Living out 24/7

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Hazel and Arnold

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Hi everyone, just wondering for those of you who have horses that live out how often you take them out of the field? My horse is practically retired and is only ridden several times a year. I usually take him out of the field everyday for his feed and a quick brush whilst I poo pick and fill waters, give him hay, etc. Some days I dont have much time so I leave him in the field and feed him (he's in a paddock on his own) and if its not raining then I'll take his rug off even if its for only 5 mins so he can have a scratch. I'm just interested what other people do. Do you leave rugs on for days/ weeks without taking them off or do you take them off everyday? Do you do everything you need to (groom, etc) in the field, out of the field or nothing at all?
Thanks.
 
If you are able to take it off every day do. You should not leave it on for days and weeks cause if he has a random cut or scald, how would you know? Stick to what you are doing :)
 
I've got two field kept horses, out 24/7. I have no yard, just a shed and a hard stand to tie up, in the field. They therefore only leave the field when ridden.

The old girl is semi retired and ridden once a week. On other days she just gets a pat and checked for injury. If I've got spare time she might come in for a brush. She only gets fed after she's ridden (thank you feed)

The youngster is just broken and works every other day. He gets fed after he's worked too. On the other daya I may bring him in for a brush and cuddle but usually not.

They do however get their rugs off (loose in the field) as often as possible, even if just for a few hours. Then they get a quick brush, loose in the field, before being re rugged, still loose in the field.
 
My four are all out 24/7, only one is rugged. We haven't got stables, but do have a large open fronted barn in which I store bits and pieces. The horses rarely use it for shelter.

Regarding the rugging, ideally I would take the rug off every day, but it just hasn't been possible of late as it has been dark when I can get to the field. I do have a good feel underneath to make sure she is warm enough and to make sure she hasn't lost weight, and the rug comes off for half an hour once or twice a week when I am off work. I have to do everything I need to do in the field, I usually have a small area taped off so I can bring them in one at a time, but I have currently opened it all up so no areas get poached with the horrible weather we have been having.
 
Mine are ridden several days of the week up to 6 times so regularly have rugs off but like over Christmas when the riders were away on holiday they had a holiday and only had the rugs off a couple of times when the weather was fit Not often due tot he wind and rain but I did get them off when it was sunny and dry they had a brush and were re rugged. They only go out of the field when hacked out or walked out the little one hasn't been out of the field since last year when he ditched the kids so they became afraid of him. I will soon be long reining him ready to drive out so will soon be out most days
 
My retired pony has her rug changed morning and evening and gets groomed in the morning session and a quick brush at night. Even though she lives out 24/7 she gets grazed in hand in an area she cannot access the rest of the time while she is being groomed in the morning, unless the weather is bad when she is groomed in her field shelter.
 
Im a firmer beliver in rugs should be removed everyday to check underneath for rubs cuts etc and replaced regardless if can be left off . was drummed into me many many years ago as working pupil . :)
 
Mine are unrugged and semi-feral. They only come out of the field when ridden / driven, once or twice a week at most. The unbroken colts aren't usually taken from the field at all unless they're moving pasture. They come for a cuddle when we're catching the others, and I will sometimes slip on the headcollar or lift their feet - which they just see as more friendly grooming / attention. They'll come out more this year as we start mouthing etc.

We seldom have problems catching - even if a pony hasn't been out in months. They're keen to see us and want to come out and play.
 
I don't remove rugs on a regular basis , I don't want to keep letting the heat out everyday. I've only got 2 rugged, they have good fitting rugs so rubs aren't really an issue. 1 of mine never leaves the field at all, he has issues so he wouldn't want me faffing with him anyway. If possible I don't rug at all.
 
My 3 are out 24/7 without exception but they do have free access to the stables and yard.
Only my 17'3hh Ish gets rugged and is checked religiously every day to check for rubs etc. He has recently had a kissing spines op though so I'm a bit paranoid because of it.

The other 2 are groomed regularly and checked thoroughly every day.
 
Generally speaking ours only come out of the field to be ridden (which is rare at the moment) or for a groom, cuddle etc. They are fed, rugged and so forth whilst loose in the field. I don't remove/swap rugs everyday but do take them off fairly regularly to check for any rubs or injuries. Rugs are adjusted morning and evening if they have moved at all and the horses are looked over when fed. They're outside the family home and we run a business there so are looking at them regularly.

When they are unrugged (most of the time and always in the case of the shetland) then I still don't groom much. I don't think it really benefits them when they are living out all the time. Having said that I do make sure they're always clean where the tack goes and make sure they are free of any injuries.
 
My lot live out 24/7 and I don't remove the rugs every day. I can't imagine having a warm rug whipped off their warm backs to be exposed to the cold is doing their backs much good! I also can't see them getting a cut underneath their rug unless the rug is also cut meaning I would see it, and they all wear properly fitting rugs so no rubs.

If the sun comes out and the temperatures go up I'll take rugs off and let them be naked for a while, gets some sun on their backs, isn't such a shock change in temperature and means they can have a roll. My two are groomed and exercised most days whereas the other two aren't (not mine) so every few days I'll bring them in to the indoor sand school for a naked roll and a play about.
 
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