No winter turnout at livery yards - exercise periods?

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Patchworkpony

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We have always kept our horses and ponies at home and on our own land luckily so it is up to us how we deal with the problem of wet fields in winter but it must be very difficult for the owners of horses in livery if they aren't allowed any kind of turnout out when the ground is soggy. How do these owners cope with a leg stretch if for example they are youngsters and can't be ridden or it's too dark after work to ride? I have heard of animals standing in for a week at a time with just a short 10 minute leg stretch round the yard. Is this normal these days or do I worry too much about boredom and stiffness problems?
 
I wouldn't keep any horse somewhere which didn't have at least a couple of hours turn out a day all year round - and much more for a youngster not in work. I am in the same position as you, horses at home for the last 20 years but where I was on livery horses could go out all day in winter (and 24x7 in summer).
One of my horses at livery got chronic mud fever (and I don't think modern products would have changed that). He only was turned out once a week on his day off and the other days was ridden once and I tried to give him a 10 min loose lunge as well at the other end of the day.
Fortunately the mud fever problem vanished when I moved and had them at home.

When i was young, I just don't remember horses staying in more than 1 day because of the weather. Do we have more horses on less grazing or are we getting wimpy about mud - I hate muddy fields but don't keep horses in to keep them clean.
 
I think as horse owners who are dependent on livery yards you have to be pragmatic and just accept that you can't be perfect all the time.
I've had the horses at home on not-enough land for the conditions - they had to be kept off the fields in wet spells then.
Where I am now at DIY livery, it's poor draining land, there are too many of us for the fields available and so our YO wants us to keep turnout to a minimum to save the grazing.

I don't agree with how the land is managed but it's the best offering around so we make the best of it. We've had a couple of hours turnout daily most of the winter, but in very wet spells they stay in, and during the snow they had to stay in as no safe way to get to the paddocks.

When it's just wet then I make sure mine are ridden daily. The advanced horse doesn't need to do hard work all the time but the younger one needs keeping on top of when they can't go out, or else she gets too jolly.
When it's snowy, we all just have to lump it and tbh they settle to the routine well enough provided there's plenty of hay and company.

I moved my retired one from the yard because I knew it wouldn't suit her at all and I couldn't cater for her there at all. So she's out 24/7 30 minutes away.

As a child I kept my pony at a yard with no turnout at all from October to April. They were mainly hunters and eventers, everything was worked daily and they were all quite happy horses - it's not ideal but horses are very adaptable and it is possible to make it work if you have to.
 
mandyroberts said:
I wouldn't keep any horse somewhere which didn't have at least a couple of hours turn out a day all year round - and much more for a youngster not in work. I am in the same position as you, horses at home for the last 20 years but where I was on livery horses could go out all day in winter (and 24x7 in summer).
One of my horses at livery got chronic mud fever (and I don't think modern products would have changed that). He only was turned out once a week on his day off and the other days was ridden once and I tried to give him a 10 min loose lunge as well at the other end of the day.
Fortunately the mud fever problem vanished when I moved and had them at home.

When i was young, I just don't remember horses staying in more than 1 day because of the weather. Do we have more horses on less grazing or are we getting wimpy about mud - I hate muddy fields but don't keep horses in to keep them clean.
Click to expand...

We have more horses on less grazing and our climate has changed...I don't ever remember winters being as wet as they are, since around 2008 the winters have got to the point where rain starts in october and lasts until april....I remember crispy frosty mornings and cold, sharp bonfire nights....nothing but rain and wind now.
 
Whilst it isn't right it could well be that what you heard - horse only getting out of its stable for 10 minutes in a week - is unlikely to be the truth.
 
Im on a livery yard with winter turnout, but that is what it is, turnout. The grass had gone in weeks, then we had the wettest winter and it turned to mud :( I have a youngster and was worrying how I would cope but its actually not been as bad as I thought. I get up extra early now, to make sure she gets time in the school whilst I do my jobs and theres no other liveries at the yard. Im lucky that my job is seasonal so during winter I can finish early. I call back to the yard and put her out for an hour or 2 in the field and if nothings out either walk her out or play around in the school with her. Its actually done her the world of good as we have just started riding and shes so used to walking the streets shes being a star. The field has thankfully dried up now, shoots are coming through, so today she got 3 hrs! Yippeeee lol. Its been hard but doable but obviously my job has allowed me the flexibility,
 
Have you tried using boredom breakers such as the haygrazer play and carrot ball they really make them move and encourage natural outside behavior i know its not the same but helps :)
 
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