Living out after 14 years in...

[seoirse]

I’m taking a horse on loan for 18 months while his owner (a friend) goes and works abroad. The loan may get extended. Horse is a connie X TB, 14 years old. In great shape. He’s lived in his whole life and most recently on racing yard where he’s had very limited turn out and I am going to have to keep him out. I have had horses for 20 years and have pretty much always kept them out, my last horse was connie X and lived out with a blanket clip and I rode him most days through the winter as we’ve got floodlights.
I’m a bit anxious about this new boy as he’s been pampered for so long and I can’t take him til the end of November. He will be living out with 2 mares of mine who have wintered out for years so they will hopefully look after him and show him where to hide when its windy etc!
I’ll make sure he’s well rugged up, and I’m hoping he’s going to take to it well as he can be a bit stroppy in the stable and his owner thinks its due to being shut in so much. I do have access to stabling so can bring him in if I must but I’d prefer to keep him out as my others are out.
I’ve never taken a horse on in the winter and it had to live out immediately. I’ve always got them in the summer and they’ve had time to get used to it! I think I’m worrying unnecessarily as I know horses are tough, especially those with pony in them, but I can’t help being a bit anxious about it. His owner is fine about it and thinks he will be ok with plenty of rugs and haylage. Anyone done this and its all worked out ok?!
Thanks

 

[Dizzydancer]

as long as he has plenty of roughage to warm him internally he will be fine. He will take time to adjust though so dont be surprised if he hangs around the gate waiting to come in. Try and geta routine so he is fed then you leave so he realises he gets his tea then he wanders off to shelter. A good thick rug will be enough for him i imagine.
My only concern would be he is going from being stabled through october to suddenly chucked in a field in november so he wont have had chance to acclimatise to cold weather etc. is there no way he can go to you earlier??

 

[LaurenBay]

When my YO got her SJ 2 years ago, he had never been turned out as his previous owners liked to wrap him in bubble wrap.

She started gradually. Letting him have the days out and brought in at night. Then out all night, night in, night out etc. He can now live in or out and is quite a happy chap. He does need to be well rugged though as he tends to feel the cold more then the others. Not sure if that's due to his old life stayle though.

I'm sure yours will be fine, Good luck with him

 

[Brandy]

Last year I moved my elderly TB and 10yr old welsh cob to somewhere where they now live out. TB spent his life before me being stabled pretty much non stop, and in the 12 years I have had him, has been stabled overnight every night. He now has a shelter, loads of rugs and is quite happy.

The welsh, was stabled I think permenantly until the age of 2 (literally) then stabled overnight. He was not good in the stable. He is completely different now he is out. I did move them at the start of august though so they had the summer to aclimatise, and the welsh grew a coat like never before!

I would try to get him asap, but if you can't, make sure he is nicely rugged. I wouldn't worry, he should manage fine and will learn the ropes with your other two.

(I worried like youwouldn;t believe though leaving my old boy out to start with!)

 

[seoirse]

My only concern would be he is going from being stabled through october to suddenly chucked in a field in november so he wont have had chance to acclimatise to cold weather etc. is there no way he can go to you earlier??

Yeah, this is what I'm concerned about. Can't take him sooner cos I'm getting married on 29th Oct and I'm on honeymoon til 13th Nov, then picking him up on 20th Nov. My Mum does horses for me while I'm away and she's very good but not confident enough to look after a new one, especially one like this who pulls faces, and is considerably larger than anything she's looked after before. Also owner would prefer to wait til I get back as horse is quite fit and he won't get ridden while I'm away.

 

[sheep]

Is it possible to up the amount he's turned out at his current yard?

 

[SusieT]

Are owners happy for him to be suddenly turned out? He will be absoloutely fine if appropriately rugged unless he is a horse that is prone to stressy colic from change in routine?

 

[seoirse]

Are owners happy for him to be suddenly turned out? He will be absoloutely fine if appropriately rugged unless he is a horse that is prone to stressy colic from change in routine?

Yeah owner is happy and thinks he will be fine, she'd had him his whole life so if anyone knows him she does. I think I am just worrying too much. As long as I rug him and feed him well there is no reason why he won't be fine. I know I'm going to be awake all night for the first few nights he's out with us but he will be with ponies who know all about living out and they'll look after him. Owner is going to try and rough him off as best she can but problem is everything else at her yard is worth trillions and kept in bubble wrap so R is out on his own for most of the time which doesnt stress him but is not ideal. I've just got to get on and do it and if he obviously isn't happy then I'll have to bring him in. Need to keep telling myself he's just a big pony!