Leaving out at night in this cold??

T

travelmad

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 September 2012
Messages
488
Visit site
Ponies are on grass livery and have lived out all winter until now (apart from being in if ill/ lame). I do have 2 stables, but they like being out and I'm happy for them to be out 24/7. They are well rugged, unclipped - both super hairy - mare is very heavy built and stocky and I'm not afraid of leaving her out - just added a layer so she's in 320g rug. Gelding is full tb, hairy, and in 450g.

Wondering should I bring them in if it gets colder? -2 predicted tonight... And to be fair it's prob not going much lower around where we live... According to met office - But everyone else at yard has brought in.... Peer pressure!!!

It's hard for me to get to yard to check them for warmth at odd hours of night, but I'm pretty certain with those kind of rugs they are fine...

Would you give in to peer pressure and bring them in? Or should I suck it up and leave them out?! Feel vaguely cruel either way, they don't like being in, but I feel bad for leaving them out.

No snow here yet.
 
They will be warmer out than in as can move around. As long as they have a wind break/hedge/whatever don't worry!
 
I think they will be happy enough out, plenty of hay to eat so they stay warm, mine look better in this weather than in the constant rain we have had.
 
No chance My mares 27 has a blanket clip that was redone a week ago. She's out in a 400g combo and has plenty of hay and is totally fine

When she was about 19 she was out with a hunter clip

I think the rain is worse than the cold at least now the rugs won't get soaked through
 
One of my ponies has a thin coat so is rugged. He is bought in when it's cold and wet or wet and windy as he shivers and looks cheesed off.
He has been left out in this cold though as he seems to be able to cope with it better than other weather conditions

I'm not at all worried about leaving him out but he does have shelter
 
Mine are only in because my mare was losing too much weight out and I couldnt get enough hay in her during the day (no hay allowed in field) and my boy in because he pretty much insisted on it and its easier for me to have them both on the same routine.
 
To be fair I weigh tape once a week and they are actually gaining weight this winter so I think I will leave them out. ... Plus I'm lazy about mucking out so it's easier!!! I don't feel as guilty when I hear other people are leaving theirs out... It's like a little bubble being the only one who leaves out at my yard!!!
 
The two most likely issues with horses being out in this sort of weather are that they don't drink enough and get colic and they may get sore feet .
If they look happy I would leave them out but make sure they are drinking enough not a lot you can do about the feet if they get sore if they where mine I would bring them in at night for some rest.
 
My two are in but only because tb mare is losing a lot of weight and YO wont let me put hay out for them in the field. Would rather have them out but an odd night wont do them any harm. All the others on the yard are out 24/7 most naked and all fine. If they get cold they can huddle or run about
 
Knobberpony is out 24/7.She is 23,won't be stabled and happy as larry in her field.She is unclipped in a thick rug and very toasty,despite having ice on her 'beard'.I am taking water and hay down twice a day and she has a hard feed at tea time,plus lots of extra strong mints.;)
 
Mine are in during the day and out at night with plenty of hay. Easier for me to ensure they drink during the day. They are happy atm.
 
Really, don't worry, -2 is nothing to the average healthy horse. You know your horse better than anyone obviously so do what you think is right for him, don't feel as if you should do something just because others say you should.

Windchill will drop the temp down but even so, as long as they can get their backs to the wind and/or have decent rugs and plenty to eat they will be fine. It is the wind that chills them.

Big Ben on here has -18 during the day, and that's warm. :)
 
Mine live out 24/7, now if I put 'em in they kick the door down to get out..... :eek:

Good hay to keep the central heating going and not over-rugging has served my horses well over the last 6 years they have all been out 24/7.... :D
 
my 2 year old section d filly is out 24/7 with no rug and is happy as anything :eek: ! she is suuper hairy .. we have only just started putting hay out today with the ground freezing up and forecast of heavy snow just so they have something to eat - i couldnt afford the amount of rugs she would be going through - she grows sooo much !!:rolleyes:
 
Mine are all out naked. All happy. I know at least two would be severely pissed off if stabled and all would probably be colder! They can move round and herd up, shelter in woods or against hedges at all angles and mostly spend their time in the middle of the field grazing and very happy (even at stupid o'clock they are rarely sheltering)
 
Our's have been in at night since Sunday. Ideally we like them out but atm they are in because we have to soak the gelding's hay and it would freeze if put out in the field. Also, it is very high up where we keep the horses and the field is right on top of the hill with no shelter apart from dry stone walls, so it is always a fair bit colder up there, and the mare has arthritis, so I do worry about her in the cold. I'm sure she'd be fine, and if this cold snap really does last until February, as the newspapers are predicting, we'll probably end up turfing them out again, but for the time being they are in.
 
Good hay to keep the central heating going and not over-rugging has served my horses well over the last 6 years they have all been out 24/7.... DragonSlayer


Thank goodness someone knows how horses keep warm. I get absolutely fed up of hearing about horses that either do move about in the field to keep warm, or don't move about in the stable so need to be rugged up to their eyeballs overnight. Why don't people realise that it is eating good forage which keeps horses warm?
 
Mine rarely keep still long enough to be cold. I think moving about keeps them warmer anyway. I do prefer in in winter, but only because it's a pain taking hay and feeds up the field in the mud. It's much nicer when its baltic because their legs stay dry and I come home much cleaner!
 
My friends dale is out in day unrugged with a chaser clip , in at night ,,haven't been rugged all winter ,,also other friend has two QHX.out 24/7 un rugged ,,looking great
 
Suitably rugged and access to food and water I think horses are healthier if out, my Pony used to be out 24/7 in -7 with no problem, we put hay in the field each morning and evening as well as his breafast and dinner, one year he had icicles on his whiskers, but he was at his most healthiest, when I moved to a yard where they came in at night all year round, he ended up with a cough which took some shifting.

If the weather is really bad particularly wet then yes bring in at night as the rugs get soaked and it gives the feet a chance to dry.
 
My warmblood is out, unclipped and rugged in a medium weight combo. She won't come in, gets extremely wound up and weaves constantly if stabled, and has broken the door frame to escape before so out she stays!

Lots of hay and a feed at night time, and hay in the morning, she is looking fab and is lovely and relaxed. She comes in every day to be ridden or if not groomed and checked over and has a haynet on the yard, it works for her. Our NF is in at night as he is a total wuss!!!
 
I have a wee welshie out without a rug and last night it was -8 she has plenty of hay and gets a hard feed. Has access to field shelter and is nice and cosy with her natural coat. Then I have a TB rugged and stabled as well. Just need to do what's best for the horses and not be bullied by other people's opinions. This is the first year I've had the welshie and having a horse out 24/7 and went through the should I rug her or not, stable her etc and decided that I would be doing it to make me feel better and not what was best for her. As long as they have plenty of hay to munch and are happy out I would stick with it.
 
News flash! Stables aren't heated so it's still freezing if they are in!!!

Mine are out in -12 and happy as larry. They have a field shelter full of straw. They aren't in it. They are warmer wondering about outside in their rugs.

Why do people think inside a barn or stable with open door is warmer? Always puzzled me. Yes it's out the wind and rain, which there isn't any tonight so in, out, same,,same.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top