Living out with access to stables

[maxapple]

Does anyone have horses living out - but leave stable doors open for them to go in if they want?

We have a field with 2 stables in - that open directly out on to the field. At the mo, 2 horses are out in the day, in at night - but thinking of just leaving the stable doors open for them to come and go as they please. We would have straw beds down but leave the hay outside (as my pony can be a little territorial about food)

We will have horse number 3 joining them next week - so if they all get on would leave all 3 in the field together with access to the 2 stables. (If not, one would be in a sectioned off bit next door)

My tb would probably come in for a nap / rest, but I think my pony would just stay outside and be much happier. The new one is also an outdoor pony - and is likely to not really bother wanting to come in either.

 

[catwithclaws]

me and OH did that with our 2 when we had a private yard. 2 stables opening straight onto the field, the same as u. horses seemed much happier and both used the opportunity, they even decided who had which stable and never swapped we left beds down and haynets inside, but ours werent territorial so never had any arguments

 

[Merlin11]

yes this is what i do and it works really well. i have two open stables and four horses. to be honest they rarely go in. probably use them more in the summer when the flies are bad. there is a big overhang so if weather is bad 2 go in the stables and 2 stand under the overhang. i was a bit worried about 2 going in the same stable and a fight starting but this hasn't been an issue. i don't bother putting bedding in the stables as they just pee on it. i have rubber mats though.
it does save a lot of mucking out and horses are happier as they can go in the stable or not as they please.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Ours have two open access barns but they only use them in the summer to escape the heat and flies. They rarely use them in winter even when its driving rain and sleet.

 

[tazzle]

yes, friend and I rent a yard and we have this system especially over winter. Summer there is field shelter in the big field as well as loads trees / tall hedging. In winter the big field rests for four months and we have a little field ( with trees on two sides) and the stoned yard where the open stables are. The door are always open.

In our expereince they dont use the stables very much and in the recent driving snow all of them choose to eat the hay in the field before the hay under the overhang of the stables out of the wind. They even choose to lie down to sleep in the cold wet snow rather than the "nice warm stables"

I would think you could only really do this in settled herds though and not with horses that are too territorial or that bicker . Hard to do also on livery yards where horses come and go.

It does give then free choice if the setup can be done

 

[MagicMelon]

Yes I do. Got a stable and a large stable (shelter size), the doors are permanently hooked back so the horses can come and go as they like (currently a horse and 2 ponies but have had 3 horses and 2 ponies happily doing this system). We have a hardcored yard where the stables are and water trough, which has gates either end so the horses can go out into either field - during the summer for example, the horse goes out into the big field and the ponies go into the smaller paddocks whereas this time of year I just leave all gates open. Works very well. Mine do use the stables regularly all year round and in winter I can put their haynets up inside.

 

[pottamus]

My lad has access to his field stable at all times but never uses it in winter. He uses his in summer to get away from the flies.