Still out at night, is this the right thing to do?

mar2505

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My mare has artiritis and on bute, diagnosed this year. As she gets longer out by being turned out at night I have left her like this currently. My theory that moving about will be better for her. However every night I go to bed thinking she should be all cosy in her stable. Am I being over emotional, do you agree with my theory? She comes in for the day and has hay and feed.
Any advice gratefully received.
 

Ibblebibble

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my 21 yr old Tb was out 24/7 for the last 2 years of her life, she was the most chilled out she had ever been and was a lot less stiff than when she was in the usual routine of being in a night.
 

Wagtail

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As long as she has company and either natural or manmade shelter, I think you are doing the right thing leaving her out at night. I would also feed hay in the field though as it helps keep them warm.
 

Vodkagirly

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I understand why you would leave out at night to stop her getting stiff but don't get why you would then bring in through the day? Surely she stiffens up then.
My oldie is best out but once it gets damp I bring him in as he doesn't like lying in the cold. I try to give him as much turn out as possible.
 

mar2505

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Hi vodka girly bring her in to have her bute, ride hay and rest, also field occupied by geldings in day. Have worked out this gets her 14 hours out as opposed to 7.
 

budley95

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Mine stayed out until 23rd December last year no problems. Only brought him in as his field was starting to flood (I was in the area affected by christmas eve floods last year). If she's got plenty of grass/hay and has appropriate shelter/rugs if needed I wouldn't worry. She'd probably be happy out 24:7! They didn't melt in the wild so they won't now! It's whatever fits you and your horse. I'm sure she's fine out and would be more than happy keeping things as they are to have a mooch about, but if you want to swap her routine over/keep hr out 24:7 then do what you think's best. She's your girl at the end of the day so you know her best!
 

TigerTail

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A good friend of mine has a 28 yr old and a 30 yr old living out 24.7 and I have a 32 yr old out 24.7 and they are all fine and dandy. She put hers in one night we were due torrential rain and they could barely walk in the morning as were so stiff - lesson learnt!
 

mirage

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One of mine is in at night,because she is on loan and what she is used to,she is 24 and her stable is bigger than my bedroom! The other 24 year old is out because she won't be stabled.She is rugged and has a field shelter [which she views as a pony eating monster],natural shelter plus hay.
 

ladyt25

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We had one who lived out until the ripe old age of 36. You couldn't stable him to be honest
We did once as he cut his leg and vet recommended it. We arrived in the morning to find horse out of the stable even though the door remained closed. Turned out he'd been that desperate to get out he must have thrown himself against the back wall (timber stables thankfully) enough so the whole back wall of the two stables was pushed out and hence he had a way out!
Needless to say we never tried to stable him again!
Providing they have plenty of shelter and, if needed a rug in bad weather then I think living out is better for a horse prone to stiffness
 

cobgoblin

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Our 32 yr old is out with the others and as happy as can be. They have plenty of grass still and lots of natural shelter if they want it. We had torrential rain last night but all were warm and happy this morning, if a bit wet!
 

Bluedaisys

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My mare is arthritic in both front fetlocks and on 1 bute daily. She's out 24/7 through the summer. However, she's been hanging about at the gate since September wanting to come in at night. I finally gave in 2 weeks ago! she's lame/ stiff whenever she's been laid down. (She does walk through it within a few minutes). I've been undecided as to leaving her out 24/7 for mobility or bring her in (about 12hours) as she likes to lie down and at least in the stable she's off the damp cold ground. She decided she's coming in, and refused to leave her stable to go back out after her tea!! It's hard to know what to do for the best but I'm sure she'll let you know one way or another!
 

Peregrine Falcon

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You do what is best for them in your circumstances. We have two oldies that have access to a stable and are out 24/7. One of them is very arthritic so standing inside without being mobile would be no good for her. They have plenty of hay and have two feeds a day. They are happy at the moment with this management and until they dictate otherwise it will stay that way. They are rugged too.
 

luckyoldme

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My 24 year old has been out 24/7 for the last 2 winters. Plenty of hay(not yet this year) natural shelter and good quality rugs. He s extremely chilled out and just passed his winter mot. Hes not happy stabled as his mates stay out and at this stage he is doing so well that im not changing a thing.
 

AngieandBen

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My 24 year old has been out 24/7 for the last 2 winters. Plenty of hay(not yet this year) natural shelter and good quality rugs. He s extremely chilled out and just passed his winter mot. Hes not happy stabled as his mates stay out and at this stage he is doing so well that im not changing a thing.

Same here, mine are 21 and 23 and not even had to rug them yet as they have grown really thick coats :)
 

huskydamage

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mines twenty one and is still living out, only rugged now because I clipped her. I'll bring her in overnight for fireworks weekend but that's it. I try to leave her living out as much as possible, she is like a cripple after being in stable for hours, swollen legs and joints 'cracking' as she walks out. It is the worst thing for her. All the other horses come in at night where I am except her, and I've seen her wandering around in the dark eating grass and even lying down, she is quite happy. I would rather her be in the field with a heap of rugs on than standing around in the stable.
 

hoggedmane

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Nearly all the horses at the yard my mare is at are out 24/7 all year round. Some are very old (2 - 30+ year olds) and a lot are aged - 20s. My mare is 24 and happier out than in (she hasn't been in overnight for more than 5 years). Some of the 20 + year olds are ex racehorses.

They have hedges for shelter.
 

exracehorse

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I usually bring in at night in the winter but, at the moment am still following the summer routine, in at 9am and out just before it gets dark. In a way it suits me because of my working hours. He stuffs his face during the day in the stable with hay and then is content when I turn out. When the weather turns then I shall re consider, although two of the others are always out 24.7. My lad loves his stable and hates hates wind and rain and there is no natural shelter, just post and rail fencing. So, shall see how the weather turns out. I don't see it makes much difference if in during the day or at night really, its still cold either way in the winter and as long as rugged up, then they keep warmer moving about. So, I am compromising and still stabling for a while so he has a break from the field, otherwise he just hangs around the gate and neighs a lot and gets stressed. He would hate being out 24/7. I have tried but, he is a wuss puss.
 

PonyclubmumZ

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I think I am about to crumble and bring mine in! 2 native ponies and my cob who is clipped, I can stand the cold but its been raining for days here and it's starting to get muddy, am I being a wimp on their behalf? please talk me out of it!
 

orionstar

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My WBxTB mare is still out with a bib clip and will be all winter. In the 4 years I have owned her she has been perfectly happy with this arrangement. My 4 year old 3/4 WB will also be out the whole winter and has done since he was a year old. They're both rugged and get ad lib round bales. I've never once found them cold or shivering, even when I am. Thankfully they don't melt in the rain either!
 

PonyclubmumZ

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I have been tough and mine are still out, the cob was toasty under his rug and the ponies were in the middle of the field eating so I have left them out again. I suspect I will be posting weekly and trying to keep them out!
 

flirtygerty

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I think I am about to crumble and bring mine in! 2 native ponies and my cob who is clipped, I can stand the cold but its been raining for days here and it's starting to get muddy, am I being a wimp on their behalf? please talk me out of it!

You're being a wimp, man up and leave them out, it's still not cold, just damp, I have 2x20+ yr olds, a WB and a TB, both are happy living out and only the TB will get rugged, no matter how cold it gets, (poor doer), the 2 younger ones have good thick coats and none of my four would thank me for stabling, I bring them to the barn for feeding/grooming/riding, or if the hunt is about, I put hay in the field and they love it, my old landlords hunter was clipped out and still lived out, albeit with a neck to his rug
 

Wagtail

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The two youngsters are still out. I almost brought them in a couple of days ago due to all the rain and they seemed to want to follow the others in, but I left them out in the end. However, soon they will be coming in because I am finding it increasingly difficult to get the barrow in and out of the field. I don't leave muck in the field and so they will be coming in for 7 hours during the day once the barrow won't go through the gate and spend the night out in the all weather turnout.
 
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