Keeping an eventer out 24/7

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Ahrena

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In summer really.

I'm thinking of putting mine out April-end of sept (or maybe longer weather dependent and how he copes) but started thinking...what is the reason most people stable their competition horse for part of the day?

I don't want to start a debate, more wondering people's reasons.

I'm thinking of putting him out as it will be cheaper, he is happy out (he had a month out 24/7 in November and was clipped at the start) and he is a little arthritic so feel moving around would be better for him.

I am slightly concerned he may get a little lazy as I found him less forward going last summer when he was out at night and in during the day, but i suppose that could be countered with higher energy hard feed?
 
My eventer lives out all year 24/7 because I prefer to be able to walk around and would like to think it keeps her energy levels down. . Sadly she still has excess energy :) if he's arthritic make sure he's warm and I'm sure he'd be fine :)
 
I have evented horses at the lower levels quite happily with them living out. I do find they are more laid back but my boys generally wake up as soon as you start the party anyway. They just slept more when back at the lorry which is no bad thing.
If you find he doesnt cope you could always just bring him in the night before an event.
I think it depends what level you are competing at.
 
I think most people keep in to keep fit so that the horse can rest properly.
You could maybe keep in the night been a comp to let him rest properly.
I know that's why my friend keeps in over night when eventing and the hunters are in majority of day and night as they hunt 4 days a week.
 
Mine are out 24/7 in summer, and don't have a problem.
As regards to level, you can get horses fit out of a field. A few racehorse trainers train from the field. I know that Sharon Hunt's event horses out in summer most of the time.
 
Im planning on keeping mine out as much as possible this summer, he will probably just come in for a few hours everyday to be ridden and have a snooze/rest from the field. If he does loose a little sparkle (right now it would be no bad thing) I will bring him in the night before competitions or maybe for longer during to day, just play it by ear!
 
Mine lives out 24/7 May to October and I never have a problem with him, he would prefer to live out all year round but they have to come in at night during winter on our yard.
 
Mine both live out 24/7 through the summer and are very happy for it. Having said that, I bring them in if swelteringly hot, or torrential rain. My instructor had an advanced mare that was only rideable if out 24/7, even through the winter. Horses for courses, but I would definitely give it a go. You could always bring yours in the night before a competition to give some extra sparkle :)
 
I prefer mine out, have done for years. You get less respiratory problems, less panics about filled legs in the morning and for the older ones they don't stiffen up as much. They tend to be calmer for the dressage but soon get going for the jumping and they keep their fitness better so long as you don't have too much grass!
On the otherhand bathing muddy grey horses in the dark at 5am is not fun.
 
He would be in the night before a comp mostly, unless I have very late start times! As need to bath and plait ect.

Thanks guys :) I think I'll give it a go and see what happens. To be fair I never really thought about the adrenaline at events giving him the extra 'oomph', he loves his parties and really lights up the ring.

We'e at novice, hopefully 1* level.
 
We have kept out 24/7 for years in the summer often even with an early start we have bathed, plaited, rugged with a fly rug and turned back out!! Find horses are much more settled and work better at the competition - eventing at intermediatte level :)
 
mine lives out 24/7 all year round as it calms him down a bit - he's far far too sharp when he's in at night and only barely manageable at times when he's out! It cuts down on bills and on time as well, plus it's better for his respiratory system and I think it's better on their legs to be out wandering around.

Even 5am starts he's stays out. Might be different if he was grey but I just bath the night before if really needed (I dont bath much!) and then rug up overnight - if it's really warm just put fly rug on to keep worse of dirt off.
 
My bosses eventers ranging from Pre-Novice (EvA95 which I think is BE90?) to 2* are almost all out 24/7.
Only one of the 2* horses is stabled at night and that is because his owner wants him stabled under lights to keep his coat nice.
They are even put back in a paddock after a bath (rugged of course) and keep themselves clean. None of them have a problem with fitness or getting enough rest. If they are tired, they rest in the paddock as all horses do, regardless of work level.

I only stable the night before an event to keep my grey horse clean and stop him rubbing plaits out. I can’t be bothered bathing a horse the morning of an event when I have to travel in some cases 3-4 hours to get to the grounds. My Ranga horse gets bathed, plaited, boots and white chalk chucked on his socks and then thrown out into the paddock. I am pretty sure he raced straight from the paddock too. He has no problems with fitness.
 
I think its personal preference and trial and error on how your horse copes with it.
Mine for years were always out 24/7 but as my chunky munkey went up through the levels I found in the summer he was starting to get really sluggish despite being uber fit so last year he still came in at night and he was a different horse.
Then again he isn't the horse equivalent of a labrador for nothing and was probably spending his whole time eating and not resting so no wonder he was tired. He goes out straight away after a competition for 24 hrs as I don't like him coming straight off the lorry and into his stable after going XC.
 
I had mine out when I moved house as we had no stables. The only thing I noticed is that he usually laid down and slept at around 9am every morning. When I then got him in, loaded up and travelled to an event he was often dull and lethargic. I eventually sold him but the same happened with my grey horse and now I have stables I have noticed a different in him. He will sleep in the early hours lying down and has a wee at 7am ish (sad aren't I that I know this - CCTV is ace!) so if I'm heading to an event and disturbing him before 7am I have to get him ready then give him about half an hour of total peace (go and have a cuppa!) to let him pee. Otherwise he will be bursting and will only then wee when desperate!

My eventers seem to be less explosive with energy so any lack of sleep/rest makes them lethargic. The new boy Biggles is very laid back so he is likely to be the same I reckon!!

When I didn't have stables I started to stable overnight the night before the show in the field shelter.

I guess it depends on the horse but there is nothing wrong in trying it. :)
 
Mine is normally out 24/7 in the summer. Last year was different as my field was a bog. Even the night before an event she was still out. Plaited up and ready to be dragged out the field and stuck in the box in the morning. Much easier IMHO
 
Mine is out the summer months and in during the winter which is a pain but the rules of the yard.
I just keep ontop of her fitness and lunge her regularly as well as ride so she can kick her heels up if she needs to.
She will go out as much as possible in the summer due to being in for 4 months but ours arent out 24/7, just out all day.
 
Reg and Bee are out 24/7. With Reg, it makes an enormous difference to how relaxed and happy he is- he trashes his stable at night if he's in too long, and we think he might be slightly claustrophobic. Thy both do well off it- Reg was at BE100 last season out all the time, and was finishing the XC ready to go round again almost immediately (and getting too fast time penalties by the end of the season!).
 
amandaco2 said:
Surely they will be fitter if out and moving all the time...?
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This is what I never get about the "you can't get a horse fit from the field argument"...?

My next door neighbour keeps her endurance horses out 24/7 all year (proper 100 miler endurance horses too!) but I suppose eventing is a different type of fitness.
 
My two are out 24/7 all summer, although I sj the younger one not event, I have always kept them like this, years ago my oldie was out all winter too although she had a field shelter then. I know all horses don't like being out all the time but I really think this is better for them, they can move around & keep warm, I've never had any illnesses, colic etc in all these years & the only lameness problem was a degenerative one. Their summer grazing is fairly sparse, don't think it would be a good idea to compete of acres of lush grazing!! See how it suits your horse...also a lot less hassle (apart from poo-picking of course :D )
 
Mary King - and she knows a thing or two - plaits, baths etc night before a compi. Rugs them up, then chucks them out. Avoids an over-fresh horse.
 
My daughters eventer lives out pretty much 24/7 all summer. She will come in the night before an event to make sure she is clean and to make sure she is rested, and she loves going to bed in her stable after the event, so she can have a good snooze. I have to be honest I dont bring her in if the heat is stifling, as its cooler in the field under the trees, which are on all four sides of her field, but if its pouring with rain we do bring her in. This is only because she suffers from sweet itch and lives out in summer in a bug rug. If it gets wet, she is pretty miserable, so madame has to come in.

I also think it chills them out and keeps them fitter. After all she is an eventer, but she is still a horse. However, its a question of what works for you really.
 
We used to event ours (novice up to 3 and 4*) from the field. All out in nice hilly fields, winter and summer with no issues at all. We had brand new stables in an American barn and only used them for a couple of hours the whole year I worked out there (this was in NZ so very chilled out, the grand prix showjumper lived out in a field with a 10m quarry drop in it!) Relaxed happy fit horses.
 
FlyingCoo said:
Then again he isn't the horse equivalent of a labrador for nothing and was probably spending his whole time eating and not resting so no wonder he was tired..
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That was my issue too, they are equine labs too, and were just getting too fat living out. I bring them in by day and let them out at night. I would love them to be able to live out 24/7 and save some work!

madmav said:
Mary King - and she knows a thing or two - plaits, baths etc night before a compi. Rugs them up, then chucks them out. Avoids an over-fresh horse.
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Her daughter's advanced horse lives out all year too.
 
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