How far do u walk to turn your horse out?

[Gift Horse]

At the yard I'm on it's a 5min walk down a lane to turn out in the summer fields. The yard owner then rests these fields over winter and uses the fields near the yard for winter turnout. I think this is good sense and I like the walk in the summer because its good exercise most of the horses share paddocks which I prefer but the YO also offers individual turnout to those who want it.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

As long as it was well lit & not through horribly muddy ground it wouldn't put me off.....I only have to walk about about 15 steps!

 

[Captain Bridget]

Our field is attached directly to our yard! We're very lucky! So it's only a couple of metres! Our stables are enclosed in a small yard, with grass school attached one end and field attached the other. We have hardcore around the entrance to the field too so no mud there. Only problem is we get a bit of mud around the water trough.

The most I have walked is about 5 minutes and wouldn't be too keen on going any further as would lose half my yard time walking to the field and back.

 

[NinjaPony]

Depends on how far away he has decided to graze! The actual field is attached to the yard, and the summer one is through that field so int he winter it can be a very short walk. However, they are both huge fields so if he is at the back it takes a while...

 

[Echo24]

That would not put me off at all and what a brilliant idea, having solar lights! It is a 10 minute walk to my fields, down a steep hill and in winter it's only a 5 minute walk (different fields) but we don't even have the luxury of automatic water drinkers so lugging water containers down to the fields is a nightmare!

 

[Highlands]

One field is 15 min... Not a prob as it self contained and like yesterday helped livery bath her two so lead one down and back for her... Uphill! But it has good parking ( hard core) plus stables and I do water for her but it is going on!

 

[Enfys]

Solar lights - excellent idea.

My house and the barns are in the middle, so fields radiate around.
No field is more than 150m from the barn if that, the closest are 10m.

Mud would be a huge no-no for me, as a YO, and especially as a livery,
I just do NOT do ploughing through it, if I had walkways and a lot of foot traffic then I would lay hardcore and sand. As it is I am incredibly fortunate in that we on sandy loam, I simply till any area that has heavy traffic and mud is minimal.

 

[Doublethyme]

Wouldn't necessarily put me off, have had to do worse in the past...ie leading horses in the dark through fields of others, not pleasant.

Solar lights are a lovely touch and to me would show as a potential livery how thoughtful you are.

One thing to consider is having a clear rule ahead of time that any liveries who don't work or consistently have a schedule that brings them up all winter before it gets dark have the furthest fields. It is the only thing that used to gripe me at an old yard, that the oodles of time people who didn't work full time or at all were the loudest complainers so they got the closest fields yet had no time or light restraints. The ones that had to go furthest in the pitch dark and in my case had the youngest horse, worked full time, but just got on with it.

Also fairer on the horses, as the ones being left later are closer to the yard and that often helps them settle.

 

[Barbie]

Agree with the mud comment. I used to be on a yard where you had to walk through the mares field to get to the geldings field. They were big fields so it took maybe 15 mins if my horse was at the far end of his field (and he usually was!). The walk didn't bother me but the mud came over my wellies by the end of winter which was horrendous to wade through so make sure they are proper paths.

Also, the lighting would put me off unless it can be turned off. I've regularly brought my horses in when it's dark and just used a head torch to light my way with no problems. The YO installed one single light on the school in one corner and everybody had trouble riding their horses in there in the dark because it cast awful shadows which moved when the horses changed direction. It freaked a lot of them out so if it is lit make sure it's well lit to avoid owners moaning that their horses are spooking at the shadows. Alternatively offer to bring in/turn out horses for people who cannot get to the yard in daylight hours.

 

[PolarSkye]

The distance wouldn't put me off . . . as others have said, the mud/wheelbarrow issue would . . . as would the lighting . . . tbh, I'd rather bring in in daylight or wear a head torch than have potentially scary lighting for my scatty/spooky boy.

P

 

[JFTDWS]

I open the stable door...