Those of you who winter out..

depends on the horse you've got, the facilities available, and what you plan to do with the horse during the winter really.
Most will winter out quite happily given the right care, but it may mean that you are less able to ride as the horse will be more likely to be wet/muddy.
Some don't take to it at all, would you be able to get a stable quickly if necessary?
 
well the yard i'm at always has loads of free stables so one option is to use a field for 10 months and go there for the worst 2/3 months like december/jan/feb, although not sure if horse would settle like that.
don't have horse yet - still searching! although if i found a share it would stay where it is.
My friend owns land next to a yard which rents its school and jumps out for £5 and there is great hacking so it's looking like a good option!
 
mine is fully clipped lives out - she is rugged well has shelter, she has no issues at all. i think most horses are happier living out its just us that look at the weather and think oh cant leave them out in that. i compete mine from the field - we have an indoor so ride every day. she is very happy. cant think of any reason not too really. yes if you on clay not gr8.
 
I can imagine it being harder if you wanted to compete during the winter, because of muddy legs (I have a feathered cob, I've given up trying to get the mud off) and just generally dirtyness, but there are obviously ways to make it work and personally I think it's much healthier and nicer for the horse. And it's cheaper - no bedding to buy, less hay - and easier, since you don't have any mucking out to do!
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Obviously I don't know what your horse is like, and some just can't bear being out full time, but my pony Scooby is out in all weathers, day and night in nothing but a lightweight rug to keep the rain off, and with no real purpose-built field shelter, just windbreaks, but every time I go to check on him he's always nice and warm and happy. We sometimes forget how tough they are, I suppose.
 
I spent most of the last 25 years stabling my horses, because of yard rules or mud, I haven't for the last 4 and I never will again, unless it is necessary.
My horses live out with one MW rug each, and some of them have made it abundantly clear they don't even want that so they are naked. I have geriatric arabs, broodmares, youngstock and minis and they all do very well. None are clipped.

Every horse is different, some like their creature comforts, others will stand out in a howling blizzard ignoring their shelter. One of mine runs for cover at the first flake of snow and watches the world pass from his house like a turtle with just his head out.

Pros:
*Cheaper (no or at least considerably less bedding)
*Less time consuming (no faffing around mucking out)
*No clock watching, you can have flexible routine, no rushing back to get horse in etc.
*Horse exercises itself to an extent and it doesn't matter if you can't ride for whatever reason.
*It is perfectly possible to compete/hunt a horse off grass, I used to just stable mine the night before. I even raced horses off the field!

Cons:
Is there any?
*Oh yes, frozen water...insulation and trough heaters solve that simply enough.
*Frozen/icy/snowy ground...horses are not stupid, they fall over, they learn to watch their step and don't do it again, if they live out there is no need to pratt around to the degree that some stabled horses do anyway, there are also snow pads for shoes available.
*Mud I suppose, but, there are ways around that, it is called prior preparation and planning, put down drainage and gravel or hard standing in gateways, around shelters and feeding areas, or use an all weather area.
*Snow, horses don't care. Us? Use a sled (or even better, a quad) instead of struggling with a wheelbarrow, shovel paths and KEEP them cleared. Buy in salt/grit.

it is like everything though, you never know if it works for you and your horse until you try it, you may absolutely hate it, so might your horse. Do what suits you both best as long as you are happy.
 
The only thing I would add to that is that you need enough ground. You can't really keep a horse out all winter if you only have an acre or two, it will just end up being a bog.
 
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The only thing I would add to that is that you need enough ground. You can't really keep a horse out all winter if you only have an acre or two, it will just end up being a bog.

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I do. None of my winter paddocks are more than an acre and I have up to 4 horses in them, fortunately mud is not an issue.

I'd hate to try the same method in the UK though - ugh. I'd rather stable a horse than have him stand in mud.
 
we on an acre each too- as ind grazing - she has shelter, bark area, but does have a different summer field so winter one gets rested, she hasnt trashed it yet ?! ideally have more but it can be done with less i move fences round muddy bits so doesnt get completely wrecked and i sometimes just keep her on the bark bit when weather really bad-she got her shelter and then bark bit is 15x30 so far bigger than stable.
 
I agree with Jen in that it depends on the horse and your ground etc. My pony is out 24/7. He hates (and I can't state that word strongly enough) the rain so he's rugged and has free access to an open stable. He does really well and as he has a cough its definitely better for him. My field looks like the Somme and but I use pig oil to help keep his legs clean.

However I don't ride Turbo so I don't need to worry about shows etc so there's no issues with needing have him washed.

I used to keep both mine in at night over the winter and selfishly I find being out gives a bit more leaway for time. When they were in I'd make sure I was at the stables for 7 every morning to give them as much time as poss out / to get them fed etc. But with them being out he's happy munching about the place until the other owner gives them morning hay in the field.

Its a balancing act between finding what works for you and your horse both.

Is is possible to try it for a year and see how it goes.
 
I can't see any cons except simply that they get dirty :P.

I have always kept my horses out. I do have a stable to use if they have an event early the next day (ie. so I can bath them the night before). I compete mine off grass easily and my horses have always kept themselves quite fit simply from being out. Its healthier mentally and physically obviously. Depending on what you do during the winter - I clip mine and rug him up well, that way I can still do BSJA etc. I have a grey horse though so TBH I'm not the most immaculate at events during the winter but there's no way I will wash anymore than his legs when its so cold, I dont really care, I like that its so obvious mine lives out happily (whereas all the rest seem to be fully clipped and clealy stabled!). If you want to ride, I would definately advise a rug (weight depends on the horse, if its a furry native then just a lightweight one is fine - purely to keep the rain off) so that they are always dry enough to ride. Otherwise, they are fed twice daily and get as much hay as they like. They have permanent access to 2 stables / shelters as well so they can come and go as they please. None of mine suffer from any "outdoors" conditions like mud fever. I have 5 acres and just now there is 1 horse and 2 ponies on it (but I have had up to 3 ponies and 2 horses on it no problem).

I'm very much for keeping horses out, IMO you should have a genuine reason (and NOT a personal one) to have to stable.
 
Wintering out can work well for most horses if you have enough land and the soil conditions are right. Clay soil in particular can be a nightmare if you don't have a lot of land because it churns up so easily and gets so deep.

I have two and a half acres and when I only had two horses I used to winter them out but now I have three I try to preserve the field a bit by bringing them in at nights between November and March.

If you have only your own animals on your own or rented field, then the situation is often easier than when you share with others and end up with disagreements over whether to put hay out, strip graze etc.

It does help to have a stable available in case of illness, injuries etc. Also helps if the horses have similar needs - having very poor doers and very good doers turned out together can cause problems trying to keep both at the right weight. If you put ad lib hay out for the poor doers you can bet the fatties will snaffle it all and put on weight!
 
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The only thing I would add to that is that you need enough ground. You can't really keep a horse out all winter if you only have an acre or two, it will just end up being a bog.

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This really depends on your ground, and how you manage it. We have 2 paddocks of just over an acre each and 2 ponies, out 24/7. The Top paddock is well drained, on gravel, and is even after all this rain only a bit sticky underfoot (not muddy goo) However we're preserving the bottom paddock as it is much better soil for growing, being loam based and by comparison very damp, stream at the bottom till we get some drier weather.
 
I did try mine out 24/7 - i especially wanted to have the youngsters out but although we hve enough grazing (currently using around a 10 acre paddock) and I only had 4 (includin 2 youngsters) on that it soon became a boggy mess - especially down the fence lines etc. We are on blue clay land and we have had lots of land drains put in last year but as soon as the surface is broken it quickly turns into foot deep sticky mud :-(
Mine are all out (8 in total) as many hours as its daylight and are happy to come in as they all come and stand at the gate waiting as it turns to dusk
Things I find easier with them being in are -
Handling youngsters!
Washing legs (although not everyday)
Checking for cuts/scrapes etc (difficult when they are standing knee deep in mud)
Feeding!
Obviously its more expensive and time consuming to have them in but it works for my horses - they do live out 24/7 as soon as the land permits and I can move them into the next paddock.
 
Most of mine (mainly dressage horses) live out although we do cheat and bring them into their stables for a few hours each day. This lets them dry off to be ridden, we know how much hay and feed each horse is getting, we can check them over for any injury and it keeps the youngsters used to being handled. Most of them are unrugged but do have access to large field shelters and are fields drain well and are not too muddy.

It took me a while to get my head around not bringing them in overnight in the winter but they are all healthy and one of them, who is very stressy, is definitely more chilled for having more field time. Another is an arthritic retired polo pony and he is much better off being able to move around rather than being stabled.
 
My boy lives out 24/7 he has access to a field shelter and he has a stable which is very useful for tacking up in and grooming him in.

Last year from Jan-April he was at a yard where he had to be stabled at night. I moved him to his new home last April and he has happily adapted to living out full time. He is an Arab he has a medium weight rug and did have a little clip on his neck and a bit of chest, which has almost grown out .

He lived out 24/7 at another yard before but didn't have a field shelter, and I think he is happier having his hay in a dry shelter then in the wet field. I am also happier knowing he can keep dry if he wishes to!!!!

I would definitely never go back to having to muck out every day, nor would I want him confined to a stable every night. In addition when the weather this year has been too icy/snowy to ride I haven't had the worry of him being confined to a stable.
 
Lots of benefits, but must admit to being pretty fed up with 24/7 t/o atm! ...agree mine is actually v happy as long as he's hay'd up to the eyeballs, but would recommend having a stable available. Things like farrier visits, competing, checking for cuts and lumps, general trimming etc are much more difficult without a stable, but at the end of the day, he's a happy boy! So what if he's filthy? Who cares if no-one would ever guess he's supposed to be blue-and-white?! I do dread the next Winter tho...!
 
My pony does not like being stabled so he is out 24/7 but you do need the correct management and conditions.

It also helps if the herd are similar types eg ours are all good doers which makes feeding easier.

Pro's

The major one is pony very happy
It is much easier in terms of time
It is cheaper as no need for bedding
No need to worry about exercising if weather is bad
They don't get stuck in if there is snow

Cons

If they are not good doers then feeding can be tricky.
They seems to love rolling in mud and if you need to have a clean smart horse in the winter it is tricky
If you are feeding hay in the field they may fight.
 
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