Top Doors Shut

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legaldancer

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Some people who live down the road appear to be shutting up their ponies at night with the top doors shut, also the windows.

Usually, the ponies are out in field with access to their stables during the day, but this morning I had to do the school run earlier & noticed they were shut in. I suppose it may be a one off, but I'm a bit concerned for their long term breathing implications if they are kept in this way. One of the ponies has rain scald despite being rugged & unclipped & stabled at night & I'm now wondering if this is to do in part with the lack of ventilation.

Do I interfere or say nothing? The mums who own them are nice ladies, just novice owners who rode as kids. (I was asked to look at the rain scald). They may not appreciate a nosey neighbour.
frown.gif
 
Hi ld, I think you should say something. I think i know who it is too. I don't think they would mind at all, as you have said they have asked you for advice before. I too have seen the stable doors shut early in the mornings.
Let me know
Kate x
 
You could always go over there on another 'matter' and whilst doing that quietly ask about the whole top door shut thing.

Whilst the whole ventilation side is important it's also not good for horses to be completely isolated too, i.e from seeing their friends next door.
x
 
If the wind was blowing in or the rain, I;d be shutting the door too. Thats why mine live in a barn, so i can shut the doors.

Better that than getting wet and cold.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If the wind was blowing in or the rain, I;d be shutting the door too. Thats why mine live in a barn, so i can shut the doors.

Better that than getting wet and cold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree, personally I would never shut the top door, it creates bad ventialtion and lonliness, if its wet or cold they won't stand over the door, they'd move back if they were bothered.
In a barn they have good ventilation and can see others but not if you shut them away in individual stables.
 
I agree with you monkeybum, they're horses after all and if they have rugs on they'll be absolutely fine with the top door open and much healthier. I would hate to isolate a horse like that.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If the wind was blowing in or the rain, I;d be shutting the door too. Thats why mine live in a barn, so i can shut the doors.

Better that than getting wet and cold.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree too. Apart from the fact that mine would probably climb the walls, it's really not good for them. Horses are 'designed' to live outdoors & need good ventilation or they start to suffer from breathing problems, not to mention other things.

My vet said that if he was designing new stables from scratch he would include an oudoor 'pen/coral' for each stable which the horse could access as & when it wanted.

i would only ever shut the top door if I thought there was a serious chance a horse may try to jump out, even then I'd rather put a grille up.

A barn is different to individual stables.
 
I shut the top door when it's blowing a blizzard, but my 2 are in together in the end part of the barn that was used for the bulls originally. It's huge and they can see the rest of the barn over another internal door. There is also plenty of ventilation from other parts of the barn without it being too drafty.
 
I can't think of any reason why you would shut the top door of a stable. They are horses, they need to be able to see out, and they can stand a bit of "weather". I don't have top doors on my stables, then nobody can decide to shut my horse in when I'm not there.
 
I shut my 2's stable doors recently in the cold winds, as the wind & snow was blowing into their stables. Both have huge stables with good ventilation throughout the 3 stables & were very happy snug & warm with a haybar full of haylage.

Each horse/situation is different & tbh I'd be irritated if someone 'popped' in to ask as it is none of their business, but I could understand if they are non horsey people
 
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