Keeping in in bad weather

[pistolpete]

Went to ride my lovely share yesterday as they have direct access to woods so no icy roads to deal with. Horses were completely wired as they had been in their stables 24/7 for four days! It was not a fun hack!

 

[Fieldlife]

Went to ride my lovely share yesterday as they have direct access to woods so no icy roads to deal with. Horses were completely wired as they had been in their stables 24/7 for four days! It was not a fun hack!

I think it depends if it is safe to turn out. My horse lives out, and has been picking his way over icy bits of field. Nearby yard, the track to get to fields way very icy, and they decided not safe for staff / livery horses on track and all stayed in. They do normally turnout in most weather. Looking at track I can totally see logic. I think have to assess what is safe for staff and horses. The problem with keeping in, is the risk of silly behavior once back out, and if soft ground, making it far muddier!

 

[Bobthecob15]

Went to ride my lovely share yesterday as they have direct access to woods so no icy roads to deal with. Horses were completely wired as they had been in their stables 24/7 for four days! It was not a fun hack!

I feel your pain! Last hack I went on with mine he ended up rearing, bucking and I had to lead him home (and he bucked on the way home too in hand)…riding horses in winter is not for he faint hearted

All things aside they really should be walked in hand or something despite the ice, ours don’t go out every day because of wet fields and ice etc but they do at least get out of stables twice a day for a walk on the walker 30 mins or loose school but still they are pretty wired!

I hope you don’t have to deal with that again this winter!

 

[Spirit7]

I can’t keep mine in, I feel like I’m letting them down as they always want to go out and socialise (they all nod and call of left in) but I’m lucky one of my fields is mostly woodland and doesn’t catch much snow compared to the other normal fields although the ruts are frozen solid but as my boys are all unshod they have warm feet. I’ve put piles of hay out all over every morning and they don’t want to come in until 6-7 pm as normal but I’ve not been able to ride at all!

 

[Jacksie]

I too feel your pain, managed to ride yesterday for the first time in days and it wasn’t enjoyable! Roll on summer.

 

[maya2008]

Mine get to go out but they will still be spicy today as you can’t run around on frozen ground!

 

[Birker2020]

Went to ride my lovely share yesterday as they have direct access to woods so no icy roads to deal with. Horses were completely wired as they had been in their stables 24/7 for four days! It was not a fun hack!

I am looking foward to riding my 'borrowed' horse tomorrow at last, I've not ridden since the weather got icy. Hope it is mild enough not to have ice on the lanes.

He's not been turned out since before October as they don't do mud, being Shire/ID cross they churn up the ground.

Not my choice, mine would have been out every day for 6 hours minimum but I have to accept it's their opinion, their horse. I only hope and pray he is sensible but it is at the back of my mind I'd stand little chance of stopping such a huge horse!

 

[lme]

Our non ridden horses live out and ridden ones go out whatever the weather - they wouldn't take kindly to being kept in

 

[Pippity]

Mine has been in for the past four days, because the fields were so frozen it wasn't safe. She's been out for an in-hand walk round the gritted yard every day but still getting increasingly bargy.

The school finally defrosted enough for her to have 30 minutes loose yesterday, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She's not a horse who's built to rear, but she managed to get those shoulders up!

Fingers crossed the fields will have defrosted enough for her to go out tomorrow.

I've given up riding over winter. I tried to push through last year and it went very badly wrong, so we're just focusing on groundwork this year.

 

[humblepie]

I have managed to get mine out for a leg stretch of some description, generally managed a hand walk finding the small bits that weren't icy. Yard doesn't grit so it has been difficult but we found a little track. Some were turned out, others weren't depending on the individual horse. He has had around 3 months off for various reasons and have just started sitting back on him for little wanders. School was still too frozen to do much yesterday other than hand walk so did that and a 5 minute sit on.

 

[Exasperated]

Mine has been in for the past four days, because the fields were so frozen it wasn't safe. She's been out for an in-hand walk round the gritted yard every day but still getting increasingly bargy.

The school finally defrosted enough for her to have 30 minutes loose yesterday, and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She's not a horse who's built to rear, but she managed to get those shoulders up!

Fingers crossed the fields will have defrosted enough for her to go out tomorrow.

I've given up riding over winter. I tried to push through last year and it went very badly wrong, so we're just focusing on groundwork this year.

I don’t understand this at all, we’ve probably had considerably more snow than most people who write on here, had to properly dig out access to all doors, field gates etc, but horses do NOT damage frozen grassland in deep snow.
When it starts thawing is when they do the damage; like now, when people are saying their horses are allowed back out(?!); but if been turned out THROUGHOUT, the demented galloping nonsense doesn’t happen.
Ok, horses’ll always play and run some, and lovely to see them enjoying snow, but it’s when horses have been housed up they go stir crazy, start injuring things (including themselves!) on release.
It sounds more like yard staff don’t want the hassle of changing rugs, digging out gates, ensuring field water and trekking through snow, but if owners are able to do all that, what’s the problem?
I love riding in snow, always have, and much safer on a horse whose experience enables him to deal with it.

 

[JFTDWS]

I just don't understand it - especially in snow or when it's frozen. Grit the yard so it's safe to get them out if necessary, and let them get on with it. If the fields are rutted and frozen, that's an issue, but if that's the option, I'd put in a smaller surfaced area for the worst of the weather. Keeping horses in stables 24/7 just seems miserable.

I know that's not a popular opinion with some people. I don't really care, to be honest - each to their own, but it's not something I'd accept for mine.

 

[Pippity]

Fields were rutted and frozen. Schools were flooded and frozen. Where was I supposed to put her?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have never kept a horse in whatever the weather for at least 30 years, apart from sickness of course. Brick built stables were always available up at the house for sickness and injury days if needed, we were very fortunate as they were very seldom needed. In fields without man made shelter but plenty of natural shelter and good quality rugs on the ones that needed them. They all weathered huge storms, knee deep snow and frozen ground on many occasions, all survived without injury or sickness. They always had mountains of fresh hay ad lib, water tanks cleared of ice several times a day.

We did at one stage provide good shelter in an old barn one year, they refused to use it even in hot weather to get in the shade. They were right, one of the huge storms took the roof right off and spread debris all around the place and huge pieces of smashed rafter and tin roof collapsed inside the barn. Very fortuitous that they chose the very centre of the field in a huddle during the worst of it.

 

[Spirit7]

Fields were rutted and frozen. Schools were flooded and frozen. Where was I supposed to put her?

I put mine out as normal although I idea my woodland field they soon moved to the snow covered ones to play once full of hay. I’d never keep horses in outside of injury or sickness issues think it’s different for horses that are shod as you have the ice stilt factor to deal with….poor ponies

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Fields were rutted and frozen. Schools were flooded and frozen. Where was I supposed to put her?

This I understand, not everyone is fortunate enough to have the land and set up to cope with very bad weather. You do what you can do to the best of your ability.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I’d never keep horses in outside of injury or sickness issues think it’s different for horses that are shod as you have the ice stilt factor to deal with….poor ponies

I have had both shod and unshod out all weathers, the shod ones always had a good lick of engine grease on their soles and it worked perfectly well.

 

[First Frost]

Mine have been turned out everyday through the bad wether. I am very lucky as I can choose which field I use, so I have had them out on a rested field while it is frozen to avoid the ruts. This didn't stop them being rather fresh when hacking out this morning! My firend rode one, I rode the other. They were really well behaved but had their backs up and were rather jolly!

 

[SEL]

I'm a cruel and heartless human - mine stay out 24:7.

Yes it is rutted but because they are out in it all of the time they know the footing isn't great and even my youngest cob treads cautiously over the ground.

He will still be horrible to hack though. Our lane doesn't get much sun so has been a sheet of ice for the past few days so no one has hacked for ages.

 

[Peglo]

Mine tend to get chucked out whatever the weather. If it’s especially bad storm force weather it might just be for an hour either end of the day while they get mucked out but they normally get +12 hours out. I would hate to see them if they’d been stuck in for days
They had a good run around when the ground was frozen without the slippy mud and puddles.

 

[KatieDM]

Our yard has managed to keep out in the small winter field mostly (they’re usually 24/7), but they’ve been in for a couple of nights where it dropped to -6°c or so. However, my lad (4 and full of himself lately) hasn’t been ridden for… 11 days now. Gulp.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I’m trying to keep mine out all winter in our new home. I’ve used the frozen ground to keep them all out and onto the summer fields. Its given the winter one a short break. All my horses have been far more sensible than if they’d been in for majority of the time. Not looking forward to the thaw but we’ll deal with it. Roll on spring.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Mine hasn't been turned out properly last week because he has EMS and our fields simply didn't defrost enough to be able to provide safe grazing.

I'm fortunate that I have access to a bare paddock. But somewhere on the t'internet will be people jumping up and down that he didn't have time with other horse's.

But whats better, a few days of limited turn out or months of laminitis box rest and re-habbing? I know which I'd prefer for him.

But not everyone is so fortunate, for whatever reasons. I've been on yards with a steep hill to get to the fields (we are on a hill now, just not super steep). What can you do when it's -8 for a few nights a year? Or if the fields were flooded? Or a tree has fallen on fencing during a storm?

My friend chose to keep hers in the stable because he's shown in the past he makes terrible decisions about life on bad ground and was likely to break a fetlock. Another kept in because their horse was slipping right over on the ice to get to the field. Another kept in for, actually I don't know why.

But these are all horses that most of the time get decent turn out in a group.

I've actively chosen a few times to keep my horse in - I've I've had a decent (circa 10 mile +) hack in the morning and it's been truly vile when I've got back, I'll turn him out whilst I finish off my jobs but if he's standing by the gate looking miserable (or as on occassion, clanging the gate so that he can't be ignored ...), I've bought him in in the past I'm sure someone will criticise that too.

I'm an absolute advocate for all year turn out but I'm also realistic that for some small, part of the year, that might not be possible. And whilst not ideal, provided there is all year turn out most of the time isn't the be all and end all for me. And I appreciate that's not a popular opinion for many.

 

[Exasperated]

Fields were rutted and frozen. Schools were flooded and frozen. Where was I supposed to put her?

Just keep putting her in the field!
unless been housed up and become excitable at the very thought of liberty, she’ll sort herself out and tread with appropriate speed.
Anyway, if your ice is cleared, at least will be able to go for a good long ride first, get the tickle out of her toes before turning out now, because freshly thawed slush is exceptionally slippery for fresh horses to turn into, and I would say far more of a risk to them - let alone damage to the grassland. Enjoy!

 

[Exasperated]

Mine hasn't been turned out properly last week because he has EMS and our fields simply didn't defrost enough to be able to provide safe grazing.

I'm fortunate that I have access to a bare paddock. But somewhere on the t'internet will be people jumping up and down that he didn't have time with other horse's.

But whats better, a few days of limited turn out or months of laminitis box rest and re-habbing? I know which I'd prefer for him.

But not everyone is so fortunate, for whatever reasons. I've been on yards with a steep hill to get to the fields (we are on a hill now, just not super steep). What can you do when it's -8 for a few nights a year? Or if the fields were flooded? Or a tree has fallen on fencing during a storm?

My friend chose to keep hers in the stable because he's shown in the past he makes terrible decisions about life on bad ground and was likely to break a fetlock. Another kept in because their horse was slipping right over on the ice to get to the field. Another kept in for, actually I don't know why.

But these are all horses that most of the time get decent turn out in a group.

I've actively chosen a few times to keep my horse in - I've I've had a decent (circa 10 mile +) hack in the morning and it's been truly vile when I've got back, I'll turn him out whilst I finish off my jobs but if he's standing by the gate looking miserable (or as on occassion, clanging the gate so that he can't be ignored ...), I've bought him in in the past I'm sure someone will criticise that too.

I'm an absolute advocate for all year turn out but I'm also realistic that for some small, part of the year, that might not be possible. And whilst not ideal, provided there is all year turn out most of the time isn't the be all and end all for me. And I appreciate that's not a popular opinion for many.

This is obviously fine, perfectly decent compromise where necessary, and yours is getting ridden anyway - great -

what baffles me are the numbers of people writing their horses are prohibited turnout because of perceived dangers of snow, basically housed up for the duration, getting high as kites,
and THEN hoping to turn same horses onto thawing paddocks, many of which unlikely to have much grass cover or large acreage - and are probably the most hazardous environment imaginable for hooning about.

 

[Gloi]

Fields were rutted and frozen. Schools were flooded and frozen. Where was I supposed to put her?

Hoping it will have thawed enough tomorrow to go out. Turnout paddock flooded then froze and have been unable to get to the other as several inches thick ice on a slope after snow then rain then frost then more snow. Horrific. It was fine when it was just snow but this is lethal.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I managed to keep my two oldies mostly out during the freeze. However, my land, although frozen solid, wasn’t unduly dangerous to turn out on.

It’s rather rich for the militant ‘horses must be turned out in all weathers’ brigade to try to bully those who have made different decisions when they have no knowledge of local conditions .

Part of my yard was sloping solid ice, however we could avoid that part. Had it been in the field it would have been lethal.

 

[pistolpete]

I suppose I should give a little more background. This part livery yard had out no salt or sand down in the car park. Hadn’t salted the mounting block. When I asked if it could be done the answer was you shouldn’t be riding! The schools (2) were both not frozen but there was no thought about getting any of the horses out anywhere. I just think it’s so sad for the horses to get so wound up.

 

[Elno]

We have ice and snow from October to April and temperatures down to -30°, it's not a problem turning them out. To me it appears insane to keep horses in just because of a little ice and snow. Barefoot horses tolerate ice and snow pretty well, if really really icy you can always put on studded boots, if shoed we put on snow soles and studs. The only time they stay in is when there's a proper snow storm.

 

[Orangehorse]

Oh no, I always tried to turn out every day, it has to be downpour/gale/blizzard for me to keep them in, even if it was only for a couple of hours turnout (but they live at home so easier for me) and hopefully they would be keen to come in if it is bad weather.

Because, if you keep them in, when do you decide to turn out? One day later, two, three, four, ...................? If they are kept in too long then they are bound to gallop about like idiots and there might still be frozen ground. So I always thought that if they get excited the first day and find out that snow is cold and slippy, they are less likely to go completely wild than if kept in for a few days.

It is easier, of course, if they are being ridden, not so vital to go out, because they have been able to leave the stable and get exercise.