Retirement - living out in a herd - guidance please

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suej102

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I am currently looking into retirement homes but have one or two concerns that you may be able to help with. The main one being that the horses all live out full time in a herd. Once place I am considering and have visited seem lovely and check he horses twice a day with feeds and haying etc and bring in once a week for full check over and a bit of tlc. My boy is now 23 and did live out for a long time until the past couple of years where is used to coming into a stable at night. Am I being a wimp for worrying about this? It's just that as the rain was hacking down in droves last night I started to wonder if I could bear the idea that he would be out all night in it if I retired him this way - although another part of me loves the idea of him being in a herd and roaming about doing what horses like to do, munching, ******** and pondering mostly! Any guidance very much appreciated!
 
I have a few living out year round - but with good rugs and a shelter should they choose to use it (they often don't - their choice). Maybe that's what you should be looking at, the shelter that is available to them, either built or natural as in trees and hedges?
 
We have a few retirees in a herd and they get on fine. Once there's shelter in the field and adequate rugs there will be no bother. That sounds like a great set up if he checks them. It will be if more benefit to an older horse to be moving round instead of stables.
 
I'm not sure I would be happy with my horses being brought in just once a week for a full check over and tlc. We have an old boy now with us that came from a retirement livery in Cheshire (has been a few posts on here about the place!) and OMG, he was in a dreadful state. He lived out in a herd but didn't do well as he is a bottom of the herd horse and obviously never got enough to eat.

I would say if you find somewhere you like, pick somewhere as close as you can to home so that you can pop up and keep an eye on him. Hope you find somewhere nice for him, as long as he has somewhere to shelter and is rugged up I'm sure he won't mind one bit.
 
JillA said:
I have a few living out year round - but with good rugs and a shelter should they choose to use it (they often don't - their choice). Maybe that's what you should be looking at, the shelter that is available to them, either built or natural as in trees and hedges?
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This exactly. As long as they have good shelter, rugs and plenty to eat they'll be fine. My old boy lived out most of his life, with a big field shelter. The only time he and his friends used it was to get away from the heat in the summer.

This morning the farrier was coming so, rather than turn my two out, I tied them on the yard with a net while I mucked out (in their turnout rugs as I don't change them overnight). It started hailing and I felt terrible for them being out there as the yard is quite exposed as opposed to the field which as high hedges and good trees to shelter under, but when I looked at them they were both just happily tucking into their hay, seemingly oblivious to the hail!
 
I have always kept my horses for life and looked after them in their old age. I am sure that some old horses can live out especially if they are rugged up properly but I would still like to bring them in and pick out their feet etc. once a day to make sure that they were o.k.
 
I agree and am looking locally, but feeling more confident reading these posts as my boy is quite the Alfa male and will probably end up king of the heap! Thanks for your comments x
 
Another thought - I try not to faff around with mine too much in terms of bringing them in to do stuff to. They are very happy and settled out in the field in their herd, and get silly and stressy when I interrupt their routine - typical old pensioners! My farrier and vet are both happy to do most things to them in the field, and its perfectly easy to check them from top to toe out there.
 
Auslander said:
Another thought - I try not to faff around with mine too much in terms of bringing them in to do stuff to. They are very happy and settled out in the field in their herd, and get silly and stressy when I interrupt their routine - typical old pensioners! My farrier and vet are both happy to do most things to them in the field, and its perfectly easy to check them from top to toe out there.
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I’ve got two horses that live out fully clipped, without a field shelter, and are happy with good forage and good rugs, and some hedge shelter. So they can be fine out.

Re retirement livery – do they have adlib access to forage in winter. Is the land well-draining and not likely to poach? Ideally sand / chalk or similar. Now is a great time to look!!

Are there large field shelters / lots of natural shelter.

If have all those, I would have thought most horses would be very happy.

Unless you have one who hates rain / wind / weather, and strongly prefers his stable.
 
My horse moved to his retirement home in August. In the summer he lives out with a small herd with lots of natural shelter, fabulous grazing and hay as and when needed. In the winter he lives in a huge cow shed with his little herd with knee deep straw and ad lib hay. Some still live out in the winter depending on how the fields hold up.

They are checked daily and brought in only when needed (for the farrier etc or when we visit). They are all bare foot and naked until they really need rugs.

I've had him for 8 years and have looked after him all this time myself so I was naturally worried when he moved.

However it is the best thing I ever did. He is so happy and healthy it's lovely. He's the best weight he's been for the winter, looks ten years younger than when he went and is so calm and relaxed. He really loves his herd life and now hates coming in when we visit! He's a tb who has been pampered and stabled all the time I had him so it's been a real revelation to me on how horses should live!

I have clearly been lucky enough to find a fabulous home for home with amazing care which helps but horses really do thrive in a natural environment as log as its well managed with plenty to eat. If I knew how to put a picture up using my iPhone i could show you my 22 yr old tb who broke his leg 4 years ago and has always looked ropey in the winter - now looking like a 10 year old again. ❤️
 
I have two 20+ yr olds in my small herd of 4, good natural shelter in the field, ad lib hay, my old WB mare prefers being out regardless of the weather, she had snowy stripes in her mane yesterday morning, yet my old Tb prefers to be in out of the worst of the weather, he's currently in the barn keeping dry and mud free with the young cob for company, as happy as larry, it all depends on the horse
 
You could call ours a retirement yard lol!

Up until late last year all 10 horses apart from mine were between 15 - 35! All lived out, some rugged, some un-rugged. Stables were available for really bad weather but othere that there were areas of natural shelter, natural undulations and hills. Hayed and fed. The herd were very happy.

I think it's lovely to see them behaving like horses. Even though mine was probably too young to be in such an elderly herd, I think she has benefited. It's certainly calmed her down. I wouldn't reserve herd living for the oldies... I think it's great for the young and working.
 
I sent my old lad to a retirement home at 28. To my knowledge, he'd never lived out 24/7 before. He had a herd, shelter, good grass & water, hay & feed when needed & had a grand old time. Lost him 18 months ago at 34. I've also had my main mare & now my youngster turned away in the same/similar set ups post injury. Both have been really content & it's done them a lot of good. In the right place, I wouldn't hesitate!
 
My mare lives out in a herd of 3 other mares she never needs a rug in winter, they get hay put out morning and evening more if they need it, I go up once a day and give her a feed and a check over and she is happy but she has always prefered being out all the time, my other horse would hate being out all the time in winter and would need to be rugged so I think you just have to know your horse and find the best set up possible and see how it works out.
 
Really you know your horse best I have had horses that would have been fine and others that would have loathed it .
I have 4 ATM two would retire to herd very happily the other two would hate it .
 
I have quite a few retired horses living on my farm. Some are ex-competition horses who have previously lived in stables and been fussed over. Some of the owners were a little worried, as you are OP, about them living out 24/7 however once they've seen them settle in and be horses again, they've been very happy and sure that what they decided was the right thing. I do like to watch the old horses pootling about their fields, they always look so chilled and content with life. At my farm they have large pasture fields and big barns which they have free access to whenever they wish. We feed to suit the individual horse and all fields have adlib hay all year round. Horses are rugged when needed and for the whole winter as our winters are far tougher than yours. The ones on my farm are checked many times every day as some are very old. They are also kept in fields right next to our farmhouse so I can see them at any time of the day or night.

If I was looking for retirement livery I would want my old horses to have access to a barn and field whenever they chose. I would also want an individual feed programme for each old horse. I do like my old horses to look well but I don't mind them not being fussed over; most of mine don't want to be fussed over tbh, they enjoy spending time with their horse herd. I would want them check physically twice a day minimum and I'd be happy with them being brought in once a week for tlc.
 
My oldest lad lives out 24/7 in a fairly big herd, up to 20 geldings when the stabled ones are out, barring any medical issues that need him stabled and he manages just fine. I check him over but at the moment don't bring him in unless I need to.
 
I agree that most horses do well and a few are a little more precious but after keeping horses the "old" way (stabled 24/7 and regimented exercise) and somewhere in between and now a free-range lifestyle, I now wouldn't keep my horse any other way whether they were young or old. Free-range is what I see as happy. I'd forego any facilities for herd turnout if that was the choice.

I would of course pay through the nose to have it all, but in this country it seems it is one or the other... :D

Disclaimer... yes, there may be a few scrapes and bites as they tell each other off for overstepping the mark, or there might be a bit of a power struggle but when there is lots of space to run away and dodge and turn, I've found them to be minimal. Once I saw a pair-turnout (in a postage stamp paddock) have a kerfuffle and with nowhere for the victim to go, there was a serious injury. You just have to be pragmatic and weigh this up. If you want to avoid any sort of injury then it's not for you.

My filly sometimes comes down with some hair missing and a bruised bottom, but that is herd life. I take all that into account and still think a social life, if a bit violent at times, comes above being wrapped up in a stable.
 
I haven't had to do it yet but my boy is 20 this year so I do think about it and hopefully when the time comes he will have a long and happy retirement. I think he would adapt to herd life and living out pretty well as he is very sociable and eating 24/7 would appeal to him :) . However I think it is one thing doing it yourself and another entrusting someone else to do it well so I would be very cautious.

If I were doing it though I would want facilities to be able to bring him in and check over and fuss him away from the other horses when I visited. Probably more for me than for him tbh. Also so that there are facilities for if he needs treatment by a vet or have a farrier visit. he Also if he was unwell and needed to be kept in temporarily I would not want to have to move him to do so. Obviously wouldn't be considering long-term stabling for an old horse.

For me though even thinking about him going off somewhere and being cared for by someone else full-time makes me cry, although ultimately if it were better for him I would do it.
 
Near to me 3 old girls live in retirement, ages 25 to 39 (yes really) out 24/7 and happy. Being stabled wouldn't suit them as they all have stages of arthritis so being able to move is best. Their field is dry(ish) even now and that's important, I wouldn't want anything in my mares field 24/7 it's a bog in places. So go take a look if the land is good now you should be fine.
 
Gosh thank you to everyone for your incredible replies. What a great supportive place this is! I am now really happy with my choice to let him live out in a herd and also know that I can go and see him whenever I want to as he won't be too far away from home, which is really important. I have also been advised to take his back shoes off and see how he gets along when I move him - is that something you have done? He is a 17'3 ID and has been shod for his whole life to my knowledge?
 
Personally, I'd ditch the back shoes. There's less chance of injury from kicks for the others & most cope perfectly well without. Neither of my mares were/are shod but my little Arab x boy was until he retired. He strolled off without any problems with all 4 gone.
 
mines 25 and living out. He has lived out for the last 3 years and never looked better. He comes in for a small feed in the morning with the other three he lives with and has ad lib hay in the field. When he first stayed out in the winter i would go up expecting to see him miserable and tucked up, but all i found was that he was grazing away in the middle of the field without a care in the world. He s very clean legged and i do feel that if he was stood in a stable overnight he would stiffen up.... I think its the best thing i ever did for him evan if for the first few weeks i was fighting the urge to rush up there in the middle of the night if it was stormy.Im told that every night at dusk all four of them routinely have a charge round the field going mental, mine is the oldest by 13 years at least and has no trouble keeping up!
 
suej102 said:
Gosh thank you to everyone for your incredible replies. What a great supportive place this is! I am now really happy with my choice to let him live out in a herd and also know that I can go and see him whenever I want to as he won't be too far away from home, which is really important. I have also been advised to take his back shoes off and see how he gets along when I move him - is that something you have done? He is a 17'3 ID and has been shod for his whole life to my knowledge?
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All our oldies are completely unshod... you only need shoes to work. Feet won't fall off or anything :D

I'd take them all off and save yourself the money. In Lincolnshire where I grew up, it was unheard of to have retired or resting horses shod. Most ridiculous I'd say.

He'll only be pottering about on soft ground so let his feet breathe for the first time in his life. Why Sentence him to shoes his whole life L)
 
My absolute princess of a warmblood, who was thoroughly pampered to within an inch of her life was turned away aged 12 last year. She lives in a mixed herd, in a fab field and is so happy! It's amazing!. Both vet and farrier can't believe how good she looks.
 
I know of horses in supposed retirement livery in Wales. They were starved to death. Rspca were involved in rescuing others. The retirement livery was a registered animal charity. Always be very careful with you choice and visit very regularly. If you can t keep your horse ,possibly PTS is something to consider.
 
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