Stabled night and day

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Supanova

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My 6 yr old mare doesn't like being out on her own in the field, so much so that when she first came she jumped out over the gate on to the road
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- fortunately escaping unharmed. She has since been out with the area totally fenced off so she can't get out, but after an hour or so runs round and won't stop. She is my only horse but I live on a dairy farm and when she goes out with the cows she is fine. However, during the winter the cows aren't out so she has to stay in all the time. She is in a large, well ventilated stable but obviously this is not ideal and it would be much better for her to go out. I was just wondering if anyone else has to keep their horse in all winter and your views on how detrimental this is to their well being?
 
I you can't have a company animal - goat/sheep etc... So long as horse is exercised daily (good hour plus) and or given in hand grazing (twice daily, if not ridden), i personnel don't have huge issue. But they are herd animal, so would perfer company. But if no turnout been inventive with treat balls etc... Plus put on radio during day.

But if me i would go down trying to find company animal - have a chat to your friendly farmer
 
Alot of horses do spend alof of time in during the winter but i think it is best if they get to go out as often as possible even if its only for an hour a day, can he not have a cow friend or two to go out with even if its just while you muck out etc?

personally i would be thinking of getting a native companion pony and gradually wean him off the cows.
 
Unfortunately I can't get a cow friend even for an hour a day as I am only at the yard in the dark in the winter because I work full time, and its not very easy to access a cow for short periods. Again getting a companion is unfortunately not an option because I keep my horse on my dad's dairy farm and we have no more stables and our land is so wet that its not fair to leave a horse out all the time in the winter.

She gets a good ride 4/5 times a week and I try to lead her out in hand on the day I don't ride but I can't do it all the time....in a few weeks I should be able to fence off an area where she is safe so she can go out for half an hour or so until she starts running round (my mum has to watch her when I'm not there)...I am hoping this will be enough to keep her sane.

Has anyone tried a model cow/horse etc as company? Someone suggested this and I'd be interested to know if it works!
 
guess you are in a dificult situation with working full time, maybe like you say you could turn her out even if only on drier days and then get you mum to get her in when she wants to come in. If you give her the option to spend time out and she wants to come it at least you will have tried.
 
Going to sound really harsh now but your dad has a dairy farm! Surely you can find a very small stable/pen or even section off your large airy stable and get a companion. A shetland or dartmoor would be fine and would only need a tiny space overnight to turn around and lie down in. Horses need other horses and its not fair on your mare to be kept in, especially when you have the land. Sorry, sounds really mean but.......
 
I understand why you would say that but in the end of the day it is a working farm and he is tight for space as it is! He puts up with a lot from me regarding my horse demands and its not fair to ask for more. My mum also has to help me look after the one horse I have got given that I have a very busy job so to put more on them would not be fair (i know a pony would not be much work but it would be some). I also think that my horse is better off than most having a massive stable and calves and cows right next door so she can "talk" to them all day. I personally think horses are just as happy with cows as they are with other horses.
 
I stable my horses through the winter but I'd never keep a horse alone. She needs a companion - preferably a horse or pony. Horses are gregarious creatures, they live in herds and can become depressed in isolation. The cows probably substitute a little company for her but it's not the same as another equid. If you absolutely cannot have another horse & cannot move to a livery yard then mirrors are supposed to work wonders. I believe mirrors over 3'x3' are best. Tests showed that when too small mirrors can stress them out even more. The radio can also keep horses calm and provide company - classic FM proved to slow heart rates & I play it to my fillies sometimes. I also have snack-a-balls, lickits and horselyx to entertain them.

Horses are flight animals and in situations of panic they will run through any fence or gate to reach safety or other horses, with no company to reasure her she will probably hate being in the field on her own. Hope this helps :-)
 
Supanova I completely sympathise! I too live on a working farm and despite many peoples beliefs that it means lots of space etc, space and especially grazing fields are hard to find with non-horsey family/farmers! My horse did exactly the same jumping out until I fenced the gate off like a giraffe lived in there!
Now I have actually got a HAPPA rescue 11hh pony who is worth his (rather large!) weight in gold as he keeps my boy sane, happy and relaxed. I only have one stable but can bring "Teddy" into the yard outside the horse's stable and leave him safely in there over-night or pened in whilst they are not turned out together, otherwise he roams around with the horse. He is deemed useless by the farmer though!
Otherwise stable mirrors are brilliant as mentioned and I would invest in one and if yours is next to cows and has lots of activity around him all day I'm sure would be fine. Many hunters live in 24/7 through the winter with good exercise every day, and if some days your mum can turn your horse out and get in when needed I think it sounds ok. Can you turn out at weekends as well if your about?
Good luck with it.
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I'd try and steal one cow for company, you must have a pet or a favourite - I generally had one that was very partial to polos and would have been a great candidate for halter training to bring them in and out with a horse.

THe ohter option is a goat, as if your stable is a cow or bull pen, should be big enough to accomodate both of them.
 
Don't stress too much. We farmed until last year and had no winter turnout - the same as you. Grazing or silage land is valuable and cannot be subjected to horses trashing it in the winter. I have had my horses in fold yards, the 'sick pen' that we used for casualty cows - any little corner that was free. My favourite was the fold yard as they had room to move about (about six times the size of a normal stable) and there was no mucking out. Had to leave turnout rugs on as the rain could blow in a bit.

If she has to stay in I'm sure she'll be fine. Cut her hard food a bit so she doesn't get too whizzy when she does go out, do as much as you can exercise-wise and leave it at that. She sounds happy. Our hunters are stabled 24/7 in the winter and I swear they wouldn't go out now if you gave them the choice!

You sound like you are doing all you can for her. A companion would be great, but she'll be fine. It's difficult when everybody preaches 24/7 turnout as being the ideal but we all have to compromise and horses can adapt and be happy in many different situations.
 
Thanks for all your advice and support. I really do want to do my best for my horse and I wish with all my heart that it didn't have to be within these confines, so its nice to hear that most people think she will be ok provided she gets to go out a bit and I do all other things I can to make her happy in the stable. I think she is happy (although of course it is hard to tell) as she never seems depressed or listless and is always bright-eyed and chirpy.

I will definitely invest in a mirror sounds like a great idea! I don't suppose they work in fields do they?!!

She does usually go out at weekends for an hour or so, although I have to sit with her if there are no cows out! Hopefully this is a bit of relief from just being confined in the stable all the time.
 
I am really getting fed up with people posting for advice then ignoring it.

Most people have said she needs to get out. Most people have said she needs a companion.

You are chosing not to do this. Fine, it is your horse, your choice and what you are doing is not actually cruel, although a bit hard on your horse.

If you don't really want advice, don't bother posting!
 
We have a 3ft square mirror in our crew yard - I'm sure it would work just as well in a field,as long as it is firmly secured - side of barn perhaps? All our nags have thought it wonderful,when they are confined to barracks for whatever reason.They have a new friend who sniffs,doesn't squeal,doesn't steal their food,and is always pleased to see them.When our little mare was on box rest for four months it really kept her sane - without it she was trying to jump over the door.When she graduated to crew yard mooching,she kept going into the stable to encourage her friend to come out!
 
Showjumper 1 - I am not ignoring advice. If you read my original post - the question I asked was if other people were in the same situation and whether or not people thought it was really detrimental to a horse's well being?! I take on board all advice but some things are just not possible and its not that I am not trying or making the effort. I would do anything to make my horse happy but I also have to work and live my life. If you read - I said I would get a mirror, try and sort something out with my dad re dry cows and get her out as much as I can at weekends so I am not quite sure which bit of advice I am supposedly ignoring. Without knowing me or my situation other than from what I have said - I think your comments are harsh. If we were all honest, horses are not supposed to be on their own in stables all the time, but neither are they supposed to be ridden by humans (alot of the time very badly!!), jumped, dressaged etc etc!!
 
If you have a massive stable why not partition some of it off for a little shetland companion or something, then you dont need to ask your dad for any more space. They really do not take much time to do. I can muck two minis out in less than ten minutes, including watering, feeding and haying! then your problem is solved.

They dont cost much to feed either. I use a bale of hay a week for two and one bag of shavings a week for two.

Seems the ideal situation
 
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