Switching to live out in Winter…

[TheChestnutThing]

Looking for advice on those of you who have gone from stabled to living out with shelter over winter (horse not human).

I’m on a lovely yard but the journey after work is slowly starting to take its toll on me (it’s an hour round trip without traffic) and sometimes when I get there like last night, things are not done and then I get irrationally angry. I pay a fair whack. And then pay another fair whack on fuel.

I’ve been looking and yesterday a local farmer messaged me back (he runs a yard) and said he has a field for me with a shelter. It’s 5 miles from my home (there is no traffic going that way), and has all the facilities (2 arenas, direct access to hacking and a toilet), that I will need. They also offer services. Field is 4 acres and I can section/use as I wish (the whole field would be mine). Costs are less than half of what I am currently paying aswell (if I add everything up), this includes going twice a day if needed (I currently only go up once as it’s too far to go twice).

Now…has anyone done the live out switch going into winter? Horses have lived out 24/7 in summer for years, but have always come in in winter as yards close fields. Obviously I know they would need more feed etc (this has been factored in) and I would put a bed of straw down in the shelter.

Would they cope?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

They would be absolutely fine, especially as they have a shelter. Bite his hand off for that field!
I would prefer to have them living out as opposed to in. You get the odd rare horse that loves to come in, but even they will live out if needed generally (a friend has one).
What soil will they be on? You may have to keep an eye out for mid fever and/or might benefit from putting some mats down where you will hay.

 

[Barton Bounty]

When are you moving ….

 

[nagblagger]

The horses won't now that they are 'meant to be coming in as it's winter'. All mine are out with various natural shelter, donkeys have a proper one.
It sounds ideal set-up offered, how many horses have you, if only one could a friend come with you and share the poo picking etc duties.

 

[ycbm]

That sounds fantastic.

 

[SEL]

Your horse will be fine. Mine live out but there's usually a period where they need stabling overnight because my winter field = lake and they will happily come in and happily go back to 24:7 when it has drained.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

They would be absolutely fine, especially as they have a shelter. Bite his hand off for that field!
I would prefer to have them living out as opposed to in. You get the odd rare horse that loves to come in, but even they will live out if needed generally (a friend has one).
What soil will they be on? You may have to keep an eye out for mid fever and/or might benefit from putting some mats down where you will hay.

We are in Essex, so unfortunately clay I would think.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Looking for advice on those of you who have gone from stabled to living out with shelter over winter (horse not human).

I’m on a lovely yard but the journey after work is slowly starting to take its toll on me (it’s an hour round trip without traffic) and sometimes when I get there like last night, things are not done and then I get irrationally angry. I pay a fair whack. And then pay another fair whack on fuel.

I’ve been looking and yesterday a local farmer messaged me back (he runs a yard) and said he has a field for me with a shelter. It’s 5 miles from my home (there is no traffic going that way), and has all the facilities (2 arenas, direct access to hacking and a toilet), that I will need. They also offer services. Field is 4 acres and I can section/use as I wish (the whole field would be mine). Costs are less than half of what I am currently paying aswell (if I add everything up), this includes going twice a day if needed (I currently only go up once as it’s too far to go twice).

Now…has anyone done the live out switch going into winter? Horses have lived out 24/7 in summer for years, but have always come in in winter as yards close fields. Obviously I know they would need more feed etc (this has been factored in) and I would put a bed of straw down in the shelter.

Would they cope?

Ours live at home, so the change was easy. We had kept horses in the out in summer/in overnight in winter routine both at livery and here for about 40 years. Then we converted an outbuilding to a shelter and left them out. They much prefer this system. They are fed hay but wander off and come back to it, as they please. They are generally more relaxed and settled. Only once has there been any problem and it was easily sorted. It was snowing, the horses chose to stand sheltering somewhere else and were shivering. I gave them some more hay in the shelter, they soon warmed up. We were very glad of the shelter the winter I broke my leg, it made life much easier for my sister, who was dealing with them on her own while I was in hospital and then, while I was recovering I could pop some hay in easily if she was held up at work, without having to lead them anywhere.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

When are you moving ….

Haha, love this. I can have it from month end.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Haha, love this. I can have it from month end.

Doooo it! Sounds ideal! You can always pop another rug on them if need be but sounds ideal

 

[ihatework]

Of course they will cope!

The success of working horses from the field from an owners perspective generally comes down to having somewhere clean and dry to tie up/get ready and the quality of the land the horses are on. If it drains well great, if it turns into a bog then 24/7 on that is quite frankly miserable for horse and owner

 

[webble]

Thats a no brainer go for it

 

[TheChestnutThing]

The horses won't now that they are 'meant to be coming in as it's winter'. All mine are out with various natural shelter, donkeys have a proper one.
It sounds ideal set-up offered, how many horses have you, if only one could a friend come with you and share the poo picking etc duties.

I have two (provided the one doesn’t sell…but if he didn’t sell I would look for a sharer for him and if he did sell I would look for a 3 year old)

 

[Patterdale]

That is a complete no brainer! Go for it!

Your first winter will generally be spent making plans for the next winter. You’ll know the land much better by April and can make improvements over summer.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Of course they will cope!

The success of working horses from the field from an owners perspective generally comes down to having somewhere clean and dry to tie up/get ready and the quality of the land the horses are on. If it drains well great, if it turns into a bog then 24/7 on that is quite frankly miserable for horse and owner

I know someone on the yard; and she said there has never been a bog if managed right. As the field is 4 acres I can section to manage it, obviously making sure that they always have access to the shelter.

But you have hit my big worry head on. One horse competes in the 1.20m, so is getting ready for shows going to be an absolute ballache…

 

[Bobthecob15]

I asked a similar question the other week, our livery is switching to in at night over winter to turn out overnight...then they will come in for 8hrs in the day (not enough grazing for 24/7 all year sadly). The overwhelming response from here was....I wish our yard did it too!! Here are the posts:

Turnout at night in Winter?

Hi, yard is considering changing from having the horses out in the day and stabled at night in winter to them being brought in during the day and turnout at night. My initial reaction is nope...but that's because I like to think of them being all cosy in stables at night time 😄 However I am not...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

Mine has lived out I think over winter but a lot of the horses haven't, I think the pro's outweigh the cons!

 

[mustardsmum]

I would already be there! My ponies -BRP (so basically a little TB) and NF live out all winter I have four acres of winter grazing plus one for the summer. Rug if you need, but honestly they will be fine. Is there hard standing or a yard area where you can tack up etc? If not, electric tape off an area and put some mats down so you have somewhere to get tacked up. But sounds like your quality of life would be better if they were closer to home.

 

[FestiveG]

You could make an area of hardstanding with mud control mats, which you could remove if you leave. That might make show prep easier.

 

[9tails]

As you're only paying half the price of the last place, invest in some mud control slabs from Mud Control in the shelter and around the gate so that you can prepare the jumper in comfort.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Doooo it! Sounds ideal! You can always pop another rug on them if need be but sounds ideal

Or pop another horse in there….

 

[TheChestnutThing]

I would already be there! My ponies -BRP (so basically a little TB) and NF live out all winter I have four acres of winter grazing plus one for the summer. Rug if you need, but honestly they will be fine. Is there hard standing or a yard area where you can tack up etc? If not, electric tape off an area and put some mats down so you have somewhere to get tacked up. But sounds like your quality of life would be better if they were closer to home.

There is hard standing around the arenas.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Or pop another horse in there….

Better still

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

Knowing how hard it is to find fields in Essex I would definitely go for it! We have a competition horse living out with my oldies since his livery yard closed and he absolutely loves it. He's a grey so getting him ready for a show is fun but we manage it fine, and he has less stains now he's not lying in his poo in the stable all night LOL
Edited to add, we don't have an arena either, so we box him once a week to a nearby arena hire, rest of the time is hacking or a lesson/show.

 

[mustardsmum]

There is hard standing around the arenas.

Perfect! So when are you moving in?

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Knowing how hard it is to find fields in Essex I would definitely go for it! We have a competition horse living out with my oldies since his livery yard closed and he absolutely loves it. He's a grey so getting him ready for a show is fun but we manage it fine, and he has less stains now he's not lying in his poo in the stable all night LOL
Edited to add, we don't have an arena either, so we box him once a week to a nearby arena hire, rest of the time is hacking or a lesson/show.

I’m all up for hacking fitness rather than an arena tbh. And with the hacking directly backing onto the land, I’m also all in for headtorch rides. Where I currently am, if I ride after 4 in the winter (which I will be doing), there is no way I would be able to hack as a lot of roadwork.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Perfect! So when are you moving in?

The one who is for sale needs to move from the yard month end as he had notice given (as was sold and then it fell through) and the other I need to give a months notice for . I hate this months notice thing tbh.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The one who is for sale needs to move from the yard month end as he had notice given (as was sold and then it fell through) and the other I need to give a months notice for . I hate this months notice thing tbh.

You could just pay the month's notice and leave immediately

 

[Peglo]

That sounds ideal. I like mine coming in in winter but that’s because of where I live. If it was suitable I would choose that set up.

 

[tatty_v]

I’m probably not the best person to comment as mine are stabled at night all year round for various reasons, but having tried out 24/7 in the early days, I think the success of it depends on having somewhere safe, dry and well lit to tie up, for farrier/vet visits et, a proper water supply etc. It also depends on how muddy everywhere and everything will get and how tolerant you are of that!

 

[JBM]

Mine are all happier out they’re a lot less moody and actually come up to me in the field instead of running away because I don’t bring them into a stable now
Be careful with horses that are prone to rain scald or mud rash tho
They need careful management