years ago I took on a 25 yo hill pony mare who had lived on the common all her life. Every day for 9 years she has stood at the field gate at 3.30pm waiting to come in for the night. Summer and winter. Can't get enough of the stables and "easy living"

The first horse should be been able to easily adapt and the mare should have had problems. The exact opposite happened

 

[Celtic Fringe]

As others have said I think it very much depends on the horse. My cob doesn't mind being in because the yard bring him hay/feed for breakfast, lunch, teatime and late evening! In general though he would prefer to be out.
My old cob hated being in a stable - we didn't even try to box rest him after stifle surgery but kept him out in a small paddock. Even then he was VERY angry at the end of six weeks and wanted to be back in with his herd.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I think most horses and ponies would prefer to be in in this weather, especialy old ones. l often see poor animals living up to their tummies in mud. Its easier for owners to throw them out 24/7 but not for the animals.

Depends on the horse I think.

Mine is a large competition warmblood. Out over night all year round, stabled 7-8 hours daytime.

He is never keen to come in whatever the weather or temperature. Not hard to catch, but doesn’t approach me for breakfast, I have to walk across field, halter him from back corner and bring him in. There’s not much grass, we put hay out but it runs out well before morning. Is a shelter but don’t use it.

Today, we’ve been out in lorry in rain most of the day. I thought he’d be glad to have dinner and snooze in stable for a few hours (out of the rain). Nope he managed an hour, then he was SHOUTING to go out in the mud and rain!

When I got him out (ten minutes walk away), one of his field mates was hanging over the gate (not waiting for my horse but wanting to come in).

No accounting for what they want! I thought after a tough day in horrendous weather (I went through 3 coats!) my boy would have enjoyed a few hours rest.

My horse loves sleeping in his stable a few hours every day, but wants out by 4pm!!!

 

[irishdraft]

My horses basically live out but when it's bad weather they come in. One of them who I've had since a weanling he's now rising 15 will stable but really prefers to be out in all weathers even though he doesn't have much shelter . The other one who had an indoor life before I had him does love to come in so I think its what they've been used to but of course you'll get exceptions to that .

 

[Julie Ole Girl]

My 21 yo mare had always lived out with just a field shelter when I got her. Now she absolutely loves coming in to her big cosy bed in her stable with her mini friend at 4pm in the winter. She cries out in excitement when I call her in.

 

[Peglo]

In all honesty I have no idea how my new girl was kept before I got her. I stable mine through the winter at nights and I just popped her in the first night with my old 2. She settled fine (only realised after the first night she had shut down a bit. Still getting to know her so just thought she was content until the night after when she was much more herself.) so I guess it depends on the horse. Tali likes coming in now as much as the others so been a very easy adjustment.

ETA as @bouncing_ball says, my friends horse loves living out in all weather. The extremely harsh nights he’s brought in he is desperate to get back out. And he does VERY well living out. ?

 

[SO1]

I would be wary. My new forest when I bought him had lived out. Thought he would be ok as he had been taken to a pony club camp and been stabled there.

However turned out he was not keen on stables very happy for a few hours nice lie down and hay but as soon as he had enough would climb out.

Moved him to a grass livery yard and he was happy for many years then got injured and broke his splint bone and needed a soft cast and long period of box rest. He was fine the first night then in the morning decided he had enough and jumped out.

Luckily there was a local rehab yard that specialises in box rest and he went straight there. They put a grid up so he couldn't jump out he was cross but did settle quickly. It helped that he was next to other horses on box rest and he does like his hay and sleeping on a comfy bed.

When he was ready for small paddock turnout he then jumped out of the small paddock. He is a bit of an escape artist he just wants to be where he wants to be which is normally the place with the most grass. If his stable was full of grass that is where he would want to be all the time.

I have had him 14 years and he is currently on his third round of long box rest with a soft tissue injury and been very good. He is now a part livery at the rehab yard and so there is always company if he has to be in. He does have his weave grill up just in case as I expect he could climb out and eat all the breakfasts or go to the feed or hay barn.

However he is wonderful but I would not trust him in a stable without a weave grill.

His normal routine is to be in at night and he seems happy with that. Very keen to go out in the morning but keen to come in as well especially if weather is wet and windy or very hot with flies.

Ideally he would live out with a field shelter so he could go in and out as much as he liked.

 

[babymare]

Mmm my mare was locked up in a small dark stable before I bought her. Had the summer in fielding great herd. Coming in at night over winter no issues. She had routine and food. ?

 

[Snow Falcon]

I tried getting my mare used to a stable when she was a youngster by feeding her in there etc. When she had finished she would let herself out. This would be by undoing the bolt or when that game was thwarted, she rammed her chest into the door and burst it open. As they are kept out 24/7, I decided that causing injury wasn't in anyone's interests. Years later when she sustained an injury (stood on a nail) she had to be kept in. No trouble at all then.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I would ask to see it in a stable, that will tell you.
Mine loves being in in this awful weather although was previously.largely living out.
You Will know fairly instantly if the horse dislikes being in a stable.
If you cant view this , you're taking a big gamble.

 

[Lois Lame]

I'm more worried about the owner having bought this horse sight unseen. I wonder how long she's had the horse and I wonder at her reason for selling.

Hmm I see. I will try to get more info when I view her on what her history was, I think the current owner bought her unseen so she might not even know her history re-stabling. It is non-negotiable on my yard so I'd be in a big pickle if I bought a horse that refused to be stabled.

 

[PurBee]

You could be fine if the history is always turned out.
But still, i’d introduce a stable slowly - haynet in there for 2 hours, let out.slowly increasing stabling time.
Might not get the horse back in on night 2 if suddenly experiences very restricted freedom for 12 hrs…but does depends on the individual horse. Theyre all so different and respond so differently, often surprising us.

My mare, previous owner stabled at night all year round for 10yrs — Totally used to stabling.
At mine, open double bedded stable with freedom to roam yard or go to fields, or stay in stable. But initially when she got here i had closed the stable some nights when weather was bad, they can see out to the yard as 1 door is a wide stable door, bottom closed only. She was fine back then with occassional closed-in stabling.
She actually loves being out, even in really bad weather. So in the end i didnt ever bother closing them in the stable as they judged well when they wanted shelter.

18 months later, the first very scary severe storm was forecast with high gusts, i pondered whether to shut her in the stable (with her mate) as we have loads of trees all around the yard, fields and electric fencing - large branches are often down after such storms, often bringing down the fencing too. I thought it would be safer to enclose them that night.

Well, i got them in the barn, with hay, both fine, went to shut 1 door, and she shot out of there at lightning speed! She knew i was going to close them in, and very boldly said “no way!”
The other one was fine with the door closing but sauntered out after her, wondering what was wrong with her….she’s the leader.
I didn’t bother forcing the issue as it was dark, the night of the storm and didnt want them having stabling associations with stress, i’d assumed there would be no stabling issue too due to her history, so let them be free and turned off the electric fencing, while the storm surged. I was up most the night checking on them, they were fine, sometimes under trees, sometimes in the stable sheltering. Large branches came down into the yard. Stuff blown everywhere. They were very chilled-out considering the manic weather. That surprised me. I realised they prefer to fully see whats going on than just hear the crazy wind throwing stuff about from the confines of the stable, not knowing what was happening all around outside.

A lot of american websites spoke of hurricane storm safety and best practice to let them be free than trapped inside, so that helped me feel less nervous about allowing them to be free, despite not expecting a hurricane!

I know my mare knows a shut stable wont kill her and would get used to it again as routine if needed. She’s smart though, when she pulled a tendon a few months back, she box rested herself in the open barn! After a weeks box-rest -She started her rehab herself too -small walks around the yard when she felt she could. Week 3 was vastly improved.

Moral of my story - horses are unpredictable but smart! 1 mare completely used to stabling every night since being a foal for a decade, refusing to be shut-in stabled after experiencing free access to anywhere+ open stable. 1 gelding never been stabled much at all, just a few nights in a decade, mainly always out free, completely happy to be shut in a stable, out of the horrid, cold wet windy weather.
?


So im guessing, your possible new horse *most likely* if truly always never ever having experienced a stable, is put in one with a haynet, he will probably be fine….as its novel. Especially if theres other horses to see over the door, in their stables.
But you say the full history isnt known, so thats a gamble, in the rare instance of some severe stable trauma experienced.

Although, if its a cracker of a horse you really want, why not speak to YO about the issue, and within a week, whether he likes stables or free roaming, will be de-sensitised to stabling. You might just need wiggle room to let him remain out in a nearby paddock for a few nights if it starts off tricky?

But as lois lame says, my first concern is why they’re selling this horse they (recently?) bought unseen? There’s many valid reasons of course, but rely on gut instinct when asking that question and receiving their answer as to whether youre being bullsh*tted.

If that gets cleared up to your satisfaction, can you ask the seller to stable the horse for a few nights/week? See what the horse is like stabled? only if they have stables, of course. I’d do that for a seller if my horses were going to a ‘must be stabled at night’ scenario, so i know the horses and seller get off to a good start. That scenario depends on facilities of seller and amenability of persona.

Or, do you know any other yard the horse can go to initially that will do winter 24/7 turnout if needed, while you train the horse to stabling, then move to your preferred yard?

 

[stangs]

I used to know a horse (also an NF) who would not stay in a stable for love or money. He’d start rearing and trying to jump out the minute you shut the stable door, regardless of whether he had something in there to eat or not. He was also a very poor loader, so the general consensus was that he must have had some serious claustrophobia.

In retrospect, it probably could have been dealt with with a very slow R+ reintroduction to stabling, but, in your case, that wouldn’t be an option. So I’d want him tried in a stable if that’s an option especially if he’s not keen on being loaded, just to cover all bases.

 

[HannahB]

My cob is absolutely fine with stabling and makes the change seamlessly to stabling at night in winter, but my shetland was terrified of stables when I first got her so I lead my cob in before her like you might do when loading a stubborn pony, she was absolutely fine when she realised she could be out the weather with food and a friend. But it does depend on the horse