I have made my decision - your thoughts appreciated

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JessnGeorge

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Well, I have been in a dilemma about this for ages but I have now made a decision.

My boy - 22 year old ex eventer and Grade C doesn't really like being out. If it is a perfect day for it he may cope with half a day but LOVES coming in and getting tidied up and cosied up. I think it stems back to when he was in full on competition he had very limited turn out than.

Yesterday, as the weather had previously been so awful and it cleared in the afternoon, I turned him out from 1 til 4 during which time the bloomin' Scottish weather dumped showers on him. When I got to him he had obviously been galloping up and down the fence, was wringing wet and muddy from fetlock to belly (although he was well rugged). He looked sad and cold and he was also stiff (not unusual for him but very pronounced).

SO, I have decided that during the winter he is stabled, unless it is a day when he can have a couple of hours in the sunshine and I can get him if weather turns (I work full time and keep him at home so no-one else could do this). He is much happier in and loves the fuss and I do ride when I can.

If you can offer positive vibes on this I'd appreciated it as the local "expert" who has native breeds turned out 24/7 once said that she didn't know how I could live with myself and my management of him was unnatural and he would not be happy. I know I'm doing what's best for him but I do occasionally have pangs when I doubt myself!
 
Your horse, your choice - tell the "expert" to bog off. What is right for hers may not be right for yours.
 
I knew a mare who hated being turned out for more than 3 hours a day.

All you can do is what suits your horse.

I always thought mine loved being out, until I moved yards and we were somewhere where they had to be in by 4 over winter. A friend brought them in and I'd go down after work to find 2 very relaxed, snuggled up in straw beds, horses.
 
My 27 yr old mare will ask to come back in if I put her out & she thinks the weather / ground conditions are not to her liking. She comes & stands at the gate & 'wills' me to open it & let her back in. She's perfectly happy in her warm stable inside the barn with plenty of food, radio & cats for company. The 2 geldings ages 10 & 11 are equally happy to stay out in all weathers! Do what makes for a happy horse.
 
if your horse prefers being in let it,
if you let him out on the odd day when the weathers nice, hes sounds like he'll be fine, not all horses like the outdoor life!
Ignore the 'expert', she doesn't know your horse so how can she say?
 
Just wondering do you put your horse out on his own or does he have company when in the field? My old horse would only be happy out if she had a friend with her. I do think its good for them to get out for a bit to streach their legs, even if its just while you muck out. I use to work on a show jumping yard where most of the horses where kept in but they were put on the walker daily to streach their legs
 
Echo what others have said. You know your horse and your doing this cause it suits him - not cause your too busy to turn out, or is too lazy to muckout. Your reasons are genuine and selfless so fair play. Like people, older horses don't need the same mental stimulus or physical exercise that they did when they are younger. You might find he'll stiffen up a wee bit but you could do some stretching exercises with him (which only take a few mins) could be enough to keep him supple.

Good luck.
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It sounds to me like your horse has made the decision for you - if he prefers to be in, don't feel bad or doubt the decision just because an "expert" says its not the right thing to do.
Just like people, horses are individuals and as has already been said, what suits one horse will not suit all.
You know your horse best, so stick to your guns. And anyway I am sure he will let you know soon enough if he wants to start going out a bit more!!
 
its your horse, you do whats best for him, if he loves being in, keep him in! Every horse is different, just like humans!
My hairy cob likes abit of both-and if she aint happy, she certainly knows how to let mama know!!! She will be stood at the gate with a disgusted "where the hell have you been?" look on her face.
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Ditto this, all horses are individuals, do what is best for him and dont bother about other folks opinions. I once had a connemara and an ID/TB at the same time. The connie hated bad weather and refused to leave his box, the ID/TB was never happier than when rolling in the mud and standing in the rain. If your boy likes being snuggled up in the dry then fair play to him, let him enjoy being pampered.
 
my mare is out for half a day in afternoons now were on winter t/o thats just fine for her, and my boy hated being out in the rain and would rather stay in his bed, everyone is different and so are our horses so if he's happy to stay in then thats just fine you know your horse no one else...
I used to put their jolly balls in the stable so they also had something else to do and stick couple of treats around the stable and extra big haynet
 
dont feel bad my old lad used to take a 5 bar wooden gate off its hinges and return himself to his stable if he didnt fancy being out. still to this day we dont have a clue how he done it!

i gave up in the end and used to let him free range the farm when i was about other than that he was in 24/7 most of the winter months
 
If your horse is happier inside, then let him stay inside. I have known horses who refuse to go our in the winter (wise in my opinion!) and they stayed in.

My horse prefers in, but will tolerate a few hours out just to gossip with his friends. He is always by the gate after an hour or so.
 
I think you have made the right decision, so go for it. He will soon let you know if he fancies going out for a bit, in the same way he lets you know he wants to come in now. Do what's best for him and blow the busy body 'experts'.
 
I don't know what your situation is, but could you give him free range of several stables during the day or a larger part of a building, perhaps putting a bit of hay in each stable. If he's happier in that's fine but it's good to encourage them to move about as much as possible.
 
Right decision for him - my mare hates being out but will stand it if the weather is good. If I'm going out she has to come in early or stay in and shes as happy as Larry.
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He's your horse and you know him best.
We have a TB who hates rain,wind, hot sun
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, flies, snow, frost etc etc. He loves a half day turnout in moderate weather but is soooo unhappy in poor weather he stays in a lot of the winter time.
He is not unhappy and he is always first to be brought in as he creates merryhell if he isnt. He fence walks and hangs over the gate if you are late.

I also have a yearling and a native mare who live out 24/7 so it is just horses for courses I think...
 
I knew a horse on a yard where I worked who would stay out for about 15mins, then jump the fence and trot back to her stable. We were always being disturbed by frantic shouts of 'LOOSE HORSE' from the liveries only realise it was just Hattie putting her self back to bed!
She did this regardless of which field she was in, who she was out with etc... She just didn't like being out.

I think if your horses is telling you he doesn't want to go out, you are right to listen to him. Good luck with all the mucking out though
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As everyone has previously said, you know your horse and you must do what you consider is right for him but I have to say that as an old horse, he will need some sort of excercise or turnout everyday to stop him from stiffening up, but I guess you know that allready. Good luck with him anyway
 
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Sounds like he has pshycological issues, and may well be best left in. Does he have company?

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I agree. He has probably been conditioned through past management and becomes insecure when outside. Unless he is conditioned otherwise his stressy behaviour will remain. If you have exhausted all the obvious rehabilitation tactics like gradually increasing turnout, turning out with a friend, plenty of food, shelter and warm enough then at his age he is better off in if thats where he is more settled.
 
Sounds like your boy is going to have a very enjoyable winter! I think often you need to think outside of the box and realise that what is good for one horse isn't necessarily right for another.

You have the facilities and enthusiasm to keep your horse in the way he is happiest.

Total kudos to you for doing that and FWIW I would be doing the same in your shoes.
 
I agree that if he's happier inside, keep him there and just give him the odd hours turnout here and then - but that said, is the field as inviting as possible - does he have company, plenty of food and decent shelter? If he's alone on an exposed hill knee deep in mud, then you can't blame him for wanting to come inside! Could you possibly give him access to both his field and stable so he can choose where he wants to be?
 
A native pony out 24/7 person here!
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Much though I can harp on about the benefits of as much turnout as possible, there are some horses who just don't enjoy it, or as others have said, have led a life with less turnout, or were brought/left in if the weather wasn't as nice, and now prefer that routine. I also appreciate finer horses weren't bred to thrive living out.

Whilst I would HATE for one of my horses to prefer to be in, and fight it with all my will (!!!), I do accept that there are some who prefer to be in. I would just state the obvious, like watching out for filled legs and stiffness, and making sure he has ad lib hay to fulfil his chewing and digestive needs. I like other people's ideas of free range of a few stables with hay in each, or maybe its possible to allow him freedom onto a secure yard, or fence off an area outside his stable so he has the choice.

Good luck with it all!
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I am generally of the opinion that a horse should be out as much as possible as long as they have adequate shelter for bad weather.

However, at 22 I think your horse knows what he wants!!! If he is happy and relaxed inside and you can manage it this way then so be it. Obviously they need some for of exercise and, in an ideal world we'd all have a huge barn we could turn our horses out in when the weather was horrid (ahhh to dream!).

Do what your horse is 'telling' you he wants I reckon!!
 
As long as you have genuinely tried everything you can for him to be happy out then you are doing the right thing. That means, as teddyt said- company he gets on with, food, shelter, warm rug, maybe leg protection from the mud. If you stuck him out alone in the wind and he was miserable so you said 'he doesn't like it, he's wintering in' then that's where it's wrong.

As long as you can say you have tried to make him happy out, and there's no other reason for him to be miserable then go for it.

I would want an older horse to get a leg stretch at least twice a day though.

My share horses are in all winter now
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i really don't agree with it but their owner only has 1 field and can't get any more close by so she has to look after it. They go i the school for a run at least once a day, go out on the school or yard for a wander again in the evening and get exercised properly about 5 days a week, either a nice long hack or schooling. K is 26 and has been absolutely fine with hardly any stiffness at all. So it can be done. They do need keeping occupied though- i really disagree with whoever said that older horses don't need so much. Maybe double net hay so it takes longer to eat, or feed little and often.
 
Charles lived out for 2 years previously before i got him and was never stabled in that time. He was obviously stabled though for most of hsi life you can tell he has been.

I have a stabel for him and he loves his stable. He has daily turnout but even after being out for a bit he stands by the gate wanting to come in.

He has really settle donto the yard and has made friends with a horse stabled next to him who also goes out in the same field.
There just is nothign in the grass any more and he has adlib hayledge when in so i suppose he just wants to come in and be cosy and eat his hayledge.

He is 17 and feels the cold, and loosk the type who is hard to keep weight on.

He prefers to be in and worked from the stable and this really suits him. I susspect as he windsucks adnd the way eh has taken to his stable he probably had limited turnout at some point on his life. His windsucking has improved with a suppliment called antisuck, and with adlib hayledge and a good diet. I knwo in hsi case he is happy in the field , he is always eager to go out in the mornings and get son with the other geldings, but give it an hour or so and he will be by the gate and will be neighing to me to come in, if the weather is bad. If the weather is good and i go t catch him he always gallops over when i call him, he just loves his stable, lies down every night in there and is just so chilled being in considering he lived out for 2 years solid prior to that.

Every horse is different though and if he wanted to stay out more then i would keep him out more.
 
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