Quit worrying about outdoor horses!

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MagicMelon

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Not meaning to offend anyone! But there's been numerous posts on here about people "worrying" about their horses being cold when out. Why?! Horses are MEANT to live out, they keep themselves warmer outside where they can move about and of course its healthier for them! ANY horse can live out (unless for vet reasons) no matter WHAT breed and even if clipped! As long as they are well rugged with shelter and lots of hay I don't see the issue!
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Quit worrying people!
 
The only time I really worry is if it's hammering with rain or howling with a cold wind.

Saying that, I can't tell you the number of times I raced like a crazy thing to bring Amy in from the 'awful' weather, to find her happily grazing in the middle of the field..........
 
Too true.
My three girlies live out 24/7...the oldest is now a 19yr old TB...and they couldn't be happier (and my vets approve).
Think of the advantages for them - they can move around to warm up, can run around, can roll without worrying about getting cast, can mutually groom, graze whenever they want...and watch the world go by (busy yard).
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And they are less likely to get: respiratory problems from dust, cold from lack of movement, stereotypies from lack of forage, gastric ulcers, thrush, cast injuries, coughs and colds.
So there
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My two are out 24/7, both have a heavy rug with neck cover.
No shelter but lots of trees and bushes, 2 acre field.
They have no choice in the matter! I much prefer horses to be out, natural.
 
My old TB used to live out on top of a welsh hill.... aslong as he was dry he was happy... NEVER stood at the gate to come in even when we had snow!!
 
My poor horse has been stuck in 4 5 weeks (hartpury and ground!) for no reason and im desperate to turn her out. shes starting to get stiff from being in. I would love to swap with some one who can turn their horse out 24hrs!! its so much nicer for them!!
 
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My old TB used to live out on top of a welsh hill.... aslong as he was dry he was happy... NEVER stood at the gate to come in even when we had snow!!

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I think the key point is to rug them according to their breed, type, age, etc.
My old TB has a good winter coat, but she's not very waterproof....so gets rugged up very well as she always likes to be warm...and basks in the summer when the rest sweat.
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The horses at our yard don't want to be out 24/7 in these conditions. They would be happier with an hour or two turnout rather than in 24/7 admittedly, but after a couple of hours they are all back at the gate demanding to come in - and we still have a lot of grass compared to most in the area.
 
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The horses at our yard don't want to be out 24/7 in these conditions. They would be happier with an hour or two turnout rather than in 24/7 admittedly, but after a couple of hours they are all back at the gate demanding to come in - and we still have a lot of grass compared to most in the area.

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Perhaps they're hungry as the grass hasn't much food value at this time of year? Do you hay them?
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Agree with Shilasdair - mine are happy to stay out in the field because there is hay available. A lot of horses stand at the gate to come in just because they associate being brought into the stable with getting plenty of grub!
 
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Perhaps they're hungry

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Yep exactly - you try getting most of the liveries to understand that!
The golden oldies get fed hay everyday in their field but apart from that the fields are shut up now anyway!
 
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My old TB used to live out on top of a welsh hill.... aslong as he was dry he was happy... NEVER stood at the gate to come in even when we had snow!!

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I think the key point is to rug them according to their breed, type, age, etc.
My old TB has a good winter coat, but she's not very waterproof....so gets rugged up very well as she always likes to be warm...and basks in the summer when the rest sweat.
S
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LOL mine was the same..... loved the sunshine, and used to get blonde bits in his chestnut coat from sunbathing!!
 
I think if you popped a horse in a stable in the morning with no hay...and went to get it in the afternoon, it would be keen to get out to hay in the field, too.
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My three wait at the gate at about 7am and 6pm too...because they get a hard feed and hay/haylage delivery twice a day...as well as a groom and rug change...
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i only worry if it's been raining for about 10 hours continuously, cos 1 of my fillies gets cold if she's drenched, and isn't always bright enough to use the shelter... durr. i bring her in if she's shivering, rub her down, give her a night to dry off. otherwise, i don't worry about them at all. i worry far more about the stabled horses: bored stupid, weaving, box walking getting cast, getting colic... poor darlings.
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Mine have 7 acres, a field shelter and stabled bedded up with mats and straw, rugs and haylage. They love it! I still worry about them but would do so even if they were fastened in stables every night.
 
well mine normally live out 24/7 but are in at the moment as all clipped and although decently rugged they are coming in at night -I have a lot of grass which means I cant hay in the field so I worry they arent having an "internal warmth" as the grass is frozen from about 6 at night...once the temparatures ease off a bit though mine will be back out so they can eat the grass and then I can start feeding some of the 700 bales of hay I made last year!!!
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I have a lot of grass which means I cant hay in the field

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You've lost me there...
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My horses have loads of grass in their field but I still put hay out this morning as it was all frozen...
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Would anyone like to come to my yard? We're allowed 24/7 turnout but I can't persuade anyone else to do it because they think its cruel so poor D has to come in every night
 
Merlin is out 24/7 and loves it, he isnt clipped but still has a nice rug on to keep him dry (not keen on rain). I hard feed him and he always has hay in a pile in the field despite having 5 acres of decent grazing.

So why does he not eat the hay??? I put 4 sections out two mornings ago and its still there (maybe not this morning as it was really really frost this morning).
 
Agree. And there are far too many people who are just too soft IMO. I have all mine out 24/7 at the mo, as no stables, BUT I know my cob and WB would much prefer tyo be inside when it is very muddy, wet and windy. They look very miserable when it is. I have my foals out 24/7 aswell, no probs at all
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Only reason they'll start to come in is because of the mud and having a yard of horses here next year.
 
Lol, careful Magic_Mincepie, you'll start a war with an innocent comment like your OP if my last one was anything to go by
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I agree, we kept all of the school horses out all winter and just made sure the hay ring was always full and they always seemed pretty pleased with themselves! Even the oldies used to gallop about to keep warm.

Major is in this winter against my will because he was stabled a large part of the summer because of health issues and never really grew much of a coat so I relented and took him in. But he's been living out for the 4 years I've had him and other than the really, really cold rain we sometimes get he never had a problem at all.
 
Mine are both out 24/7, and the difference in my gelding is unbeleivable, friends have come to see him at his new yard and genuinely havent recognised him. At the old yard he was in most of the day and night, as no grazing, and he was a nervous wreck, broke lead ropes and escaped countless times, and he is now the dopiest most laid back anglo I have ever met. I can leave him anywhere and just say 'stay' and come back a few minutes later and he wont have moved, its amazing how much happier he is out
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pickle is in at the moment but I still think you opinion is right in lots of cases my sisters tb x is out 24/7. Pickle is in mainly because he can really easily suddenly loose weight and stabling him allows us to keep an eye on it. He is prone to anemia which causes his weight loss so that is why he is in he could stay out 24/7 otherwise
 
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I think the key point is to rug them according to their breed, type, age, etc.

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Unless they are clipped horses do not need to be rugged - I moved a TB from the desert to the mountains. They went from 46 degrees to -16 degrees over a 2 month period, with no problems at all. Ofcourse an older horse would struggle more, but blanketing horses is unnecessary.
 
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