Signs of not enough turnout....

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Parkranger

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would you consider these signs to be promonent in a horse that wasn't getting enough turnout...

Stiffness (dispite daily exercise)
Moodiness (trying to nip when girth done up - never had problems before and only recently had physio out - checked and no back pain)
Bolshiness in the stable

I don't know if I'm imagining it, but I think he needs to be somewhere he can be turned out more.

Love our yard and he looks amazing but something just isn't right with him....
 
the bolshiness and moodiness are more a sign of pain than lack of turnout

have you tried cortaflex for the stiffness (if it's good enough for Welham !!) and/or magnetic boots on the stiff legs - with this damp cold weather he could have a touch of arthritis and therefore if that is the case you'll know as he'll be happier and less stiff when (WHEN ?!!) it stops being winter and becomes summer again
 
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the bolshiness and moodiness are more a sign of pain than lack of turnout

have you tried cortaflex for the stiffness (if it's good enough for Welham !!) and/or magnetic boots on the stiff legs - with this damp cold weather he could have a touch of arthritis and therefore if that is the case you'll know as he'll be happier and less stiff when (WHEN ?!!) it stops being winter and becomes summer again

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He's already on quite a few supplements for his joints....surely being stiff would cause him pain? I took him out the other day and he came out of his box like an old man! After 15 mins of walking he was right as rain - hence me thinking it's lack of turnout and not pain as such....
 
Personally, and knowing from what you've said on the forum re Ty, I would want him to be out at least 5 or 6 hours a day at this time of year. That could be grass or menage.

I would take those as signs of not enough TO.
 
We moved from a yard with 8 hours turnout a day but I couldn't ride during the winter as the school was ALWAYS flooded. This led to a nightmare horse!

He's definately not happy without the TO - mothers know these things but I was just worried that I was being over the top.

Katy - I agree - I need him to be somewhere that's right for him and my pocket! x
 
poor boy - at least the walking loosened him up

I'd try having magnetic boots on when he was stabled and remove them for turnout/riding/horsewalking. After a build up period they can stay on for a max of 12 hours

they've worked on a couple of horses I know that just 'stiffen up' without any real lameness as such
 
hes stuck in a stable for 22 hours a day now - I know, it goes against everything I believe in for horses but we just couldn't find anywhere with the turnout that I could afford at the time.

Have to have assisted DIY or part as I cannot muck out in the week - if I muck out I don't have time to ride and that kind of defeats object of having a horse!
 
It might be a long shot and way off the mark, but what about putting him in for working livery? You could stipulate what sort of riders ride him, and he'd get both the work and the turnout, and free up time for you.
 
Find somewhere with 24h turnout. cheaper for you, better for him.
Any horse can live out 24h (provided its a horse that likes turnout, which yours appears too) given the correct feeding and rugging.
 
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It might be a long shot and way off the mark, but what about putting him in for working livery? You could stipulate what sort of riders ride him, and he'd get both the work and the turnout, and free up time for you.

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I rescued him from a riding school - it's taken about 4 months to get him to accept a contact due to muppets riding him so I don't want him to go back to that way of life. Plus (after all the nightmares we had before) I feel i'm making progress. It's hard enough for me to be getting a sharer! haa haa

He's also a bit of a typical sensitive TB - not really the type that anyone can get on.....if you know what I mean. He tenses up and is like a sandwich board to ride if someone gets on him who doesn't know what they're doing!
grin.gif
 
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Find somewhere with 24h turnout. cheaper for you, better for him.
Any horse can live out 24h (provided its a horse that likes turnout, which yours appears too) given the correct feeding and rugging.

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Don't know if there is anywhere near us! Good idea though
 
It does sound like he is not getting enough turnout. I had one horse that hated being stabled, he was far happier when he was out all day.

Does sound a tricky situation
 
Definately sounds like he's unhappy with being cooped up, if he only goes out for 2 hours a day then who wouldnt be! If he were mine, Id definately be looking for another yard - turnout is THE most important thing if I had to livery mine. Horses do get bolshy and stroppy if kept in so long - just like if you were cooped up in your bedroom with nothing to do for 22 hours a day, Im sure you'd be peed off as well!

Is there a reason he only goes out for 2 hours a day? Is there any way you can turn him out at another time in the day in a school to blow off steam? Personally, if I had to make do with this, I would lunge the horse daily (with no side reins or anything) so he can have a good buck and canter about as well as ride him - and Id split the lungeing, turnout time and riding through the day if possible.

Ideally Id try and rent a field or something so he could live out 24/7!
 
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Definately sounds like he's unhappy with being cooped up, if he only goes out for 2 hours a day then who wouldnt be! If he were mine, Id definately be looking for another yard - turnout is THE most important thing if I had to livery mine. Horses do get bolshy and stroppy if kept in so long - just like if you were cooped up in your bedroom with nothing to do for 22 hours a day, Im sure you'd be peed off as well!

Is there a reason he only goes out for 2 hours a day? Is there any way you can turn him out at another time in the day in a school to blow off steam? Personally, if I had to make do with this, I would lunge the horse daily (with no side reins or anything) so he can have a good buck and canter about as well as ride him - and Id split the lungeing, turnout time and riding through the day if possible.

Ideally Id try and rent a field or something so he could live out 24/7!

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I'd love to do that but can't find anything - think I need to go for a drive! x
 
Hi -if you're in the Epsom area - the yard I'm at has just got a vacancy, in Headley next to Epsom Downs - part livery - lots of turnout, all year round. Many horses are out overnight at the moment, from 5pm ish till 6/7 the next morning, or all day. let me know if you'd like further details!
 
In my opinion 2 hours is better than nothing but not really very satisfactory.

My warmblood needed turnout - even with horsewalker for 30 mins twice a day, ridden for an hour, then an hour in the outdoor school with Cairo to have a roll, groom and chill, it was not enough.

Outwardly in the stable she was always calm and appeared happy, but she was not on the inside. She would bottle up and explode. She was only fed hay and chaff so it was not overfeeding. Put her out and she changed.

I did consider going back to my old yard - such good facilities but the fields are often closed for a month or so in the winter and horsewalkers and no turnout are not good for old codgers and youngsters which I currently have. So I have stayed put.

Personally I would look for another place with more turnout or consider grass livery - but this too has pros and cons which do need to be considered.
 
If there are no suitable commercial yards about how about finding a nice small private yard - I am talking about a yard and fields which is attached to someones private house. I would put up some notices in the local tack shops as there are always people who have a spare stable and land behind their houses and would be happy to have some company.
 
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