To those who have a horse that 'cant cope' being in

benson21

benson21

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 December 2009
Messages
2,861
Visit site
How are you managing with this weather? On previous threads where turnout has been discussed and many replies were 'my horse has to be on 24hr turnout, cant cope with being kept in' what are you doing about the waterlogged fields?
 
Not quite the same situation as we're still managing to turn out but after getting soaked on my hack this morning I figured I might as well leave my girl in. Not a chance lol put her in her box where she proceed to trample round and then start to weave and call to the other horses. If everything was in she wouldn't care but couldn't bare the thought of being in if the other horses are out. So I gave in and chucked her out lol now happy grazing in the rain.
Fingers crossed we'll scrap through and keep managing to turnout but least if everything is in she will accept it!
 
I have one that is out 24/7 he is normally happy enough but I am moving him to fresh ground today, the shelter isn't good but I have rigged up a windbreak and there are some trees. I figure it's better than deep mud but will move him back if necessaryc
 
I have 2 living out 24/7 on sodden fields. I am feeding them a warm feed twice a day and putting out a bale of hay again twice a day - so 2 bales in their ample sized field shelter. One is rugged and one unrugged.

I had planned to stable them overnight from Christmas, but with 2 at home (whom I would have moved if the weather was better - one is on daily ridden rehab - so needs the manege) I cannot manage 4 inin different locations along with family, riding and work :(

My WB was abused in a stable, so overnight stabling is really rather more a dream than a reality. I have tried introducing him back slowly by feeding in the stable, but he is not happy once the door is shut evben with his field buddy visible through the grille.

I am praying the WB doesn't get mud fever
 
Last edited:
My mares are out 24/7 this year with access to my open stables where the have their hay inside to encourage them to use the shelter. My yard and gates ways are very muddy but the actual fields are looking good. We are trying to get the yard and gateways surfaced ASAP to prevent the mud.
 
My two 4yr old tbs are living out rugged up with access to field shelter, I hay and feed them in it, in an attempt to keep them off the field as it currently resembles a swamp/lake but they still enjoy a good gallop round!!! one of them cannot cope being in full stop, was almost PTS after boxrest for injury was getting too dangerous for her, yet found her lying down in field shelter this morning!!

Just going to hope field recovers in the spring!
 
Our fields have been closed and he's just having to deal with it I walk him out 3x a day for at least 40mins and when we put him in we sometimes just have to accept we climb out over the door rather than him having a meltdown and barging out he's fine when he comes back in from his evening walk never barges out. He will just about accept being in at night but during the day not so much. To be fair to him I'm amazed at how well he's dealing with it
 
Mine are out 24/7 anyway but have access to open stable and large field shelter on good old grazing. Gateways and small paddock are all under water. Rest of field is saturated but not muddy.

I am just struggling with wet rugs - both are dry underneath and i keep changing into dry rugs when the spares dry. I don't think their feet/legs have actually dried out completely for well over 2 weeks so bit worried about that and the fact they have barely had any attention /grooming / riding , just the minimal checking over twice a day for about 3 weeks. Roll on summer!! Would prefer the cold icy weather to this constant rain

I think they would be ok to stand in but actually think they are happier out, and keep warmer out than standing in a cold damp stable.
 
Still out full time... Fields on a mound (hill is generous, we're in Norfolk!) so drains pretty well. Getting fed as usual every day, and have access to enough hay to munch on full time.

They're horses though. They don't melt in the rain and as long as there's somewhere to stand which isn't too wet they're fine...
 
Don't really have any horses who won't stay in but i would never choose to stable a horse just because of weather anyway. 3 of ours are out 24/7 but we have a field with some decent hills so it's not boggy at the top. They also have access to a field shelter. Two come in at night as per normal. Only the gateway and the area where hay is put out in the field is really boggy. They don't seem to care though.
 
I don't have stables. I have a winter sacrifice paddock, which is well draining, with a field shelter on hard standing.

This year I have had to bail the field shelter out 3 times (first time ever) but ponies are all fine, in good nick, happy and relaxed, no mud fever etc.

I would have been tempted to stable, if I had them, but I don't :)
 
I currently have a horse on box rest who hates being in. Sadly he has to be on Sedalin as he was going to seriously damage himself and the horse and I just couldn't cope with the stress of it. I am now a much happier owner as I have a much happier horse, vet's be praised!
The other two are out (the mini shetland is in with the ill boy for company) in the field. I would love to have them in but frankly I have enough work with one on box rest as it is and as they hate being in too I just cannot take the stress.
 
Mine are technically out but I haven't seen them out of their fieldshelter for days, I'm putting their hay in there (and I guess they must be sneaking off for a drink now and again) so I'm not sure whether you'd count them as in our out !!

I'm happy as it's their decision not mine - there a big puddle over about a1/3 of the field but the rest is pretty good to my eyes (but clearly what do I know!)
 
He's out, simple as. Out in the rain, mud, wind on 20 plus acres and has never looked better, been more content, been beautifully behaved when ridden and is healthy in limb and mind. He has woods to shelter in, adlib hay and haylage and is being fed half as much as last year

Worse still he's a thoroughbred from Dubai!!!!!!!!!!! Aren't I cruel!??!?! No, if I was he'd still be stuck in a stable biting lumps out of people, box walking and smashing his legs to bits on the walls. I know what we'd both prefer!
 
Those that have horses that hate the door shut in the stable -you could try putting a chain across so they are more "open" during the day and then you can shut the door at night?
 
Our two can be kept in if need be, but it's easier to have them out as the mare gets very swollen legs from being in and it doesn't do her arthritis any good, and the gelding windsucks. But actually our field is brilliant, because it drains so well even with all this wet weather. Also, because there are only two of them on it, there is plenty of grass and we hardly have to feed them any hay at all. They have 2 medium nets between them a day, but I'm not sure they actually need it tbh. We have a bit of mud at the gate way, though not much, and the rest of the field is fine. They don't have a lot of shelter, mainly dry stone walls that act as wind breaks, but they seem to prefer being out!

The mare is a 20 year old Arab and I didn't think she'd take to living out in winter, but what do I know :p
 
ours are in at night because we dont have enough land for 24/7 turn out year round (fatties though so helps with weight) but go out every day. field is very soggy but no standing water and were lucky that it drains quite well when its not raining 24/7
 
Both of mine have been stabled at night for the past week and turned out in my small 'lazy' paddock. Decided to put them both out into the big field today and although the field I have to walk them through to get to theirs is totally waterlogged, the boys field although muddy around the gateway, is actually quite good further in. They are out with two others on 12 acres and have trees for shelter and are rugged appropriately. I'm not having to feed any hay in the field as there is still loads of grass.
 
This is a real problem for me with one of mine especially. He's off work so I can't ride and we have no school. The field is about wrecked though its underwater much of it and he's up to his knees in mud and miserable. I'm chucking him hay morning and lunch then bringing in at 4 but he's really unhappy. If I bring him in though he just weaves, calls and paces round. I have to admit pts has crossed my mind I'm that stressed by it. (I've tried to find alternate grazing with no luck)
 
My TB hates being in and every morning as soon as I arrive, kicks the door and weaves to go out. Our fields are just bogs. So I turn her out with my other one for an hour while I do the stables and by then she's actually realised that it's disgusting out there and will come in again! As long as she gets out for an hour she's coping well. It's fitted in quite well with her lameness problems and the fact that she isn't supposed to be doing too much anyway. She seems happier to be in in Winter, but in Summer just wants to be out all the time. The current situation isn't ideal, but we have to manage it as well as we can - roll on spring!!
 
My field is still remarkably dry, we have recently moved to a new place, and it drains really well. Haven't had any problems really, my rugs haven't leaked, and they are quite happy.
 
My boy has been in for two weeks now due to no turnout but luckily he isn't too bothered and copes well. I do know quite a few horses who don't cope well though. These are put on the walker for a good amount of time, exercised well and turned out in the lunge pen for a roll and a bit of a buck.
 
Horse came in for half day and night- went a bit loopy! They have only come in for about 3 nights so far this year. One was due to very heavy rain and very strong winds, and the other two due to the brook in the fields bursting its banks and severe flooding! Apart from that, all horses are out in boggy fields squishing through mud (they do have a grassy field further back they stay In most of the time, but the front field is quite muddy!) and are much much happier for it. They come in for about 4/5 hours a day and enjoy watching the yard activities, being worked, groomed and fed but then can't wait to get back out again, they stand neighing if they don't get to come in for a little bit lol
 
mine are both out in wet muddy fields, because my mare stresses in a stable! she is coping just fine! she's not fussed at all! but the 2yr old boy really doesn't seem too keen, he finds a short cut though the mud! I've moved them today to another field and he explored the field shelter right away, luckily its got a nice concrete floor and instantly he looked happier!
 
Living out, part of the field is always a bit of a sacrifice in winter. I put the hay feeders in the dryest part and wait for the sun to come back. These days I do have a think about the sort of land I am going to keep them on before moving though, and try to stack the odds in our favour by going for well drained land, which I have now. Meaning it's quite muddy now, but not the type that pulls my wellies off!
 
Em panics and box walks as soon as she finishes her hay when shes stabled and will box walk and sweat up all night, so have kept her out 24/7 as soon as i could find a yard that allowed it.
She is getting a lot better with her field shelter this year though, i put her haynet in there every meal time and she usually eats it and ******s off outside, but this year (the first winter she's been clipped and rugged to) she's using it a lot more which is great as i always put a bed down for her.
I keep one part of the field fenced of to wreck in winter, she can go on the other parts when the grounds hard, but this gives me a decent part of the field to put her in when the wrecked bit is re-seeded and rolled come spring.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top