Live in/out?

lovecharles

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Do people really rush their horses in from a rainfall? My two, and previous two, lived out 24/7 with a field shelter. They have a medium wieght turn out when it is below 5 degrees c at night, and stay out in all weathers, snow, frost, rain, storms. (Elderly pony has 2 rugs on) They are fine and dandy out there. Am i mean or are horses mollicoddled too much?
 

Pixxie

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nope not mean at all (yes i got mine in only cos they were both standing there shaking and there is no shelter at all in our fields) but if mine were happy grazing and fine, they are left out in rain etc.
 

muffinino

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Nah, leave 'em out, they won't melt! As long as they have shelter so they can get out of it if they can, horses tend to be tougher than people let them be. There are exceptions, but generally with a bit of shelter and enough food to keep them warm from the inside, they'll live through a bit of rain!
How many times have people gone to bring in and their hose is standing in the middle of the field, munching away, happy as Larry? I went to catch T last night and he was soaked but the steam was coming off him as he's on long grass, so was warm from enough food. TBH I was quite glad he was having to work the rain off, helps stop him from getting too fat!
 

jumpthemoon

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My horses are out in the day and in at night - they will stay out until I get there after work, come what may.

YO's horses are a different matter though....while she is at work, if it rains she rings her mum who lives down the road and gets her to go and fetch horses in!
shocked.gif
 

Charmaine18

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I can't profess to know much since I don't have my own, but I think horses tend to have different attitudes to nasty weather. Some horses at my RS would happily live in the stable 24/7 if they had their way, while others hate being shut in and would rather brave the rain than sleep inside. But I have seen horses demanding to be taken in when it rains, so I don't think all horses would complain about being mollycoddled!

Personally, when I get my own horse I'm planning on keeping it out 24/7 just for convenience - cheaper and no mucking out! Obviously I might have to change my plans when I find the perfect horse, but that's my plan at the moment.
 

abracadabra

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have just moved all mine recently, now have no stabling akthough some lived out all year 24/7 anyway

my land has planty of natural shelter, hills valleys trees hedges and im sure theres always somewhere thats out of the way

i have ISP's, tbs and anglos and one welsh x tb and they are all perfectly fine!
 

lovecharles

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thats why we keep ours out, Charlie had always lived in had a terrible wind sucking problem but when he came to us, he is never in a stable - we don't even have one!!! It is so much cheaper and easier just to sweep out a shelter. charlie is much happier now - he hates being kept in. Even when he's tied up, he much prefers to be facing the road and fields to look at, rather than facing a wall with a haynet!
 

abracadabra

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[ QUOTE ]
and no mucking out!

[/ QUOTE ]

nope, still get to do that, only now its spread over acre-age, not in a handy loose-box sized area
smile.gif
 

Jane44

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Well my boys live out, even in winter when fit and clipped and hunting. They have as much hay as they can can eat plus their hard feed. If they get cold they can gallop about. They keep fitter, happier and no dusty/smelly stables. I would point out that I do have lovely stables and they can come in if necessary. Horses are after all animals that are designed to be out. It never ceases to amaze me when people bring em in when it is wet....what they going to do.....disolve in the rain??
 

lovecharles

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and no mucking out!

[/ QUOTE ]

nope, still get to do that, only now its spread over acre-age, not in a handy loose-box sized area
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

agreed - a down-side of keeping out is poo-picking in torrential rain
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saalsk

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Mine live out as much as possible. They come in at night from about mid December through til about mid March to give the grass a rest and to ensure they get enough hay etc. They are rugged as needed ( at night in autumn and spring depending on weather, in the day in winter if cold or wet) but on the whole are fed hay/chaff/lucerne/alfalfa etc and no grains, kept unclipped and barefoot and left as nature intended. I poo pick daily, worm according to egg counts, and have hard standing around the gateways to reduce mud related problems. They are healthy and happy. And they are also waterproof - something that some people at my yard don't seem to have recognised yet.....
 

Bowen4Horses

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i bring mine in during this torrential rain... because the ground is SOOOO crap at the moment. it's been so dry that there's hardly any grass left... and the rain turns what's left to mush... not to mention the fact my horse HATES the rain, so runs manically around as soon as it starts... churning up the little remaining green paddock...
 

clairefeekerry1

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no mine are out, they'll survive, infact its probably a relief for one of mine as she has severe sweet-itch. prob a bit of cooling off!!!
 

Elle1085

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Mine doesn't like being out in crap weather yesterday all three came in shivvering and also i can't stand them being out when i can hear the wind and rain hammering against my window and i know that one is definately happier in, he wont even look out his door if it's nasty outside. the other proper one would probably stay out but he does get cold and he's clipped all year and the section a has to do what the others do.
 

Slinkyunicorn

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Mine are out 24/7 for as much of the year as possible. The cob has to come in when its cold - has had laminitis so has to stay off frosty grass - my wb came from a competition home so was in 24/7 and surprise surprise windsucks, cribs and has ulcers. Since being here and living out as much as possible the ulcers have been treated and the windsucking/cribbing has pretty much disappeared!! Would leave them out 24/7 at all possible but YO lets us decide when they come in and go out and even when they are in they go out during the day all year.

Mine are also naked for as much of the year as possible - one is grey and the other piebald so the grey is always mud covered!!
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- and in comparison to most horses on the yard are 'underugged' even when fully clipped out but they are both fit and healthy - god forbid one of them should loose weight........
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badgerdog

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Mine is out 24/7 all year round. She hasn't had a rug on since March. When I went to see her earlier she was standing in the torrential rain with her mates near a few spindly trees when 50 yards away there's a huge field shelter standing empty!
They only go in to get away from the flies when it's sunny.
Part of me feels guilty that she's standing there soaking wet but I have to remember that she's a horse and actually prefers to be outside.
 

kellyeaton

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i think it all depends on horse! i have a new forest x very hardy type you would thing he would like being out but know likes to be out in the day and in at night> Then i have a t/b quite light so you would thing she would like to be warm in the stable but know she likes living out 24/7!
 

lauraandjack

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Usually my boy is in at night and out during the day, as we have others that go out at night and in for the day (slightly limited grazing).

If he was better to catch he would be out all the time in summer, but he can be a s*d, he comes in on his own terms, so it's nice to have coming in as a routine.

Currently he is on holiday in a borrowed field so he is out 24/7 whether he likes it or not (although there is a field shelter if he wants it and plenty of trees.

He hasn't worn a rug since early april despite being fully clipped in the winter. And will not wear one again until the clippers come out in the autumn!
 

ISHmad

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Ours are out 24/7 with natural shelter. Most definitely do not rush to bring them in when it rains, nor are they rugged. Historically they have come in at night during winter but this year they will - all being well - winter out with access to shelter if they want it.

Some horses are hardier than others though. A friend of mine has a horse who really does shiver like mad in the slightest rain so she has to mollycoddle him or he drops off pretty much overnight.
 

Coffee_Bean

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Well... my horse is usually out at night and in during the day- if it was my way she would be out 24/7 as she was at my previous yard, but there simply isn't enough grazing. However, they seem to quite enjoy coming in during the day, it gets them out of the flies in summer, and once they've finished their hay, they all sleep over their doors
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If it rains at night, she gets wet. I only worry about them if it is contintinually crap for days when they live out, in which case we found they got quite fed up, but as they come in for 1/2 the day all year, they get a break from whatever weather anyway
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Sugarplum Furry

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I was always into the keep 'em out 24/7 natural healthy method of horse-keeping. But recently my arab, 17, has shown a distinct preference for a nice dry cool stable, away from the flies and the recent rain. Of course there are conditions...he HAS to be able to wander in and out at will and be in sight of the other horses, but he has changed from having a nervous breakdown if I so much as suggested he go indoors. He's a dear old horse and I owe him everything so I'll try to accomodate his regal wishes !!
 

maxapple

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Totally depends on the horse!

My welshx pony lives out 24/7 and doesn't seem to care at all about rain. Infact he seems to like to hooley around the field and has a charming habit of rolling in big muddy puddles!!

Joe, my TB, stands at the gate and shivers when it simply looks like it might rain! He comes in at night all year round and loves a nice big warm stable and a hay net. I tried him living out last year but it didn't work at all - he was miserable, skinny and cold all the time bless him.
 

MagicMelon

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[ QUOTE ]
Some horses are hardier than others though. A friend of mine has a horse who really does shiver like mad in the slightest rain so she has to mollycoddle him or he drops off pretty much overnight.

[/ QUOTE ]

So does one of mine - he lives out all year in the worst blizzards (with shelter of course), he shives at the SIGHT of rain but I just rug him up well, he doesnt need to come in.
 

amandaco2

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well mine were out yesterday. went down and the 6 year old was shivering. so brought them in for 5 hours to munch and threw them back out minus fly rugs.they have got shelters...
theres no grass so i think that makes them colder...
 
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