Turn out or stable in windy weather?

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Hipo

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In the storms and high winds do you feel that your ponies are safer to be turned out or stabled?
I worry about them either way :(
 
There's good and bad points I guess, if they get spooky / cold they can run around safely and have a good spook and play (not so good for the field) and if they are rugged properly the wind shouldn't affect them temperature wise too much.
If they stay in they are protected from the wind to some degree, and may feel safer when they are enclosed /sheltered from the wind in a warm barn.
It is dangerous if they get scared in their stable as they may try and kick to get out and panic, but equally they may be really upset in the field with all the noises of the wind.
I guess it's down to how well you know your pony and how you think they will react :) mine is out in the day, in at night as I'd rather her run around outside and let off steam than trash her stable and get upset :)
 
Having had a stable roof blow off in high winds, and seeing how the horses would have almost certainly been seriously injured if they'd been in, I prefer mine out.
 
Mine prefers to be in, but my horses do not stand in for 24 hrs ever, so he is shoe-horned out to play on the arena for a few hours. Spends his time talking to himself in the mirror!
 
Mine stayed in yesterday, she hates the wind and it would be dangerous for both of us if I tried to put her out. I'm lucky to have stone built stables that are quiet in the wind. She will go out for a couple of hours today then we will re-evaluate over the weekend, which looks like it could be worse than yesterday.
 
Mines out when it's that bad, I worry about the roof having seen a couple having come off (one on here, Black Beastie I think) and a near miss with a big tree at the stables down from me.
 
If you have extremely well built stable i.e. Like a house. I would keep them in. If you have timber stables or stables with a cheap(ish) roof covering which is prone to wind damage I would keep then as far from the yard as possible. The roof sheets can and have be known to blow across horses fields.
 
I think it depends on your stables/fields. My stables are quite sheltered from the prevailing winds by high hedges and other buildings, whereas the fields are bordered by lots of trees. So I tend to leave mine in overnight when there are gale force winds, just in case trees come down and damage the fencing.
 
Unfortunately one of mine just doesn't do wind, he sees all sorts of demons in it & charges around. This doesn't do him any good & with the paddocks so wet he ploughs up the ground totally trashing the paddocks. I'd rather him be out but with the way he is he stays in when it's windy. :(
 
They're currently living out 24/7, and I'm sure they're absolutely fine, it's just some nights when you go home then the wind picks up you start wondering if you should have brought them in. They've not blown away yet ;D
 
out everytime if i had been able to(in at night in winter). lost part of barn one year. Didnt affect baby but stable underneath had rubble falling into it. Fortunatly horse was ok
 
Out! Ours live out 24/7 with stables open, but with the terrible winds we have been having, when it has got really bad we have had to close top & bottom doors just incase the roof came off! I suppose it can depend on stable layout and if they are sheltered from wind or not
 
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