Turning out in snow?

S

Steeleydan

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 May 2008
Messages
1,302
Location
Yorks/Notts/Lincs borders
Visit site
Normally what ever the weather my sisters horse goes out during day in field, yesterday and today we cant get him out of stable so hes had to stay in, much to his disgust, he is a tb and absolutly thrives on routine, as he is in he is not eating much and very anxious. We have dug a path to field but the field is 3 ft deep in snow well over our wellies and difficult to walk. We are seriously going to try to get him out tommorow, will he be ok, he is normally happy in field with snow and digs for grass but we have never had it 3ft deep, its up to the electric fencing, he wont try to jump out, but she is worried about him pulling a tendon, in the deep snow.
 
Depends on the horse really i suppose. Is he likely to gallop about if you turn him out? My horse is out 24/7 with about a foot of snow and she is fine, but she just mooches about! If hes gonna go crazy I would say its not worth the risk
 
I would agree with Racheal, if he is going to be calm he should be fine and may enjoy the fresh air, but if he's likely to freak out that's when he may hurt himself, you and your sister know him best. If he's likely to freak maybe better to just lead him out in hand (if you can dig a path, just think of the hours you will save in the gym!!!) then he can get a leg strech and back in his stable, if it's that deep he may noit want to stay out for very long anyway!
 
Echo the above, but think a slip would be more likely to pull something, rather than the depth of snow; it doesn't 'suck' the way deep mud does.
 
I have to put my one horse out, left him in about 2 hours longer than usual this morn (with food and haylage) because snowing heavy and he got himself so worked up when i went to get him i had to change all his rugs as he was dripping wet :/ and had eaten nothing so wont be doing that again!

But... here its only afew inches, if it was 3 foot I'd probably just turn out for afew hours or while I mucked out- depending on how they were in field- so long as track was safe to walk them there.

I'd rather put out for a small amount of time every day than leave in and risk the madness when next turned out, my boy has a roll and a play then settles- but my horses need that, if they went mad constantly or stood by the gate they'd be brought in and some would rather be in the stable!
 
For the majority of horses, the risk of turnout in snow should be far outweighed by the benefits. People who live in cold countries where there is plenty of snow during winter still turn their horses out.

If it is 3ft deep he will probably take it easy and perhaps develop a little "track" that he can use to go across or along the paddock.
 
We are going to give him a couple of acp before we put him out, he is more likley to run about because been in for 2 days, I know what you mean about the snow is deep but not holding like mud, oh well if he starts to be an idiot he will have to come in, we will put a pile of haylage out but he normally ignores it and digs.
Why we are so desperate to get him back out and into his routine is, he is getting anxious and looks very tucked up, despite having haylage 24/7. He is just odd, I have never known or owned a horse that gets affected by been out of it routine Iam sure its because it tb.
Anyway I dont know why Iam worrying about snow I used to live in Canada and we had this 6 months of the year. And I turned the horses out everyday and they were happy out 9-3 with piles of hay in their shelters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top