How little turnout can they live with?

Well said, we all do the very best we can for our horses. I have 2 horses kept at home (3 acres of land). My mare hates the rain and wet, will gladly go out for 2-3 hours on a miserable day then wants to come back in. Gelding is the same, except he paces up and down the fence line to come in. What should I do? Bring them in or leave them out miserable because they need ay least 8 hours! Every horse, like humans, are different. I work full time, so this time of year, during the week, if they go out they are out by 6.30 and dont come in til 5ish so I chose what days to put them out according to the weather, hoping that they wont be too miserable. Does that make me a bad person?
 
Quote: Does that make me a bad person?

IMO; It makes you a good person .. you are doing what is right by your horses.
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I turn out at 7am and bring in just before dark, most days. Sometimes though they make it very clear they want to be in, NOW!

If it is frosty I wait until all frost has gone as the small pony had an attack of lammi and it is bad for her to eat frosted grass and the other doesn't settle without her and she box walks if in on her own. They seem quite content once they realise they are not going out early.

I keep them at home so they are on the doorstep

We all have diffferent circumstances, mostly beyond our control and what suits one would not suit another.
 
I see this has brought up a very fiery discussion. I can just add that I too would like the ideal situation where I could have my horse out for as long as possible - really they should be out 24/7 or at least 10 hours a day or whatever. The point of my post was just to lament the bad weather and that sadly not many of us have the ideal situation and need to make do with the facilities we are given and like in my case, need to limit in really extreme weather conditions (I am talking about the wet weather now as an example and I have not known such a wet winter since we are at the present yard and they normally go out every single day of the year...) - and just to see how and if a horse can survive such periods relatively unharmed or how much I need to do with my girl to keep her going especially as weather not set to improve much so that our fields will remain lake-like for a while to come.
Interesting discussion...
 
It is interesting, for sure!
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Today, I went up to the yard intending to turn my girl out for the first time in 5 days. We had so much rain yesterday that the field was under water (and I do actually mean 4 inches deep in water!)...Ellie galloped around the field three times, got down and rolled and then proceeded to pace up and down the fence line, screaming to come back in. I had intended to leave her out for the day, but all she'd have done is trash the field and probably do herself yet another mischief...so I brought her in. I do actually doubt whether she will be turned out much at all this side of Christmas now, seeing the state the field is in already
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Bloody weather!
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