Turning away for winter?

[Beckie65]

Just a general question really does anyone turn there horses away and not ride them through the winter?

 

[Chestnut mare]

No I keep riding- albeit a lot less! Luckily I do shifts so can ride in the morning as the nights are too dark. My YO does takes off their shoes and leaves them Turned out until the spring.

 

[BBP]

Yep! I'm a big fan of giving them a break. This year i'm going to turn mine away through December and January (grass is still too good and I don't want him getting too fat!). I think it did him the world of good last year,but he is a youngster so still maturing. It gives him time to think about what he's learnt and means I don't feel forced to ride. Instead i'm going to have a few simulator lessons to improve my position etc.

Having said that, our fields are pretty small and muddy and uninspiring in the winter and he has a very active brain, so I do in-hand work and games with him. Yesterday we played football with a gym stability ball.

 

[neweventer]

I don't and infact do the opposite. Because the ground is so horrid and she has limited time out (all be it they still go out everyday) I try to make sure that they are ridden.
I gave mine time off end of september and all of october and she has just come back into work in Nov. That way they get a nice break whilst still having good turn out time.

I think she would go crazy with limited turn out and no work.

 

[domane]

I've had my TB's shoes pulled for the winter. I have recently moved from livery to leasing 4 acres with stabling and there is a lot of minor maintenance to be done. Plus I have a yearling traditional and a Welsh D weanling will shortly be arriving too so I've decided to dedicate my winter daylight hours to just "being" with my boys this season. Never say never though.... I may get a huge desire to ride again at some point!

 

[millitiger]

yep, mine normally have 2-3 months off over winter with shoes off and allowed to get woolly.

all of mine have either had a long summer season or are youngsters though so need a break imo.

however, after my collarbone break and subsequent operation mine had their break early this year and will be working through winter.

 

[winchester]

Yes after Showing all Summer and travelling up and down the country to shows the boys are now all on Holiday - rugged up still fed twice a day and ad lib Haylage but thats it! They were turned out after HOYS and will be brought in around End January aiming for the first HOYS Qualifier at end April.

Working in Central london what with the cold nights bad trains etc it works best and the boys love having a holiday!!!