TB does better out?

[ycbm]

I've now been through two winters with my TB. When I bought him he was well covered and out without a rug on in mid December. So it was a surprise when he lost weight rugged and in a barn overnight the first winter. This winter we discovered that he can't eat soya, and put on weight when taken off it, but he still stayed leaner than when I bought him.

A week ago, I took advantage of a few days of quiet weather to open the barn and let the two horses choose when to be in and when to be out. And he's eating less haylage, but absolutely blooming even though the weather is foul again.

I had my suspicions that he frets his weight off when confined, even though he seems quiet and happy, has company and is in a 30 x12 yard barn. This seems to prove it.

Anyone else got a TB who would rather live out?

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[Elf On A Shelf]

My 2 would far rather live out and if I could find them a nice big field with a shelter I would never bring them in again! They both lived out together in racing and live out 24/7 in summer with me and love it. Jeff isn't the biggest eater of hard feed and would rather wander off and pick at grass hence why Gray ends up far too fat as he hoovers up Jeff's food as well!

 

[ycbm]

Have to add that he isn't actually out, and is probably choosing to be in more hours the last couple of days than when he was only turned out in the day. But having the choice/not being confined seems to be very important to him.

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[Coblover63]

My ex-racer fared much better living out over winter than being stabled. He held his weight better and was just a lot more content.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Have to add that he isn't actually out, and is probably choosing to be in more hours the last couple of days than when he was only turned out in the day. But having the choice/not being confined seems to be very important to him.

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Yes my 2 would prefer that set up - the choice to be in or out as they choose and not forced to one or the other.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I genuinely believe that most horses would prefer to be out...or at least have the choice to go in and out freely. Your set up sounds perfect.

 

[Spottyappy]

One of my old mares was full TB, bred to race but never did. Wintered out all of her life, without a rug. She would trash a rug if you dared to put one on her.

 

[Lois Lame]

[Quote from SatansLittleHelper] I genuinely believe that most horses would prefer to be out...or at least have the choice to go in and out freely. Your set up sounds perfect.

Agreed. Though I wouldn't say perfect, because perfection I think would include access to several thousand acres perhaps.

 

[ycbm]

Agreed. Though I wouldn't say perfect, because perfection I think would include access to several thousand acres perhaps.

Mine make do with just over ten. They have a hard life ?

 

[catembi]

My ex-racer is now 16 and has constant access to hard standing, stables and hay as well as being fed twice a day. He is well rugged and suits himself about whether he is in or out. He eats twice his own bodyweight in hay a day and is certainly not underweight. Sometimes he feels like standing outside in the rain; sometimes he doesn't!

 

[Irishdan]

Yes my ex racing mare lives out 24/7. She detests being stabled, box walks and weaves. I have a field shelter which she uses in the wind and rain but definitely likes her freedom and looks good on it.

 

[Summit]

Mine would stay out 24/7 if he had his way

 

[AandK]

I have two TBs, one an exracer and both much prefer being out. They are happy enough to come in (having to come in during the day for the last few weeks due to 23yo having several abscesses) but are both very keen to go back out.

 

[Wheels]

I dont have TBs anymore but when I did they lived out with access to a large shelter. The few times I had to shut them in were clearly stressful for them - one was a weaver, the other a box walker.

They were perfectly happy to spend a few hours together in the shelter, mooching, eating, sleeping but did not like being enclosed.

I dont think that's any different to most horses, TBs maybe make it more obvious in some cases but mine are happiest when I can leave the field gates and lane ways open so they can come and go as they please - graze a little, stand in the yard a little, stables for an hour or so and then back out to graze

 

[bonny]

I think any horse would prefer to be out rather than confined to a box. A Tb isn’t any different to any other horse in this aspect.

 

[Lurfy]

My TB most definitely does better out than in. We used to stable him overnight, but after a year moved him out 24/7 with a WIWO shelter and haven't looked back. He maintains condition best when he is calm and stabling stresses him. He raced for a couple of years and was stabled full time, he would have hated it but not known any different.

 

[ycbm]

I think any horse would prefer to be out rather than confined to a box. A Tb isn’t any different to any other horse in this aspect.

It's not that simple. I've had a few TBs over the years, but I've never had a horse keep weight on when out that it won't keep on, with the same or more food, when it's in.

This horse was never confined to a box except to eat his hard feed and be tacked up. He lives in a barn he can canter in.

There is, for him, something psychologically stressful about being unable to choose to go out, which doesn't show in any other way but running up a little lean.

That's what I find so odd, weight aside, you would never know.

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[Wheels]

I dont think its particularly odd - stress comes out in many different ways, weight loss being one of them, they don't necessarily have to act in a certain way

 

[The Trooper]

Belle hates being in. When I first got her she couldn't be left in her stable for 5 minutes without having a mega strop, fortunately she's gotten better.

The real test is going to be when she's put on to 12 weeks of box rest following a hoof resection in a few weeks. I think initially she will be quite stressed and upset but i'm hoping she settles otherwise i'll need to sedate her (Which I really really really don't want to do!).

I've said it before, you know the horse best and should do what you feel is best based on the knowledge and experience you have. They may both prefer to be able to come and go as they please all year round if that is a possibility ycbm?

 

[ycbm]

I'm normally super sharp at detecting stress in horses, Wheels. This one isn't 'normal'. He doesnt even leave the barn first when the door is opened after a night in.


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[ycbm]

Belle hates being in. When I first got her she couldn't be left in her stable for 5 minutes without having a mega strop, fortunately she's gotten better.

The real test is going to be when she's put on to 12 weeks of box rest following a hoof resection in a few weeks. I think initially she will be quite stressed and upset but i'm hoping she settles otherwise i'll need to sedate her (Which I really really really don't want to do!).

I hope that goes OK. Strangely I think Muffin would appear to do box rest easily, but possibly come out of it like a hat rack.

I've said it before, you know the horse best and should do what you feel is best based on the knowledge and experience you have. They may both prefer to be able to come and go as they please all year round if that is a possibility ycbm?

I'm considering it for next year. I prefer their feet to dry off, they are bare foot and prolonged wet can cause issues. But so far, they are choosing to be in most of the night anyway. My routine is to ride in the morning and I prefer dry horses to brush off and not to have to go and catch them in a slippy field in the rain if they've chosen to go out. And I'll need more stone down the short path to the field which will cost a few hundred and some effort. It's doable, though.

 

[The Trooper]

I hope that goes OK. Strangely I think Muffin would appear to do box rest easily, but possibly come out of it like a hat rack.



I'm considering it for next year. I prefer their feet to dry off, they are bare foot and prolonged wet can cause issues. But so far, they are choosing to be in most of the night anyway. My routine is to ride in the morning and I prefer dry horses to brush off and not to have to go and catch them in a slippy field in the rain if they've chosen to go out. And I'll need more stone down the short path to the field which will cost a few hundred and some effort. It's doable, though.

Thank you, I'm nervous but excited about the hoof resection, I want my big mare back with 4 decent feet.

Either way, I'm sure you'll make the right decision, from what I've read you've probably had horses longer than I've been alive.

 

[HorseyTee]

Ours definitely prefers to live out.
He gets into a sweaty, stressy, box walking mess when in.

Physically he could do with having some stable time during horrendous weather with some nice haylage, but mentally he copes much bettet slumming it with the cobs.
Just means we have to find the balance in giving him enough to keep him well while not tipping the cobs into fat laminitic beasts.

 

[be positive]

I had one here that almost refused to leave his stable if it was raining, if the door was left open he would stay inside until I dragged him out, when he was out would start to run the fence if it started to rain even if he had only been out for 10 mins , he did learn to cope with summer showers but in all his time here he definitely preferred to be in, he may have settled well to life with the choice but his owner would have struggled to find that type of livery for him, not many places would be set up for a tb even now when track livery is becoming more popular.
Of the others I have had a few that were fine out, a couple were turned away over winter, but most have enjoyed being stabled, probably partly from being institutionalised although I suspect they would have found having the choice a very good option, even at this time of year there is some goodness in the grass and being able to come and go must remove some stress even if the horse is showing no obvious signs.

 

[tristar]

best way to keep any horse, let them choose, i only keep one in at night, so i know what he`s up to!

 

[ycbm]

Thank you, I'm nervous but excited about the hoof resection, I want my big mare back with 4 decent feet.

Either way, I'm sure you'll make the right decision, from what I've read you've probably had horses longer than I've been alive.

Now I do feel old ?

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[ycbm]

The person concerned having a rest just now, when he would normally be locked out:



Bit of light so camera goes full colour, and then there were none!

 

[HorseyTee]

Love the barn. Envious!

 

[ycbm]

I'm very lucky, it was built before planning restrictions so no problem using it for horses which aren't deemed agricultural, with a door to the yard on the right and the field on the left.

They came back in at fourish and are still in now, nesh pair!

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[ktj1891]

My TB before I sold him was a cribber and used to inwardly stress when kept in through the winter.

One winter he lost so much weight I had vet out and bloods etc done because he was so poor.

Once I started leaving him out 24/7 through winter and not rugging him up too heavy he massively improved.

I feel you learn more about your horse the longer you own them and can work these things out based on the individual in front of you.