limited turnout?

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fizzer

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just wondered what turnout time you all have and allowed during the winter, we have 5 liveries at the moment and my parents let them turn out for as long as they wish, my mate is having restricted grazing and is getting pretty fed up, would be good to know what everone else is doing
 
Mine is out for as much as we want, never been a mention of restricting turnout. He's out about 13 or 14 hours a day just now.
 
Ours are currently still allowed out all day everyday, but not overnight. Depending on weather there is usually a few weeks when they can only go out for half a day everyday but they seem happy so long as they get some turnout each day
 
It all depends at my yard. Ive been at this yard for 3 winters and my horse normally lives out. Due to the amount of rain we have had this year the YO had to ask me to use my stable and he has been coming in at night since the middle of december.
Regarding turnout the YO leaves a board up each day which tells us how long they are allowed out depending on how wet the fields are. Normally they get from 11am until about 6.30pm but if its bad then they stay in during the day. So far he has only had to stay in during the day 4 times.
It is a hassle but its the YO land so I can understand her not wanting us to churn up the paddocks.
 
I have no turnout at all. Its summer and autumn they live out full time, but winter and cold spring, they are in. Its a nightmare as she gets so fresh, but then when its horrible, I'm glad she's in. She has a very fine coat and when she was out in her last yard full time she be waiting at the gate shivering even with heavy weight on. She is clipped as well though.
 
we're on private with 4 other horses (three yo's, one other), and they're all in atm due to hunting. I get good turnout, but have to just be sensible and make sure I don't turn out when it's very wet. I bring in at night to save the grass.

If I can't turn out I usualy take for a couple of mile walk in the morning and then in-hand grazing in the afternoon.
 
mine are all in due to the incessant rain and gales - and they don't WANT to be out - if I turned them out they'd muller the field entrances demanding to get back into their nice warm stables with a big pile of hay

they get freedom time in a 20x60 arena and can buck, kick, roll and gallop as much as they want - the arena takes it and it takes 30 mins to grade it back after a few handbrake turns from the GGs.

managing them this way means the fizz is out, the fields have good grass and hay the rest of the year, there is no mud fever, no cold wet and miserable horses.

the art of managing stabled horses is in the feeding - lots and lots of fibre and not much short feed

ask the army and a lot of inner city riding schools - horses are perfectly fine stabled 24x7 - it's the owners that are made, often by 'peer pressure' to feel guilty if their nag isn't out in the freezing cold, teeming rain and knee deep in mud with no grass for 15 hours every day.

turnout in unsuitable conditions leads to injured horses, sprained tendons, 'sucked off' shoes, lameness, thin horses, trashed grazing, etc etc

but of course it does mean that the YO doesn't have to muck out twice a day.

It's the same as with feeds - horses need fibre - but we insist on feeding them 3 short feeds a day because that's what we eat

rubbish

sorry - but I'm so tired of 'peer pressure' making people who have no choice feel they are somehow 'cruel' to not have turnout.

The army and police horses don't look exactly ill treated, or in poor condition.
 
Our yard is split into 4 groups with 4-5 horses per group and we use 2 fields for winter and then go on alternate days or nigts whichever you prefer. At the moment though with my girl having to be restricted she is only going out for a couple of hours as the field is a complete bog. We are allowed to turn out in the yard if the horse is supervised and also in the menage for short periods as long as they don't charge round. I will be glad once it starts to dry up!
 
mine have really limited turnout-if the weather is nice and ground not too bad they go out.they have been out a few times in the last month.YO does her best to get them out as much as poss but limitted due to lck of land.
if they had daily turnout i would be really happy,the yardis a million times better than other livery yards ive been at(although i do prefere to stay at private yards as i have done the last 4 years-generally they are so much safer and better run than commerical ones and there is room to degotiate things like turnout etc!)
thats the huge down side to the place im at, everything else is ok really just the turnout.
it wouldnt be so bad but ive got a semi retired mare and a 10month filly!
 
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