Keeping Competition Horses out 24/7 (Amateur)

[equidstar11]

Hi all,

I have 2 warmbloods (geldings, younger), and 2 ponies (mares, older retired ponies) that live together, out 24/7 during spring/summer/autumn in a mini ‘herd’, who all get on very well together. They move fields frequently but all the fields are large, on hills, have hedgerows for at least 3 sides and have plenty of hedge/tree shelter. Generally unrugged this spring/summer apart from light rain sheets/fly sheets.

I have noticed that the two boys are rather flat of energy - they’re fed the proper ration of a good balancer with a good amount of protein (which is also topped up with any extra vits/mins/protein/lysine/vit e as required). Hesitant to add any other feed as they have been known to get a little tubby. Our grass is lovely mixed meadow grass - not too much rye or anything nasty (and we cut our own hay, which was tested super low sugar/starch, high protein and fairly good vit/min mix).

Both in regular work, have been focussing on hacking lately (lots of steep & gradual inclines/declines) to build muscle mostly on straight lines. But they’re lacking that march/impulsion.

My question is around them living out 24/7 - literally everyone I know keeps their horses in 50% of the time eg at night/during day (if not more) when they are ‘competition’ horses. Most only even get small individual paddocks or a shared small ‘flat’ paddock.

I know from experience if I get them in the night before a show or lesson they have far more sparkle and perform better - but have always believed more movement was better for them, and I am all for different terrain for joints/soft tissues - I even add old poles/branches near water/ through field for proprioception training.

Is there anything I can do (keeping wise) to make improvements? EG - I don’t seem them laying down so much in the field, but one loves to lay down and have a nap in his stable in the morning (when they are in overnight - occasional).

Do they sleep better in something like a field shelter as they feel more secure?

Just pondering…

 

[Squeak]

Out of interest, what level are you competing at?

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I had both Amber and Dolly out 24/7 from May - Oct and tried to compete from the field, but found they lacked spark in competition. Even Amber, though less so. Dolly was far too chilled! But I only brought them in the night before a comp, they were still out the rest if the time.

A night off the grass with a higher energy feed made then a lot sparkier on the day.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

ETA Lottie is out overnight and I don't think she sleeps - she comes in during the day as she can't cope with too much grass and immediately lies down for a lenghty kip in her stable. I also leave her in overnight before competing so she has a good night's sleep.

 

[TheMule]

I compete mine from the field and have done for years, up to Be Intermediate level.
Sounds like you have happy, relaxed horses who don’t feel the need to get stressed and expend extra energy which is surely the nicest thing for them?
Mine always sleep early morning, often flat out

 

[AandK]

I competed my late gelding from grass, up to the heady heights of BE90. Never had any issues with lack of energy, even though he was quite laid back in general. He was a TB who was kept himself quite fit. It’s horses for courses though.

 

[millitiger]

Mine live out.
I have a naturally laid back horse and he is much more pleasant to ride if he stays in or we're at an stayaway show where he is stabled.

I try to book lessons in the afternoon so he can come in for the morning.
I sometimes keep him in if competitions mean an early start. Again, if we have afternoon times I get him in early so he can snooze for the morning first.


It's harder the higher we go- working towards Adv.Med, I really could do with a bit more natural energy but I like him to live as naturally as possible and he's very happy in the field with his friends.

 

[daffy44]

I competed up to PSG on a horse that lived out 24/7, but she was a hot person, and living out kept her rideable, so I would bring her in, quick wash and plait and off to a show, never any stable time, as thats what she preferred and I often saw her sleep in the field. If I thought a horse was happy on that regime, but needed a bit more sparkle, I'd just bring them in over night the night before a competition, and try and give them a couple of hours rest in the stable before I rode.

 

[DressageCob]

My old horse lived out 24/7, competing BD elementary. He was fine, but the work at that level is obviously not as taxing as the higher levels. I sometimes left him in overnight if it was an early start, but always found him a little too jolly then My current horse is out in the day and in at night. I think he'd get a bit flat if he was out all the time but the reason for his routine is that he likes his home comforts. He wouldn't cope with the herd life.

there are quite a few energising options these days, with feeds, supplements etc. I used to use a high energy mix when I was eventing, plus electrolytes on hot days. Now since we just do dressage I use electrolytes on hot days, after hard work or competition days.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I have no experience to impart but enjoyed reading how many folk compete at high level when horses live out..full on respect to you all.

 

[MagicMelon]

I think keeping any horse cooped up makes them more wired and full of energy just because they're delighted to be back out. I sometimes had to keep my eventer in if we had to leave early for an event the next day (he was WHITE so had to be bathed), but because he was already spritely it made the dressage that bit more challenging so I avoided doing it if I could.

 

[Fieldlife]

I used to livery at a high level event yard. They had badminton runners living out and going round badminton

 

[Annagain]

They're all different and it's a case of trial and error until you find what works for you.

My friend evented to intermediate with her horse. He was (is, he's still with us just not competing anymore) very quirky to manage at home, he had to be in his routine and you couldn't change it. Our yard rules mean they had to be in overnight from late Nov to mid April so he'd do the first event or two of the season while being in overnight. When they changed to out 24/7 he had to have a couple of weeks off as he'd be so wired in the field during the transition that he'd be flat as a pancake to ride (but she couldn't carry on with staying in overnight as he wouldn't stay in on his own) and would lose weight. Once he was settled, she couldn't change it so he'd compete from the field and was fine, if she tried to keep him in, he'd stress all night then go flat as soon as she got on him.

Archie, my old boy (far from a competition horse!) won't lie down in his stable since we moved yards (he had a huge stable before so even though his stable now is plenty big enough, he doesn't think it is!) so sleeps much better in the field.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine basically live out most of the time but mid summer is when they really become the most quietest and are so chilled out.

When I did show them they normally stayed in the night before just for convenience really to keep them clean, but with them being Arab's they have never really lacked energy.

I would just keep them in the night before and see if it helps a bit.

 

[Goldenstar]

My best horse lived out when competing until she was running at OI and advanced after that the need to keep her slim and the fact that she just found it easier meant I stabled her a night she also needed to be in a stable when competing away from home so it was better to have her system used to that .
We still turned her out a lot sometimes twice a day because she was at home we could really do exactly what suited her best.
She loved to go out when you got back from a competition even if it dark do we did that .
We would stop on way home give her her main meal and walk if that was possible at home we put a rain sheet on her and out she went for the night .
In morning she would at gate saying what’s on today.
She was in field alone at this time she was very her own person and happy like that ,she would sometimes jump out and come to find me in the garden if she heard me talking to the dogs.
She was great horse.

 

[dominobrown]

The Prices horse are (or at least were) turned out at night all year round and lived out most of the time.
A racehorse trainer near me has good success and her horses live out 24/7 in herds.

Its more common than you think.

 

[BBP]

The Prices horse are (or at least were) turned out at night all year round and lived out most of the time.
A racehorse trainer near me has good success and her horses live out 24/7 in herds.

Its more common than you think.

Yep when I was grooming all the horses lived out. The Badminton/Burghley horse, the GP SJers, and the racehorses. All out on hills in groups. But it was in NZ (and briefly in UK) and it was just how everyone did it. Even at competitions, we would try to find folks nearby we could stay with so the horses could be lobbed out overnight.

 

[MissTyc]

Mine live out and they did when we still competed (we seem to have drifted since Covid). I have one who needed to grazing muzzled anyway 24/7 due to pure greed. Standing in a stable he'd get wheezy and angry. Living out he was happy and fat .. The muzzle helped, although I did bring him in the night before bigger events on a beautifully dust-free soaked hay affair, or there was a risk of that being the night the muzzle was lost. Half a night without muzzle and he was like a shetland pony on an all you can eat buffet and would need the next day to sleep it off .... He won a big (to me) BE100 the night after an unexpected thunderstorm once; we arrived stilll sopping wet and looking like we should be in a Mud Daddy advert ... basically we looked post-XC before the dressage. He didn't care and I learned not to.

 

[equidstar11]

I will 100% be keeping them out 24/7 wherever possible, they are all so happy in a herd and they’re on lovely big hilly & uneven fields which is great for them. They’re also all barefoot (and have always been) so the movement is essential.

It’s so nice being able to get one in from the field at a time and not have separation anxiety issues. They are very happy horses - even more so recently I’ve been doing more and more to ensure they are happy in their work, and they’re always running to the gate as soon as my car comes up the drive, waiting to come in and do something, if I’m too slow the two big boys will even shout for me!

They certainly aren’t short of grass in the field so I take that as a nice sign that they are enjoying ridden work (and in hand stuff).

I’ve just found that when having a lesson away from home (although literally a 6 min trailer ride) they’re a bit tired/flat, so I’ll try getting them in a few hours before for a nap, and maybe when competing they can come in the night before.

Perhaps when we get back out doing some more canter/gallop work on the fields and they’re that bit fitter they’ll have that oomph I’m missing right now for general flatwork etc.

As long as they’re happy!