living out all year round

2

251libby

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 November 2008
Messages
1,307
Visit site
My mare has been out in the day in at night for the 5 years I have owned her due to yard restrictions. Before I got her I'm not sure.
She has now been diagnosed with arthritis and has COPD (sorry for banging on about this again!) and I woud like to keep her out all year round so she doesn't get stiff in the box and will also help her breathing.
I am moving yards to a very basic yard, I get my own field and shelter, use of a stable if I need it otherwise I'll use it for a bit of extra storage and also use of small sand school. I'm also getting a companion so all boxes are ticked.

So my question is, do horses cope well with the change from being stabled at night to living out all year?
 
Most I've known cope very well as long as they are warm and well fed.
All mine live out 24/7whatever the weather, whether they did previously or not.
All have coped brilliantly regardless of their breed
smile.gif
 
Yes of course! The most that will happen is a slight worry from the horses part of change of routine. Otherwise I am sure she will be much happier out and about, eating all day.



Best of luck.xx
 
Mine has gone from being in in winter to out all year round this year and he seems to be really happy! He is never at the gate, and even last night when it was chucking it down and very windy he stood at the gate to take his apple then wanted to go be with his friends again!
 
My daughter's old TB lived out 24/7 after he was diagnosed with copd. He used to grow quite a thick coat and was well rugged. All the horse had plenty of shelter if they needed it and he would stand in an open stable if the weather was foul but he coped really well otherwise.The others were natives or native x so not a problem for them. We were lucky as it was our own field and the yard opened onto it. They could come and go as they wanted.
 
My old gelding had emphysemia (sp) and lived out very happily from the age of 25 until he died at 34.

My current mare was stabled at night until I bought her when she was 6. She is now 12 and has lived out ever since. Her 27 yr old companion has lived out with her for the past three winters, and moves noticeably easier than she used to do when stabled for 14-15 hours a night!

We do, however bring them in either for an odd night or even for a week or two in the winter (nights only) if the fields are just bogs and we want them to eat overnight, but we don't have access to a field shelter.

Neither of ours are clipped or rugged but we do put rain sheets (no fillings) on if we are expecting a storm, but only for one or two nights.
 
My boys are out as I am not well and can't look after them properly (they think I may hav Lymes Disease from a tick bite so waiting for tests - in the meantime, I am really unsteady and dizzy and can't see/deaf in one ear etc etc - host of neuro probs - nice!!!)

They were always in at night previously - seem to be doing fine out, with plenty of hay and thick rugs (no hard food as yet). They have a shelter if they want it and I leave their hay in there for them - all seems fine so far, although I hate not having them tucked up warm!!

Good luck - think horses cope v well with weather - it's just us that is the problem!

Catherine
 
Mine have just started living out 24/7 for the first time in winter. They have access to shelters and plenty of grass and seem really happy. I have been putting them in a further away field for day times to ease the wear and tear on the ground but because of the weather over the last few days have been leaving the gate open so they can get to the shelters. They are choosing not to use them though!!!

I think your guys will be fine and dandy!!!! xxx
 
quite a few of ours live out, and do so very well (some do much better TBH), plenty of forage & shelter is all they need, we don't even rug some of them (& they are all TB's) As my husband says on a very regular basis, horses were designed to live outside, they do it very well
 
Four of my five have lived out all of their lives - it would be keeping them stabled that they'd most likely have a problem with! However, the fifth mare was always stabled at night when I was on a DIY yard and out by day. She would always wait with the others to come in in the winter evenings and I thought that she really liked her stable.

However, when I moved her away from the DIY yard onto my own rented land, to join the rest of my gang, then the transition was instantaneous. She was more than happy being out with the others - and showed me that her wanting to come in previously when at the DIY yard was simply because all of the others came in and it was routine.

She was 21 when she spent her first winter out 24/7, is now 25 and has thrived from it, and even if I bring her into one of my 2 stables for her dinner, she's desperate to go out again afterwards.

You do hear of a few horses who don't take to living out 24/7 - but mostly (not always) it's horses that have spent a huge part of their lives being stabled with little if any grazing, and only ever brought out for ridden exercise. For a horse that's been used to that kind of regime, it's easy to understand that they might not adapt quite as easily.
 
One of mine is in by day and the other is in by night, but only 'cos my fields are like paddy fields at the moment. I and they would prefer them to be out 24/7!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top