OMG. Can't believe a vet said it was ok to...................................

burtie said:
Why is checking a horse once a day in stable worse than checking it once a day in a field? As long as water and hay are provided in such a way that it is unlikely to tip the water up and run out of hay quickly then surely it is less likely to come to harm in a stable than in a field?

Of course this is not an ideal solution nor should it be vets advice, but if you think it through how is it really worse?
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My horse eats two small holed haynets clean overnight and drinks his large tubtrug almost dry... Plus he poos about half to 1/3 of a barrow, I would never ever consider leaving him in for the rest of the day unchecked until 5 pm in the evening with no food, no water and no skipping out, especially if he was unwell
 
BillieBlitzen said:
Vieshot - and anyone else who thinks the idea is remotely acceptable you must be living in cuckoo land. The thought leaves me cold, water issues, movement issues, casting, catching a rug..... Endless issues. Horses need to be checked on twice a day minimum, that goes for field or stabled.
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But surely the same can be said about most aspects with horses at grass and tonnes of people only see them once a day? Most fields have one water trough which could easily be soiled with most people having to give hay and IMO injury is more likely in a field, especially in a herd situation, rugs catching on the fence, kick from a field mate, those horses who manage in god knows how to strip their rugs off etc.

As I said its certainly not ideal but then nor is a field check once a day which people often do without such negative judgement from others.
 
I'd be far more concerned about a stabled horse not being checked burtie.
In a field they have constant grazing and access to troughs. They have access to shelter dependant on temperature change and interaction with a herd. I would be far more concerned on keeping a close eye on a horse stables 24/7 than out
 
If you can't check your horse at least twice a day or arrange for help to do it, don't have a horse. If you want one, be flipping responsible for it. We restrict them in either fields or stables so it is our duty and responsibility to make sure they are ok.

No need to differentiate between field and stable when it comes to the welfare of horses.
 
I think they're safer in stables all things considered, especially whilst being treated for an abscess (I'm thinking half-on poultice boots/bandages, etc). The difficulty is ensuring there's plenty of accessible food and water, and yes you are risking leaving a cast horse a long time and it dying, but the same goes for a turned out horse with a broken leg, stuck in a ditch, etc.

The vet's right, the horse will probably be fine, but it would be better and more responsible of the owner to do the horse twice a day.
 
I wouldn't like to check on horses in or out less than twice daily but i know it happens and for the most part they are fine. I think though for a vet to say 'oh yes, that's fine just check on your stabled horse who is recovering from an abscess once a day' is not very responsible, because what happens? 'Well my friend's cousin's vet says it's ok to just check on my horse once a day'. Aside from the logistics of providing enough food and water, and the possibility of becoming cast ( I know accidents happen in fields too, but in my experience more accidents happen in stables where horses are bored) leaving a horse recovering from an abscess standing in dirty bedding for 24 hours (over several days, not just a one off) is wrong and is recipe for thrush. Vets, if not qualified for giving out advice on how to best care for a horse should not give it. I don't think I'm over reacting at all and I think said horse is lucky that OP has the common sense to say no, that is wrong. How many less experienced people might have said ok, if vet says it let's do it? (horse owners). Yes I have had a few drinks :p but I still think I'm right :)
 
Scrooge said:
I wouldn't like to check on horses in or out less than twice daily but i know it happens and for the most part they are fine. I think though for a vet to say 'oh yes, that's fine just check on your stabled horse who is recovering from an abscess once a day' is not very responsible, because what happens? 'Well my friend's cousin's vet says it's ok to just check on my horse once a day'. Aside from the logistics of providing enough food and water, and the possibility of becoming cast ( I know accidents happen in fields too, but in my experience more accidents happen in stables where horses are bored) leaving a horse recovering from an abscess standing in dirty bedding for 24 hours (over several days, not just a one off) is wrong and is recipe for thrush. Vets, if not qualified for giving out advice on how to best care for a horse should not give it. I don't think I'm over reacting at all and I think said horse is lucky that OP has the common sense to say no, that is wrong. How many less experienced people might have said ok, if vet says it let's do it? (horse owners). Yes I have had a few drinks :p but I still think I'm right :)
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I fully agree! :)
 
Gg while I'd be happy leaving mine out and a couple of checks a day. I wouldnt be happy stabling 24/7 without someone on site for a majority of the day.
I wouldn't want to be stuck in a box without someone to break my day up a little. When mine was stabled 24/7 briefly I spent most of the night down with her and had friends checking during the day. It was a very different situation but even with a happily stabled horse it's never sat right with me and I'm always concerned about keeping check in a box.
Whenever ive had a problem with a horse in the field the whole herd has kicked up merry hell. They have grazing out and I don't have to worry about nets running out or tangling if used. Water is sourced in multiple areas and they have interaction to keep them occupied. I know a broken leg etc can happen and accidents like that come part and parcel with having a horse and you can't monitor 24/7 but I would be far more worried about a horse in for that time, whether rightly or wrongly.

I also don't like that while stuck in a box unable to move to different shelters checking once a day in this weather with the ups and downs is enough to make sure the horse is suitably rugged.

As I say my view may not be right and may be biased as I am simply on edge when horses are contained for any period of time, but I would check far more often on a horse in long term
 
I keep my horses at home and have done for most of my life so they are checked numerous times a day and I can see them all from inside my house anyway so I don't even need to go out all the time to them. I can't imagine only going to check on my horses twice a day let alone once a day but hey that's what most of you do so who am I to question it. What I will say is I've never had a stable accident happen to any of my horses, not in all the years I've owned horses (although granted they've all lived out for the past 10 years so I rarely bring them into stables), I have however had a multitude of accidents occur in fields over the years. Mainly from horses being twits and mucking about with their field mates. The vast majority of the accidents posted on H&H are from horses who have injured themselves in their fields so I think general consensus should be that horses in a stable are safer than horses in fields.
 
How much longer are most horses in a field than stable though. Personally with my own horses I've had one break a tail in stable and one very sore after smashing a leg into a wall. Nothing more than surface cuts outside. Escapes with heart on mouth due to human cause but no natural real damage.
 
PandorasJar said:
How much longer are most horses in a field than stable though.
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I don't know what is the normal time ratio for most people but when I used to bring my horses in and out they went out around 6am and came in around 6pm so half and half. Winter months less time outside but probably only by an extra 2 or 3 hours. I have automatic water inside and outside so water is not a problem for mine and I feed adlib hay so they always have hay. I don't use haynets either inside nor outside, too dangerous imo.
 
I find horses just checked on once a day, whether in or out, unnacceptable. Ours are now kept at home and have been for nearly 20 years, however when they were at livery WE checked them twice a day as a minimum, with a yard owner who lived on site, so had a view of them all the time.
 
Girl next to me on my previous yard used to work nights.
She'd visit once a day, about 5:30am. Would give enough haylage for 24hrs and 4 water buckets.
He didn't come to any harm.

It's not the way I choose to care for mine but as I said, he was happy!
 
quirky said:
Girl next to me on my previous yard used to work nights.
She'd visit once a day, about 5:30am. Would give enough haylage for 24hrs and 4 water buckets.
He didn't come to any harm.

It's not the way I choose to care for mine but as I said, he was happy!
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What was the reason for having an animal?
I don't know much about zoo legislation but I think this would be unacceptable.
And how do you know he was happy?
 
burtie said:
Why is checking a horse once a day in stable worse than checking it once a day in a field? As long as water and hay are provided in such a way that it is unlikely to tip the water up and run out of hay quickly then surely it is less likely to come to harm in a stable than in a field?

Of course this is not an ideal solution nor should it be vets advice, but if you think it through how is it really worse?
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How would you like to be locked into your bedroom with only one visit a day?

Of course it is different!
 
Before people wring their hands about vets, i think we should remember that people frequently get the wrong end of the stick, especially in situations where a lot of info is being given. The only way to check if that is really what was said, and not a misunderstanding or mis-remembering, is to phone the vet to confirm, if you are involved in the care of the horse.

Even if that is what the vet said, the owner doesnt have to abide by that for goodness sake. They can continue to pay you to visit twice a day if they think once is not enough. So why arent they?

If it is being said by the owner to suggest you only need to visit once a day, and you are not happy with that then you should say so to the owner, and refuse.
 
Sometimes I wonder how vets keep their sanity.

They know what is the ideal but living in the real world they continually meet owners who cannot/will not provide the care that they would wish.

Its a compromise. They give advice personalised for the owner, the horse, its environment and circumstances. They also need to be dipolmatic and not alienate the owner in case they are reluctant to call them again when a horse needs attention.

In an ideal world, they would probably choose for 4 visits a day or constant monitoring. For the owner with a job, young children, or can't be bothered... they give the least harmful option so that the horse at least has a chance of some treatment.

In the case of a horse with an abscess requiring stabling, if the vet advises 3 or 4 checks a day, what may happen ? Owner can't commit, tries for a day or so and then gives up, sticks a police on and chucks it out in the field. wears through the poltice and gets gravel in the hole...

For the owner who is commited and asks questions, they're more likely to get advice for care that is of a higher standard, because they are ready and able to carry it through.

Don't shoot the messenger.
 
This is such an odd thread! I'm sure the vet wouldn't have said that, or if she did, a wire has got crossed somewhere along the line. Why did the owner even ask in the first place?!
And to those who think its acceptable to see to a stabled horse once a day....well, words fail me, they really do :-(
 
I haven't read the whole thread but do you know exactly what the owner asked?

Imagine she asked the vet "Oh my goodness, the horse still needs to stay in???? We absolutely have to go to London for work, what a nightmare! We have someone who can check him once a day but she's not available for more, what are we going to do??? Do you think it would be the end of the day if the horse was only checked once a day for a few days? Until the farrier can come and then it all goes back to normal?"

Vet nods "If you don't have any other choice, I suppose it will have to do"

Owner goes back to the person they are trying to avoid having to pay for two visits and says "There you go, the vet said it's fine", owner's off to London pocketing the extra wages.
 
Booboos said:
I haven't read the whole thread but do you know exactly what the owner asked?

Imagine she asked the vet "Oh my goodness, the horse still needs to stay in???? We absolutely have to go to London for work, what a nightmare! We have someone who can check him once a day but she's not available for more, what are we going to do??? Do you think it would be the end of the day if the horse was only checked once a day for a few days? Until the farrier can come and then it all goes back to normal?"

Vet nods "If you don't have any other choice, I suppose it will have to do"

Owner goes back to the person they are trying to avoid having to pay for two visits and says "There you go, the vet said it's fine", owner's off to London pocketing the extra wages.
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Agreed. And with Horserider above. What is it with health professional bashing these days :mad:
 
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