Opinions on no turnout?

TeamWazz

TeamWazz

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I've applied for a few different degrees at both Bishop Burton and Hartpury and I am lucky enough to have got into both! However I'm in a bit of a dilemma as Bishop Burton offers no turnout, whereas Hartpury offers turnout (though they do say on their website its limited depending on ground - anyone with experience from Hartpury know whether or not 'limited' means 'barely any' or anything like that?)

Basically I would prefer Bishop Burton due to various factors I won't go into, but I'm not sure about the no turnout. I will be taking my Warmblood with me and I don't think he has ever had no turnout whatsoever and its not something that sounds incredibly appealing! My last resort would be finding a DIY/Part livery yard with turnout close by to keep him on but that's obviously not ideal. I even had a remote idea of doing three weeks work at the college then taking him to a DIY yard or even just some grazing for one week to chill but don't know how stupid / desperate this is?

So I wanted to know what people's thoughts are on no turnout, and experiences with no turnout (especially taking a horse who has had turnout to somewhere with none) and whether it's achievable. He would obviously be being ridden pretty much every day with one day's rest per week as wanting to compete at the college.

Thank you! :)
 
I've always preferred to have turnout incase my horses oculdn't be exercised properly one day but i have been at yards with turnout and they have been fine! Even my very energetic TB is ok with it as long as he is ridden or lunged. Of course they had a bit more energy when i took them out for a ride but generally were very happy
 
I have one who's fine once he's ridden everyday, and then the other is absolutely miserable if not turned out. he just looks miserable and loses condition.
 
If we kept dogs (or any other animal) in similar sized boxes/cages there would be uproar - I would never consider no turnout - they are designed to roam over large areas so to be unable to do more than walk a couple of paces in each direction for 23 out of 24 hours a day (assuming they are exercised 1 hour a day) is to me totally unacceptable.

sorry .... rant over .... I understand there is a need to keep horses off land for a variety of reasons but there are other ways ...

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Couldnt agree more with meesha ^^

Remember a equine college is a very very busy, forced environment. And I do not think they are great atmospheres for any horse, but especially one who is more highly strung. So consider your horses temperament.

Also check policy, some equine colleges insist horses be in working livery. Ie they are used in lessons for certain amount of hours p/w. This personally I would not allow, wouldn't like a load of novicey students dragging my horse around.

Imo a livery yard near by is your best bet if you really want him there through term time.
Think about it carefully though, a horse on top of uni life could be hard.

Just my two pence :P
 
My horse is rather highly strung which is what worries me. I understand where those against no turnout are coming from, I really do as I have always been similarly against no turnout, I'm just trying to figure out what to do at college with my horse and struggling, please don't doubt I have my horses best interests at heart! I'm looking into surrounding yards to the college but the only thing is I was really hoping to use the facilities on campus and obviously with my horse elsewhere I can't take advantage of them. :(

And there is no way I'm not taking him with me! I'm not going to a equine catering college to study an equine course and not take my own equine with me. ;)
 
I went to hartpuy and would have never kept my horse on the yard there. turnout is practically nothing on nice days then nothing for about 3 months over winter.
Yard is really busy and not ideal for all horses.
Schools are pretty much always busy.

If your horse will cope with atmosphere im sure it would be fine, but my horse would have gone mad. i kept him at a local diy yard, was much better :)

hope that helps
 
I would never put my horse anywhere that there is no turnout.

Being in a stable 24/7 except for a small portion of the day when riddeen is nowhere near close to their natural environment. They are meant to have their head down grazing for about 18 hours a day. A stable does not provide this.

When you combine stressy horses, lack of roughage and a busy environment thats when ulcers can rear their nasty heads. Ulcers also can contribute to windsucking and crib biting (as can boredom and stress).

I am not one of those people who believe horses should never be stabled, and I understand that some places cannot cope with horses on the ground all the time. If I had the option though, I would prefer to put my two somewhere that they had time in a paddock.
 
I did it for a while when horse was at a job for me.

I was lied to when I asked about turnout. I left very quickly after my dope on a rope turned into a wild thing that needed 10 min of canter work on 10m squares before he would st bucking like an idiot when I put my leg on.

I found nothing more depressing than seeing him stood in a box all day. Out of the 40 horses there, I'd say about 2 were genuinely happy with their lifestyle.

Never again
 
Just check the availability of the facilities. Trouble with colleges is that the facilities are in constant use by activities so they earn money meaning you might find it difficult to use them. This combined with no turn out could be a nightmare for you both.
 
While I understand the reasons for it, I always think it sets a hugely bad example for equestrian colleges to treat horses in this way. Mind you, I had to report our local one at old place to Defre under the weeds act for them constantly growing whole fields of ragwort and failing to do anything about it when requested, so it doesnt surprise me!

Limited turnout is not ideal but OK. No turnout is unacceptable to me, fullstop.

So I would find a local yard....theres no point having the facilities if your horse is unhappy or a nutter to ride and its just not ok.
 
I think it depends on your horse and how much time you will have if you can exercise twice a day some days and get good hacking ( and there should be some nice hacking round there) if you can lead the horse out every day to graze , if the stables are large and nice and you can feed add lib forage I would consider it , I assume you will take the horse home in holidays so it an get some turnout.
But it will take more of your time and your horse will more dependant on you .
I would try keeping your horse in for a period now and see how he copes.
 
I'm amazed that equine collages who are teaching about what's best for horses don't offer turnout or if they do its one day a week. I couldn't consider taking my horse somewhere he had no turn out. I hate him being in for even one day , I would rather he went out for a few hours at least .

All the collages seem to have this same issue, why :confused:
 
I wouldn't do it long term. I think horses need to have space to roam and spend time with other horses and just 'be'. Even with an hour or so of exercise every day it's not enough IMO.
 
I wouldn't consider it. Plus, you only need to look at what's on at colleges & lessons to realise how little chance you'll get to use the facilities. Plus I bet they are more costly than a local yard with less, but more available facilities. Three reasons to find a local yard instead.
 
Have a walk round the household cavalry if you want to see depressed horses.

They are in stalls, tied 23 hours of the day.

From the college point of view, I think you need to be absolutely sure what is on offer before you commit your horse to living there. My friend had her mare with her whilst she did her equine course, (Hartpury), no turn out in winter. The mare just about coped, she did plenty of hacking and during half terms the horse came to me for turnout. This mare, although young, had an exceptional temperament which helped her cope.
 
I would find a local yard.
I'm happy with horses in at night out in day or vice versa but to deprive them of the liberty to wander about graze, buck and roll completely is unacceptable to me.
This is aside from the physical issue of standing in a 12x12 box 22/23 hours a day, and eating nothing fresh.
Horses never have been cave dwellers. Given the choice (field shelters) most will prefer to shelter from the elements using natural windbreaks and trees. With the often noticed exception of high summer when they will use them to escape flies and heat.
 
I tookmy horse to do my degree at Warwickshire, he had never had no turnout before we went and I was worried! The turnout was stopped from October reading week to Easter.

However student horses are kept on their own student DIY yard, it is far from a forced environment! I was able to make use of the full facilities including a walker, indoor arenas etc.

I was able to give him a full and varied routine which included hand grazing, walking in hand, on the walker, free schooling indoors as well as ridden work and hacking.

I loved it and so did he! Other students who stabled locally struggled to stay motivated.

I was able to squeeze in a ride between lectures and sometimes ride twice.

I'd do it again like a shot!

Happy memories of coming home from a night out and going straight to the yard to muck out while throwing up into a wheelbarrow ;)
 
Thanks v much for the responses, but I think in consideration of my horse's excitable and fiery temperament, the fact he's never not had turnout, and the fact I'd prefer to see him happy in a field, I'm going to look for DIY yards close by!

So anyone know of any near Bishop Burton? ;)
 
Worried1 said:
I tookmy horse to do my degree at Warwickshire, he had never had no turnout before we went and I was worried! The turnout was stopped from October reading week to Easter.

However student horses are kept on their own student DIY yard, it is far from a forced environment! I was able to make use of the full facilities including a walker, indoor arenas etc.

I was able to give him a full and varied routine which included hand grazing, walking in hand, on the walker, free schooling indoors as well as ridden work and hacking.

I loved it and so did he! Other students who stabled locally struggled to stay motivated.

I was able to squeeze in a ride between lectures and sometimes ride twice.

I'd do it again like a shot!

Happy memories of coming home from a night out and going straight to the yard to muck out while throwing up into a wheelbarrow ;)
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I'm sure for many people no turnout is great - fast, clean, and horse quickly available.
I would never keep a horse without turnout though - it is too depressing for them, and it doesn't lead to optimum health by anyones standards.
 
I used to do hunters who had no turnout from Aug to April, and they were absolutely fine. They were excercised 6 days a week with 1 rest day.
Currently I have no turnout due to unavailability of suitable land, and havent had any for 10 years. My horse are in superb condition, fit, ridden daily no stable/ridden vices and ready to hunt/compete whenever its required of them.
In a perfect world I would prefer them to have a few hours out each day, but we have to make the best of what we can, and good management is the key to happy, healthy horses.
 
No way I'd study at a place where they think it's acceptable not to have any turnout.

If they cannot get that right their degree is worth nowt, I take it it's an equine course they are offering.
 
I'm not getting on side of no turnout but seems a bit extreme to say that.

It's a degree in Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation, or in Equine Coaching (haven't decided which yet). I don't understand why the degree wouldn't be worth anything due to a factor out with the course, unfortunately the majority of places that offer turnout at college aren't much better for turnout, but each to their own.

Anyway, does anyone know if I'd then be able to hire the facilities / use them for a fee even if I was off the premises with my horse?
 
no turnout in winter woulnd tbe an issue for me tbh - my horse get horrendous mud fever - she does go out in winter every other day now its drying up

summer she will go out daily



no turnout AT ALL is a complete no go!!....
 
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