Turning Horses out in the snow and ice

We've got about a foot of snow in the fields at the moment, but it's powdery and the tracks still seem to be safe to walk on. I layer them up, so they look like Michelin men, give them each a full haynet of haylage out, break the ice in the water trough with a pick-axe, and they seem very happy to be out. I leave them out for 4 hours and get them in at 1pm. One's an unclipped TB, and the other's a clipped kwpn. They are both toasty warm, and have been very sensibly behaved throughout this snow so far!

The only time I wouldn't turn out is if the ground got too dangerous. I worry once we get a bit of a thaw and then a re-freeze, the powdery snow which has a bit of grip will turn to sheet ice along the track up to the fields.
 
My boy is a native breed so a lot hardier and more apt to the wintery conditions, I'm in Kent, and when we had the really bad snow two weeks back, we had about 15 inches of it- however; he's unclipped, barefoot and rugless! Would check his ears each morning and he was fine. Had lots of hay.

At our old yard- we had stables in our field which you could walk in and out of- so we're hopefully going to put up something similar at our new yard- so he has the choice of being in or out.

Amy x
 
mine had to stay in for a couple of days as our cars got stuck and no one could really get to yard but i got up today and turned out and one of mine went absoultely nuts and he's supposed to be recovering from a back injury so not good, from now on they will go out for a few hours every day to let of some steam sensibly!!
 
Ours live out and have a field shelter, but only tend to eat the hay in there and then venture back outside. We have stabled our pony with a day time turn out in the past and he would always be desperate to get back in to the stable - and I think this was to get his feed and hay, but now he lives out with regular feeding and adlib hay he is very very happy and is more relaxed as well.
 
Mine went out 8 til 12.30 today as no hay in fields. But snow wasn't too deep. Got to yard to bring him in to discover his field buddies had been kept in. Luckily 2 others were out in the field at the bottom of mine. I was a bit annoyed that no one had told me (he's only been out for 4 weeks following 12 weeks box rest)

He didn't seem too upset but did call as soon as he saw me and ran to the gate. Poor baby
 
Mine go out during the day as normal because i am only able to exercise them friday-saturday-sunday :( (bloomin A levels))and I know that my lovely girly with a touch of mildly-neurotic-warmblood-itis would turn into tigger-on-steroids-who-swallowed-a-flame-thrower by Friday.


They come in because a) I'm a massive softie and its COLD b) Roo is a poor-doer and c) I'm too soft for my own good :D
 
Mine go out as usual. Today they went in the 10 acre field with the calves as there is more grass and the poached areas of the field were frozen so it wasn't too boggy! :)
 
We don't have the snow and ice here at the moment but even when we do they still go out. If it's icy they go out as normal as the field is fairly sheltered at the bottom so there is still grass for them to eat there unless it's hugely cold - i've only known that once in the 12 years I've been there. If there's snow and they can't graze they don't go out for so long, we make sure their stables are ready and somebody will get them in at about 2-3 o clock. We take it in turns to leave work early to do it or the teacher whose school ususally gets closed will do it. The yard can be a bit icy but we just take it really slowly and I turn out one by one rather than taking them both together. We stick to the edge of the yard where the stables seem to shelter it so the ice doesn't form.

They're happy out in all weathers. If I try to keep Archie in for more than 12 hrs he turns from Victor Meldrew - grumpy but harmless - into Hannibal Lecter, a psychopath with a penchant for human flesh!
 
Mine were all in with the last bout of snow - it was balling very badly in their feet and too thick for them to get any grass, and although they were happy with a few hours out, they were equally happy to come back in to munch.

Conversley, our snow has now thawed and they are out 24/7 whilst the freeze lasts. The fields have a cushion of grass cover, and as we don't get mud to any degree, there are no ruts to bruise their soles on. They are loving the freedom after a few days cooped up and am putting out haylage 3 times a day, and taking up warm water in containers on the quad.

Although it is a pain as the lanes are too icy too ride, and the school is frozen, at least they are getting plenty of natural exercise, and are probably warmer than in the stables as can wander about at their leisure. Hopefully when they go back into their normal routine, and ridden work, they will be relatively sane!!!
 
Ooo, this is an old thread. Oh to have the 2ft of snow we did back then. At least the ground is frozen so no mud but the snow is lovely and keeps everything clean. We've currently got a couple of cm, if that. :(
 
Mine have stables going straight on to the field with road planings in between they do not freeze which is a bonus. however, two prefer to be in, often in the same stable sharing a haynet. The other is unsociable and has his own field , he bites the others over the fence if he is feeling sociable! He stays out most of the day, but if it is cold comes in about three to eat his hay and then goes back out again. The other two stay in waiting to be put to bed. They seem to worry more about being ridden, get grumpy and sulk if they are not. The two that prefer being in stay in all daylight hours in the summer too, they have a choice. they are half brothers but are very people orientated so maybe it is because I am around all day.
 
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