How many of your horses do not get turned out in the field?

[NELSON11]

Just wondered how many of you do not turn your horses out in the field? Just wanted peoples opinions as to whether you agree with keeping especially 4 yo's in all the time.

Is there a pattern between disciplines as to whether they get paddock exercise or not do you think?

Not looking to start a heated debate, it is just a subject that interests me.

My personal preference is all horses unless for medical reasons should have some paddock time, just wondered your thoughts on the subject

Thanks

 

[kelly_s1]

Hi,

My horse goes out during the day if its not raining (to save our fields) and 24/7 in the summer in a pen as he is a but chubby

I think all horses should have some time in the field

1. To get some fresh air
2. Stretch their legs
3. Play with their pals

The only reason my horse would stay in is due to an injurgy

 

[kez1001]

I have a 4yo (will be 5 in may) and I moved from a yard 2 miles from my house as they turn out only in the summer only during the day and it was where I had moved my mare when I moved house. I didn't want a young horse not getting any turnout so I moved him to a yard 20 miles away but it's a fantastic place and the best thing I could do for him.

He gets out everyday and plays with his 3 field mates. I would like to event him and just because you asked if turnout was discipline specific the yard I was at before belonged to a BS accredited trainer and his own horses only went out in the summer and in single hose paddocks so they couldn't run around. In the winter they went on horse walker. Their youngest horse was a 4 yo mare and as she was quiet, you won't believe this part, they turned her out less so she wasn't tired poor wee lamb felt really sorry for her but each to their own I guess.

My current yard is next door to a 3* event rider and his horses are out daily(weather permitting of course).

 

[JANANI]

My three don't get turned out every day (Prepares to be shot down ). Unfortunately our land is very wet and if I turned them out into my fields they would be a complete mess and we would have no summer grazing or very restricted summer grazing as I would run out of grass. They are out 24/7 from the start of April to the end of October, they are excercised most days (5/6 days a week) and we give them a few hours a day to dander around a concrete yard. I also let them out loose in the school once a week to let of steam which keeps my TB very calm.

We did stick them out last Sunday for a few hours as we thought the fields had dried out a bit but we were sadly mistaken and quite alot of damage was done so we don't know when we will be letting them out again.

 

[SavingGrace]

Ours are out in the field for 5 - 6 hrs unless there is lots of snow, ice or its raiining really heavily.

 

[measles]

Ours are stabled at night all year round and go out for 4-5 hours minimum in the winter and for c.10 hours a day in the summer.

 

[miller]

Ours out every day for minimum of 11 hrs - in overnight - same routine year round unless injured/ill

 

[FigJam]

My personal preference is all horses unless for medical reasons should have some paddock time

My yard has 24/7 summer turnout and restricted turnout in the winter. Time out in winter depends on the state of the ground/weather but tends to be a minimum of 3hrs at the moment while fields are very wet/not much grazing so horses are bored after their initial leg stretch anyway. They are then all happy in with their haynets and are exercised in the afternoon/evening usually.

However, YO has made an effort to get them at least those few hours per day out every day and there's only been a couple of days this winter that they've had to stay in due to continuous blizzard or howling wind/lashing rain. This is pretty impressive IMO considering some of the conditions we have had and everyone has appreciated her efforts.

Mine is currently in on box rest and I hate it, but it's being cruel to be kind and only short term.

 

[Doormouse]

I am another with very wet fields so have to be careful how much I use them during the winter.

I turn out as much as possible in the summer but my thinned skinned TB hates the flies so have to cut my cloth accordingly there. He also hates cold wind, rain and mud so winter turnout is not really his bag either! He is exercised 6 days a week and does go out at least once a week but he doesn't mind that much, when he goes out all he does is roll for 20 minutes and then asks to be brought in!

My 4 year old was out all summer and now is having the winter off and is out 24/7. I don't like 3/4 year olds kept in 24/7 because I think they get bored and are more likely to develop vices. My TB is 14 and was in training until he was 12 so is pretty used to being in a lot anyway.

 

[coen]

I know of some people who keep there horses for showjumping and do not turn them out at all ever, the horses aren't particularly young so there argument is that they never have been out so don't miss it.
I don't agree.

Really believe in t/o and like mine out as much as pos but sometimes you do have to compromise. I am moving from a yard with brilliant t/o 24/7 summer and all day winter but no facilities to a yard where they are out for 2-3 hours winter and all day summer but in every night and good facilities. Not too sure how I am going to find it yet and my horse is 6.

 

[MagicMelon]

Personally I don't agree with keeping horses in permanently or even for longer than 1 night stabled in one go (unless for vet reasons of course). I think it goes against their very nature as roaming & herd animals. A stable is also incredibly small if you think of their size - it would be like keeping a dog in a small crate permanently, most people think thats wrong so not sure why a horse should be ok with it. I especially disagree with youngsters being kept in - they need to be out learning hierarchy rules etc. Horses are sociable creatures, these stables that are walled all the way up / have bars between them are just torture IMO. The thought of a horse never getting the chance to groom another horse is pretty sad.

IMO, it makes no difference as to what disipline the horse does. Loads of people think a competition horse should be stabled, I dont understand why. Surely its far healthier for a horse to be outside keeping himself fit and supple moving about? It makes no difference as to their performance.

 

[Nicki85]

My current share horse is in for most of the day and out in a sand paddock for a few hours a day In the summer she would still be in most of the day and turned out for a few hours in the field.
BUT
Horses are moving yard in three weeks where she will be out all the time! Looking forward to a more sane horse (hopefully lol)

 

[NELSON11]

Personally I don't agree with keeping horses in permanently or even for longer than 1 night stabled in one go (unless for vet reasons of course). I think it goes against their very nature as roaming & herd animals. A stable is also incredibly small if you think of their size - it would be like keeping a dog in a small crate permanently, most people think thats wrong so not sure why a horse should be ok with it. I especially disagree with youngsters being kept in - they need to be out learning hierarchy rules etc. Horses are sociable creatures, these stables that are walled all the way up / have bars between them are just torture IMO. The thought of a horse never getting the chance to groom another horse is pretty sad.

IMO, it makes no difference as to what disipline the horse does. Loads of people think a competition horse should be stabled, I dont understand why. Surely its far healthier for a horse to be outside keeping himself fit and supple moving about? It makes no difference as to their performance.

I agree, one of the reasons I asked was the yard who backed my youngster last year is a SJ yard, and their horses haven't been out in a paddock at all since September last year. They just go on the walker twice a day and school/compete.

So I wondered if this was a common occurence with SJ's specifically.

Thanks for your thoughts guys. Interesting subject

 

[*Spider*]

Personally I don't agree with keeping horses in permanently or even for longer than 1 night stabled in one go (unless for vet reasons of course). I think it goes against their very nature as roaming & herd animals. A stable is also incredibly small if you think of their size - it would be like keeping a dog in a small crate permanently, most people think thats wrong so not sure why a horse should be ok with it. I especially disagree with youngsters being kept in - they need to be out learning hierarchy rules etc. Horses are sociable creatures, these stables that are walled all the way up / have bars between them are just torture IMO. The thought of a horse never getting the chance to groom another horse is pretty sad.

IMO, it makes no difference as to what disipline the horse does. Loads of people think a competition horse should be stabled, I dont understand why. Surely its far healthier for a horse to be outside keeping himself fit and supple moving about? It makes no difference as to their performance.

Took the words right out of my mouth!
I think keeping a horse in is actually quite detrimental.

 

[HelsB]

Mine is out for 10 hours a day - every day - in winter and 24/7 from around March until it snows!!

I am lucky that my fields are free draining but then again, I would not have moved to heavy land.

 

[noodle_]

mine is 4 - and goes out daily....for 4/5 hours minimum.

at a weekend she goes out for more likr 6/7 and as it gets lighter she will go out longer

cant wait for summer as its more like 7am-7pm

even when it was rainy/snowy - they still went out even just for an hour to stretch legs

 

[vam]

I moved to a new place at the begining of Dec and have a field with my friends 2. At the moment we are doing half days tues & thurs and a few hours sat & sun. They were out all day but the field is disappearing under water and mud we just cant keep them out all all day. My boy likes to play with his little mate and they can end up charging around, its worse at the mo as there is hardly any grass and we wont have any if we're not careful.
i have to admit mine is quite happy eating all day at the mo so im not to worried, its only the first week and they will be back out properly in March.
When i bought him he was stabled 24/7 as a 4 year old as the place simply had no turn out. I had to start with him going out alittle at a time and build it up to a full day, he is happy out but is still learning field politics.
Cant say if it has done him any harm, he is happy, well adjusted and doesnt fret in the stable nor have any vices.
My own personal opinion is i would want him out everyday for at least a few hours in the winter and for as long as poss in the summer. But sometimes it isnt always possible

 

[posie_honey]

my preferance is 24/7 365 unless there's a medical reason to be in (and i often disagree with prescribed box rest but that's a whole new argument lol)
that is the only way i would choose to manage a horse nowdays
but each to their own - i'm not going to condone people who chose to manage theirs differently

 

[Oscar]

Mine are out everyday from 8am til 4pm in winter and out 24/7 in summer, although they come in for a feed and check and to be exercised so probably out 20hrs!

Mine are big pets, happy hackers and 2 youngsters that I want to do dressage on.

My friend SJ's and hers are in 24/7 except on a Monday! They get Mondays off so have a day out in the fields. Random!!

The dressage yard I worked at in Germany were all out 24/7 til they were in their 3rd summer, then they'd come in and start their ridden work and that was that no more turnout!!

 

[Tr0uble]

I left my previous yard for this very reason. Yard was 10 minutes walk away, and new yard is 12 miles away so it was a big sacrifice for me....but the horses can be out every day, without fail. 24/7 in the summer/spring/autumn, and in the winter I normally turnout at 5.30am and bring in at 5.30pm (currently I have a broken knee so they are being done for me and go out at 9am and come in at 5pm)

Yes they are in a trash field with no grass, but there is sspace to gallop and roll and play, and I put a big hay bale in there every few weeks to make sure they have adlib forage.

We split the trash field in half in the wettest weather so actually we have a decent bit of field left to move onto in 6 weeks or so, which means they will get earlier 'grass' turnout than last year.

 

[jess_asterix]

My boys when kept at 2 different trainers yards got very minimal turnout (once every fortnight maybe longer) and they were very stressy, over the top, silly horses.

Now they are at my house being turned out everday, including in the snow, even if it is only for 30 mins if the weather is foul they love having a run round and a roll, they are best buds and play together lots to They are also complately different horses to ride, much more relaxed and easy.

 

[georgie256]

Usually every day for about 5 hours. Recently only for about 2 and cause it has been wet and hard they haven't been turned out everyday....

 

[sidsmum]

I like to see horses out and having some 'me' time in the fields! However, some land simply won't take continual turnout - clay land for example. I would turnout every day if possible.

 

[SpottedCat]

I like to see horses out and having some 'me' time in the fields! However, some land simply won't take continual turnout - clay land for example. I would turnout every day if possible.

I there should probably be a caveat to that - some land won't take continual turnout if it has too many horses on it. That's not to condemn people who have little choice in the matter - we all have to keep our horses somewhere and lots of things we do are probably less than ideal and done for our convenience, so why should yard choice be any different?

But we're on very heavy clay soil and ours are out 24/7 365 unless we have weeks of torrential rain, at which point they have to come in at night. Mine have had the sum total of 9 nights in this winter. We (as a whole on the yard) managed the fields a bit differently last summer, and it's made all the difference this winter. Both mine are so much happier being out 24/7 in winter as well as summer - it's made the grumpy one in particular much easier to deal with.

I do stick them in overnight if I am going somewhere the next morning though - just makes it easier to get and keep them clean, so purely for my benefit!

I would make every effort not to go back to having to have them in at night routinely - but I have the complete luxury of being able to ride when I like, so don't need to be picky about things like needing a floodlit school, which makes yard choice much easier for me. I appreciate others don't have that luxury, and if it came down to it, if I could only ride after work, then I'd be happy to have them in at night if all the convenient yards with a floodlit arena demanded it.

 

[Stacey02]

our horses are out in the day and in in the night in the winter and out 24/7 in the summer unless the flies are too bad then they come in for afew hours in the day to give them a break but then go back out in the eve.

I agree theyre roaming herd animals so they should get their freedom.

My horse was injured and had to be kept on 24/7 box rest for a month or so.... i felt so cruel keeping her in then but knew it was for the best.Personally i couldnt so that if she was fit and well. I think its a bit unfair to them.They deserve a bit of freedom in my opinion.

 

[bvlgari]

I moved yards with my 4 year old as I was told that there was no more turn out for her - previous winter she was in foal so classed as a broodmare so was allowed turn out on the same yard - but after weaning I was told that now she was a in work there was no turn out

Moved to a yard with a lot less facilities, but they promised they had winter turn out. I have since discovered that winter turn out is only when they feel like it - ie if its a bit misty/rainy they don't turn out. I leave messages on the message board and really push for her to get out - and at weekends I get up and turn her and her friends out before YO is even out of bed! Wish I could get up there before work - but its impossible at the moment

I really think turn out every day is essential for the mind of every horse - but even more so the youngsters!

 

[MillionDollar]

It is totally down to the individual TBH.

My own horses are in 24/7 in winter, as they just won't go out. But when it's nice like today they did go out for 4 hours. However they go out 24/7 in summer.

The liveries are allowed max of 6 hours at the mo and I think it's just right. They get 24/7 T/O in summer if they wish though.

As long as the horse gets out it's stable twice per day I really don't have a problem with it

 

[MillionDollar]

I'd also like to say as a YO some liveries do not understand the damage horses do to the ground when it is wet. I can guarantee if I didn't limit TO some would TO for 12 hours everyday and I can promise that we wouldn't be able to have 24/7 TO in the summer.

It also really bugs me when I see horses being out in the mud and hating it and their owners making them go out everyday just because they think it's natural................well they aint wild horses!!!!

 

[_jetset_]

Unfortunately in this area of the country winter turnout is very very rare! I have looked long and hard for a yard that offers this (have found a few that then went back on this when I moved on) so have conceded defeat and bought my own place.

However, it will not be ready until this summer so I am currently on a livery yard where I do get them out in a sand pen. The two younger ones (rising 5 and rising 4) go out together and have a really good play and the two older ones go out together and have a groom and a mooch. In summer they go out as much as possible but my chestnut gets horrendous reactions to fly bites so I have to gauge that with her.

When I have my own place I will obviously have to see how well the land copes. But we will be having pens built with a surface where they can be turned out with a haynet for a few hours a day in winter. My babies will live out in the summer as they did last year.

 

[TallyHo123]

2 of mine live out 24/7 and my gelding is stabled over night during the winter and out in the day.
I would never keep my horses somwhere they couldn't get out.