No turnout in winter - thoughts?

[Birker2020]

They have the ultimate choice don't own one its not a right it is a privilege. Everyone by now knows my view if I couldn't keep mine out I wouldnt own them the young ones would be sold and old ones shot no question

Yes but my point is that peoples lives change, their circumstances change, they might not have choice where to put their existing horse(s). There are a multitude of reasons why they might now find themselves in a situation of no turnout or reduced turnout.

Like I said before when I asked one yard owner "do you do 365 days per year turnout' I wouldn't have minded being told "yes if the weather allows" or "no they take their turn in a 15 x 15m sandpit for two hours a day for five months". But I was just told "yes they are turned out in winter". I took the YO at face value.

As it happened it suited my horse at the time due to an injury. The same horse is now 'free at liberty' for six hours a day wading through mud in her paddock (through no fault of the yard - there is mud on everyone's fields at the moment due to the non stop rain in our area) and this has triggered her injury again.

So whilst I love my paddock and the yard I am on its not all cut and dry.