Switching to live out in Winter…

[Goldenstar]

Go and ring him and say yes .

 

[TheChestnutThing]

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

Would probably work out cheaper actually

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Go and ring him and say yes .

Haha, already done!

 

[TheChestnutThing]

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

My one had mud fever in a herd paddock (they weren’t managed at all), but he didn’t have it last winter in a self managed paddock. So I’m hoping that with my lotions and potions he should be ok this winter aswell.

 

[Goldenstar]

Good I am glad you have spoken to the farmer .
I swopped all mine over now ( but we don’t use a shelter )there are irritating things to deal with they are just different things.
Make sure you bed up the shelter and make it nice to to in . I had one out his own for two winters I put all forage and food in the shelter he used it a lot .

You might need to buy a couple of spare outdoor rugs , I used to have two rugs mine he was fully clipped and hunting and take one off during the day unless it was awful and put the extra one on at night when the temperature was lowest .
I also make sure he got time most days without a rug on (I did have stables as well ).

 

[Squeak]

I swapped to out 24/7 and would never swap back. Glad you've gone for it and hope it works as well for you

 

[dorsetladette]

I bought one who was stabled 24/7 a turned him out with mine straight away. They had lovingly fully clipped him between viewing and collecting so he was well rugged and was OK. The first winter he dropped more weight than I was happy with but was fine in subsequent years.

As @Goldenstar says make the shelter a nice place to be for both you and him and you'll be fine.
I have basic grooming kit stashed in kickboards in the shelter to do bits with them. Good battery lights in the shelter are a god send to in winter, so much easier than a headtorch.

Invest in good waterproofs for you (and spares) and a couple of extra rugs for horse and you should be fine.

 

[FestiveG]

I can recommend solar lighting for the shelter, we've had ours for about 3 years now and they are as bright as conventional lights.

 

[HorseMaid]

Yorks can you tell me about your solar lights.....

OP go for it, it sounds like a no brainer! Mine will be living out with access to our little scruffy yard which will provide a hardstanding and two shelters. Planning to feed all hay in the shelters so no traipsing out to the field!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Bite his hand off!

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Thanks everyone.

I’m so glad all of you are pro this and that your horses all settled absolutely fine.

I’ve also done real math (not horse girl math), and it less than halves my costs which is insane!!!

Also if I have to work late or can’t get there I don’t have to stress or pay someone to do something extra as I know they will have access to everything they need and won’t be standing without hay or water (I plan to buy a big bale and put it on pallets) as well as have nets in the the shelter etc.

 

[dorsetladette]

Thanks everyone.

I’m so glad all of you are pro this and that your horses all settled absolutely fine.

I’ve also done real math (not horse girl math), and it less than halves my costs which is insane!!!

Also if I have to work late or can’t get there I don’t have to stress or pay someone to do something extra as I know they will have access to everything they need and won’t be standing without hay or water (I plan to buy a big bale and put it on pallets) as well as have nets in the the shelter etc.

Adlib hay is the way forward (IMHO). My OH built 'the best' hay feeder. I roll a bale in about every 10 days put it in a bale net and they munch away happily. I have 3 ponies (welsh cob adult, 2y old welsh cob and 3yr old welsh C) so you could probably estimate about the same once they have learnt to self regulate (that can take a while, if not used to it). I save so much on hard feed.

1 tip - get the round bales delivered to up hill of where you intend to feed makes rolling it in so much easier (obviously not a really steep hill, just a slight slop if possible). I get 3 a month delivered. I guess that is a lose I could wear if the tarp blow off and it all got ruined.

 

[Squeak]

Adlib hay is the way forward (IMHO). My OH built 'the best' hay feeder. I roll a bale in about every 10 days put it in a bale net and they munch away happily. I have 3 ponies (welsh cob adult, 2y old welsh cob and 3yr old welsh C) so you could probably estimate about the same once they have learnt to self regulate (that can take a while, if not used to it). I save so much on hard feed.

1 tip - get the round bales delivered to up hill of where you intend to feed makes rolling it in so much easier (obviously not a really steep hill, just a slight slop if possible). I get 3 a month delivered. I guess that is a lose I could wear if the tarp blow off and it all got ruined.

Ditto this, I've tried upping hard feed, spent a fortune, still had a skinny horse. Getting them to eat plenty of hay is the key and it saves a lot of money.

 

[MagicMelon]

Absolutely theyll cope. Just rug up well as give them plenty hay. Mine have always lived out (but that did involve converting a fully stabled horse I got gifted into a turned out one) and Ive rarely suffered any issues in winter because of it. I think one horse had mud fever once, but otherwise the rest never have. If you're allowed, put down an area of hardcore which is where you could feed the hay - it really encourages the horses to stand about on it out of the mud which I think helps massively.

 

[BSL2]

A field, with a shelter. Sounds ideal to me. Your horse can choose, in or out. perfect. Mine used to come in at night, but suitable rugs, possibly haynets in the shelter?, life will be easier for you and great for the horse.

 

[FestiveG]

Yorks can you tell me about your solar lights.....

OP go for it, it sounds like a no brainer! Mine will be living out with access to our little scruffy yard which will provide a hardstanding and two shelters. Planning to feed all hay in the shelters so no traipsing out to the field!

Just seen this, I'll look and pop the link on 15W Off-Grid Solar Lighting... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HOEGHSY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share. This is what we have, I have put plastic over the unit to stop it getting wet.

 

[HorseMaid]

Just seen this, I'll look and pop the link on 15W Off-Grid Solar Lighting... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HOEGHSY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share. This is what we have, I have put plastic over the unit to stop it getting wet.

Fab, thank you

 

[gryff]

Just seen this, I'll look and pop the link on 15W Off-Grid Solar Lighting... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HOEGHSY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share. This is what we have, I have put plastic over the unit to stop it getting wet.

I bought these after having you recommend them, and they are really good. But, I would buy the adaptor so you can charge the unit at home feom your mains, too.

 

[FestiveG]

I bought these after having you recommend them, and they are really good. But, I would buy the adaptor so you can charge the unit at home feom your mains, too.

The only time ours have failed have been in really dense fog over three days, during short days, but we do use them quite sparingly. We are fortunate that we can put the solar panels south facing.

 

[magicmoments]

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?

Funnily enough I'm moving my mare from, in at night to a small track livery with barn and stables that is partially surfaced as I want more turnout. I'm really hoping she likes it. I'm certainly looking forward to be it being more flexible for me, and very lucky that I can be diy, as I know most are only full livery which I couldn't afford it.

 

[Zoeypxo]

I turned mine out 24hr in the middle of a december, never looked back. Id love a field with a shelter! We just have some hedges, not amazing but not awful either, i have alot of rug combos and adlib haylage

 

[Bobthecob15]

I turned mine out 24hr in the middle of a december, never looked back. Id love a field with a shelter! We just have some hedges, not amazing but not awful either, i have alot of rug combos and adlib haylage

Can I ask how many rugs you have? Ours are going to be out at night and in for most of the day soon...ive got 3 turnouts of various thicknesses, 100g with liners, a 250g and a 350g. Do I need more?!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I would love a set up like that!! Glad your giving it a go!!

 

[meleeka]

Why on earth havent you loaded your horse and moved already?!

A hardstanding makes all the difference. It means although there will be mud, the horses don’t have to stand in it if they don’t want to. It also gives you somewhere firm to do things. That would be my only must have. That’s easily doable though if it hasn’t got it already.

 

[PSD]

Sounds wonderful. I wish there were more of this sort of set up near me, winter is hard on a livery yard. Seems the summer fields are closing earlier each year - ours close next weekend and probably won’t open until April now. It’s a long slog but we do have winter turnout luckily

 

[Zoeypxo]

Can I ask how many rugs you have? Ours are going to be out at night and in for most of the day soon...ive got 3 turnouts of various thicknesses, 100g with liners, a 250g and a 350g. Do I need more?!

Sounds ideal! Is yours clipped ?
i have about 8 rugs i think but the heaviest is only 200g, i have a 100g liner if i need it. Im in cornwall so not quite as cold as some up north!
Mine only has an irish clip

 

[Bobthecob15]

Sounds ideal! Is yours clipped ?
i have about 8 rugs i think but the heaviest is only 200g, i have a 100g liner if i need it. Im in cornwall so not quite as cold as some up north!
Mine only has an irish clip

Not yet but she will have an Irish clip. We're Midlands, but close to Welsh border so it does get very wet!

 

[Fjord]

My mare was 25 last year and lived out for the first time over winter. I rugged her, as she shivers when it's wet, but honestly it made life so much easier. If you have a hard standing area to tie up, and a shelter you can use the they will be absolutely fine.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Why on earth havent you loaded your horse and moved already?!

A hardstanding makes all the difference. It means although there will be mud, the horses don’t have to stand in it if they don’t want to. It also gives you somewhere firm to do things. That would be my only must have. That’s easily doable though if it hasn’t got it already.

Haha. Moving end of the month. There is a shelter with rubber mats, but we will put some siding on the shelter as it’s open all 4 sides.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Sounds wonderful. I wish there were more of this sort of set up near me, winter is hard on a livery yard. Seems the summer fields are closing earlier each year - ours close next weekend and probably won’t open until April now. It’s a long slog but we do have winter turnout luckily

I was really lucky. Found it via via via if you know what I mean.