No turnout horse very unhappy

Hetsmum said:
The thing that stuck in my mind particulaly about the OP way that she SPECIFICALLY chose the yard she did because it offered ALL YEAR ROUND TURNOUT. That in my opinion is where the YO has fallen down. I know the weather has been exeptional etc etc but if you claim to offer it then you should blinking well offer it!

Before you jump on people perhaps try to walk a mile or so in their shoes.......you might find they don't wear UGGS.........:rolleyes:
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If the yard on question has been able to offer all year turnout up to now and in this exceptional weather has closed the fields for the first time then I think a bit of sympathy and walking in their shoes is called for here too.

If they have always had fields they can use, they won't have contingency arrangements in place and it can be tricky to magic alternatives at short notice.

I just don't think it is very helpful to criticise under these circumstances and say move when you may find everyone is the area is in the same boat.
 
RunToEarth said:
Certainly does. I'm so proud to be a young farmer this week and be part of the forage aid going down there to help all the farmers. Not having any turnout for your horse is rubbish but just imagine your entire world under water which isn't doe to recede for weeks.
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its mind boggling, every time i see it on the TV/FB its just heart breaking and jaw dropping and insane all in the same breath :(
 
eleanor79 said:
Me? I'm just tanking my lucky stars I am not this poor poor chap.
http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2014-02-12/we-join-farmer-on-his-return-home/
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That's heartbreaking, poor, poor man x[/QUOTE]

justabob said:
That's heartbreaking, poor, poor man x
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Puts every little thing in perspective doesn't it??[/QUOTE]

Yes poor guy. There's always someone with bigger, worse problems than us, it doesn't make individual, lesser problems insignificant! There are people dying without water in the third world, maybe that guy should remember to count himself lucky that he's surrounded by the stuff… (sarcasm, btw, kind of)

You can keep a sense of perspective at the same time as giving discussion and consideration to less major issues.
 
RunToEarth said:
No alternative to being on a yard over grazed with no turnout and no use of facilities so that horse was in 23 hours a day? Quite simply I would not have a horse in that situation. No alternative? No one puts a gun to my head, I have horses for the fun of it all, not to be on some squalid livery yard with naff all to enjoy.
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This ^
 
Hear Hear Runtoearth. Being from africa we are used to droughts, saving bath water to water the garden, refilling half empty water buckets, just picking out the bits of hay etc, we are also used to having fields with not a blade of grass in, but the horses still went out and had a run and a roll, their time for eating was in the stable when they had adlib hay and a good feed. They were happy and healthy, but they still were able to be horses.
 
abb123 said:
I'm gobsmacked at the acceptance of no turn out. Most yards that I've looked at have just said no winter turnout and no provision for anything else. I can't understand why in an area that you know year-in-year-out that the fields won't hold up to winter turn out that no yards have thought about an alternative.
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well said, people seem to have forgotten what a horse needs to keep as healthy as possible, because one of those things is to be able to move about at will and eat from the ground whilst moving, movement stimulates the gut and helps prevent colic, that just one of the most obvious things it does not take into account a horses mental requirements
 
Flosii, sorry haven't read the thread as I don't want to get involved with the turnout question but wanted to suggest you feed some gastric and gut support as well if not already. Stress is a big cause of ulcers.
 
I wonder why some of you stress so much about your not getting turnout. I worked for several decades in various yards around the world where horses were never turned out - my own included. I never met one that didn't cope with being stabled 24/7. They were worked every day for around an hour or more. The work was varied but the liveries in General did one hours trotting on the roads.

The difference I believe is that as grooms we accepted that this was the way the horses were to be kept. They had deep beds, ad lib hay and sensible diets of basic grains and sugar beet. They didn't get every supplement under the sun and yet were extremely healthy and mentally happy. If new to being stabled they were initially fed just on hay and feed and work load assessed and adapted to suit their behaviour. Occasionally we might be allowed to let them free in the indoor arena, this generally only happened when the ground was too icy to ride on. On those days their feeds were cut right back so that they didn't get silly.
Horses do cope, it's often the rider that doesn't. TBH why would you want to turnout your horse in the current conditions where they risk injury from the deep mud, slipping and not being able to stop in time on reaching a fence line.
Cut food right back, feed more hay and if possible ride for longer each day.
 
In think everyone would do well to have some understanding with the yard owners. This weather has been exceptional and most I imagine, like me, have tried their best to keep horses out.
My reason for shutting the fields for now isn't to do with saving my fields, I am more than happy to harrow, roll and seed them. I shut them as there was a risk of serious injury to the horses as they were continuously running about and skidding in mud and I could for see an accident, and for the safety of the staff and owners having to catch them, one was knocked over in the desperation of the horses coming in.
Apart from the gateway s my fields still have grass .
I tried hay, they still dont settle.
Luckily I have understanding liveries that would rather I kept their horses and them safe for a couple of weeks.
This is the first time I have ever said no turn out.
I have cut feed and increased forage accordingly and I have offered to work, walk and hand graze horses at a very very inexpensive cost so they can relax knowing the horses are not locked in 24/7

This weather is exceptional.

Yes fields will recover but a broken leg might not.
 
Tnavas said:
I wonder why some of you stress so much about your not getting turnout. I worked for several decades in various yards around the world where horses were never turned out - my own included. I never met one that didn't cope with being stabled 24/7. They were worked every day for around an hour or more. The work was varied but the liveries in General did one hours trotting on the roads.

The difference I believe is that as grooms we accepted that this was the way the horses were to be kept. They had deep beds, ad lib hay and sensible diets of basic grains and sugar beet. They didn't get every supplement under the sun and yet were extremely healthy and mentally happy. If new to being stabled they were initially fed just on hay and feed and work load assessed and adapted to suit their behaviour. Occasionally we might be allowed to let them free in the indoor arena, this generally only happened when the ground was too icy to ride on. On those days their feeds were cut right back so that they didn't get silly.
Horses do cope, it's often the rider that doesn't. TBH why would you want to turnout your horse in the current conditions where they risk injury from the deep mud, slipping and not being able to stop in time on reaching a fence line.
Cut food right back, feed more hay and if possible ride for longer each day.
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yes!common sense approach!
 
There are some horses that wont accept stabling - I used to own one. I know that she was an exception to the norm, but I was lucky to be able to keep her out 24/7 either in the field or the sand school (a rare occurrence).

I have one now that will just jump out unless you put a grill on the door.
 
It might be common sense but there is no "one size fits all" on this question - everyone has different horses, different facilities and different problems.
My horse gets no hard feed but ad lib hay. Therefore if he had to come 24/7 in for the winter, I could not change his feed regime, apart from cutting down on hay which would be a last resort as I believe keeping the gut active is important.
I am on a small private yard with no staff, no access for visitors during the day and nowhere to ride at the moment, therefore upping his workload would be almost impossible. I am only there in the dark during the week.
Yes, I would be able to cope as I know that marching him around the yard for 30 mins in hand and then giving him a good brush are good "de-stressers" for him but it wouldn't work for everyone.
Moving to a professionally-run yard with staff and facilities would doubtless make life much easier but I wouldn't want to do it for the sake of one wet winter. There is nowhere like that within easy reach and my budget would be stretched to breaking point.
I, too, have worked with horses that were always in 24/7 and I completely agree that it is "do-able" - where problems arise is when horses that are used to one routine - eg 12 hours turnout a day - suddenly have to be in 24/7.
Finding strategies for that eventuality is not always easy - even the simple ones like "move", "get a sharer", "pay someone to ride in the day" take time to achieve.
Finally, I see both sides of the argument (livery v landowner) clearly - what is needed is a bit of patience and a proper common sense approach to solving any particular horse's issues.
 
I amazed at those posters who believe it acceptable for horses not to have any turnout - ever. The point of turnout is for the horse to have freedom - freedom to relax, to behave as a horse. I feel bloody sorry for those horses that never have that opportunity and as long as they remain obedient then all is fine and its accepted. What a sh***y existence.
 
blazingsaddles said:
I amazed at those posters who believe it acceptable for horses not to have any turnout - ever. The point of turnout is for the horse to have freedom - freedom to relax, to behave as a horse. I feel bloody sorry for those horses that never have that opportunity and as long as they remain obedient then all is fine and its accepted. What a sh***y existence.
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This is not a thread about horses not ever getting turnout it a thread about what to do and how to manage when for reasons aside your control there is no turn out .
I don't what you do with your horses so they don't relax in their stables mine all are very relaxed and happy in their stables .
Teaching horses to be stabled is as important ( perhaps even more ) as them being confident with be ridden .
 
Goldenstar said:
This is not a thread about horses not ever getting turnout it a thread about what to do and how to manage when for reasons aside your control there is no turn out .

There are comments regarding never turning out, hence my reply. Not that I should have to explain myself.


I don't what you do with your horses so they don't relax in their stables mine all are very relaxed and happy in their stables .


I'm not sure where I said mine don't relax in their stables?
My horses relax in their paddock by rolling in mud, playing with and grooming field mates, mooching where they want to mooch and grazing, with a bit of sleep thrown in.


Teaching horses to be stabled is as important ( perhaps even more ) as them being confident with be ridden .
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Really? I suppose it is, if one never turns the poor thing out!
 
blazingsaddles said:
Really? I suppose it is, if one never turns the poor thing out!
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Of course it's important it's part of their life .
Even if kept out they may need to go it the vets be hospitalised many things require the horse to accept stabling .
That's why I invest time and effort making sure they are confident and happy with
 
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Goldenstar said:
Of course it's important it's part of their life .
Even if kept out they may need to go it the vets be hospitalised many things require the horse to accept stabling .
That's why I invest time and effort making sure they are confident and happy with
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You seem to believe I'm anti-stabling. I am not, but I am pro-turnout. Of course there may come a time when a horse needs stabling long term due to injury/illness but to state it is more important to teach a horse to be confident when stabled than to be confident when ridden is absurd.
 
blazingsaddles said:
You seem to believe I'm anti-stabling. I am not, but I am pro-turnout. Of course there may come a time when a horse needs stabling long term due to injury/illness but to state it is more important to teach a horse to be confident when stabled than to be confident when ridden is absurd.
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I disagree with your last point - it is far more beneficial for a horse to be confident when stabled than it is when ridden if you have to choose between the two. The former could well be a matter of life or death for a horse if it required emergency stabling due to injury etc, whereas a horse not feeling as comfortable and confident when ridden is an issue which is far more likely to be just be an inconvenience to those who wish to ride it.
 
Its not a case of horses being well behaved and relaxed in the stable, its a case of being able to move freely, releasing their joints and stretching their tendons, this is what horses were designed to do, not stand still swapping hind legs to change position, what about copd and arthritis etc.
 
Moomin1 said:
I disagree with your last point - it is far more beneficial for a horse to be confident when stabled than it is when ridden if you have to choose between the two. The former could well be a matter of life or death for a horse if it required emergency stabling due to injury etc, whereas a horse not feeling as comfortable and confident when ridden is an issue which is far more likely to be just be an inconvenience to those who wish to ride it.
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Personally, I would rather have a confident riding horse than a confident stabled horse. I ride more often than I stable!
 
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Ok so for those that did not miss the point of my thread and are not too busy arguing.

I would like to just say that I have been walking my boy out in the mornings for 10 mins, leg stretch, and I have been riding everyday (albeit in a bog) but interestingly enough, my pony's best friend has come back from being away for two weeks and he has been going ride and lead every afternoon (with said friend). He is back to his normal self.

So I think with a little bit of a bigger pen for kick around at the weekend and his mate home we are back on track!! Very relived.

Thank you to those that have been helpful. and I am taking him ot at the weekend to be turned out!!!!

I hope that everyone else that find themselves in difficult situations at this time manage to get things sorted too! (I sympathise with you all)
 
Goldenstar said:
This is not a thread about horses not ever getting turnout it a thread about what to do and how to manage when for reasons aside your control there is no turn out .
I don't what you do with your horses so they don't relax in their stables mine all are very relaxed and happy in their stables .
Teaching horses to be stabled is as important ( perhaps even more ) as them being confident with be ridden .
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FTW :)

they need to be happy in for when they need to be in, they need to be happy seeing other horses come and go, need to be happy by themselves for short periods of time. otherwise how the heck do you expect them to go to comps, go to clinics/camp and be stabled elsewhere safely, hack alone etc etc? its part of their general education surely?
 
blazingsaddles said:
You seem to believe I'm anti-stabling. I am not, but I am pro-turnout. Of course there may come a time when a horse needs stabling long term due to injury/illness but to state it is more important to teach a horse to be confident when stabled than to be confident when ridden is absurd.
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Because well ridden horses easily learn to be ridden they enjoy it they like hacking about seeing stuff and learning to do things physically.
Learning to go into a stable alone which I do with mine just after weaning is the first big thing you teach them to accept that you can say is against their nature ,
introduce it right and the whole of the rest rest of stuff you teach them to do is easier for them .
 
MotherOfChickens said:
FTW :)

they need to be happy in for when they need to be in, they need to be happy seeing other horses come and go, need to be happy by themselves for short periods of time. otherwise how the heck do you expect them to go to comps, go to clinics/camp and be stabled elsewhere safely, hack alone etc etc? its part of their general education surely?
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Of course it's a part of their education .
I expect my horses to go where I want them to go and do what I want them to do .
I spend a lot of time working with them to achieve it .

OP I am really glad it's going well , and it will be over soon the spring is coming .
 
blazingsaddles said:
I amazed at those posters who believe it acceptable for horses not to have any turnout - ever. The point of turnout is for the horse to have freedom - freedom to relax, to behave as a horse. I feel bloody sorry for those horses that never have that opportunity and as long as they remain obedient then all is fine and its accepted. What a sh***y existence.
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I really don't think anyone said that horses should have no turn out -ever -. Worse existence for them is to be standing fetlock deep in mud, no grass worth grazing this time of year and with wet heavy muddy rugs on. Horses in work used to always be stabled in the winter, fit, fed and in a routine. When did horses become so neurotic that they cannot be stabled? Is it a *new age* thing?
 
Goldenstar said:
Because well ridden horses easily learn to be ridden they enjoy it they like hacking about seeing stuff and learning to do things physically.
Learning to go into a stable alone which I do with mine just after weaning is the first big thing you teach them to accept that you can say is against their nature ,
introduce it right and the whole of the rest rest of stuff you teach them to do is easier for them .
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I don't disagree with these points per se, But I don't agree with it being more important than riding. Mine are used to going in and out on their own with no teaching effort on my part. Ridden work, well that's perhaps a different story!!!!
 
justabob said:
I really don't think anyone said that horses should have no turn out -ever -. Worse existence for them is to be standing fetlock deep in mud, no grass worth grazing this time of year and with wet heavy muddy rugs on. Horses in work used to always be stabled in the winter, fit, fed and in a routine. When did horses become so neurotic that they cannot be stabled? Is it a *new age* thing?
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Actually, they did. Way back in the thread. Neurotic is not a word I used nor I hope, implied.
 
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