keeping horses in 24/7 over the winter

charlie76

charlie76

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Does anyone do this? Just wondering . Having had a week of enforced stabling I discovered That my horses seemed pretty content with no turn out and were far easier To ride. They went back out for two days And were much spookier!
I am now considering leaving them in on miserable cold days. I work on the yard so I put them in the indoor in pairs For walk, groom and roll, Lunge or hand graze at lunch and ride in the evening.
Does anyone else have horses that are happy to be In?
They are all competition warmblood type horses and all imported.
 
I've never done it all winter, but have recently had to keep them in for a week & like yours, mine seemed to like it. They're back out now and miserable as sin, so I feel rather guilty! I think the problem is routine, though. Once my TB gets used to going out every morning he gets agitated around that time, so leaving them in on odd days may not suit as well as leaving them in totally, if that makes sense?
 
Providing they are getting adequate exercise and their feed adjusted accordingly they should be fine. I had mine on livery at one time and they were in 24/7 year round along with all the other liveries and fine.

Who wants to stand out in mud in the cold sleety rain with the north wind blowing up your cover?
 
Mine is happy enough to be in if everything else is in, as in he doesn't like staying out in the field completely alone. But, he has arthritis and gets very stiff if he's stabled for too long - the stiffness makes him grumpy and snappy, eventually. Last winter he was in for about 3-4 weeks because of the ice and he was utterly vile to handle, despite getting two walker sessions each day.

However, he is a horse who has always been used to being out as much as possible, he is a leisure horse. Horses on the continent tend to be stabled for longer periods of time don't they? So probably this is what your horses are used to so they are more content with it than others might be. I don't see too much of a problem with it if the horses are working fairly hard. An previous YO of mine had SJers and hunters. They were all worked hard - hacked each morning and then schooled/jumped/lunged each afternoon, plus competitions or hunting weekly (at least - IIRC her hunting mare was hunting twice a week so working hard). They lived in 24/7, went out in the field on their day off, and were always perfectly happy.
 
I think a lot of warmbloods cope well with being inside 24/7 as it is very common for them to be kept like this on the continent. My horse seems happy when he is stabled (just finishing a box rest period).

However, I would never choose to keep a healthy horse in. Fresh air, freedom and company I feel are essential for a horse's wellbeing. Turnout in schools/surfaced paddocks are better than nothing but not something I would do personally :)
 
Mine have free access to come and go in and out of their stables as they please. They much prefer to be out, every time. So for me would I stable mine 24/7? Absolutely no way, they have made it abundantly clear what they prefer.

I'm afraid no matter what arguments people put forward for their horses being in 24/7 (other than box rest of course) it just doesn't sit well with me at all. I know it isn't natural the day we put a headcollar on a horse and so on, but to keep an animal designed to be out and roaming large areas of land in a box 24/7 just doesn't seem right or fair.

Isn't there something in the new Welfare Act about horses must have freedom to be out? Or did I dream it.
 
If I kept my horse in all winter their wouldn't be any stables left by the end of it.. He tolerates being in for 8 hours for 2/3 months tops. After that he lets himself out and eats everything insight (including one night managed to get into a barrel with a whole bag of vetran mix in! How he never coliced is beyond me!). He is now out 24/7 and happy as a pig in mud (which he basically is! Except maybe elephant instead of pig!)
I would never keep a horse in 24/7 for winter unless medical reasons dictated. Even if they only go out for a couple of hours a day, to have a groom with other horses, a roll and a run and then come back in again (should the horse so wish).
 
Yes because my lad will not go out during the winter, if you put him out he paces the fence line all day winding himself up because he wants to be in, he has been known to jump out of the field on occasion and i'd really rather he didn't injure himself or make himself ill.
 
I have found some seem to like the discipline of being in, I have a young ISH that was so much better last winter without daily turnout, he worked hard and had more time being groomed and handled, he seemed much less anxious and put weight on.

I found that the warmbloods we have had that were imported and some ex racers do not always like going out in bad weather, one old exracer would not leave his stable in the rain, if forced out would go for a turn round the field, back to the gate and demand to be brought in.

What I do not feel is right is the yards that have no turnout, offer no facilities for proper exercise and people that are keeping youngsters or non working horses in that situation all winter.
 
I haven't tried mine in 24/7 yet - but no doubt the fields will get way too muddy for him to be out all day this winter (hes mud fever prone! :() so I'll have to bring him in for longer periods of time soon. I'm interested to see how he behaves when he's stabled all day but I suppose being an ex-racer he will be used to it... I'll just have to up the exercise :D

A friends horse has recently been on box rest on and off for the past month or so (due to a collision with a lorry!), he's coping with it rather well (apart from his hind legs swelling up). But then became a nutter again when turned back out and impaled himself on the fence! So back on box rest for him - He must prefer his stable!
 
I think it is OK ONLY if it is definitely because the horse prefers it rather than for the owners convenience! 'Settled' can make the owner think the horse is happy but after a while owner can think horse still happy whereas horse now very bored!

It also depends on whether the yard is a buzzing interesting place or whether it is dull, how often small amounts of feed can be replenished etc.

We are in Cairngorms and last year we had snow for 6 months out of 12 with temps down to below minus 20.

Only on three days in that year did the horses not get out, and that was because it took me that long to dig a path though metre high snow to the field :-)))) They dont stay out for too long, a couple of hours in the really bad weather as there isnt shelter in the field and one of them is prone to colicing if he eats too much snow.

This was 28 Feb last year.....
P1010407.jpg


But out they go every day. Otherwise they are effectively in prison. Especially if not being ridden daily.
 
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i think it depends on the horse, some hate being in others dont mind one bit. my own mare hates being out in the winter when its raining and windy so on those type of days i will keep her in, she loves her stable, i think its because she doesnt have to walk and look for food lol.
 
Most of the horses at my yard are kept in 24/7 as the fields just turn to mush at this time. When it freezes over we get day turnout. Only the riding school ponies live out at winter all the liveries come in. All the ponies in the stable block where mine is, they are kept in 24/7 if the kids come down to ride at night then they are left in during the day but if not they are put out in the school for a run for a few minutes every day. Then on a saturday morning all the kids ponies go out in the field to let steam off before they get sat on :p otherwise i end up riding them all lol! But wouldnt worry about it if its easier for you, you dont mind the extra poo, and the horses is happy! There will be people that make comments about your horse being in all the time but who cares! I know yards with top horses, the horses stay in 24/7 and dont get out incase they get an injury. Many stallions also stay in 24/7!
 
A couple of years ago I had to keep my tb exracer in for a month. He coped very well, once he knew he was staying in and it was his routine! He was worked every day though. I do prefer him out though and in even in the bad weather I chuck them out, even if it's just so I can muck out!
 
ISHmad said:
Isn't there something in the new Welfare Act about horses must have freedom to be out? Or did I dream it.
Click to expand...

Weeeel no not exactly, the code intro'd in the act says horses should

•has a suitable environment to live in;
•has a healthy diet;
•is able to behave normally;
•has appropriate company; and
•is protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

(from DEFRA site)

A suitable environment would I would think be deemed to cover both stable or field for a horse. Some would argue a horse cant behave normally and doesnt have a suitable environment if always stabled but if the horse is getting out and about for exercise eg a cavalry horse in London!) or otherwise not stuck in 24/7 then being stabled with sight of companions, a good diet, vet care and clean stable would be deemed a fairly OK and interesting life for a horse.

However if the horse is just in the stable, especially alone with no other horses in sight, not exercised, maybe stable not mucked out properly and vet treatment not prompt, then that would be completely unacceptable and possibly would be grounds for confiscation/prosecution.

Also the code isnt legally enforceable in itself, it is advisory, although
"Breach of a provision of the Code is not an offence in itself, but if proceedings are brought against you for a welfare offence the Court will look at whether or not you have complied with the Code in deciding whether you have committed an offence."
 
Totally depends on the horse.

I have a small number of liveries and they all have can live out 24/7 mar-oct, then stabled overnight in the winter.

All horses go out every day in the winter, regardless of the weather, but are also brought in when they have had enough - some only like a couple of hours out, mine like to come in at lunchtime, with a welsh sec d who is happy to stay out on his own until it gets dark. It makes my days very busy but keeps the horses happy.
 
Yes. My Welsh Cob believe it or not, HATES being turned out in winter. He either gallops around until I bring him in or stands by the gate looking miserable. He loves his stable and I'm very lucky that he is super clean anyway in his stable so very very easy anyway. In fact even though he's pretty much out 24/7 in summer he'd much rather be in his stable ;) my old HW cob was also the same! And there are a few liveries who pretty much stay in 24/7 in winter.

Horses are individuals and they will let you know what they're happy with.
 
Mine was in 24/7 over the worst of the winter last year. He seemed fine on it, was handwalked when path had been cleared. He did fine on it, and when turned out he didn't want to stay out! he seemed rather happy about it.
 
All three of mine would come in after half an hour in winter if there was food in the stable and I let them. Two warmbloods were possibly barn reared and one in particular would never go out if I didn't make him. I even feel mean sometimes but there are limits to how much mucking out I'm prepared to do! Some horses are genuinely happier to be in. Can you try leaving the gate and the stable door open and see where they put themselves??
 
My rather snooty TB mare has to go out every day even in atrocious weather even if it's just for an hour while I'm doing the chores. Otherwise she weaves and box walks.Most days she is out from about 7.30am to 4pm I don't think that any horse should be stabled 24/7 - I don't think it's natural.
On the other hand I've just got a two year old NF X and she seems quite happy inside - she seems to enjoy her own company and stirs her haylage round her box (I feed from the floor) and then forages for it like she would have done when she was in the forest. It doesn't make for a tidy bed but she seems to love doing it! But I still make sure that she is turned out as I don't know her well enough yet to know what she really prefers, and I really dont' like horses kept inside 24/7.
 
It's each to their own, but personally I don't agree with it. It's like locking a kid in a cage for long hours. It's not natural, and it's not fair. Yes, they will adapt to it and learn to tolerate or even expect it, just like a prisoner in a cell would.

Turnout is important to me, and I wouldn't keep my horse anywhere he couldn't have any at all.
 
I'm on a large yard and quite a large number of owners (mostly with competition horses) choose to keep their horses in 24/7. They are put on the walker twice a day and ridden once. I personally don't agree with it and mine are turned out all day & in at night. Our grazing is amazing on our yard and the horses are still loving being out even though it's getting cold and haven't yet been waiting to come in, in fact we've been bringing them in at 4.30 and they've been running away! I was on a yard with restricted 2 hour turnout in sick paddocks, my tb did ok but my mums mare was off her nut! It wasn't fair on the horse and so we moved.
 
ShadowFlame said:
It's each to their own, but personally I don't agree with it. It's like locking a kid in a cage for long hours. It's not natural, and it's not fair. Yes, they will adapt to it and learn to tolerate or even expect it, just like a prisoner in a cell would.

Turnout is important to me, and I wouldn't keep my horse anywhere he couldn't have any at all.
Click to expand...

SF don't get me wrong, I don't agree with it either, but there is no doubt at all that a small proportion of horses actually like it. One of mine has, literally, to be chased out of his box some mornings. He would happily wave goodbye to the other three and stand in his box with the door wide open even though there is no food in there. I have been making him go out now for nearly 11 months and he would still choose to stay in if I let him.
 
Those that do keep them in 24/7 - do you feed ad lib hay/haylage? A horse can only produce saliva if they are chewing, therefore to produce enough buffer for the gut they need to be chewing I think it's 16 hours a day, or they are at high risk of ulcers.

I personally don't like the idea, I think turnout should always be offered when available, and I for one would never keep a horse at a yard where there is no winter turnout. I don't think I'd even keep them at a yard where there were only a few hours turnout, that's still 20 odd hours stuck in a small box twiddling their hooves!
 
Ideally all horses would have plenty of time out, however there are times when for reasons such as charlie76 is currently experiencing that they cannot go out. At such times the horse should be confident enough to spend time in the stable without getting stressed, the stable should be a safe environment that they can relax in with access to ad lib forage.
It should not be a prison and I have had one that would stay in rather than go out in bad weather, is it right to force such a horse to stay outside all day just because it is more natural, he was very upset if left out and was not going to accept that it was best for him, he enjoyed the field in the summer so he lived life on his terms.
 
My older mare makes her feelings quite clear. If its raining, she plants herself, and stays in her stable. The other morning she managed to open her door somehow - never done it before.

She has a gate style door, and it blew back. She was found standing IN her stable, looking at the 13ft wide door way, turned away from the door.

My other girls are also quite content inside, sleeping all day. One grazes half the day then waits at the ate, the other fence walks all day.
 
The first season I came to work where I am now, none of the hirelings/hunt staff horses/dealers went out from November until March unless they broke halfway through the season. Now, 2 years on after gentle nudging and stealth tactics, they all get at least a couple of hours a couple of times a week, if not a whole day, or a night with 2 rugs on and a hood.
I fall off less, the beds are cleaner, and although I can't really tell a difference in their state of mind in the stable, they do have a buck and a fart when they go out which can only be good for them!
 
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