Living in/out - I was wrong!

[Sooty]

Based on the fact that horses are animals that live outdoors in their natural state, and are equipped to do so, I have always maintained that 24/7 turnout is the best way to keep a horse. This was backed up by confirmation from Toff that she loathed being in her stable, and would kick the door and stress until she was let out. However, not all horses are the same (shock horror!) and some demonstrably prefer to be inside! Enter Beano, the wimpiest Section D ever born. Maybe it is to do with the way he was weaned (shut in a stable with top door shut and no access to water) or the fact that he hasn't got a very woolly coat, but he loves being warm (is currently out with two rugs on - don't know how he is going to cope with cold weather...) and he loves his stable. Mind you, he doesn't treat it very well - at least Toff poos in one place. Anyway, there you go - some horses do prefer being stabled, although admittedly he is only stabled at night. Mind you, last weekend he was in from Friday tea time until Saturday afternoon and he didn't show any great desire to go out... Give him enough hay and toys and I think he'd happily stand in for ever!

 

[EllieBeast]

Aw, bless him. My mare is more like Toffee, but she doesnt just kick the door. she demolishes all walls

cue 24/7 turnout! she only does it when in at night though, she doesnt mind being in during the day and doesnt mind travelling so i doubt its a confined spaces phobia.

 

[Sooty]

We have found with Toff that it is a short of 'running out of food' phobia, and now leave her with a straw net as well as a haynet! As long as she has something to munch on she is much happier being in, although she is definitely an outdoors type. Unless the ground is wet... *rolls eyes*

 

[EllieBeast]

LMAO!! aw, I can hear Ellie shouting abuse of 'Fair weather pony'! El is always desperate to go out, mud is her favourite!

 

[Bri]

I always felt mean when Sid had to come in - he loved being out!!
New girly hates it though. Really surprised actually, after spending the whole of her life living out I thought she'd hate being confined in a stable. Most mornings I can't get her out of it though - and once out she just hangs around the gate waiting to be let back in!!
Maybe 3 years of living out all winter with no rugs/hay has encouraged her to appreciate being warm, dry and full!!

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I used to think out was best until I got Murphy. When I first got him he was turned out on 3 1/2 acres with access to his stable whenever he wanted. I would always find him in his stable in a morning stood at the door like a weather vane! Since we moved yards he is now in at night and absolutely loves it!! He really is one for routine and like Sooty said as long as he has hay and toys I think he'd rather stay there when its horrid weather!

 

[dieseldog]

I also own a wimpy horse - he loves his stable - currently getting very P****ed off with me turning him out every morning

 

[GatefieldHorses]

my gelding wont turn out, he lives in his stable 24/7. if i turn him out i shut the gate walk off and hes straight over the gate and gallops back in. lol

 

[Kelly1982]

My horse prefers being out i think but is not fussed if she is kept in as long as she has hay.

My friends horse though hates being out, she is not as bad now but when my friend first got her she would run up and down the fence all day til she was brought back in. Our YO used to go mad at the state she made the field get in.

Now she has better grazing she is a lot more relaxed and happily stays out but is always the first one at the gate trying to barge through when you go to get them in.

 

[KatB]

Mine is a field addict!! Prob because he lived in 24/7 with just walkering and menage T/O in Ireland.....

 

[SSM]

Donkey is very happy in - food and she has no need to move to go in search of it!!!!!!!!!

 

[icemaiden113]

All mine are in 24/7 throught the winter and love it! There pleased to go out for a few hours when the weather gets better but never in a rush!!

 

[spaniel]

Sooty, I have to practically drag Jack out to the field in the morning....Ive turned him into a big soft southern jessie already!! He loves his stable and is quite happy to stay in it.

If, however, I failed to put Thomas out within five minutes of him finishing his breakfast there would be anarchy.

 

[Twinkle Twinkle]

Dom loves his stable he is usually waiting at the gate about 3 to come in.

 

[Tierra]

My gelding sounds much like yours really. He feels the cold terribly and it makes him miserable. He's quite clingy towards me and has tended to be bullied by other horses so Im not sure how much he "likes" being around the others.

He enjoys being out for a short time to have a kick and a buck but he's very very keen to come in after a few hours. Currently he's out for about 4 hours a day and I think this is possibly a little bit too much for his liking (he usually comes tearing across the field shouting when he hears me call for him).

On the days they're in, he doesnt seem to care and is quite happy to watch the world go by and munch on his haylage in the warm and dry.

I have also had horses in the past that love being out and regardless of the weather, are desperate to be out for as long as possible but my current boy just isn't interested at all

 

[mitchellk]

My boys all go out at 7am and by lunch time they are standing by the gate waiting to come in. If they are left out they chew the gate and post and rails to voice their annoyance at being left out too long- spoilt!

 

[pottamus]

Well I must have Beano's twin Welshie then!!!! Because my Sec D is a huge wimp in the late autumn/winter weather. He lets me no in no uncertain terms when it is time for him to be rugged because overnight at about the same time each year (1st/2nd week of October) he turns into the beast from hell! He is nippy, nappy, moody and you ignore it at your peril! This year it came out when ridden...he was horrible and it ended in me being dumped violently in the field!

But as soon as that rug goes on...all peace and happiness is returned...again...over night with immediate impact. He has been like this consistently every year I have had him.
He likes to be toasty in his medium weight during the day and in at night with his hay...he is then perfectly happy and manageable.
I don't clip him as I darn't because of the potential impact it could have on his behaviour! Although he does not have a hugely woolley coat anyway. They are funny creatures these Welshies!!!

 

[Troggy]

That sounds really like Beano! (I'm Sooty's daughter!) He was really nippy and bolshy and moody, so much so that I thought he had tooth ache or something like that (teeth being checked just in case this week!) but as soon as we put a rug on, he returned to his normal cuddly self! He only has a LW with a fleece underneath but he is much happier!

 

[Sooty]

Well it seems I am not alone - or rather Beano isn't. It would never have occurred to me that it was the weather making him miserable, it was detective Troggy who sussed that one out. We are just so used to have a horse that's well 'ard...!!

I suppose if all horses are descended from Arabs then they are not that well equipped to deal with damp, although I would have thought cold would not be a problem. Just goes to show there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to horses, and it is a constant learning curve.