No one wants 24/7 turnout!

Wagtail

Wagtail

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At my yard only my two horses are now out 24/7. The fields are lovely, the ground is good with no mud, and we have had relatively dry nights. However, none of my liveries want their horses out 24/7. I have offered it. I want it, but no takers! :( They are all full or part livery though so I guess the liveries do not need a rest from mucking out or the costs of feeding haylage and bedding down. But from being on here, I was under the impression that most people wanted 24/7 turnout? :confused:
 
The only time I want 24/7 turnout is when the horse isn't working. So for the odd holiday here and there. And mandatory for my retired horse.

Other than that I want my working/competing horse stabled for part of the day - through the heat of the summer out overnight/in during day otherwise out as long as possible throughout the day.

The only time I'd want a competition horse out 24/7 was if they were a hyper/stressy type, which mine isn't.
 
Perhaps people are being careful about weight/ Laminitis. Thats the only reason mine are still in.
 
The yard we are on offer 24 hour turn out, and I wouldn't want it any other way. A stable is always available if needed/wanted (useful for the night before a show). I don't want to muck out, and I'm too mean to pay for full livery!
 
I only have a max of three horses at livery here. We have ONLY 24/7/365 turnout, with access to barns, which is what my liveries want, and I want for my horse. It's really interesting that you say none of your liveries want full turnout. They must be very wealthy and very energetic! Are they all competing etc? My lot are happy hackers so there is no necessity to have immaculate horses.

I cannot see why you would want to keep a horse in at this time of year if you have the option of 24/7 turnout. I have a very low turnover of clients, but without exception they all came to me for this very reason; they had been on yards where turn-out was limited or, in one case, virtually non-existent.

Costs have soared in these last 12 months, and I would have thought people would be only too glad to save their money and give their horse a bit of real life at the same time. Nowt as queer as folks.....
 
you have hit the nail on the head, people want their own horses out 24/7 if they are mucking out themselves, and paying for their own bedding and haylage/ hay as it is cheaper if a horse is out 24/7. But if they are paying full or part livery then to be honest they do not get it any cheaper why do it? If their horses are happy in at night then the only person to benefit is the person who is not having to muck out
 
fizzer said:
Perhaps people are being careful about weight/ Laminitis. Thats the only reason mine are still in.
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No, that isn't it because three of them are skinny types that need lots of feeding, and the others have taylor made paddocks with the right amount of grass in for their needs. I think they mainly want them in because they feel it is too cold for them at night. Come June though, they will all have to go out 24/7 for 2 - 3 months, so long as the weather is not ridiculously wet. Last year they were all out from the end of April until October.
 
Whereas I have a non-hyper/stressy competition horse that I keep out 24/7 as much as possible! This year has been a disaster though - so wet that although he was out 24/7 in March I had to relent and bring him in again at night. He went out again at the weekend, we'll see how long that lasts with the weather forecast. At the moment my compromise is to leave him in for an hour or so with a net of hay, which is long enough for us both. I do usually stable him the night before a competition though, for ease/cleanliness mainly!!
 
Do you reduce the price of the livery whilst the horses are turned out? I was part livery at a yard several years ago- included was 1 bale of shavings a week, 3 sections of hay (depending on size of horse) and 2 muck outs a week. Whilst the horses were living out we had no reduction in livery we had a bale of shavings a week ( we obviously didnt need it!) and we ended up feeding the hay anyway! The yard owner didnt even poo pick they days they were meant to do the Mucking out!! People probably think they are paying for a service so thats what they want.
 
Wagtail said:
At my yard only my two horses are now out 24/7. The fields are lovely, the ground is good with no mud, and we have had relatively dry nights. However, none of my liveries want their horses out 24/7. I have offered it. I want it, but no takers! :( They are all full or part livery though so I guess the liveries do not need a rest from mucking out or the costs of feeding haylage and bedding down. But from being on here, I was under the impression that most people wanted 24/7 turnout? :confused:
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that's strange, out of the 30 odd at the place we're at there have only been 3 who come in at night still, ones has lami, ones an old boy and the other is their friend. The rest are out 24/7 365 days a year and I wouldn't want it any other way. They do come in for 5 hours or so a day in the winter though to eat hay.
 
I couldnt have anything but 24/7 turnout as my mare won't walk through a stable door any more!

She was evil when she was stabled and has been a totally different horse since i stopped bringing her in!
 
I think you answered your own question, it makes no difference to the owners whether the horses are in or out, no extra work or expense involved.
They can feel happy that the horse is warm at night with a clean bed and plenty to eat, they are not really affected you are the one doing the work and footing the bills.

I turned most of mine out a few weeks ago, they have come in by day or night for some respite but I will not have them in full time until the Autumn.
 
Bosworth said:
you have hit the nail on the head, people want their own horses out 24/7 if they are mucking out themselves, and paying for their own bedding and haylage/ hay as it is cheaper if a horse is out 24/7. But if they are paying full or part livery then to be honest they do not get it any cheaper why do it? If their horses are happy in at night then the only person to benefit is the person who is not having to muck out
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Yes, me! But I factor in this 'summer break' when calculating the livery fees. They are averaged out through the year and I explain this to the clients. I will have to put fees up if we don't have this 2 - 3 month 24/7 turnout. I do make it compulsory though when the weather is nice and warm and dry, but we always get this period where 24/7 is optional, and no one ever takes it, even though none of them are competing currently and the horses love it out. I would have thought this year they would jump at the chance because they have had almost 6 months of being turned out in shifts in the all weather, due to the amount of rain we have had. :(
 
be positive said:
I think you answered your own question, it makes no difference to the owners whether the horses are in or out, no extra work or expense involved.
They can feel happy that the horse is warm at night with a clean bed and plenty to eat, they are not really affected you are the one doing the work and footing the bills.

I turned most of mine out a few weeks ago, they have come in by day or night for some respite but I will not have them in full time until the Autumn.
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Yes, I you are right, although in their shoes, I would still like mine out 24/7 as much as possible. So long as it wasn't really wet and cold, of course.
 
I wouldn't want 24/7 turnout because I'll loose control of my boys weight.

It would be handy to have my retired one out, but he's a very good doer and because I can't ride him I'm not risking him getting lami, just to save 10 minutes of mucking out. If I had him in a field with restricted grazing 24/7 where he could see across the fence to lusher grass - he'd just pop the fence.

My other one is competing regularly, and I like him fresh and focused in the morning, and when he's out overnight he turns into a bloated sloth :rolleyes:.
 
I'd rather have mine out 24/7 now than enforced for the 3 months in the real heat of summer!!

Do your liveries not mind their horses being forced outside in the baking heat and flies?
 
I wish mine were out 24/7 at the moment! I did turn them out mid march with this in mind but due to the awful weather we have been experiencing I bring mine in at 6.30am and turn them out again at 4pm ish. I have only been doing this to give them and their paddocks a bit of a break untill it brightenes up again.
 
I keep mine out, but most of the horsey people that I know are shocked by this (private horse owners rather than the Stud farm owners). Infact one of them nearly had a heart attack when she watched my gelding having a little canter along the hillside. Her horses are kept in small flat paddocks on individual turnout for only four hours a day. They were rugged up when I drove past her place yesterday. The funny thing is that her horses have the bumpiest legs that I have ever seen.
 
My ponies must be total wimps, as despite M&M breeding they love coming in to their stables at night, whatever the time of year. And despite me being the one that mucks out, I like having clean, well-slept animals....I do think that they rest better in stables than out in a field overnight (but I suppose as that's what they've been used to, the odd night I've left them out must have been a shock to their delicate systems!!) In the end, I think horses like familiar routines.
 
ihatework said:
I'd rather have mine out 24/7 now than enforced for the 3 months in the real heat of summer!!

Do your liveries not mind their horses being forced outside in the baking heat and flies?
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Never had a complaint, though they know the deal before they come here. The paddocks all have large trees or field shelters for shade. :)
 
MissMincePie&Brandy said:
I wouldn't want 24/7 turnout because I'll loose control of my boys weight.

It would be handy to have my retired one out, but he's a very good doer and because I can't ride him I'm not risking him getting lami, just to save 10 minutes of mucking out. If I had him in a field with restricted grazing 24/7 where he could see across the fence to lusher grass - he'd just pop the fence.

My other one is competing regularly, and I like him fresh and focused in the morning, and when he's out overnight he turns into a bloated sloth :rolleyes:.
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I have to admit, that when I was competing, I did try my boy out 24/7 but he became far too laid back. My mare has always been fine though and I competed her to quite a high level on 24/7 turnout in the summer.

TicTac said:
I wish mine were out 24/7 at the moment! I did turn them out mid march with this in mind but due to the awful weather we have been experiencing I bring mine in at 6.30am and turn them out again at 4pm ish. I have only been doing this to give them and their paddocks a bit of a break untill it brightenes up again.
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It was lovely in mid March. I wish I had taken advantage and had them out 24/7, but I was just in denial that we were actually having such warm weather! I thought 'but it's March! They can't possibly stay out!' :rolleyes:

Faracat said:
I keep mine out, but most of the horsey people that I know are shocked by this (private horse owners rather than the Stud farm owners). Infact one of them nearly had a heart attack when she watched my gelding having a little canter along the hillside. Her horses are kept in small flat paddocks on individual turnout for only four hours a day. They were rugged up when I drove past her place yesterday. The funny thing is that her horses have the bumpiest legs that I have ever seen.
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Lol. It's amazing how sure footed horses can be, if we let them.

RubysGold said:
Im on a diy yard, we're allowed them out 24/7 now and my two are the only ones staying out.
Cant believe it!
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I know. That is what I was thinking. With so many people on here saying how important turnout is and how 24/7 is the best thing for horses, I was wondering if maybe this wasn't the majority view, given that my liveries are simply not interested.

blackislegirl said:
My ponies must be total wimps, as despite M&M breeding they love coming in to their stables at night, whatever the time of year. And despite me being the one that mucks out, I like having clean, well-slept animals....I do think that they rest better in stables than out in a field overnight (but I suppose as that's what they've been used to, the odd night I've left them out must have been a shock to their delicate systems!!) In the end, I think horses like familiar routines.
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To be fair, both of my two hated it the first night I left them out as all the others came in. My TB was racing up and down the fenceline. It was only after I brought them an evening feed that they relaxed. I think that then they realised that actually, I had left them out on purpose and that I knew they were there. I think that they are just as happy to come in, but only because I think horses thrive on routine. I believe it is better for them to be out, so long as the weather is not really bad.
 
My pony loves his stable :-)

Even when we have a bit of grass (we get some occasionally!) in the summer he still wants to come in for stable time. If I was paying out on full livery I would expect to have my pony in whatever routine I choose and would be a bit miffed being told I had to leave them out 24/7- im not paying for grass livery after all!

On the plus side I quite enjoy mucking out :-)
 
Mine are all on full livery and I would like them out 24/7 however the livery charges wont reduce.

I feel that a reduction should be in order over the summer as no one is mucking out and all feed/hay is reduced.

This is why a lot of full liveries keep to part turnout over the summer as livery owners dont reduce the prices.
 
It seems to be to be cutting off your nose to spite your face to say 'i want to turn out 24/7 but won't because I have to pay the same livery cost'.
 
four faults said:
Mine are all on full livery and I would like them out 24/7 however the livery charges wont reduce.

I feel that a reduction should be in order over the summer as no one is mucking out and all feed/hay is reduced.

This is why a lot of full liveries keep to part turnout over the summer as livery owners dont reduce the prices.
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Most of the full livery places I know dont reduce their summer prices as the summer savings are subsidising the winter costs, its worked out for the entire year then split evenly throughout the year.
 
I would love it!! I have 2 that live out 24/7 365 days. One of mine comes in during the winter months but he has been out 24/7 since march. The only reason he comes in in the winter is that everything on his block is in and he won't stay out alone! I love 24/7 turnout and would rather not keep a horse than have one at a yard with no turnout!
 
All bar 2 or 3 of ours are out 24/7, yes, even the competition horses :cool: Don't have to 'force' them either! And it's a mix of DIY/part/full :)
 
four faults said:
Mine are all on full livery and I would like them out 24/7 however the livery charges wont reduce.

I feel that a reduction should be in order over the summer as no one is mucking out and all feed/hay is reduced.

This is why a lot of full liveries keep to part turnout over the summer as livery owners dont reduce the prices.
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My prices are the same all year round but I take a summer break into account when calculating them. If I reduced the rates in the summer, I would have to put them up in the winter. You also have to take into account the cost of maintaining the grazing to a high standard.
 
When I say they have to be on 24/7 turnout during the summer, I always bring in if adverse weather is expected such as thunder storms. Mine come in then too.
 
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