how many of your horse live out 24/7 in winter?

Mine winter out with good heavyweight combos, fed twice a day & big bales of hay in the field.
I have plenty of spare rugs should i need to keep changing them.
They do however have access to a field shelter should they wish to use it.

XxX
 
Puppy said:
Cruel?! Ha! Quite the opposite IMO ;)
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My sentiments exactly. My girl lives out, she and I cope just fine, as long as she has the correct rug when needed and hay available she is very good indeed, she much prefers it as do her older joints.
Section D's were made to live in the welsh mountains, all our cobs lived out all winter without rugs and were very happy :D
 
Ours would all be out 24/7 if it werent for the ridiculous mud. Think getting stuck up to your knees whilst your horse *****s off without you towards the end of the field and you've got about half of it!
 
My 4 winter out, natural shelter, minimum rugging, hayed in field.

I don't have much of a mud problem as they have the whole field over winter, the more land they have access to the less mud. Also hay in different places daily and move water buckets regulary.
 
3 of mine live out, a welsh cob, a gypsey cob and a dutch warmblood.
I rug according to weather - all happy and all cope fine.
1 is stabled all year, but only because I have to as she's lamanitic and really hates being out in the wet in winter.
I'd always choose to live out 24/7 where possible, horses are generally much happier out and with correct rugging, hay and feed, not only cope fine but often thrive x
 
My boy hunts twice a week off the field,he do's have a lovely big stable but prefers to be out, my fields are very sheltered he has a big shelter (but rarely uses it ) rugged for the weather and oh of course snuggy hoods with ears excellent. we don't have much mud so when he comes in he stripped off and off we go I bath down with baby bath day before and put a clean lightweight underneath is top rug. Then when we get back from hunting he is washed off with warm water thermatexed up stood on lorry haylage drink of water I go for a coffee with friends in there lorry then by the time we get home he's dry rugged up and out he go's never any bother and his legs I think benefit from walking about and not stood in the stable all night. People can't beleive he's out 24/7 he looks well fit and shiny and I'm happy no mucking out just poo pick in the sunshine while he wonders behind me.
 
Ours live out unclipped and unrugged all year round. In the winter they ahve the whole field and there's only two of them so we seldom have problems with mud.

They only have natural shelter, but if it rains solidly for more than 24 hours when they're losing their winter coats (March/April time) we do dry them off and put rugs on them - the weatherbeeta ones with no filling- until it's stopped raining.

They are both Sec D x's, and one is almost 30 yrs old. My old gelding, also a Sec D x lived out until he died at 34.
 
mine has lived out 24/7 all year since i got him 18months ago. was a bit worried coz he'd been stabled in the past and he's quite fine. he was ok in all the snow with a mediumweight rug on, but what he hates is wind and rain. he was in a heavyweight combo for a couple of days last feb, but apart from that he was fine. i dont clip him as we only hack 2-3 times a week, nothing heavy. with regards to mud, i hate it with a passion! i'm an obsessive groomer and like my horse to be spotless at all times! but i've got used to it. i give his rugs a good brush down when they're dry and wash his feet and legs when he's really bad. he's not very hairy anyway luckily. but i do dread winter. i think my horse copes better than me. i hve raynauds syndrome, which means i feel the cold really badly in my toes and fingers. i spent most mornings crying in pain last winter, but hey ho, stuffing them under a toasty horse rug and hving a cuddle brings them back slowly :)
 
Both of mine live out all year round without rugs (exmoors). They do have access to an open stable, but only use it if I put ample bedding in, and that's as a toilet. They sleep outside! This year they will be 'glamping', asI now have rubber matting. Wooooo!
 
Benpony said:
i hve raynauds syndrome, which means i feel the cold really badly in my toes and fingers. i spent most mornings crying in pain last winter, but hey ho, stuffing them under a toasty horse rug and hving a cuddle brings them back slowly :)
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Me too, Benpony, right down to the tears with the pain. The last two years I've taken to wearing ski-wear at the field in cold weather. Balls to looking glamorous! It really works. The other thing I've found which really helps is wearing waterproofs over my riding gear/work clothes, even when it's dry. It really helps keep the heat in! Oh and taking a mug of coffee in a travel mug!

Aside from that, I can't bathe in the winter. I shower, wearing flip flops to prevent cold floor shock! ;)
 
i'm glad i'm not alone fransurrey. it only started last year. i would even get it in the house so would hve to wear gloves all afternoon & evening. i've started wearing gloves in the mornings down the field already coz i just dread the pain returning. hve you been advised as to anything u can do to help it? i'm seeing the doc tomorrow so was gonna mention it. there's only so many pairs of gloves you can wear at one time!
 
Of course you're not being cruel keeping her out - you're being kind! Those who stable IMO are cruel (unless they have a very valid reason other than the human owner prefers it...).

Mine live out 24/7. And that includes my current woosy TB x who is hunter clipped! As long as they are rugged up, with shelter and get hay (and feed if necessary) then they'll be very happy and healthy.

I dont do anything differently over the winter. None of mine have had mud fever and although they tend to get thrush every nown and again - they get that through the summer too so I just treat as usual.
 
Yep, mine, except for the two 35yr olds, pretty much live out all year, but I do have stables if the weathers really really bad, but they generally seem much happier out, and they've got a field shelter but they rarely ever use it!
Before my appy was backed she lived out without a rug all year...altho she loves the mud so much now it'd never be possible for me to ride her without her having a rug on, always finds the wettest muddiest spots to roll in!
 
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