Turning out on hard/frozen ground

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black_horse

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For the next couple of days as it is very cold delicia is stil going in the field as normal. Someone suggested that due to her history of have a senstivie GI tract maybe i shouldnt be turning out. However, i think i would do more harm then good if her fibre intake or feeding habits are suddenly changed due to a few days of cold weather?

I turned her out today after our schooling session, she seemed very relaxed and i was admiring her shoes (recent shod) and thinkking im glad i didnt go for natural balance shoes as she never trips and she tripped over her other hoof *rolls eyes* :D. (she is fine btw).

The only precaution i have taken is to oil under her hooves and to bandage her legs up.

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She looks stressed doesnt she at the incoming weather :D.

Am i wrong in thinking that it would do more harm then good to change her routine or should i err on the side of caution with the cold ground and not allow her to graze off the fields? Since feeding her coligone and biolife she has had no stomach/GI issues to date :D
 
I think they are best staying on their routine if possible, less likely to have tummy problems and less running around if they can get out each day. I tend to turn out a little later so they can have some haylage first and get in earlier, before they get bored.
 
Dee didnt go out till 2pm as thats when i finished riding, but the ground was still rock solid and i had the break the ice in the water bucket. The lake you can see in the background was frozen soild!
 
I turned out today and will tomorrow even in the snow. I have just cut it down by a few hours - bring in a little earlier.
I know if I leave mine in for a day or so they drag me to the field and then continue to gallop about on the hard uneven ground. Therefore doing more damage.
 
Ethel will be going out everyday regardless of weather. She loves playing in snow and the hard ground is actually good for her as she has spavins in her hocks. She runs around bucking regardless of whether shes been out the day before or not, except it's a lot worse if she hasn't been out for a day! Last year she didn't have a single day in and I'm planning the same for this year :)
 
I dont turn out in the frost but I will if the ground is frozen. My boy has equlibrium t/o boots on and my mare has over reach boots on. I dont think I would bandage as I would be worried they would come off and get tangled round the horses leg and it would freak I am quite a pessimistic person though :P
 
I'm cautious if the ground is frozen solid without even a little give in it as I know someone's beautiful dressage horse that slid from one side of the field to other and broke her shoulder.
I kept her in yesterday but she went out today as there was a little give. Always make sure she fills her belly with hay before she goes out when its frosty.
 
Its best to try to keep them going out if at all possible I just make sure they get haylage before they go out and I turn out in pairs so I don't risk food in the paddocks .
As soon as they look bored I bring them in.
It's a hard call and risks both ways.
 
luckily dee very rarely canters around the field. She is too lazy when she isnt ridden to put in the effort :) she is more likely to stare into the middle distance then to canter about ;)
 
I keep mine going out even on the hard uneven ground. Mine take care of themselves. They wouldn't if I kept them in to "prevent" issues. I go out first, chop up water and add hot. Then I put out haylage piles. Everyone eats out and are quite content then wander off slowly and keep themselves safe. I had no issues last year and for our brief few days this week. Better out than in. I've seen horse's break legs in perfect weather on perfect ground. They will try and self destruct no matter what I think is best. Since I've decided to let them think for themselves I have a lot less problems. They can get hurt any time any place so no point in trying to over think a situation.

Terri
 
KaliBear will go out no matter the weather . . . I make sure he has something in his belly before he goes out (breakfast and some hay) and we put hay out in the field. He is far better behaved if he goes out in his regular routine (even if I shave 30 mins or so off either end) thus negating any nutty hijinks on his part and therefore avoiding injury (or at least mitigating).

I guarantee he'd be a nutjob in his box if I kept him in . . . not to mention how he'd behave in the field when he finally did go out.

This may sound a little fatalistic and perhaps a tad cold, but if he injures himself out in the field being silly then at least he was out being a horse. He isn't a competition horse, I don't make my living from having him and he'd be deeply unhappy kept in . . . I'd rather he was out than in, basically.

P
 
My worry is getting into the field, where it's been wet & muddy it's now frozen into deep ruts round the gateway & I'm so worried she'll stumble on it I've been wondering whether it's safest just to keep her in. Once you're past the ruts the field itself is fine - albeit hard ground.
 
Native I have ruts at my gateway as well and once they get out it's fine. All of mine are careful and pick their way through. They just know what to do.

I have a broodmare, my 8 YO riding horse, my 6yo competition mare and a 2 YO filly. I don't care if you compete or don't, you're a horse. I feel the same as the other poster, if they get hurt they were being horses. But I seem to have far less problems this way even though most think I'm an idiot. Ehhh, let them be horses. And as far as I'm concerned if a horse like Storm Cat who stood for 500k was out in all weathers including bad ground, mine can too. Actually he came in for thunderstorms and that was it.

Terri
 
The field really isnt that rutted tbh, for clay soil its good going. There is always a bit of show at this time of year, you have to sacrifice fab ground if you want all year turn out but this yard is fairing very well. :)

Still isnt snowing yet mind you, might be able to ride tomorrow after all :D
 
Think it just depends on your horse. Bearing in mind that mine will actually buck in her stable if she thinks turnout time has passed, she's better off out. Having said that, if she was one for charging around when the field's hard and slippery, I'd want to manage it differently. Breakfast first and then hay in the field seems to help as it keeps her occupied for the first little while of being out, so the novelty of being out wears off and she's less likely to run around.
 
Mine is out 24/7 and if he was being worked I wouldnt worry at all. The only time I do worry with frost etc is if the grass is growing ie spring frosts/Autumn due to sun and high sugar content.

I have just put him on last years summer grass and he is having hay during this cold snap to keep him warm and with the snow with something to munch on

Your horse looks fine wouldnt worry about the hard ground at all.
 
My horses will normally go out during the day however may keep them in for a while this week until the temperatures go up (hopefully!). I haven't had a problem with turning them out on frozen ground, good for them to have a stretch and they don't go too mad.
 
Shes only bandaged as her hind leg was a little swollen this morning...shes developing winggalls.... hmm. I didnt want her to aggrevate an old injury :)

normally the dressage pone has naked limbs :o

adn PS i agree, so goes out daily...im uber sensitive about her gut and her 'motions' :P

Why is it when i say this to horsey people it's a totally acceptable topic of conversation but to non-horsey friends i'm wierd? :s
 
Ours always go out on frost. They would only really charge around like loons if they hadn't been out. Otherwise they just behave as normal. I've seen lots of horses with azouturia (sp!) over the years from not turning out, but touch wood no injuries from turnout as usual.
 
After yesterday's very sad experience then no I won't ever be turning out again on hard/frozen ground. I have had a serious rethink and it is just not worth the risk in my opinion :(
 
Fantasy, what happened? So sorry. We are always right when it comes to experiences that shape our descisions. I realise what I do is not necessarily right but I've had worse on great ground and I just know how my horses are. Can't speak for anyone else.

Terri
 
Mines gone out today quite happily and calmly. Other liveried kept theirs in. Hes only out for a few hours, more for the leg stretch... The ground is frozen but I trust him not to run around like a mad man. I prefer him to be out in his routine as he gets un-settled and keeping him in will just make it gallop around when he does go out.

OP - your girly looks happy and you've taken pre cautions :) I'd keep turning her out.
 
mine are all out as usual except box rest mare


Fantasy what happened? You can pm if you wish x
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probably lost a horse my guess.

My instructress lost her horse in the summer a few years back he walked across the field ground was hard , it tripped and fell broke its leg.

Horses can fall / trip in any weather wet mud they can slip.
 
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I guess I'm very lucky that my horse will happily stay in and when she does go out she doesn't prat about like an idiot.
My friend's horse wasn't pratting about, she was merely walking in the field when the tragic accident happened :(
 
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