In or Out, i just dont know..... advice please? (sorry very long)

[FoxhillBelle]

Up until a few weeks ago my ID cob x mare was out 24/7 in a strip grazed paddock, she only came in on the odd days when the weather was at its wettest, this was to not only preserve my field but also she because does not like heavy rain.

This arrangement seemed fine until one morning i arrived up the yard to find that she had jumped the 3ft fence into the paddock behind and gorged herself on the grass. I couldnt understand it as although she is strip grazed she is by no means starved, any way to cut a long story short she ended up very ill with colic.

My vet suggested that whilst recovering she is turned out during the day & in at night or vice versa during her recovery, my mare was fine with this, she is so easy going, however now that she has fully recovered and is able to be out 24/7 again, it sounds terrible, i love her to bits, but i just dont know if i trust her being out at night.

I have done all i can to make sure that she cannot jump out again, double fenced her paddock, wired up to electric etc, however I find myself getting nervous/anxious about her being out, i know i am being silly but i never had any reason to doubt her before, she is perfect in every other way.

I think/hope she has learned her lesson, i just need to make my mind up as to whether she goes back to her old routine of being out 24/7 & i have to harden up & learn to trust her again or do i just continue with what the vet suggested for her recovery period but extend it for the rest of the winter?

I was hoping prior to the colic episode that she will be out rugged until the weather turned for the worse, i just dont know...........

Advice please

 

[dwi]

Hugs, whatever you decide no-one could love her more than you do.

 

[pookie]

Is there any way you could test her? I'm not sure if it'd be possible for you, or if you work during the day, but I think if it were me I'd put her out and then watch for a bit to see what she does. She doesn't necessarily need to try clearing the fence again, but if she looks like she's making a play for it you'll have a better idea of how much risk she's posing herself.

Good luck, whatever you decide

 

[WandaMare]

Its difficult to say without seeing the changes you have made to the fencing, but if it were me i would most likely play safe and keep her in now for the winter x

 

[elsielouise]

I have a 'gutsy' type who has crashed through my fencing this summer. Luckily we have had no colic issues but I was talking to a friend about this who suggested this idea to restrict grazing rather than strip:

http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/paddock-paradise.html#

To be honest I don't know much about it but my friend is a real convert.

 

[debsflo]

i would be tempted to keep her in over winter at night even if its just for your anxiety.

 

[janet68]

I would def keep in at night but i am a fanny and dont like him out on cold dark nights anyway

 

[Annagain]

If she's been out under the same circumstances (ie strip grazing) during the day since her colic and hasn't done it, I doubt she will do it again and would be inclined to try her out. Why would she be any more likely to do it at night than in the day? I understand that's when she did it last time, but I don't think whether it was night or day had much to do with it. It's more likely that fancied the nice grass so thought she'd give it a go and maybe she was a bit hungry, so I would think the best way to avoid it is to make sure she has enough to fill her belly - she could probably cope with more grass now as it's not such good quality.