How does your horsey live (and why!)

How does your horse live?

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out 24/7 because the old lady used to get really stressed when stabled. now I can't even get her to walk through a stable door! she will some times stand in the field shelter but not very often!
 
Out 24/7 as a. they're both Natives and hardy. b. they have a field shelter c. highland would kick up a merry fuss if stabled all night or even several hours every day. d. no reason to have them inside.
 
In at night. Youngster for my convenience and old lady because she flatly refuses to live out. Would greatly appreciate it from a financial view if she would and I know she would do well but she is shrieking to come in at lunchtime and was like that when I bought her. .. I did try but my nerve broke before hers did. During the summer, I would prefer it if they would go out at night (majority of the yard does) but again, Diva mare has a problem with being out for too long and youngster was just too much of an oaf to trust out. We ended up putting my 2 together (normal policy is very strict on mares with mares etc). Old lady has taught OTT youngster some manners now!
 
Out 24/7 in the spring, summer and autumn and in at night in winter.

She's a little shetland and to be honest, if it were up to me I'd leave her out all winter too but the other 2 horses on the yard come in at night during the winter and she just frets if she's left out on her ownsome and creates huge tracks of muddiness. If it was my yard, I wouldn't mind but out of respect to the YO's I try to keep her field in good nick and so bring her in.
 
my boys out 24/7 but is currently in due to an abscess but hes not near home. Id like to move him nearer at some point but there arent any grass livery yards nearer to home.
 
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Another one who has them out 24/7 in summer, stabled at night over winter.

He likes being in, and it has the added bonus of a clean dry horse to ride in the morning :D
 
Out 24/7 365, livery/field is 15 acres hill side with hedges and trees all way round for shelter, also two large and one small shelter, current only 5 horses on the land.

Reasons:
- been desperate for turnout all time all day.
- most natural as poss, minimises stress, maximises movement
- horses don't gate hang as don't come in or have feed
- will put out unlimited hay if I feel not enough forage
- go through phases when I feed minerals, in which case mix with a little something and take up in a chinese takeaway tub to eat out of
- have loose kitchen salt out in a bucket in shelter
- Rosehips, thistles and nettles in field to eat and other hedgerow stuff to self medicate - keep saying will make a herb garden but lazy ideas person who isn't a completer finisher!

I looked for ages for somewhere that drained well and grass/land that was interesting for horse and able to go out 365. Previously discarded place for being too run down, but actually prob horsey paradise.

Best wishes

Hannah
 
Out 24/7 365, 8 year old 14.2hh cob mare, might have a bit of Fell or Dales in there somewhere.

Has an acre, split with electric tape as required to allow re-growth or restrict the grazing (in the spring).

Gets out almost everyday, hacking and /or schooling. If not riding will take her out for a few miles walk and foraging the local verge on lead rein.

Pick the field everyday. Groomed and feet picked everyday.

Lightweight rug now it's wet/colder. Very hairy, big, soft, lump.

Hay, carrots, apples. Bread crusts. Pony nuts, chaff, garlic and speedi-beet now grass has slowed.

Ridden by my wife, me, two of our three lads. Content, pampered, loved.

Has four of friends horses over the fence to call to. Two close enough to groom over the fence.
 
5 year old haffy out 24/7 all year round, mainly because I think movement, freedom and digestive health are priorities, and keeping a horse like mine in would seem silly when she is built for cold! I wouldn't mind a stable for very cold and wet times but honestly I don't think I'd ever shut her in it. We have mature hedges and trees which provide good shelter but would like a proper shelter too one day.

I would like some lights though!
 
Well looks like Im the odd one out! Mine are out for four hours a day. They are competition horses that are clipped out and worked six days a week. They go out in the morning, come in at lunch, are groomed and worked in the afternoon. They gave ad lib hay and a snack ball when in.
They are all happy to work, relaxed, fit and shiny.
The livery horses have between four and six hours depending on work, weather etc.
The reasons for my routine are - it suits my schedule
It suits them as their lack of stress shows.
I would rather less hours but every dat turn out on fields with grass rather than mud
I am there all day and by two they are waiting to come in.

In the summer they have all day turn out
 
When the weather and ground are good enough, he lives out during the summer. Last year he was out pretty much march-october, but with the wet summer this year, he had a few nights in purely to preserve the ground in our poorly draining 'summer' field. If not out 24/7, he is out from c. 8am-5pm unless restricted for heavy snow/there's a lot of surface water on the winter field in which case he still goes out for at least an hour or so while I muck out, whatever the weather. Fortunately my field is nice and close to the barn :)
 
I'm moving mine on Friday to a yard where I'll be able to leave them out 24/7 even in winter, if I choose. This is massive for me, as there are zero local yards that offer 24/7 turnout in the winter and, although I will probably still have them in over night if it is very heavy rain/ high winds/ heavy snow, my aim is to keep them out as much as possible. There are various reasons for this. They both like being out, but I'm fed up of turning them out in the swamp that my current YO has as a winter field. Most importantly, the mare is arthritic and I think it will be better for her to be out as much as possible, and the gelding windsucks, so same for him! So really, I think it will be the best thing for their mental and physical health.
 
Mine is out 24/7 because A, she's a native breed (New Forest), and B, because due to having arthritis of my spine, I can't physically manage daily mucking out.
She will have to come in at night after Christmas though due to being in foal and not knowing exactly when the foal is due. All I know is, it will be born sometime before March. I'll manage mucking out myself maybe 2 - 3 days per week (on a day on, day off basis), so will have to pay the yard to muck out for me.
It's not the best situation for me but happened due to my last YO's negligence.
After initially being depressed when I was first diagnosed with arthritis, thinking about everything that I would no longer be able to do (after 35 years around horses - I felt that I'd have to give up riding along with everything else I used to enjoy) , I spent a great deal of time after checking with my doctor, physio and chiropracter, researching into which breed, type, height, temperament etc of pony that I would still be able to ride, then bought a New Forest as that's what ticked all of the boxes for me. Under normal circumstances, she lives out 24/7.
 
We rent our own little yard for our 4. In the summer they are out 24/7 with access to their stables as and when.

We brought them in at night about a month ago as it has been so wet and horrid. We have however left them back out tonight in pairs as my old boy was really starting to get stiff, and my 5 year old has turned really grump since being in.

Hopefully we'll be able to leave them out all the time again now - but we are lucky enough to be able to be flexible, so if it is really wet and horrid they can come in for the odd night.
 
Need an extra option. "Entirely upto the horses". Mine have a hardcored track, rough paddock, hilly shrubbery area, yard and stables to choose from with haynets dotted around. Technically I suppose they're out 24/7 but in reality they probably spend half of that on the yard or in the stables and very little in the paddock area, but they do have the choice to go for a wander, have a roll and do some foraging. The youngser two, prefer to stand on the hill and eat from the suspended swinging haynets, whereas the old boy is happy standing on the yard in peace with a variety of double netted nets to choose from.

It works briliantly for us as it means that my paddocks don't get trashed as they only have access to the outside of the paddock where it's relatively dry, they're not stuck in, it cuts down my mucking out hours and means that I don't HAVE to ride to get them out of their stables. Plus they're much happier with this arrangement than they were with being stabled overnight last Winter.
 
In at night, out for 12hrs (winter) or out at night, in for 10hrs (summer). Usually muzzled apart from worst of winter.

Yard has 24/7 365 turnout but due to laminitis risk she doesn't live out, comes in for soaked hay either night or day.
 
Mine are in at night at the mo; out during the daytime.

This is our general "routine".

In the summer, my boy's got Sweet Itch so whilst I try to keep him out at night as much as possible, sometimes there's a particularly "midgey" day (or evening) and if he's getting stressed by that, he'll come in at night too during the summer. Its just easier, and far better for him. If he comes in, mare will come in too. She's fine with it, they both are.
 
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