Livery yards and winter turnout?

Having lost the luxury of my own land (and therefore my own rules!) I have my two now on livery.

I must admit I had reservations as the yard I am at has fantastic 24/7 summer paddocks, has only approx. 1/2 acre per horse for winter turn out. We are told we can do what we want with our allotted paddocks, but if they get trashed, there are no other alternatives. However these winter 'patches' are rested all summer and currently knee high in grass.

Therefore I have adopted a routine for my 2 whereby they are turned out for a max of 2 hrs in the morning, regardless of weather. They then come in for a net and exercise after lunch so breaks up their day. I am lucky enough to work part time, so can fit this regime around my work patterns.

I have to say I am pleasantly surprised how they are coping, having been used to all day turnout in previous winters. But they seem quite happy - the haylage is of good quality, and being a busy yard, get a lot of entertainment during the day. Their temperaments have not changed and are still sensible to turn out and exercise, and hopefully by keeping them in this regime, their paddocks will still have grass by the end of winter so not trudging around in a mud bath.

We also have access to a concrete yard for turn out, good hacking and an indoor school to exercise in, so tbh think this is adequate, if not ideal.

However my OH has his 3 horses on his own land. They are turned out all day, and already their paddocks are a mud bath with little grass so they need hay in the field every day, with the horses desparate to come in on his return from work.

I think it is a matter of finding a yard that suits individual horses and owners, but appreciate this is easier said than done!
 
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I'm on heavy clay soil which turns into a bog at the first sniff of rain. I have summer and winter paddocks. I know that the winter paddocks will be trashed by January. They each have 20 x 10m hard standing just behind the gates on which we put hay in the winter. They are harrowed and re-seeded come the spring.

Yes it's expensive, but it's a lovely sight to see the horses out and gambolling about when they come out of their stables in the morning (so long as they don't pull off a shoe or tweak a tendon in the mud of course!)
 
ChesnutsRoasting said:
I would not livery at a yard without adequate daily turnout. Exercise is all very good but turnout is the horses 'free time'. A chance to be a horse without restraints. Yes, horses may accept a routine that is contrary to their instincts , but that isn't necessarily an indication of their contentment.
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Agree But that daily turnout is not necessarily a field .

And to those that say if you can't find a yard with all year field turnout them you shouldn't keep one now your becoming just ridiculous.

I keep my horse to ride , how selfish he's also my pet and lives better than I do but fundamentally I have him to ride it is my hobby, which also means to me a livery yards facilities are more important to me than all year FIELD turnout.

If I couldn't ride I wouldn't have a horse that doesn't mean I get rid of him as soon as he's lame he's recently been on over a year of vetinerary enforced box rest I spent thousands on his rehab.

Also are all those who think it is so cruel vegans? A lot of the milk we get are now from barn kept dairy cows 365 days a year, the rest nearly all spend the winter months you've guessed it in a barn!
 
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ShadowHunter said:
Daily turnout is a basic requirement and i don't understand why people settle for no turnout for months. Our land is clay based and is currently turing into mud in places but i wouldn't dream of keeping her in for days unless it snows heavy like it did a few years ago.
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I agree that daily turnout of some sort is a basic requirement, but having had to cope with clay for years I would never do it again. My horses didn't go out, they were ridden and had turnout in the school.
Snow on the other hand I just don't get, as long as the ground is frozen, and access is safe ( and that only takes a little fore thought)
then why keep horses in? They enjoy snow, it is far kinder to legs than sucking mud for a start.
 
There is absolutely no excuse for horses not to have at least 8 hours turnout. Apart from the respiratory issues you may be building up for years down the line, the majority (not all I agree) of horses need to go out unless in very hard daily work.

I have two acres of field. 2 geldings and two miniatures. The land is electric fenced into two smaller paddocks for minis, and two larger fields for horses. One of each of these is on rest for spring. The other two are used for 24/7 turnout and nice and muddy. The truth is it is going to get muddier and as long as you supplement the grass which has no value anyway for forage, there is no reason those horses should suffer being in all the time.

By spring they will go onto the rested paddocks and it will take maximum of around 8/9 weeks for those fields to get on their way to recovery. At the very worst I may have to sprinkle a little seed in the "haying area" which is the worst muddy area.

Surely even if yards provided daily turnout in a mud area with forage this has to be better than being holed up in a cage for hours.

I am no fluffy bunny hugger but having seen how much my previously stabled at night horse loves being feral 24/7 I do look at things in a very different way now.

By turnout I don't mean a field either, any area that they can stretch and mooch and nibble some hay etc and just be "out" in the fresh air....

Livery yard owners should be prepared to sacrifice one area at least for turnout or not have as many horses. Just my two penneth, each to their own but I wouldn't keep my horse like that.
 
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unicornystar said:
There is absolutely no excuse for horses not to have at least 8 hours turnout. Apart from the respiratory issues you may be building up for years down the line, the majority (not all I agree) of horses need to go out unless in very hard daily work.

I have two acres of field. 2 geldings and two miniatures. The land is electric fenced into two smaller paddocks for minis, and two larger fields for horses. One of each of these is on rest for spring. The other two are used for 24/7 turnout and nice and muddy. The truth is it is going to get muddier and as long as you supplement the grass which has no value anyway for forage, there is no reason those horses should suffer being in all the time.

By spring they will go onto the rested paddocks and it will take maximum of around 8/9 weeks for those fields to get on their way to recovery. At the very worst I may have to sprinkle a little seed in the "haying area" which is the worst muddy area.

Surely even if yards provided daily turnout in a mud area with forage this has to be better than being holed up in a cage for hours.

I am no fluffy bunny hugger but having seen how much my previously stabled at night horse loves being feral 24/7 I do look at things in a very different way now.

By turnout I don't mean a field either, any area that they can stretch and mooch and nibble some hay etc and just be "out" in the fresh air....

Livery yard owners should be prepared to sacrifice one area at least for turnout or not have as many horses. Just my two penneth, each to their own but I wouldn't keep my horse like that.
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How do you exercise your horses properly and give them eight hours turnout a day while the daylight is at it's shortest .
When do you clip ,care for their feet bath them my excuse for not having horses turned out eight hours a day in mid winter is that I have horses to use them and spend time with them not to watch them standing in the mud .
That means three hours a day in mid winter in a seven acre paddock not in a tiny paddock which I consider entirely unfair on horses in bad weather .
But if the yards don't have the space they don't have the space they magic up more land .
Yes it would be better if yards with little land had fewer cilents and charged much more but what's going to happen to all the homeless horses belonging to the people who can't or won't pay more ?
The market is setting the price for livery .
 
It doesn't HAVE to be 8 hours turnout, but some is better than none, two hours is unacceptable unless you have a horse (and I have previously) who loves being in!

I clip at weekends on my driveway, no yard facilities at home, they get their feet picked and basic "care" daily in a field under the shelter....

Exercise, when and if I can squeeze it in, no school so hacking is only option and because they are out 24/7 they pretty much keep themselves fit. However, I have to forgoe competing over the winter due to this, but the horses come first, not my needs. If I wanted to compete they would be in a lot more and that would be for my benefit not theirs.......my convenience. Most horses will adapt and tolerate it, they won't say "I'm unhappy" but having seen the transformation this year in my own who now doesn't WANT to be stabled, literally, it has really opened my eyes.

Bath them?? Aha!! I have been known to get the hose out before a dressage competition during winter, but clipping mostly suffices the very worst and good old elbow grease as in grooming?

This is coming from someone who happily stabled their horse 23 hours of the day in previous years as it was what I had available at the time, I would never do it again though and to be honest, current horse would be like a timebomb if he didn't get the turnout he does.

If you are managing to exercise your horses for minimum 2 hours a day and they are in the rest of the time, that has to be better than being stuck in doing no exercise, it is just not the life I would choose for any horse I own now.

Am I hating the MUD YES! but to look out the window and see my horses happy being out and playing...priceless - maybe it is because I actually see them all the time I am at home that it has given me this outlook?? when I liveried I went home and couldn't see them so was unaware for most hours of the day of their mood, when I saw them they looked happy, probably as it was dinner time.....? Perhaps? who knows.
 
unicornystar said:
It doesn't HAVE to be 8 hours turnout, but some is better than none, two hours is unacceptable unless you have a horse (and I have previously) who loves being in!

I clip at weekends on my driveway, no yard facilities at home, they get their feet picked and basic "care" daily in a field under the shelter....

Exercise, when and if I can squeeze it in, no school so hacking is only option and because they are out 24/7 they pretty much keep themselves fit. However, I have to forgoe competing over the winter due to this, but the horses come first, not my needs. If I wanted to compete they would be in a lot more and that would be for my benefit not theirs.......my convenience. Most horses will adapt and tolerate it, they won't say "I'm unhappy" but having seen the transformation this year in my own who now doesn't WANT to be stabled, literally, it has really opened my eyes.

Bath them?? Aha!! I have been known to get the hose out before a dressage competition during winter, but clipping mostly suffices the very worst and good old elbow grease as in grooming?

This is coming from someone who happily stabled their horse 23 hours of the day in previous years as it was what I had available at the time, I would never do it again though and to be honest, current horse would be like a timebomb if he didn't get the turnout he does.

If you are managing to exercise your horses for minimum 2 hours a day and they are in the rest of the time, that has to be better than being stuck in doing no exercise, it is just not the life I would choose for any horse I own now.

Am I hating the MUD YES! but to look out the window and see my horses happy being out and playing...priceless - maybe it is because I actually see them all the time I am at home that it has given me this outlook?? when I liveried I went home and couldn't see them so was unaware for most hours of the day of their mood, when I saw them they looked happy, probably as it was dinner time.....? Perhaps? who knows.
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Your opening sentence in your last post was .
There's is absolutely no excuse for horses not to have at least eight hours turnout .
No wiggle room with that statement .
No excuse so for most people that means the stabled horse has to be exercised in the dark perhaps or do you choose between exercising and say clipping to get the eight hours or do you turnout out or do you clip at night ? What does a parent do with their children while they are out clipping at night so the horse can have the day time turnout .
You just can't make a sweeping statement like that when people are fitting horses in to a life with work, family and severely restricted daylight hours and many people having to drive a fair distance to get to their horse .
 
Goldenstar, I choose not to compete during the winter so I don't have to worry about exercise, that's my choice,hence it is no biggy if I don't hack.

I prefer mine to be out for at least 8 hours, as it is they WANT to be out 24/7 much to my dismay in the sheeting rain and wind.....!! and mud.

I do choose between exercising and clipping, there are weekends for clipping and other jobs that need doing in the light. Jeez I muck pick in the dark with a head lamp! Light hours as you say are precious.

I have a child too, you make arrangements?! share duties with likeminded horsey friends with kids, take kids with you....I was a single parent for many years with daughter in a sling trying to do jobs at the yard, not "PC" but hey, I got stuff done.

I work full time, I don't sit around each day on my backside.

You make it sound like clipping is a weekly thing?! - should only be maximum 3/4 clips required surely in a winter season or am I missing something?

Exercise in the dark, yes I have schooled previously in car headlights and I bet I am not alone!

I can make that statement as it was how I FEEL, no-one has to agree but recent veterinary research has proven the amount of respiratory issues being caused by stabling horses has increased in recent years no matter how clean our stables are etc, as an owner of a 24 year old pony with severe COPD I sat up and took notice, again my choice....

Driving a fair distance, move horse then! - you have to find somewhere that fits as you well know, we all have to prioritise what is important to us as individual horse owners, however for me PERSONALLY having my horses in all the time for 6 months of the year is no life (unless you have a wimp of a horse who loves living in as I have previously stated - but I don't believe most horses are like this).

I have done the driving here and there and running myself ragged, whilst bringing up a child on my own and managing several horses and dogs, I am not rich and I chose to bring my horses to where I live for financial reasons and also their well being, I am lucky this I realise, but I would even consider moving home if it meant a better way of life for my animals.....

I stand by my at least 8 hours for "normal horses" for downtime, not necessarily in a field but in a school a yard, whatever, chance to be a horse, smell and touch other horses and just chill, I've done the "my horse is perfectly fine living in" along with many, but I now realise he probably wasn't fine at all just tolerant of my needs and choices like most horses are. This is my opinion remember, I didn't say anyone had to agree, I do believe this is a forum?

I really don't believe for one minute that anyone who has their horse in 24/7 doesn't love and care for it and meet all it's basic needs, other than turnout with others, I am quite sure most are lavished with expense and "care", I've done it!! - but horses are designed for mud and water, not to be kept "pretty" and "tucked in" we all so often put our human values on them, oh "they must be cold and fed up", we wash them within an inch of their lives because they are muddy (hands up I've been guilty of this too in the past lol), but horses are so amenable how are we to know if they are "happy" or "sad" or it affects them...yes we all know our animals but truly, how can we know....?
 
Goldenstar said:
Your opening sentence in your last post was .
There's is absolutely no excuse for horses not to have at least eight hours turnout .
No wiggle room with that statement .
No excuse so for most people that means the stabled horse has to be exercised in the dark perhaps or do you choose between exercising and say clipping to get the eight hours or do you turnout out or do you clip at night ? What does a parent do with their children while they are out clipping at night so the horse can have the day time turnout .
You just can't make a sweeping statement like that when people are fitting horses in to a life with work, family and severely restricted daylight hours and many people having to drive a fair distance to get to their horse .
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Clip and ride under lights! No need for daylight just some good bulbs!

I clip at weekends anyway as that's when I have sufficient time to do so.
I pay my yard owner to put out and bring in, that means horses get out early and come in just before dark. I then ride in the school under the floodlights.

I personally wouldn't go so far as a minimum of 8 but would not stable my horse anywhere where they couldn't get out for at least 6 hours every day.
 
Fact - and this is what leads me to feel the way I do...

Endotoxin levels at pasture are widely varied, but exposure in stables was approximately eight times higher than what outdoor horses were inhaling. 8 TIMES HIGHER and that is just coming in at night, think about the exposure to your horses lungs in 22 hours??? It doesn't matter what bedding you use, although they say deep litter is actually worse for ammonia levels, as an owner with a COPD pony caused probably by many years of stabling and going away to comps for weekends this is why turnout is important for me personally....I don't want my youngster with bad lungs at the age of 10!
 
IME turning out in a school is not ideal as once the horse has rolled and had a quick hooley, there is nothing left to do. There is no excuse if properly managed that a field cannot be available to turnout, if you maintain the land and divide into smaller paddocks so you always have some rested, no matter if you have a few more horses to acres. This is based on part time livery or full where the land is not grazed 24.7. If your land is not coping with horses out full time then maybe rethink whether to change from grass to diy or part/full.



Some land copes with more horses to land, others types does not .. depending on what part of the country or soil you have. Sadly some YO are greedy and shove too many horses out in the field to earn themselves more money. Also some worry so much about how the grass looks and do not want it trashed - fair enough but are you maintaining the fields correctly?? rotating/weedkilling/ fertilizing-Dee pooh ??.


If the YO thinks the fields will be trashed then I wonder how many actual horses are being turnout in that field and for how long! Come the spring the fields recover if rolled etc.

Why do some YO / YM put their fields in front of the horses welfare or pleasure or their livery owners worries??? or the prettiness of how the fields look!! Not the way it should be..........................
 
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My TB is not designed to stand in mud he is the result of years of selective breeding to run fast for three miles ,that's what he's designed for ,he's a man made creation that nature would never have come up with .

I don't consider myself guiltily of anything because my horse is bathed except helping to prevent him getting the numerous skin conditions that you see in dirty field kept horses .

At the moment my horses are living out and coming in four or five hours a day to worked clipped etc they are in at night before hunting .
Soon they will have to come in overnight .
But I also know many people don't have the flexibility in their lives I have .
They don't own their own yard and fields and have to fit in with a yard routine to infer that they are somehow doing something to their horse for which ' there is no excuse ' is simply a too inflexible way to look at it.
I don't consider it's a given a horse turned out in a small paddock eight hours a day is getting more a appropriate level of exercise than one getting say three hours and a proper exercise daily .
 
unicornystar said:
Fact - and this is what leads me to feel the way I do...

Endotoxin levels at pasture are widely varied, but exposure in stables was approximately eight times higher than what outdoor horses were inhaling. 8 TIMES HIGHER and that is just coming in at night, think about the exposure to your horses lungs in 22 hours??? It doesn't matter what bedding you use, although they say deep litter is actually worse for ammonia levels, as an owner with a COPD pony caused probably by many years of stabling and going away to comps for weekends this is why turnout is important for me personally....I don't want my youngster with bad lungs at the age of 10!
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I have never bred a horse with bad lungs but have bought several and turned them round with good management which includes stabling .
 
I do find the whole air of "well, you will have to keep hunting till you find the perfect yard".... Rather sanctimonious. There isn't actually a world of choices in yards and compromises have to be made. And if you have a full time job that isn't on your doorstep...or dogs...or a family, then time becomes precious. I have been on a yard where we had awful winter grazing. The horses were 1/2 up to their cannon bones in mud. There were far too many horses (YO added another 8 after I had gone there) but my compromise was I wanted to ride after work so needed a floodlight school and access after 7. Yes my horses were out, but could have happily come in after a couple of hours as there was no grazing. I really didn't have many choices in our area. Horses coped.
 
I wonder how many people on here have to maintain land? My horses go out to pasture throughout the winter almost every day, if it is too wet they go out in the arena, but I take great care of my land - and it takes care of my animals, so if it is very wet the fields are closed. Cattle go into sheds all winter here, because the land will not support them and having animals standing around in sodden, sucking bogs is not the best way to care for them OR the land. Ensuring they get adequate exercise as well as sufficient food is the best way to maintain horses; standing them in mud pits does not equate to exercise.
 
I am not being inflexible I am being a realist.....it is only my opinion and many will disagree as will agree, who cares?? each to their own. OP asked for opinions, I am simply giving mine.

On the TB note, I have owned several and they all managed perfectly well, friends dad breeds racehorses and the mares winter roughed off with no rugs out 24/7 every year (I cringed initially and said "Oh wot no rugs"!! they are absolutely fine and very happy!!! Yes have also had a sensitive skinned boy too..one scratch and boom an infection, it just takes good management, they don't need to be IN to survive and be well.

There is no excuse, move yards or change routine, I could NEVER keep a horse like that again and I certainly wouldn't pay a yard for the blessing of having to keep mine in all the time.

You are not that distant from my area Goldenstar and there are PLENTY of yards....and your routine doesn't sound like you keep yours in all the time anyway?!

it also isn't about levels of "exercise" it is about the time a horse is cooped up in a 12x12 or bigger if they are lucky space, it is not rocket science to know that standing around for that amount of time mentally isn't great. There was a study done years ago where they did the same to people in a scaled to ratio version, the people were horse owners, they had a totally different viewpoint when they finished the study.

Generalisation MUCH? "DIRTY FIELD KEPT HORSES" LOL, I don't consider my horses dirty, field kept and happy yes, it only takes a few minutes to actually brush and groom them, NT Dry in the feet to ensure no thrush and other normal routines..... this is more about least effort for owners it appears!
 
Cortez said:
I wonder how many people on here have to maintain land? My horses go out to pasture throughout the winter almost every day, if it is too wet they go out in the arena, but I take great care of my land - and it takes care of my animals, so if it is very wet the fields are closed. Cattle go into sheds all winter here, because the land will not support them and having animals standing around in sodden, sucking bogs is not the best way to care for them OR the land. Ensuring they get adequate exercise as well as sufficient food is the best way to maintain horses; standing them in mud pits does not equate to exercise.
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I take great care of my small fields, bought some cheapy rubber ex gym mats which are working a treat, failing that I will get hardcore for next year.... if people are stupid enough to not take care of their land and allow horses to "stand around" in a bog...then maybe they shouldn't have horses? Asking for trouble surely having soggy feet 24/7
 
unicornystar said:
I am not being inflexible I am being a realist.....it is only my opinion and many will disagree as will agree, who cares?? each to their own. OP asked for opinions, I am simply giving mine.

On the TB note, I have owned several and they all managed perfectly well, friends dad breeds racehorses and the mares winter roughed off with no rugs out 24/7 every year (I cringed initially and said "Oh wot no rugs"!! they are absolutely fine and very happy!!! Yes have also had a sensitive skinned boy too..one scratch and boom an infection, it just takes good management, they don't need to be IN to survive and be well.

There is no excuse, move yards or change routine, I could NEVER keep a horse like that again and I certainly wouldn't pay a yard for the blessing of having to keep mine in all the time.

You are not that distant from my area Goldenstar and there are PLENTY of yards....and your routine doesn't sound like you keep yours in all the time anyway?!

it also isn't about levels of "exercise" it is about the time a horse is cooped up in a 12x12 or bigger if they are lucky space, it is not rocket science to know that standing around for that amount of time mentally isn't great. There was a study done years ago where they did the same to people in a scaled to ratio version, the people were horse owners, they had a totally different viewpoint when they finished the study.

Generalisation MUCH? "DIRTY FIELD KEPT HORSES" LOL, I don't consider my horses dirty, field kept and happy yes, it only takes a few minutes to actually brush and groom them, NT Dry in the feet to ensure no thrush and other normal routines..... this is more about least effort for owners it appears!
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I am sure my hunting fit clipped TB will do just fine turned wth out a rug .
I don't care how you keep your horse I think your sweeping judgements of others are unfair .
 
conniegirl said:
Clip and ride under lights! No need for daylight just some good bulbs!

I clip at weekends anyway as that's when I have sufficient time to do so.
I pay my yard owner to put out and bring in, that means horses get out early and come in just before dark. I then ride in the school under the floodlights.

I personally wouldn't go so far as a minimum of 8 but would not stable my horse anywhere where they couldn't get out for at least 6 hours every day.
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That's your choice personally my staff don't like to work at night and it would not be fair to expect them to do so.
 
Cortez said:
I wonder how many people on here have to maintain land? My horses go out to pasture throughout the winter almost every day, if it is too wet they go out in the arena, but I take great care of my land - and it takes care of my animals, so if it is very wet the fields are closed. Cattle go into sheds all winter here, because the land will not support them and having animals standing around in sodden, sucking bogs is not the best way to care for them OR the land. Ensuring they get adequate exercise as well as sufficient food is the best way to maintain horses; standing them in mud pits does not equate to exercise.
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same here in the SW of Scotland. There is nothing out right now except sheep and one small outfit that specialises in grass fed beef.

We've just had a month of rain in 2/3 days. Nothing is going out on my field although two of them are out 24/7 elsewhere. If I leave my paddock when its like this, I'll have use of it at another time. The retired pony who is at home, is living it up in my front garden or on the driveway for a few hours a day and in his 20 x 12ft box at night. I bought him home because I thought him a bit quiet but he seems fine now-probably because he's not just gone through several days of persistent, driving rain and 70mph winds.
 
unicornystar said:
I take great care of my small fields, bought some cheapy rubber ex gym mats which are working a treat, failing that I will get hardcore for next year.... if people are stupid enough to not take care of their land and allow horses to "stand around" in a bog...then maybe they shouldn't have horses? Asking for trouble surely having soggy feet 24/7
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Quite!

As told many times we have more horses to land but! our gateways have no rubber and the road stone as sunk over the years but our gateways are very little damaged the horses VERY rarely hang round the gateways they are always off grazing till we start catching in then they do wander down.

If by a miracle our fields stop coping with the amount we have then I am sorry but one of the DIY will have to go so we reduce the total amount of equines. That said every year the fields bounce back and look amazing in thew spring.
 
Agree with the points raise by Cortez and GS.

until each and every one of you has looked after and maintained land bought with YOUR money and YOUR hard work, you have zero idea how much effort it takes to maintain it.

a lot of land in the UK is clay. Clay is not ideal for horses. You need a lot more clay land per horse than say sand based soil..........population is increasing, construction is on the up, more housing is being built everywhere you look. It doesnt take a genius to work out that land per horse is reducing........so either a % of us need to give up having horses or we need to work out a game plan to deal with it.

April-Sept there are numerous threads on here moaning about not having 24/7 turnout and then Oct-March threads moaning about little turnout or mud.

if more people were willing to stable overnight all year round there would be more dry land and grass left for winter but from the yards i see, and the threads on here, no one wants to do that......they want it THEIR way all year round!

They want to strip graze and create lami paddocks (both of which are hard on land if not done properly) and wonder why the YO gets fed up and bans it so more moaning, but no one offers to hardcore gateways ,re seed in spring etc........nope everyone wants to trash the land and the YO to pay to sort it but livery prices must not rise and turnout out time must not decrease!!!!!!!! get real.

my land is sand and i am VERY lucky with it but i am obsessive about it. Each area is rested for 6 months of every year, the horses are always in at night. I re seed every spring, poo pick every day, mow off the rough areas,my dad picks weeds by hand,heck i even collect molehills out the walk way to stop them dissolving in to muddy puddles!

if more people understood the hard work it takes to create pristine green parcels of land, they would think before demanding the impossible,year round!

i dont think keeping them in 24/7 is ideal either but its preferable to standing in tiny *sacrifice* bog pits that some smugly promote as giving all day turnout.......grim life for any horse IMO.

to all those boldly stating they wouldnt have horses if they couldnt be out 24/7 etc.............i think you are going to need to re think in the next 10 years.........
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
Agree with the points raise by Cortez and GS.

until each and every one of you has looked after and maintained land bought with YOUR money and YOUR hard work, you have zero idea how much effort it takes to maintain it.

...
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How do you know some of us do not have our own land since you said each and every one of us???

We did buy our land and yard with MY money and Hubbies and we maintain it 24 7 - 365 days a year and is valued now over £ 1,500,000.00 at last estimate 4 years ago and we have been running my livery land since 1996 - and It is Our hard earnt money that pays for the maintenance of this land. So don't asume some of us here have not had dealings with land. With the money we spent on the land each year we have 19 years so far on how much it cost each year to maintain.

So thank you very much and I have had 40 years + maintaining land :)


I have already stated that some land is different and wont cope
 
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"until each and every one of you has looked after and maintained land bought with YOUR money and YOUR hard work, you have zero idea how much effort it takes to maintain it."

Bit of an unfair comment, I don't own the land we graze, but I certainly understand about upkeep and costs and often offer to pay for extra's to maintain...
 
We have 2 acres at home of turnout all year round on clay. I turn my horse out from 8.30 a.m - 6.30 p.m every day during the week. Horse also gets exercised every day of the week unless having a day off from hunting (generally a Sunday or Wednesday). Our fields do get very wet but because we look after them very well to help them recover, I do not worry about how muddy they get in the depths of winter.

We always have plenty of grass, I have one horse out on its own who is fairly sensible and because he goes out every day and is ridden every day, he doesn't fart about in the field.

I personally cannot bear the thought of a horse being in 23 hours a day endlessly throughout winter. I'd much rather deal with the muddy aftermath come spring and turn out every day. However, because we only have 2 acres, I can only have one horse. Simple. He does have company in surrounding fields over the fence so I do not worry about him being lonely. He is very self sufficient and likes his routine.

We have sheep from April onwards in with horse to keep grass down, we harrow as soon as it is dry enough then overseed then roll it. It gets topped at least twice a summer and this summer we had so much grass, we got it taken away for silage when the contractors were doing the fields next-door.

I do realise we are very lucky to be able to make the choice of winter turnout or not. I have never been on a livery yard but imagine it would be very frustrating with limited turnout.
 
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