How much turnout do you all get over winter?

ycbm said:
You won't get a successful prosecution under that act for stabled horses, they've been stabled for millenia, it is now normal horse behaviour. You might as well try prosecuting people for only ever walking their dog on a lead.

I'd be very careful about your glasshouse glass. Showing a horse under a year old is exactly a natural thing for them to be doing either.


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Just because that is the way it has always been done doesn't make it right for goodness sake!

And showing foals or yearlings is no where near on the same level as keeping them stabled for half of the year
 
No all mine live out 24/7 with company and only go to shows a few times a year. They have a pretty idyllic life for a pony. I comply with all 5 freedoms and more besides.
You can be prosecuted for breaking these rules but as with everything you have to warrant it in the extreme due to lack of policing
 
tankgirl1 said:
Just because that is the way it has always been done doesn't make it right for goodness sake!

And showing foals or yearlings is no where near on the same level as keeping them stabled for half of the year
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I didn't say it made it right, I said you would never obtain a conviction for it under the animal welfare act because it is normal and has been for thousands of years.

I would personally rather see a mature horse stabled and appropriately exercised for six months of the year when the owner doesn't have access to winter suitable grazing than I would see a foal out showing with the washing, grooming, handling and stress (visible or not) that entails.

Horses for courses, eh? And let's perhaps stop telling people who have to stable their own horses that they are committing a criminal offence and shouldn't own horses?



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ycbm said:
I didn't say it made it right, I said you would never obtain a conviction for it under the animal welfare act because it is normal and has been for thousands of years.

I would personally rather see a mature horse stabled and appropriately exercised for six months of the year when the owner doesn't have access to winter suitable grazing than I would see a foal out showing with the washing, grooming, handling and stress (visible or not) that entails.

Horses for courses, eh? And let's perhaps stop telling people who have to stable their own horses that they are committing a criminal offence and shouldn't own horses?



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I have to disagree on this point. Washing, grooming and handling is something that most horses learn about when they are young. It’s probably more stressful to wait until they are 5 or 6 to teach them what’s expected. I don’t see any difference between showing adult horses and young horses. They all learn that grooming and handling is normal. The ones I know also live at home with other youngsters free to be horses the rest if the time. This is not comparable to horses living in 24/7
 
As long as you don't tell people they shouldn't keep horses at all, or should be prosecuted for doing it differently than you, I really don't mind Meleeka.
 
We are on clay and get daily turnout of about 7 hours over winter unless is really wet. If they have to be in then the yo skips out, hays waters and walks - we are on assisted livery so not all of us go up mornings
 
It is simply a welfare issue you dont like hearing the truth and sory but there a lot of people that shouldnt own horses. Mostly not because they dont love them but because they compromise their welfare to suit their lifestyle. 6 months of continued stabling with maybe 20 minutes twice a day on a walkers and perhaps a short ride at weekends is not how animals should be kept even my dog gets longer outside and she is a pampered pet. As I have said many times I would not keep a horse stabled 24/7 unless on medical advice I consider it a crime but then I am entitled to my opinion and it would seem the vast majority of welfare experts feel the same.
I would add that you dont see many horses that live outside with company the majority of their lives that have stereotypical behaviours most are caused by isolation and stabling. That is not to say horses and ponies shouldnt learn to stand quietly alone or spend the odd night or so in stables as an allround education is vital
 
I don't think ycbm is advocating shoving the horse on a walker for 20 mins and only riding it on the weekends, at least not from the phrase "appropriately exercised". That wouldn't be appropriately exercised IMO.
 
milliepops said:
I don't think ycbm is advocating shoving the horse on a walker for 20 mins and only riding it on the weekends, at least not from the phrase "appropriately exercised". That wouldn't be appropriately exercised IMO.
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No probably not but in reality how many of the 24/7 boxed horses get appropriate exercise especially if on DIY in winter. I did also say that short/limited turnout was ok if they were properly in hard work
 
windand rain said:
No probably not but in reality how many of the 24/7 boxed horses get appropriate exercise especially if on DIY in winter.
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it's impossible to say, this is all speculation! Until we have to fill in a census of horse keepers I don't think there's much point getting wound up about the- unknown- number of horses that stand in without proper exercise. I don't think it's a widespread problem. I think most DIY owners seek yards which have *some* turnout in winter, there are endless threads on here griping about it so people clearly want that for their horses, in general.
 
Where I am, as much or as little as you want, you manage your own field with shelter as you see fit - mines out 24/7 with hay. I have been on yards where they alternate days mare/gelding turnout which wasn't so bad as you just planned to ride/use walker on 'in' days but the paddocks were awful - literally over the knee mud throughout with no hay given so had numerous lost shoes, injuries & rug rips over the years. Also been somewhere where even if it rained for a day in summer it would result in paddocks being locked for a week to make sure it was bone dry :rolleyes: I don't think I could cope let alone my horse with severely restricted turnout but understand needs must sometimes.
 
Our three are out 24/7. We've got the micromanaging of our grazing down to a fine art now, so there's next to no mud despite the clay, aside from a fifty foot long section of laneway between two of the paddocks. I'm planning to put mud mats there for next winter. We bring in for vet and farrier type stuff.
 
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