Should I just turn him out til the snow goes?

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poacher82

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Here's the thing - my horse lives out 24/7 from early march to end November ish. In the winter he comes in at night to allow me to take advantage of every second of daylight in the mornings to ride before work - I can tack up under the barn lights, and head out hacking the second dawn breaks. Vital as I have to leave for work at 8.30am!

We have currently got 6 ins of snow, more forecast, and it's been set-in for 6 weeks so clearly sin't going anywhere for a while. I live in the Highlands! I can't ride before work now, as in dubious light you can't tell rideable snow from ice.

In 2 weeks time, my horse is going to his holiday home for 10 days while I'm away - there, he'll be out 24/7 as there's no option. SO - as i go back to work tomorrow, and riding will be restricted to weekends until the snow goes, I wonder if I should just turn my boy out now. He'll be well rugged and hayed, and wintered out fully clipped the winter before I bought him, so I know he can cope out fine. He currently has a fairly well outgrown hunter clip (I didn;t bother reclipping when the weather got so crap). He's a connemara, so not exactly thin-skinned TB.

I'm partly feeling I should keep him in as he's used to it at the moment, but partly that if he's going out when I'm away anyway, he may as well go out now!

Thoughts on a postcard please?!
 
Thanks Enfys, maybe I'll grit my teeth and do it. A couple of rugs and stacks of hay should keep him warm, not to mention moving around instead of standing still in a barn. Still feel a bit mean but have read blogs from people who have 3/4* eventers turned out 24/7 on hols in snow (one in bonny-but-baltic Scotland too!), so think I'm maybe being a bit precious about my overgrown pony!
 
well rugged and fed and hayed ? - turn him out . keep an eyeon him but im 100% sure he will be fine. and then take a breath put feet up an enjoy no mucking out :) honestly hun turn out :)
 
Thanks for the feedback guys, nice to know others on same wavelength. It's silly, as if anyone else had posted the same question I'd have replied 'yes, leave him out', but when it's your own little darling it is so easy to get needlessly soft!!!

Have just got back in from doing said beast up with extra rugs, tonnes of hay etc and left him out in the field. Looked quite excited at being allowed to stay up late actually!
 
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