Not allowed to turn out in snow! WWYD?

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live2ride

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Just found out if the heavy snow comes tonight then my horse will have to stay in tomorrow, and for as long as snow is on the ground I would presume :/

I would understand if it was because it was too dangerous to get to the fields, but if its not I would ideally choose to turn her out for at least a leg stretch.

The reason I've been told they can't is because they cant reach the grass so what's the point :/


Do you think I should try and talk to YO? Im just afraid to ask if she can go out for at least a bit, because Im aware that she could easily chuck me off for raising a concern if she takes offence :/

But if this snow lasts ages I dont want my horse in for that long, as she already suffers from being stiff and swollen legs from being in more than half a day.

Also, there are some horses on grass livery that will be out.

WWYD? Help please
 
It is ridiculous... Our fields in our DIY have been closed for a month now! and if you read h and h article on colic today it is really not a good thing. Surely it should be up to owners. :mad:
 
I would chat about the leg swelling and ask why she can't go out for a few hours. The ground is better protected with the snow, if you can put hay out even better.
 
Ridiculous and not good for your horse's mind either! They need to go out and its not healthy not to. I would speak to your YO and discuss the swollen legs etc.

The grass livery horses are out so why can't yours go out is what I would be asking. Just 2-3 hours would be ideal.
 
Cant you take him for a walk out in hand ? Its not unusual for liveries to keep their horses in when its bad anyway? Or ask if you can turn out for a couple of hours or at least while you muck out. Do you have a school you can turn out in ?

As for saying its unhealthy for keeping a horse in for a few days...... Really ? Rather a lively horse for a few dYs than a broken leg. The snow at out yard looks lovely but is pure ice underneath, lethal !
 
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Mine are on DIY and we've been in a month today, walking them out twice daily for 30mins and working as normally would nothing else we can do YO has put his foot down :( unfortunately our arena has now been frozen for 48hours and the fields are lethal for hacking as YO churned them up out shooting horrifically!!! Thoroughly peed off I now have two horses one a very fit 6yr old the other a welshie in his late teens stuck in apart from walking out 24/7

Had enough currently but nothing we can do
 
Our YO hasn't got a problem them going out but they have to walk across the yard and that's very icey so it's a risk getting them to field at the moment
 
Why dont these yard owners buy stuff to put down. I bought a tub its made for concrete and has made a clear walkway to the field.
I feel it is important to turn horses out for a while
 
live2ride said:
Just found out if the heavy snow comes tonight then my horse will have to stay in tomorrow, and for as long as snow is on the ground I would presume :/

I would understand if it was because it was too dangerous to get to the fields, but if its not I would ideally choose to turn her out for at least a leg stretch.

The reason I've been told they can't is because they cant reach the grass so what's the point :/


Do you think I should try and talk to YO? Im just afraid to ask if she can go out for at least a bit, because Im aware that she could easily chuck me off for raising a concern if she takes offence :/

But if this snow lasts ages I dont want my horse in for that long, as she already suffers from being stiff and swollen legs from being in more than half a day.

Also, there are some horses on grass livery that will be out.

WWYD? Help please
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ridiculous. all of mine will go out tomorrow as they did today despite the snow.

I think when you view a yard you should have a list of questions to ask.

  • do they get turned out everyday
  • is there any time they do not get turned out (mud snow)
  • what's included in my livery rent
  • is there a time that the school cannot be used

This is just a few questions one should ask.

YO's as everyone knows snow is coming salt can be brought from any hardware shop this should be put down to make it easier to walk horses. We put salt down so no probs.
 
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How ridiculous (and yet ANOTHER reason I am glad i am not on a livery yard!) What's the reasons for not turning out?? God, we have had our land for over 20 years with horses on - they didn't have stables to start with. All ours are out every single day come rain, shine, snow, ice. I don't get why yards have these weird 'rules' they impose when people are paying for a service!!! If you pay to have your horse on livery including turnout then you that should apply whatever the weather! Personally I'd be wanting a refund on my livery fees if I couldn't turnout.
 
friend who shares yard with me asked if we were going to put them all in tonight in case of heavy snow, i said i would rather they were all out as if it is heavy and makes getting there difficult (lane which floods and still has standing water on and doesn't get gritted) i would prefer them not to be stuck inside,If for some unforseen reason i can't get there until late morning i'd hate to think of them stood in with no food.
only just moved to the yard so not sure how bad the lane will be or if any of the farmers will clear it, once i know what we're facing i can make an informed decision:)
 
live2ride said:
Just found out if the heavy snow comes tonight then my horse will have to stay in tomorrow, and for as long as snow is on the ground I would presume :/

I would understand if it was because it was too dangerous to get to the fields, but if its not I would ideally choose to turn her out for at least a leg stretch.

The reason I've been told they can't is because they cant reach the grass so what's the point :/


Do you think I should try and talk to YO? Im just afraid to ask if she can go out for at least a bit, because Im aware that she could easily chuck me off for raising a concern if she takes offence :/

But if this snow lasts ages I dont want my horse in for that long, as she already suffers from being stiff and swollen legs from being in more than half a day.

Also, there are some horses on grass livery that will be out.

WWYD? Help please
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i couldn't be dealing wit livery yards i'm happy with my field and the horses out 24/7 :)
 
The horses will still dig for the grass, keeps them occupied. I've only once not turned out in snow, and I tried but couldn't physically get him to field as he just kept sinking to his belly. That's one of the first questions I ask if I move yards, that there will be absolutely no restrictions on turnout.
 
I did ask about restrictions. i.e. mud
And she did say they are turned out all times, but forgot to ask about snow.

I just find it frustrating that the grass liveries get to be out and moving about, but because I want my horse to have a stable she now has to stay in :/

Im going to ask about a few hours out just for some leg stretching, but worried about backlash, in case she decides Im too much hassle to have :/ but have to do it for my horse.

I know she'll be at higher risk of damaging herself if she's in for a few days than if she goes out in now... she's been turned out in snow before and is sensible and sane.
 
Just go and have a calm chat with her. Ask if there is anywhere you can turn her out as you are worried about legs swelling and pent up energy resulting in accidents when they do go out. Say you're not trying to be awkward, just wondering what the reasons are... Then go from there.
 
Thank you Honey08 :) I think I'll go do that tomorrow. I've been stressing myself out all day on how to deal with this, because I understand her yard, her rules.

But at the same time afraid of how this will affect my horse, especially as at the moment Im also worried she has ulcers and getting the vet out to check her :/ So being in stable 24/7 will not be good for her at all
 
Have a chat. Note that you'd prefer the horse out and this was asked when moving. Grass liveries are out and so if it's just the walk you will sign something to say that you were advised not to walk the lane/yard. (May not be worth anything but may give her peace of mind). No reason not to walk it if suitably coated in grit/salt or surface.
Would you be happy turning out continuously when snow on the ground as an answer to not walking the yard repetitively?
 
Toffee_monster said:
Cant you take him for a walk out in hand ? Its not unusual for liveries to keep their horses in when its bad anyway? Or ask if you can turn out for a couple of hours or at least while you muck out. Do you have a school you can turn out in ?

As for saying its unhealthy for keeping a horse in for a few days...... Really ? Rather a lively horse for a few dYs than a broken leg. The snow at out yard looks lovely but is pure ice underneath, lethal !
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^^^^this^^^^

I'm sure a livery wouldn't be happy if their horse was turned out and injured itself either getting to or from the field or in the field for that matter.

Our YO does put salt/sand down and her OH even clears the snow on the road so we can gain access but it was minus 5 there today so as much as I don't like them stuck in, I didn't risk taking her out of stable block today.
 
Mine has been out in the snow, he likes to dig for the grass, keeps him busy and happy. Makes a change from the mud which has kept him in for weeks! He has lived out over the summer and autumn and i thought he wouldn't cope being in, but he's been fine. I don't think it does them THAT much harm!
But thats the downside of a livery yard. When I was renting he was out all weathers, now he can't be. But I sacrificed that for the help I get on the yard. Not meaning to seem rude but if you want things your way all the time you may have to move.
A couple of people I know have lost horses due to breaking legs in the snow. So I can understand why people don't want to do it.
 
The only place to take them for a walk would be around the yard, or down to the arena.

But none of it has been gritted as far as im aware... So would be more dangerous in my opinion than just getting to the fields.

Especially as walking in circles instead of going out would hype my horse up, which in my opinion would make it more likely injury would occur :/

I will walk her out twice a day if need be, if I am told I can not turn her out at all, but hoping it doesnt resort to this :/
 
I can see the sense if pathways are solid ice, but imo deep snow is a fab surface for turning out on. There's less chance of damage than in muddy ground or hard summer or frozen ground. Mine absolutely love the snow, they'd not be happy being kept in anyway but the oldie in particular would disown me if I failed to put her out in nice snow. And if by some tiny chance either hurt themselves, I'd rather that than never having the joy of a play in the snow.
Op, I'd do as honey08 & pandorasjar suggested & just have a polite chat.
 
Mine hasn't been out for over a month now, you should count yourself lucky its only going to be a few days :(
Fields were soaked and completely under water up until this week, then the frost came and they look like lakes now, fed up :(
 
I have always turned out in the snow.... but if it is ice underneath then I take a judgement myself.

At my yard I can do exactly what i want when i want.... but if for some reason I ask for to or catch in then i am willing to accept the decison of the person that is walking them to and from the field.

Problem is on a livery yard - she has to cover every numpty on the yard..... the ones that complain that you turning out yours has upset hers..... yadda yadda yadda - and the poor yo is stuck in the middle.

Also what happens is that the owner very often gets stuck at work... then at half 4 or 5pm texts the yo to say "can you please bring x or y in" but its her neck she is risking..... then you have the ones that want hay in the field, and the ones that don't .... so i must admit its a darn site easier to say NO TURN OUT
 
Horses get excited in the snow, but usually soon settle down! I used to put Vaseline inside my horses hooves which stopped the snow building up and her walking on stilts of snow!
 
On our yard the issue is getting to the fields so shod horses stay where they are (in or out) when the snow comes. Unshod horses can go in and out as usual.

Those stuck in get turn out in the school. They can't have hay in there but it is a leg stretch. The ones stuck out get hay.
 
The thing is she can't even be turned out in school cus they aren't allowed in it loose... And the arena is right next to fields so if cant get to field can't get to arena so zero leg stretching or exercise
 
Some YOs dont salt/grit as, as well as it costing a LOT it also destroys concrete, so it isnt an implication free option, (aside from the legal arguments if they do it but dont do it well enough and someone sues them).

But I think there must be some turnout provided, even if in a school etc. Horses need the chance to have a roll, a buck and a fart outside even if its just for an hour or so, just for their mental wellbeing.
 
Is the route to the stables icy or something? Would that be why? There have been so many threads on here lately about the yard owner having duty of care to their liveries, that I can understand why they might try and ban people from crossing ice. It would be nice if there was an alternative though.
 
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