Show Horses - Turn Out

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express_75

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Hi

How often do you turn your show horses out?

My sec d drops weight behind fast if out everyday so now do every other day and half days with a lunch & haylage.

I also don't want her knocked about and pestered by the flies at the mo.
 
What sort of grass do you have, or lack of for a horse to drop weight?


Mine is out at night at the moment so he does not get too hot.
 
Our pony is out every night and in during the day at the moment - we don't have a problem with her dropping weight at all!
 
My traditional cob who I show affiilated/county level lives out 24 x 7 from May to October. He has a snuggy body and sometimes the hood on as well from May to end of September and then I like to give him a month of no rugs and being a horse.

He gets two good feeds a day and if grass goes too low, hay in the field. I keep him trim and muscled with exercise rather than fat.

This suits him and I know quite a few other show people do similar, good outdoor rug to protect from sun and flies and feed in the field during the summer.

If I were to keep him in, he would be bored, rub himself and be generally unhappy, though he is fine being in at night and restricted turnout in winter.
 
I'm very surprised that a Sec D will drop weight out at grass in the summer - in fact, I'd be worried that there was something seriously wrong!

My Sec D is out 24/7 on a bare paddock, the only big problem is the flies as you say, just about managing with daily fly sprays at the moment although may have to start bringing her in during the hottest hours of the day to give her a break.
 
My show cob is in during the day, and out at night in a bug rug and mask. She is black so goes a horrid ginger colour with the sun bleaching her - hence the bug rug. I have the total opposite problem with my girl...Shes in a bare paddock with sheep and is still a chunk. Have you had your mare bloodtested Express_75? Sounds like something isnt quite right is she loses weight on turnout...
 
Mine lives out 24/7 in Spring summer but comes in if it rains. During Autumn shes in at night and out during the day then in all winter. She's rugged in summer with a full fly sheet so her coat doesn't bleach. She's very prone to weight loss as well (Welsh Sec A) but she gets adlib hay all year round
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My Sec D lives out more or less all year round - only coming in for a few weeks during the worst winter weather.

I too would be seriously worried if she was dropping weight in this weather. She is currently out 24/7 on a well grazed part of the field, is ridden 5 times a week including a lesson and is, tbh, still on the chunky side.
 
We have an American Quarter Horse that is being shown regularly - she is out during the day with a fly rug and in at night with a sheet because the flies drive her insane (light grey and very fine skinned). She isn't on the best grazing cos she's much more settled next to her mate who gets azoturia so can't have rich grass, so she has a big net of very good hay at night and chomps her way thru it all. She also has two feeds a day of show nuts and alfa A
I keep her on the heavy side because most of our travelling is long trips with 2-3days away from home and this seems to work well.
If your boy sweats a lot and uses a lot of energy when competing he may need a bit more food, even if he is a native type. Some Sec D's do have a tendency to be a bit lean and need more calories!
 
My 2 year old arab gelding lives out 24/7 summer and winter 2 feeds A day in winter with ad lib haylage and one feed a day and grass in summer, being a numpty he wont have a fly rug on and is doing ok so far, in fact he took the reserve championship on Saturday at his 5th show...!
 
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