Living out over winter- worried

[Oldernewbie]

My horse has now gone to a rehab yard on a track system. She seems happy there and I’m happy with the decision thats shes better ‘out than in’ this winter given she cannot do ridden work. She has arthritis so standing in doesn’t do her any favours.
I’m just worrying about how she’ll cope all winter, with the weather and mud etc. Am I worrying unnecessarily? She is a cob and a very good doer if that makes a difference.

 

[TheMule]

Yes, you are worrying unnecessarily
If it's a properly set up system then mud should be minimal and there should be plenty of natural shelter or a large field shelter/ run in barn

 

[Antw23uk]

Amazing life for her, you should be very happy Done well, tracks are amazing and incredibly healthy for horses physically and mentally

Good luck

 

[Oldernewbie]

Thank you both for your words of encouragement. The horses have an abundance of natural shelter I just worry about those awful days of never ending rain!! It doesn’t seem likely she’ll be able to lie down and sleep!!

 

[Annagain]

Slightly different situation but my old boy retired last summer and was unclipped and naked for the first time last winter at the age of 24. He did come in overnight as the yard rules meant he had to but I'd have happily left him out.

He thrived. The field has plenty of natural shelter but he was never under it. Just before Christmas we had torrential rain (over a month's worth in 4 hours) which led to unprecedented flooding in my village. We went up a bit early to get the horses in. The rugged horses were all huddled at the gate, miserable as sin and needed their rugs changing when they came in - they were soaked through. Archie was still grazing in the middle of the field and when he eventually wandered over he was dry as a bone under the top layer of his incredibly thick winter coat. He also lost said coat far more efficiently that the rugged horses when spring came and was in his summer splendour a good month before they were. Nature does a far better job of looking after them than we can!

 

[meleeka]

Thank you both for your words of encouragement. The horses have an abundance of natural shelter I just worry about those awful days of never ending rain!! It doesn’t seem likely she’ll be able to lie down and sleep!!

She’ll find a spot to lay down I’m sure. She is a horse after all! Stables and comfy beds are a human invention. Natives especially don’t really need them at all, they just make us feel as if we are caring for them.

 

[Birker2020]

My horse has now gone to a rehab yard on a track system. She seems happy there and I’m happy with the decision thats shes better ‘out than in’ this winter given she cannot do ridden work. She has arthritis so standing in doesn’t do her any favours.
I’m just worrying about how she’ll cope all winter, with the weather and mud etc. Am I worrying unnecessarily? She is a cob and a very good doer if that makes a difference.

Its good she is moving around more than she would be if stabled but I would still monitor her arthritis every six months or so to check that she isn't in discomfort, even if that means involving the vet.

As long as you can maintain their comfort with pain relief if it's needed then I don't see an issue.

I have arthritis myself and know what it is like if I even go an hour over the time I should take my medication, which is why I was always willing to make sure my late mare always was adequately medicated. I'm sure she will have a ball

 

[tiahatti]

When mine both started being out 24/7 I did worry for Hatti. She couldn't stay in because of her cataracts in the end. The transition of coming into a stable was upsetting her. I don't think her eyes would adjust to the change of light.
Anyway she & Tia were so more happier being out all the time. I worried about heavy rain & thought Hatti would be stood miserably by the gate but that just didn't happen. They were so chilled in all weathers. I would say that Hatti did feel the cold & wore 2 rugs in the coldest part of the winter.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'd say there's no reason why it shouldn't work but do just keep an eye on her and don't listen blindly to the 'it's a track system so will be best for her' narrative. The winter was a large part of s the reason I moved from a track livery system.

He wasn't mollycoddled before but he just didn't take to it & over the the winter moved much less than he otherwise did turned out in a field.

Stabling overnight in winter is a compromise on paper for us - but previous experience suggests this is what he prefers so this is what we'll do.

 

[ponyparty]

That would depend entirely upon which track system it is. I had an extremely poor experience with one, resulting in me having to rescue my crippled horse. Feel free to pm me.

 

[Oldernewbie]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I should’ve said, its a full track system between april October but over winter the majority of the horses will have graduated access to the grass and winter grazing fields so at points are just ‘living out’. Because if her specific injury she wint be allowed to stand in the field as and when it gets too muddy.

 

[chocolategirl]

Slightly different situation but my old boy retired last summer and was unclipped and naked for the first time last winter at the age of 24. He did come in overnight as the yard rules meant he had to but I'd have happily left him out.

He thrived. The field has plenty of natural shelter but he was never under it. Just before Christmas we had torrential rain (over a month's worth in 4 hours) which led to unprecedented flooding in my village. We went up a bit early to get the horses in. The rugged horses were all huddled at the gate, miserable as sin and needed their rugs changing when they came in - they were soaked through. Archie was still grazing in the middle of the field and when he eventually wandered over he was dry as a bone under the top layer of his incredibly thick winter coat. He also lost said coat far more efficiently that the rugged horses when spring came and was in his summer splendour a good month before they were. Nature does a far better job of looking after them than we can!

If more people understood what an amazing feat of engineering the horses own coat is, there’d be a lot less rugged horses IMO!?

 

[HelenBack]

I do think it depends on the horse and the track set up. Mine was on a track livery for a while and in the winter the horses had access to big fields and some shelters. However the fields got really wet and muddy and the bedding in the shelters was always damp so I wasn't convinced my horse was lying down either. He also ended up with mud fever and there were lots of abscesses in several of the horses. I moved him to a traditional yard where he was stabled overnight and his bed was squashed flat the first few mornings where I presume he'd crashed out for a good sleep!

I do still like the idea of track systems but I'd be very careful when choosing one now. I'm not always convinced it's best for their arthritis if they're just stood out in the cold and damp all the time. Mine doesn't like bad weather much either so sometimes I think he would rather come in if it's chucking down.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I think she will be fine I have wintered out a few horses without rugs and they have all been fine, I have 2 arabs and they are out most of the winter they are currently out naked and I try and leave them that way as long as possible before I clip and rug them, it's normally the mud that gets to me in the end as they are still ridden so I get sick of trying to get it off.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

We have a small retirement livery yard. All the horses are out 24/7/365. We have a variation on a track system, which seems to work well, and mud isn't an issue. Shelters are wind barriers and overheads - the horses choose where they want to be and it's quite interesting watching them. Usually the overhead shelters are most used when it's hot. So going by our experience I expect your horse will be fine lass.

 

[mini-eventer]

Thanks for this post. I have got the opportunity to have my 28yr old live out on his current yard with another retired boy this year. We have good grazing, hay in the fields and a field shelter. I am there every day with my other boy who will be with them in the day, and I have a stable that I can bring him in to if it is really grotty. I still feel a bit nervous about it but really I need to get a grip!

 

[HollyWoozle]

Ooh I think she'll be just fine! We currently have 5 living out 24/7 and have had various types over the years, never any problems. Provided they have some shelter and plenty to munch they get on great! Our gateways and well-used areas can get extremely muddy but we've only ever had one very mild case of mud fever (on an Appaloosa with awkward skin) which cleared up quickly with no issues. My retired mare is primarily warmblood X TB and is unrugged, even when we had that wacky storm a few years ago, and I believe they are all very happy and healthy living this way.