Please can someone help me understand? *no nasty comments allowed*

My horses are in work andq clipped and in with turn out daily I would not manage them another way.
In the example you give I think the main advantage of stabling is to dry the feet out but if the bedding and hygiene is not right I think you can kill off that advantage quite quickly and clearly is its really wet land it gives them a chance of a dry lie down .
I would rather the sort of horses you describe where out with hay than in with no hay however it can save food as if the horse is warmer it uses less energy and therefore needs less to eat.
My ponies where always out when I was a kid we had stables for when we needed them and in our case they where fed in the stables daily as we could not put hay in the field, they did loose wieght in winter they where kept generally slimmer than ponies today.
The other advantage of stabling is the horse is used to stabling if you are forced to do it and in a severe injury that can be a godsend.
 
cblover said:
My 3 are out 24/7 and I wouldn't have it any other way. Only reason they would come in would be if the fields were water logged and they needed a few hours respite from the wet. I much prefer the fact they have freedom to move and socialise with each other, forage for food (I give additional hay too!) access water and display natural behaviours. I understand stables have their place and I wouldn't like to be without mine but they definitely don't get used on a daily basis!

I too can settle better when I know they are out and have each other for company....they are social creatures like us and we shouldn't deprive them of company. Mentally it can be very damaging....never mind physically!
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x 2 - any farmer or dog owner who shut their animal in solitary for 12+ hrs a day would get a pasting - horses its fine.....!?

Also I really wish people wouldnt say 'my horses hate being out 24.7/ or are miserable out' etc etc. Its anthropomorphisising and unless you talk horse you dont blinkin know that!!!

*rant over*
 
I wish mine could be out 24/7. My old pony never had a stable - for 16 years he was out 24/7/365 and he was fine. When he got older he had a field shelter but he only went in it when it was really hot!!

My current boy is on livery and at the moment they have to be in at night to save the fields as they are so wet. I wish he could be out because I can't ride much at the moment and he has just started getting upper fixation of the patella (he was out of condition when I bought him 2 months ago) so this would be helped if he wasn't stood in stable all night - also my evening is spent mucking out rather than being able to excersize him. It's nice having the stable for drying them off and keeping them in for medical reasons - but I would much rather he was outside moving about :)
 
I personally believe that so long as the horse/pony is holding it's weight and is happy to stay out then why not. Personally I have one in at night and one out 24/7.

The only reason I bring my mare in is because I ride early in the morning 2/3 times Mon-Fri so it is much easier to tack up and get on with it rather than faffing around bringing in from field.

Why make yourself more work?
 
Your horse is clearly better off (ok I'm biased as a fellow haffy owner and ours are made to live out in the cold), if you're going to do stabling, at least make sure their hay is more likely to last - why wouldn't she put it in a hay net since they cost about 50p? There are plenty of reasons to stable like ruining ground, mudfever, injuries, more delicate types of horses, but there are good and bad ways of doing either I guess.
 
I have 2, a stabled tb ( out during day ) and a 3 yo living out rugless. Just about what's suits each horse, the tb has health and soundness issues and needs careful maintenance, his diet needs monitoring carefully and he's got little hair and is very sensitive and does not cope well with mud and wet. The other has lived out since birth and that's what he is used to and would probably stress if stabled.

Each to their own, I actually prefer doing the stabled horse. It takes no more time than dragging hay into field, unwrapping and wrapping the hay bale, breaking ice on the trough and feeding in the field and checking over. I also remain fairly clean doing stabled horse and usually end up with mud up to my eyeballs and hay stuck all over me doing the field.
 
I have two in at night, two out most of the time, except for really foul weather. This the same routine summer and winter, but for different reasons: in winter it's to save the land, give a bit of monitored feeding, and allow some dry time for feet and legs. In summer it is for weight control (two fatties) and sweetitch control (other two). They also all like a nice lie down :-). And my stables have grills in between so they can all talk and touch each other (even the stallions).
 
All mine in stable at night for winter months and grass/weather depending through the day in spring/summer.

Reasons being, can monitor feeding as some have more/less.

Helps to manage the ponies with limiting their time eating grass

Handling for youngsters

Helps rest fields

Mine all stand waiting at gate shouting at about 4ish

Above all, all mine love their stables, they get a lush big bed, plenty to eat.
 
Equilibrium Ireland said:
But having said all that I saw my dream set up a couple of years ago at a farm I worked. A big shed divided in 4. On one side were 2 big shelters that opened up onto a woodchip pen each. 4 big horses were more than comfy. Shed was bedded with deep straw with shavings underneath. Once every 2 weeks it was all taken out and redone. It was always clean. Round feeder for hay. During the day they went out to the field and came into that at night. That was the best of both worlds really. I want something like that and a few stables one day!

Terri
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I've got that in spring/summer/autumn, Terri, and in winter I shut the barn door and keep them in for three reasons:

1. I want them dry to ride them in the morning

2. They get less mud fever if they dry out

3. Their feet are easier to keep rock crunching without shoes on if they stand in the dry.

Have to admit I never take the surface out though - I ride on it!
 
I have a TB, haffie and welsh cross and they are all out 24/7 some rugged and clipped other unclipped un rugged. They get as much hay as they can manage, shelter from any winds and have approx 7 acres to mooch about in...I have stabled in the past and it caused an awful lot of hassle and problems, they all cope far better out and will only come in as a last resort and even then I would be reluctant. To me your haffie is having a far better routine than the cob who is probably bored stupid and cold...cant see why they would bother?
 
Mine are in at night because I have insufficient suitable grazing, and when it thaws out, the field is wet and muddy in winter. They get to lie down and rest somewhere with a comfortable dry floor, eat their bucket feed in their own time without getting bullied (it is fibre based and they pick at it), I know that the right horse gets the right supliments, and eat they get their ad-lib hay.

Earlier in the winter, my neighbour's cobs in the field don't get hay (very good do-ers) and bringing mine in allows them to get theirs, and then later in the winter when the field gets hay'ed, bringing mine in makes sure that my horse doesn't prevent hose lower down the pecking order getting access!

As I leave home in the dark, and get in in the dark, bring them in also allows me to check them over thoroughly in good lighting, rather than just with a torch in a muddy field.

If I had my own suitable, sufficient grazing, and a shelter with warm dry bed and lighting for me to check them, I would happily let them live out - would probably need to make pens for feeding though....
 
I would much rather mine had 24 hour turnout - I'd much rather he was free to wander round, keep moving or choose shelter if he wanted. So no argument from me! It's just not an option at any yard local to us.
 
As long as they are in but have enough hay to keep them busy all night then they should keep warm off that and with enough rugs on. Well I know for sure my horse hates going out somedays and would much rather be tucked up in bed with her hay and so I do spoil her and leave her in on them days. When she is older I would love the idea of a barn so she can keep moving but you'll tend to find the horses will stand pretty much still anyway
 
I bring mine in for a couple of reasons.
One needs lots of help keeping weight on. I did try 24/7 it didn't suit him & he lost weight.
It's also more convenient for me. I ride in the morning & he's much more settled being in & working from the stable.

My set up was supposed to be temporary but I'm going to keep it permanently now as my 3 love it so much.

It's a huge 3 sided barn. It's separated into 3 so there is no bullying/fighting for food. The partitions are only half height so they can see/talk/snog with each other.
They are bright, airy & maintained with ad lib hay, deep clean beds & ALWAYS water.
[shrug] my horses, my way. I'm happy & I think they are too :)
 
TigerTail said:
x 2 - any farmer or dog owner who shut their animal in solitary for 12+ hrs a day would get a pasting - horses its fine.....!?

Also I really wish people wouldnt say 'my horses hate being out 24.7/ or are miserable out' etc etc. Its anthropomorphisising and unless you talk horse you dont blinkin know that!!!

*rant over*
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Try tell my horse that, he would much rather stretch his legs for ten minutes and then make a mad dash into his stable for his haynet!
 
In an ideal world, I would have mine out 24/7. However I would want the option of a proper field shelter, with a deep bed in so they have the choice of being in or out. However nowhere near me that does this along with my other requirements, such as fixed herds, good fencing, reasonably maintained grazing etc. Our field does have good natural shelter, but the wet summer means its no longer nice & dry underfoot. Usually mine decides herself at some point in December she'll stay in at night, then decides to live back out again during march. However the rain has made her decide she'd come in during November, & the other follows her. And I think we're lucky with our grazing, before now its had double the amount on with half out 24/7. This year parts are wet enough farmer doesn't want any out 24/7 as of a week or so ago, or the field would be trashed.
 
Mine live out 24/7 we have very sandy soil so it doesnt really get muddy However there are good reasons to stable horse
1 health of the skin some get mud fever or rain scald
2 monitor weight it is a way of restricting intake over the summer not a very effective one as horses then go out and gorge but it can work for some
3 Saving the land from being a quagmire
4 Horses that have been habituated to live in will be stressed if left out
These are very valid reasons but you do need to compensate for the fact that most if not all stables that are properly ventilated are cold and draughty. Horses respiratory health is better when living out so again need to be warmer if well ventilated indoors
If the stable is big enough it shouldnt be wet underfoot but the trend for smelly rubber mats with a sprinkle of sawdust is making it again a respiratory nightmare. So in my view it is very important that if you use mats they should have a full bed on top then the are warm and soft for the horse to prevent injury without the stink
If I had to bring mine in they would have ad lib hay, access to water raised off the floor so they cant knock it over and a deep bed that is mucked out every day so is quite an expensive way of horsemanship
 
I would love land that drains well with a wood and a couple of field shelters. My two would be out all the time. Life would be a lot easier! Every time I do Stafford Horse Trials I vow to rent a bit of wood down there, bung the horses out for the winter with a big bale of hay, and check them twice a week on my way to and from London!! (Joke!)

Our land is very wet, added to the two horse getting mudrash very easily means that we even end up not turning them out in winter. We have made a turnout area with road chippings that they go out on for 10- 12 hours a day with haylage, so they do get to move about, doze with each other, see whats going on in the world.. Even in summer they come in during the day - they get too fat and unfit otherwise, and one is allergic to certain flybites. Hopeless!

When I did my AI the school horses were in stalls during the day, then at night they went into big barns in herds of ten, which were deep littered with straw and had haymangers all around them. It was like a waterproof field! In Spring the tractor scraped all the bedding out and the area was power hosed. It was a really good system.
 
I have a think skinned TB that is prone to weight loss and mud rash, for me out 24/7 I wouldn't be able to manage this aswell and (I know this is shallow) she'll be filthy! :rolleyes: However, if i had a perfectly drained, amazing field with a max of 3 horses then yes I would consider 24/7 turnout. Our field isn't good enough in winter anyway, in summer she is out 24/7 as summer field is better drained.
 
Beans2000 said:
Try tell my horse that, he would much rather stretch his legs for ten minutes and then make a mad dash into his stable for his haynet!
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I'm one of the ones that said mine would be a misery if she was out 24/7, how do I know that? Because she'd just stand at gate and shout and shout to come in. At the end of the day, what people choose to do with their own horses is their own choice ;)

(I'm agreeing with your quote btw :p )
 
I think it just depends entirely on the horse. Of our lot, two live out (was three until we sadly lost the baby three weeks ago) and one is in at night.

I'll take two as examples -

Roy - 28yr old 17hh warmblood gelding, ex puissance horse so his legs have had a hard time! He has spavins and slight arthritis which is currently controlled by Nobute, with bute on the days when he's particularly stiff. He's been used to being stabled all his life, and really struggles to keep weight on. The only way to keep him looking good and feeling well is to have him in at night with an obscene amount of haylage and a huuuuge bed. He gets an extra feed when I skip out at 10:30pm too.

Tuff - 14yr old 17hh TB gelding, ex racehorse so again, his legs have taken a hammering. He has very arthritic hocks but no other problems. He does best when he's out 24/7 - he gets very impatient in a stable after just a few minutes and goes absolutely bonkers. His legs fill when he's in so he needs stable bandages on all round, and after eight months of box rest last year he objects to them being put on! He lives out, and is on one sachet of bute a day in the winter. He gets haylage twice a day and is fed once a day, and does really well like this.

I agree that stabled horses should not be left to run out of hay or water. I combat this for my own and all my liveries by giving them half of their hay/haylage allowance for when they come in and then half at half 10 when I skip out. I top up all waters then too, although we're about to replace the old automatic waterers so that won't be needed again. If a horse bolts their haylage they get it in a net rather than on the floor, to slow them down, and any who need an extra feed get one last thing too. This works well - I wouldn't want to do them any other way.

I also won't have horses in and un-mucked out after 7am. All my mucking out is done by 7am at the very latest, so they have a full day until 5 or 6pm out in the field.
 
I have two natives plus a shetland and two donkeys who are out during the day but can come into the yard and have access to barns. At night I shut them in the top paddock but they can still access the yard and barns. I give them plenty of hay and straw beds but they still prefer to stand out in the small paddock behind the barns - regardless of weather. They are rugged but they are happier out I think.
 
All my cobs are out naked with a Shetland. All of em I have known from babies (except Shetland who was kept in 24/7 7days a week at old home nd hated became a little git now much better) have always lived out from birth.

They compensate by growin long coats and I dont clip so always fluffy. Seem to be very happy as never known anything else :)
 
I am somewhere in the middle. My lot have always had a field, ad lib haylage and the ability to take themselves in and out of a shelter/steading or stable as and when They want.

Having done this for years, they use the shelter more to get away from flies in the summer and use a side of it to shelter from the wind and rain from the outside.

Their haylage is outside and having just checked, they are nowhere near the haylage or shelter so obviously down the field somewhere in the freezing cold and snow. They do however have rugs with neck covers on.
 
My boy is on box rest so can't really comment. However in the 11 years I've owned him he has come in at night in the winter months.

He is allowed out on the yard several times a day and I nearly get run over in his keeness to get back in his stable, I am mucking out!

Given a choice and loads of money I would keep him in a large barn with others, and a paddock attached, to wander at will, best of both worlds.
 
I have horsey utopia...5 acres of strung out fields with different old grass in them, never fertilized. Thick enormous hedges and trees around all the fields. A field shelter in an old barn. A river to drink from as well as a water trough and ad lib big bale haylage.
And because youngster is on box rest I've been mucking out twice a day for 6 weeks and am very fed up! I have never had them in 24/7 before.
Roll on turnout again. My stables do all have fenced yards at the front though so they can stand outside all day and torment each other over the post and rails!
 
Each to their own. Mine is fully clipped, in work and I prefer him to be stabled at night. Thats my choice and it works well for mine. They both go out every day pretty much regardless and are equally happy to come in. There is no right or wrong way, simply what is the best option for both horse AND owner.
 
Wagtail said:
Personally. I think both are wrong because each horse has to be on its own, which is very bad for them both! :(
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Mine has 3 ponies in the field next door that he can touch and talk too if he wants to. The ponies are always at the fence wanting to talk and he just ignores them :) x
 
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