turning out in snow

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agmp

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Hi all,

Like lots of you we had a load of snow on Friday which has helpfully frozen over the course of last night. I dug out our drive and gritted etc so its very walkable. The fields are beautifully white and crisp, and looks most winter wonderland-esque. I kept my boys in yesterday because they're pretty unfazed by a day or so in, and I hadn't been able to clear a path to the fields.

Today its sunny and about 1-2 degrees, and my boys are starting to get a bit restless. Luckily they have spare stables so when mucking out etc they can go into their "day" stables and play with a treat ball, and our stables are 18ftx16ft so plenty of room to walk around in.

If we were at our previous yard, I would probably have put them out in their field - even if only for an hour with some hay, just for a leg stretch. They have only been at home two weeks and the field that would be most suitable for a leg stretch, they haven't been into and I suspect there would be snorting and running around and not keen on that in this weather.

I can turn them into the fields they have been using - its about 0.3 acre but there is a slight incline to it and they have poached it pretty badly at one end. I've been and broken the water troughs etc. Just toying with turn out or hope for the best tomorrow - but can't see it fading for a few days yet.

Just wondered for those that stable over the winter - do you turn out in snow/icy fields?
 
Yes and if it is sunny I will often take their rugs off for an hour or so.

Fortunately it is very flat and only about 100m walk to the fields.
 
Mine have gone out today, a bit of silliness but it gets worse as they time goes on and they can't stay in for weeks - they have no shoes and that makes me feel better for some reason
 
My 2 have just been going out forward leg stretch. I would usually turnout most of the day but the new tb doesn't like the snow!!! He will have a skip about then wait by the gate!! They both have hay in the field. I am hoping it will thaw here soon so we can get backbone normal!!
 
I would probably turn out if I had nothing else. However, a few years ago I decided to turn out in the field as it looked so nice in the snow and the horses had been using the sand turnout for so long. Bad mistake. My mare suffered a career ending injury. Now I won't risk the field in the snow, particularly when it's thawing or refrozen.
 
Yes I turn out in snow but it wasn't very pleasant this morning getting to the field, the lane is on a hill and was very icey but we got there very slowly!! I won't bring them in now until it thaws a little as the yard is also in a bit of icey mess
 
Yes. They're all barefoot now(holiday) and my girl is sooooo careful, so much so this morning that she looked quite comical tiptoeing to meet her friends on the other side of the hedge.
 
thanks all.

It's about 40-50m from barn door to the field gate.

I put on my big girl pants and just put them out now for an hour. I went to check them and the little one was getting himself so stressed out that I figured the longer this goes on for the more difficult he is going to get to handle. So I put them them out heart in my mouth. The little one is usually so straight forward but had to wrap lead rope through the headcollar noseband and even then he was "sprightly" to lead. They were like hooligans for ten minutes and rolled at every opportunity. Then turned their attention to the hay. I'll bring them in around 3, just hated seeing them get bothered by being in the box.
 
No snow here, but very cold and icy. I turned out yesterday, because I'd already put one out and when taking the other I realised the path to her paddock, which is flooded, had a thin skin of ice all over it. Mare was totally freaked, but she was an angel while I broke us a path through, then proceeded to march around her partially flooded paddock breaking up all the ice!

I didn't turn out this morning as everything has refrozen, and I didn't have time to break up a quarter paddock full of ice.
 
I would be inclined to turn out as much as possible and leave out even better. Horses that live out don't tend to have the same hooley around that horses which have been kept in do. If the field is very rutted and now frozen and you are anticipating a charge I would choose another paddock as it's not going to churn the ground up whilst it is frozen
 
in your case, just having moved and not used to the field I would n't take the risk. I'm all for horses turned out as much as possible but a close friend had to pts her shetland (that was in the field with shelter 24/7 ) after breaking a leg in the snow.
 
It is nerve-wracking, but I tend to turnout regardless, just so they get used to and and fed up with being out! The worst thing is to keep them in for a few days and then turn them out onto snow. So if it has been a heavy fall and looks like it will be around for a longish time they go out.

Since it doesn't look like it is going to last for long and it is a new field in your place I would keep them in until the snow has gone.
 
Our winter field is rutted so they get to play out in one of the summer fields when it's frozen or snowy. They go out naked and love rolling in the snow.
 
Mine have gone out. Yard not too bad and can walk up to paddock mainly on grass (so avoiding slippy drive)I provide hay and haylege in nets on hard standing- this is quite bumpy so frozen but not too slippy. Paddock is snowy - they've both had a roll, pawed a bit to find some grass.
Older mare usually in boots but have left them off today as feel bare hooves will have more grip.
I'd rather they go out when they can - fresh air, sunshine and leg stretch. They come in around three so plenty of time to stand in the stable. Will keep this up while I can and reassess if we get really thick snow and ice. I don't mind keeping them in the odd day but
 
agmp said:
Hi all,

Like lots of you we had a load of snow on Friday which has helpfully frozen over the course of last night. I dug out our drive and gritted etc so its very walkable. The fields are beautifully white and crisp, and looks most winter wonderland-esque. I kept my boys in yesterday because they're pretty unfazed by a day or so in, and I hadn't been able to clear a path to the fields.

Today its sunny and about 1-2 degrees, and my boys are starting to get a bit restless. Luckily they have spare stables so when mucking out etc they can go into their "day" stables and play with a treat ball, and our stables are 18ftx16ft so plenty of room to walk around in.

If we were at our previous yard, I would probably have put them out in their field - even if only for an hour with some hay, just for a leg stretch. They have only been at home two weeks and the field that would be most suitable for a leg stretch, they haven't been into and I suspect there would be snorting and running around and not keen on that in this weather.

I can turn them into the fields they have been using - its about 0.3 acre but there is a slight incline to it and they have poached it pretty badly at one end. I've been and broken the water troughs etc. Just toying with turn out or hope for the best tomorrow - but can't see it fading for a few days yet.

Just wondered for those that stable over the winter - do you turn out in snow/icy fields?
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Yes we always turn horses out even if snowy always have always will unless Xmas/New Year day or if they are on box rest. I love watching the horses playing / snuffling and rolling in the snow.
 
Yep, always turn my boy out in the snow, but he is pretty sensible and only really wants to dig for grass to eat, rather than running around!
 
Yes to turnout - not good for them to be stuck in, especially for their digestive systems.

With mine I put them back on the flat summer paddocks, so no sloppy mud or frozen ruts to contend with. I also split them into smaller patches with electric fencing (green so can be seen!) so although the horses can have a buck and a roll, they can't gather too much speed up and slip.

Our winter field is on a hill - great for when it is wet as drains really well, but not such fun when covered in sloppy snow!

Currently -4 in mid wales so although today was not too icy, and not looking forward to tomorrow morning….

Keep safe and warm all x
 
Ours went out today after two weeks on the hardstanding, and loved it. They just rolled, gazed around and snoozed in the sunshine. They didn't hoon too much. They just stood at the hay piles after a while.
 
Mine live out so yes. Id be more warey if they've been in, got lots energy.....
in that case id work them hard first and make sure they are hungry so more interested in hay or grass. ... and try to find a paddock thats not cut up so its not uneven
 
Mine are out 24/7 so just stay out. They have shelter and are happy to forage around. As they're out all the time they don't really gather up much energy to do silly things, tend to potter about foraging.
 
The only time mine doesn't go out is if he has a medical reason that means he needs to stay in or because the YO says the horses have to stay in for some reason (the hunt are coming through, fields under a foot of water, that kind of thing). Otherwise he goes out in all weathers, though when it's really bucketing it down and blowing a gale, he doesn't like being out for more than about an hour.
 
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