Only one to turnout today

Mine are going out for 3 hours or so with haylage but are still being idiots and galloping round, all they are doing is churning up their field as the ground is not frozen under the snow :-(
 
Mine stayed in for the day on Friday when it was dumping it down - been out all day yesterday and today with haylage, although they are leaving that in favour of digging for grass!
 
My five ponies have access to a stable yard and stables and they absolutely refuse to venture into their four acres of paddock!! They are mini Shets and Dartmoor Hill Ponies and supposed to love weather like this but they are having none of it! They stand in the yard munching haylage and by late afternoon - or at the first snowflake -they've had enough and tuck themselves up with haynets in the stables!!
 
My 2 go out at 8am and come in about 3pm. My field is yards from the stables across grass so no ice to slip on. I put out a couple of piles of haylage but they spend most of their time digging for grass. They've still gone out even when it's been terrible weather and only one day I took hem in at noon as they were at the gate. They seem quite happy and it seems to suit the 22yr old to keep him from stiffening and the 4yr old to keep his exhuberance under control :)
 
Both of mine (1 2yo 1 19yo) hid at the back of their stables when I got to the yard today!
Youngster is recovering from surgery so I'm happy she's in and my older mare is happier in than out.

All depends on your own horses
 
mine have all been out all night and are still out now with it snowing. They always stand at the gate waiting to come in when I get there in the morning, so I bring them in for a bit- give them their hard feed and a load of hay. Then they are kicking the doors to go out again so put them out with huge haynets around the field. Quite hardy types- were fully clipped but very much grown out now and out in 400g. Just been looking out the window thinking I should maybe bring them in, but I know they'd be fed up after 4 hours
 
in the last 365 days the only days we have not turned out is christmas day
they will go out again as normal tomorrow



but we don't put hay out in field
 
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Mine's in and has been since Tuesday - yard rules, no turnout in the snow. Think we've probably got another week at least looking at the forecast - thank goodness for the horsewalker!
 
I turned my horse out for a few hours this morning. A couple of others turned their's out for an hour in a small paddock by the stables but that was about it.

To be fair most people have to walk their horses quite a long way up the field and it is quite slippy and rutted. I am lucky that my horse's field (with his Shetland companion) is very near the yard along the more accessible driveway but he was more than happy to come in after a leg stretch which is unusual for him.
 
Mine has eggbars on and due to the snow stilts she gets I can't leave her out for long as she nearly fell over yesterday and has a weak suspensory anyway and had surgery on back few months ago. So jus can't risk it - last winter lived out but was barefoot and no issues with snow balling up
 
mine are barefoot and I don't think I'd leave them out shod.. I'd be too worried about the snowshoes and leg damage. Something I hadn't even thought of!
 
Mine have been out every day in the snow - the first day they were very playful, but by today the snow has become 'normal' so no high jinks at all.

The snow balling in their feet is a worry, but they are only out for 3-4 hrs, and as am lucky to have them at home, can keep a close eye on them.

So come the thaw and back to proper turnout, they shouldn't bat an eyelid.......in theory!
 
Kikke said:
Can't understand people keeping their horse in. They mostly love being out and every horse can be rugged plenty to keep them warm if needed.
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GD is currently on box rest so it's academic, but he'd still be in I'm afraid . . . he has very boxy/upright feet and has bar shoes on in front which collect snow and he ends up on stilts . . . this combined with his - ahem - playful nature, and the fact that there's a rather nasty, slippery slope to negotiate to leave the yard and get out to the fields means he'd be in until I could be sure he'd be safe. I've spent quite enough on vet bills in the past year thank you ;).

P
 
Mine live out 24/7 with a huge shelter. I keep them at home so am there at first light, picking out feet (even barefoot horses get balling), filling water and haylage up, then back down at 4pm to do same again... they are fine, happy, warm, entertain each other, drinking, eating, playing silly beggars :p

If the freeze is around for the forecast 2 weeks will everyone keep their horses in for that long?
 
Yesterday we didn't have loads of snow so Leo was out from about 8.45 till 12, then was in for the rest of the day (no one else turned out)
Today more snow, turned out while I mucked out, then this afternoon while I skipped out, so he wasn't out for long (but again no one else turned out) so he wasn't as happy being out by himself so he went in the school for a bit, hooned round so had to bring him in!
 
Before just chucking them out actually walk the fields. I put mine out yesterday for an hour or so. When I bought them in they had left hoof size holes about ten inches deep in the mud underneath. Lethal. Where as usually the snow falls on hard frozen ground, this time it has fallen wet ground making it very deep going. One lost a shoe and they weren't going bonkers. I'm not risking it again. They can have for out in the school whilst I muck out and hack when the roads are clear.
 
We are turning out we have lot's of snow and more to come and will be here for a while even if starts to thaw, I think both options can lead to problems so you just have to use your judgement.

The one's we have that are not stabled but have access to barns are spending most of the time inside by choice.
 
I'm taking it day by day, yesterday they had around an hour out in pairs as snow was balling so badly. Today they each had 4 hours out in their pairs, rest of the time in eating hay. Sadly nowhere else to turnout or ride in. My horses living out all have different ideas, my 2 mares are refusing to leave their straw lined shelter and the 8 month old is getting a crash course in snow living from my 20 year old new forest pony! Mainly consists of where to stand and how to dig snow, its certainly been an education for her.
 
My warmblood lives out anyway but turned the NF pony out today, they had a whale of a time. He stayed in yesterday as the track up to the field was so bad but had been cleared today which was helpful!
 
All my liveries are happy for their horses to go out. So out they go normal time normal place. Come in at 3pm plenty under the snow for them to find to munch on.

Most are shod not seen a lot of balling but have seen the balls around the field.
 
Ours all out at 8am and back in around 3pm. Being quite restrained, for a change. Arab and Connie pony digging for grass, eating the grass that's not covered under the fences, mooching about picking rose hps off the hedges and having quite a pleasant time. Large horses not best pleased, hanging round the gate. Arab is mine, Connie is his best mate!
 
Mine are going out for a short while each day but they don't want to stay out for long. My old girl is only happy going out for half an hour and is then stood in the corner looking at the house waiting for me to go out and fetch her in. She would rather be stood in her stable munching on hay.
 
Mine went out for a few hours, and a few liveries put theirs out but the majority were not turned out over the weekend. However, we have a round pen to turnout in, a horse walker which we cleared and is perfectly useable and an Indoor arena, so basically it's the same as it's been all winter here :)
 
Mine went out for 6 or so hours, they are happy foraging but I give them a haynet just in case.

I might have to leave in for the next few days though as I can't guarantee being able to get them in in my lunch hour as I usually do :( will have to get up early and turnour for a bit while I muck out! Better than nothing I suppose!
 
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