How many of you actually turn your horses out daily?

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

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Hi, when I was phoning around to find a new yard I was told that my horse would either have to stay in a few days a week or only go out for 3hrs a day.
And at my new yard ive now moved to people dont put their horses out if it's cold or drizzling with rain!

I think it's so important for my boy to go out as long as possible every day, unless it is very bad weather, he is a horse after all!

Does anyone else think this or do you prefure or not mind your horse staying in for long periods of time?
 
Every day without fail - he has never had a day in.

Last year I left him in til 10.30am (went down, mucked out, fed, and left him in) so I could take him to an indoor school when it was very snowy. He was a complete loony when I got there! :o

I am lucky in that we have our own land - but I could not keep my horse somewhere I couldn't turn him out :)
 
Mine go out before work everyday at half past seven and come in again at about six. Unless the ground is so waterlogged that they will drown they are out. I don't want them in making a mess in their stables and needing their hay constantly topped up.

In winter they get hay in the field so they aren't just shivering the whole time but they are out come rain or shine!
 
my 2 go out every day and would be 24/7 in summer other than little lass is such good doer but oh yes in winter . last year in all snow etc out mine went though others kept thiers in - my thoughts are they have leg at each corner so get arse out lol - personally would not be on yard that couldnt turn out at least 8hrs as little lass would screw up mentally
 
I am lucky now because mine lives out, but when I have been at livery in the past, I have always gone for yards that have daily turnout, and more than a few hours. there were closer yards to me, but I always ended up travelling further for the right place, which for meand my horse was the right thing to do. mine would hate not being able to go out and I personally wouldnt want him stuck in, for his own sanity.
 
I like them out as long as possible. Some of them come in more in winter due to mudrash, and others come in more in summer due to sweetitch/laminitus watch. We used to have DIYs and it amazed me how they didn't put them out on rainy days!
 
Everyday.

Our area is difficult, but keep ringing around. There are yards out there with good turnout! (you need to avoid Botley, Durley esp)

From you prev posts, I thought you kept your boy at home?
 
Mine go out about 7am unless the weather is REALLY bad. The only reason we don't turn out if the weather is horrendous is really because of the fields being incredibly slippy - not because we're afraid the horses will melt in the rain...
If they do go out, they are generally out until about 3pm if my OH can get there to get them in, or I will go up at lunchtime to get them in as I don't finish til 5pm, so don't get o the yard til after that. At weekends they stay out until about 4pm.
 
Mine can go out everyday if they want! When it rains apparently they 'will melt' despite having nice rugs! So they stay in by their choice!
 
oh ps to post my little lass wintered in rain snow and everything else with no rug to - minus 8 - and loooked great in spring so mmmm get the nags turned out and let them be horses is what i say
 
Mine are out every day without fail. It may only be for 6 hours or so in winter, or even less in the snow, but they get out of the barn every day for a leg stretch.
 
If I could I would have mine out 24/7, but unfortunately I havn't yet got any outdoor shelters, so they come in over night. I'm happy for them to be out in the cold and rain, but I bring them in if it's too hot & sunny (we're in Italy) and when the tarfani (really mean horse flies) are at their worst.

I do know a couple of horses that prefer to be in than out; one of mine is an ex-international showjumper and back in the day he was living in an air conditioned stable pretty much 24/7. He gets quite put out if you leave him in the field to fend for himself for too long!
 
my pony does not get turned out daily because he lives out so he is already out! however all the horses on the yard who come in at nights go out every day unless they are ill or the snow is so bad that it is too slippery to walk them safely to the fields
 
My mare is at home and is turned out every day, without fail! When the weather is vile and very wet she is still turned out, but in the manege and not the field. Also, I'm fortunate that she can go into the yard and wander about with direct access from her stable.

She is retired and no longer ridden so it's really important that she goes out every day to keep her mobile and sane!
 
galaxy23 said:
Everyday.

Our area is difficult, but keep ringing around. There are yards out there with good turnout! (you need to avoid Botley, Durley esp)

From you prev posts, I thought you kept your boy at home?
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Hi, I did keep him at home but he's started to misbehave as I have no school and they have just started building new houses over the road, which means either trying to get him past a building site or narrowing my riding down even more!
So ive taken him to another yard in Durley, everyones lovely and he can go out every day, but I was shocked that so many yards dont let you turn out and some people keep them in because they choose to.
 
Mine are out 24/7,although I have stables, they prefer to be out with their mates.
Last two yards I was on said they always turned out in winter during the day. When winter came, I found this wasn't true. You never really know a yard til you've wintered on it.
 
My two go out everyday, but not for long. In the winter by the time I've ridden its about 11/12 oclock when they go out and I fetch them in about 4 - 4.30. When it snowed last year I would turn them out for a couple of hours in the morning. I rent a small yard and only have my two there, so its up to me if they go out or not. To be honest my eventer would love to stay in her stable 24/7 with lots of hay in the winter months and she would settle well into a yard with restricted turnout (as long as her companions stayed in aswell), my pony (whose job is purely to keep my eventer company) however needs to go out everyday as he's not ridden. As long as you can exercise your horse, I wouldn't necessarily write off a yard that had restricted turnout.
 
hmmm I have seen some of the effects of horses that only get 2 or 3 hours turn out, and it can become very stressful. I couldnt imagine doing this to any horse, personally. They are like you say, horses after all. I have stables, but mine live out 24/7 unless theres bad snow
 
I WANT mine out in the field every day, but it's not always possible (ie. If I'm in uni early and nobody else is turning out at 6.30, or no other geldings are going out - which happens annoyingly often. THEY WON'T MELT IF THEY GET MUDDY). If he doesn't get out in the field he gets out in our little turnout paddock and gets ridden. Otherwise he gets very grumpy and starts demolishing his bed and tipping his water over.
 
Yep mine go out everyday from about 8.30 till 3 where they then come in and are ridden and then put to bed properly about 5. Only exception is my older horse when it really is terrential will only go out for a couple of hours, otherwise he just waits by the gate in the mud anyway so I dont really see the point in leavig him there - he house love his house. I dont like to think of them in all the time but dont think the odd day in hurts if they are settled and are exercised.
 
Until he hurt himself he went out every day but YO won't let them go out if it's really rainy/windy so they don't mess up the fields.

Badger is in on box rest now and he doesn't really care, but is keen to eat grass when he goes for a walk!!!

At my mums they have limited TO in winter but they aren't bothered by it, I don't think it's the be all and end all.
 
Mine mostly live out in if really filthy weather, if fully clipped in full work in at night but always out as much as possible.
Keeping horses in all the time is bad for them physically and mentally it was the norm a few years back to keep racehorses in because of the risk of injury but even they are turned out now because of the benefits.

It will be better for your horse and your working relationship with your horse for your horse to be out as much as possible taking in to account weather clipping what suits the horse but if these needs cant be met at your current place i would try and move.
 
He goes out everyday unless its really bad - like wild winds and lots of rain like we had the other day here - YO turns out in the morning so if its really horrible she will keep them in - he just paces about if its wild
 
At the yard where I keep mine they will go out every day unless we have extremely wild weather or if the winter field they are in gets too bad and then it's just restricted hours rather than no turnout. Sadly that can mean 1-2 hours a day until the field improves if it turns into a bog. We couldn't get to the field last year when we had the snow which thawed then froze terribly and some of the horses were in for over a week - not an experience I wish to repeat this year so praying for better weather. If they are very restricted on turnout I try and ensure I get him along the bridleway for a hack so he gets his circulation and legs going.
 
We turn ours out everyday. They are used to all kinds of weather and because they are out every day they don't go crazy on bad ground. They are in a hurry to come in when it really vile though!
 
Old horse dictates if in or out!! If it's horrendous weather she eats her breakfast then stands at the back of her stable!! If she wants out I get shoved out the way!! The younger one couldn't give a hoot so long as there is food!!! I wouldn't ever keep them where there is no grass turnout but with the two I have at the mo, limited (such as every other day or half day) wouldn't bother me but I know a lot of horses are different.
 
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