Living out 24/7 not thriving 🙁

[HobleytheTB]

Is she always with the same herd? Is she moved between different fields in the same day? Some horses can find the lack of routine and not having the same friends/ field each day quite stressful even if they don't outwardly show it.

 

[Cob days]

Is she always with the same herd? Is she moved between different fields in the same day? Some horses can find the lack of routine and not having the same friends/ field each day quite stressful even if they don't outwardly show it.

Same field every day at the minute and has been since January. It's quite large. Normally same small herd but some extras have been added in lately. When they are brought in to eat there can be a few extra. Stress could be a factor. I'm definitely getting rid of the heavier rug tomorrow. I'll move to light one then no rug. Advice has been great thanks

 

[LadyGascoyne]

You are right that stabled horses are more prone to ulcers but that is because stabled horses generally go for longer periods without eating than those that are turned out.

If there isn’t a lot of grazing left, and there isn’t ad lib hay (ad lib means as much and as often as they like, so haying once a day isn’t ad lib) then it may be that your horse spends long periods of time without eating, which will carry a similar risk for ulcers as with horses who are stabled without adequate forage.

I don’t know where you are based but we have our horses out as much as my fields will take. I have a thoroughbred and an Arab x Quarter Horse at home at the moment, both unclipped, and they only get a rug on if it is very miserable and wet. If it’s cold and dry, they are naked. We have ok grass left and they get as much hay as they can eat.

I would take off rugs but increase access to hay, if you have any ability to influence that. If not, then I would reconsider the set up. Having a closed yard for days of the week does mean an awful lot of trust in the person managing it. I can’t imagine not being able to pop in and see my horse if I wanted to, especially if there is something wrong.

 

[Cob days]

Yes it has been difficult to adjust to having so much trust in someone else for my ponies care. I will speak to yo about more access to hay. She is an individual after all and if her health is suffering her needs should be met

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Yes it has been difficult to adjust to having so much trust in someone else for my ponies care. I will speak to yo about more access to hay. She is an individual after all and if her health is suffering her needs should be met

It is so difficult trying to balance things, especially with the weather this year. I’m a huge advocate for 24/7 turnout but this year mine have been in more than ever before because 24/7 standing in a mud bath isn’t the same as the idyllic 24/7 grazing in a meadow that I wish I could provide for them. Sometimes our best is all we can do, and it’s not going to be perfect.

 

[Goldenstar]

What’s her weight like ?

 

[moosea]

The bitting at her sides sounds like she is itchy. How warm is she under her rug? Have you checked for lice? Do you groom her? Her hair will probably be producing natural coat oils to waterproof her, in the areas under the rug you can groom some of this out.
Do you have a stable she could come into so that you can hay her and let her rest? Sometimes they can be being bossed around by higher ranking horses and not getting a fair share of forage and proper time to sleep.

 

[Denali]

In addition to all the good advice, she might just not like the yard.

I had a horse get ulcers, drop weight, become a hard keeper despite always having hay or grass in front of her. Everything was great on paper. Moved yards, she went back to normal.

 

[Fransurrey]

How are her feet? Being so wet for such a prolonged time with no time to dry out (weather..can’t be helped) can leave them soft and thrush prone. This can make any horse a bit reluctant to go forward.

These are my thoughts, too. Mine have a shelter, but despite that their feet have turned to mush. If she's shod, make sure you're treating for thrush with a soak. If unshod, try some hoofboots as well. The central sulci in my cob's front feet were so deep I was able to stuff cotton wool in them and leave the thrush treatment in situ. We've just received new boots and he was striding out for the first time in weeks on Sunday. Prior to that he was getting slower and slower, until i realised his PSSM1 was a red herring and it was his feet struggling. I'm hoping it dries out, soon (aren't we all?!?).

 

[Jellymoon]

My first thought was too hot and itchy, makes them very miserable, and my fully clipped ones are in 100g lightweights, or naked in day if warm/dry enough.
My second thought was feet - thrush, thin soles etc from the wet.

 

[Birker2020]

I've really struggled with Lari this winter, the YO at retirement where he is has said in 12 years of doing retirement she's never had so many issues due to the wet weather and she's only had one horse go down with mud fever the whole time, yet this winter she's about ten. And a few have rain scald, and a number have had repeated abscesses including Lari with thin soles due to the wet. It's horrific. I think this winter has been an exception. He's got a bald belly from where all his hair has fallen out too from the constant damp. No scabs or pus, just bald! And lost loads of weight which I was getting very concerned about and got the vet involved but he's picked up and looks much, much better now.

Are you sure your horse is warm enough?

 

[Goldenstar]

I've really struggled with Lari this winter, the YO at retirement where he is has said in 12 years of doing retirement she's never had so many issues due to the wet weather and she's only had one horse go down with mud fever the whole time, yet this winter she's about ten. And a few have rain scald, and a number have had repeated abscesses including Lari with thin soles due to the wet. It's horrific. I think this winter has been an exception. He's got a bald belly from where all his hair has fallen out too from the constant damp. No scabs or pus, just bald! And lost loads of weight which I was getting very concerned about and got the vet involved but he's picked up and looks much, much better now.

Are you sure your horse is warm enough?

The horse is itchy fully coated but shedding and was in a medium weight rug it’s safe to assume he’s not cold .

 

[AmyMay]

The horse is itchy fully coated but shedding and was in a medium weight rug it’s safe to assume he’s not cold .

If anything too hot.

 

[Goldenstar]

I advised putting the horse into a zero further back
But then mine are growing out clips and turned out at night naked .
Sky is an itchy horse especially when he’s casting he hates being too warm he gets miserable and depressed looking not agitated

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It's so mild mine are only having no fill on because of the mud during the day or they will be plastered, Louis was clipped out bar legs and half a face and he only has a 50g on at night, Arabi had a sort of trace clip and was getting too hot so I clipped the rest off yesterday and his only got a 50g on tonight.

 

[Goldenstar]

You should see mine it’s mud Armageddon every morning

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You should see mine it’s mud Armageddon every morning

Mine are desperate to get out naked and roll but it's just a bit too muddy, I can't be chipping mud off late evening to put a rug on them when I've already done it in the morning to ride.

I'm sick of chipping mud off now

 

[Goldenstar]

I have er outsourced the demudding
They where getting overly warm in zeros .