Turnout banned for TWO MONTHS! WWYD?

bubbilygum

bubbilygum

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On 14th of February I was told by the YM that the farmer (land owner) had said we couldn't turn out for two weeks to a month so they could harrow/roll/seed etc.

We still aren't allowed to turn out now, and there appears to be no end in sight at the moment :(. I'm now in a position where I don't know whether to wait it out any longer or whether it is time to move on.

I really like where I am now, and the turn out issue is really the only issue I have! The people are lovely (both fellow liveries and yard management) and it's a lovely relaxed yard which suits me and my horse well, but the land isn't very well managed (in my opinion) which is why we are in this mess now! Not a single paddock was rested over winter, and as we each have individual turnout of an acre each, so didn't have much room to manoeuvre. I don't want to jump ship and regret it, but I am not enjoying horse ownership at the moment, as I don't seem to have any time to do anything other than muck out and refill haynets! My horse is getting a bit of time to roam around in the school each day and have a roll but is missing grazing really.

Any advice/opinions welcomed. I feel a bit lost at the minute :(.
 
I think it really depends on whether you know of any really good alternatives where you would be as happy. Also if the timescale is up that was stated for closing the fields, it would be perfectly in order for the liveries to sit down with YO and agree a specific timescale for reopening, even if that was to split the one acre paddocks in two with electric to give at least half of it a chance to really get going.

I think it is an issue that will face many yards after the year we've come and it sounds like there was a bit of an underestimation of how long reseeding takes to establish.
 
The yard manager has two mares and is eager to turn out also, but it seems it is the farmer who has said we can't turn out as to help the fields. Whenever I ask YM about it I am just told we are all in the same boat and when we can turn out we can turn out. This annoys me just as much as the last two months my horse has spent cooped up - I feel I am wasting my money on livery at this yard at the minute, and spending an absolute fortune on hay and bedding!

It is the uncertainty I dislike the most, it just seems so disorganised and poorly managed. I understand that the weather we have had has really hammered the land, but keeping the horses in forever is not the answer.
 
How about you come up with a plan of what you would do if you were the landowner? Perhaps presenting a plan whereby the land would be saved and everyone's horse could have at least some turnout every week would be considered?
 
I would look for an alternative yard. Even if you decide not to move having looked at the other yard options, at least your mind will be at rest that there isn't a better option out there.

Daily turnout all year is an essential for me when choosing a yard. I would rather have that than a school.
 
Sorry, I don't have a solution but I can empathise. My horse has been in since 16th February. I was told it would be for six weeks and like in your case there is no end in sight. We are 'waiting for the grass to grow'. I have a laminitic so I would rather the grass doesn't grow and will be the last person to complain about lack of grass, and happily putting out hay all summer onto a restricted field if by chance grass does grow.
However, YO prefers to keep her own horses stabled 24/7 than out in grassless fields and really wants the fields to be lush and green this summer, so anytime we discuss it we are not even coming at it from the same angle.
Like you, I really like my yard. I have actually looked elsewhere and found nothing suitable so what can you do? I am riding twice a day, taking my horse for a roll in the school and tying her up outside her fieldmate's stable for a chat. Not good enough but the best I can manage :( Good luck OP.
 
I don't think it is necessarily a case of deliberate overstocking/greed this year, any other year that might be a fair assumption but even yards that have coped in the past fine have absolutely not done so this year. it has been the coldest April for over 100 years, even with some more land the grass would not have grown and after last years weather it would still have needed reseeding.

What isn't fair is setting an unrealistic assumption about when a reseeded paddock would be since it is always going to be weather dependent, also I think in this circumstance there should be one small paddock set aside for turnout and maybe each horse gets one day a week of turnout in that, while the rest is recovering.
 
All of my liveries all have an acre paddock each too, if they use it as an individual paddock it is split in half, so one side is used whilst the other is rested. However, 95% of my liveries were fab this winter and only turned out once or twice per week so our paddocks are actually in great shape. We've already harrowed and rolled, and have just harrowed again. We're on all day turnout atm and hope to have 24/7 turnout in a week or 2.

I think I would suggest to your YO to split all the paddocks in half and then one side can rest whilst the other is used.
 
It has been awful weather for grass management.
I moved our liveries from the winter paddock into part of the summer paddock about a month ago, and it already looks pretty much the same as the winter paddock now (not muddy, as I have fairly decent drainage, just very very short grass)!
The grass is only just now starting to grow, and it will be a while before the paddocks will be in good condition.
I'm one of the few yards in the area that tries to provide 24/7 turnout (as that's what I prefer personally for my own), but even I have had to give in on a few occasions.
 
Do you mean 2 months from now? So, June? In which case, it'll be 4 months then back to winter. I'd have to be really honest to the farmer, I know it's incredibly hard, and you're willing to compromise to an extent, but grazing is one of a horse's basic needs. Even if it was alternate days, at least it's something.
 
I'm in the same boat too.

It's been three weeks and I'm ready to crack.

I suspect the horse is handling it better than I am :o.
 
I think you'll find that many yards are in a similar situation. While officially we've not been banned from turning out where I am, the majority of the horses are owned by the YO where I am, and none of theirs is getting turned out. I turn mine out in the morning and someone brings him in at lunch time. HIs paddock has been rolled and he's not one for running around, so long as it's not chucking it down, I'll keep doing this. I just can't get the work in to him to justify keeping him cooped up 24/7. The mucking out twice a day, endless hay nets and so on seems to have been eternal....
 
horsesatemymoney said:
Do you mean 2 months from now? So, June? In which case, it'll be 4 months then back to winter. I'd have to be really honest to the farmer, I know it's incredibly hard, and you're willing to compromise to an extent, but grazing is one of a horse's basic needs. Even if it was alternate days, at least it's something.
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Sorry, I meant two months so far, but as I said there is no end in sight - each time we have a rain shower I can just mentally see another week being added onto the time they have to stay in.

YM has said to me, as I suggested I split my paddock in two and turn out in one half for a few hours each evening, that its not fair for me to turn out and not others, and if we all turned out again we would be back where we started.

I'm trying to be reasonable, I understand the position the YM is in and I know he wouldn't choose this himself BUT its getting a bit much now, I am usually very laid back but found myself getting frustrated to the point of almost tears yesterday!

There is only one other 'livery' at the yard (other horses are YMs/YMs family's horses) who unfortunately had to bear the brunt of my foul mood this morning and they have said they wouldn't mind if I turned out in my paddock for a few hours (one of theirs is on box rest so keeping all theirs in either way) but I don't want to rock the boat.
 
Oberon said:
I'm in the same boat too.

It's been three weeks and I'm ready to crack.

I suspect the horse is handling it better than I am :o.
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Mine is too! He's as cool as a cucumber usually but I can see he is starting to get a bit riled up... He galloped around the school about five times bucking and farting this evening, which isn't really like him at all!

Sorry to hear you are in this position too but it is a bit comforting to know its not just me :rolleyes:. Perhaps we should just start a thread where we can have a good moan about it until the situation improves?! I'm sure my other half would appreciate someone else listening to my ranting for a change!
 
unbalanced said:
Sorry, I don't have a solution but I can empathise. My horse has been in since 16th February. I was told it would be for six weeks and like in your case there is no end in sight. We are 'waiting for the grass to grow'. I have a laminitic so I would rather the grass doesn't grow and will be the last person to complain about lack of grass, and happily putting out hay all summer onto a restricted field if by chance grass does grow.
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Mine is exactly the same. I actually halved my paddock all summer and was told the long grass on the rested half would be cut - it was just harrowed and essentially was a total mess. In the end I had to give my horse the whole acre so he could have at least a little green grass alongside all the long stuff (which had very little in it, he was dropping weight even as a fatty).
 
Faracat said:
I would look for an alternative yard. Even if you decide not to move having looked at the other yard options, at least your mind will be at rest that there isn't a better option out there.

Daily turnout all year is an essential for me when choosing a yard. I would rather have that than a school.
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Ditto this.
 
bubbilygum said:
On 14th of February I was told by the YM that the farmer (land owner) had said we couldn't turn out for two weeks to a month so they could harrow/roll/seed etc.

We still aren't allowed to turn out now, and there appears to be no end in sight at the moment :(. I'm now in a position where I don't know whether to wait it out any longer or whether it is time to move on.

I really like where I am now, and the turn out issue is really the only issue I have! The people are lovely (both fellow liveries and yard management) and it's a lovely relaxed yard which suits me and my horse well, but the land isn't very well managed (in my opinion) which is why we are in this mess now! Not a single paddock was rested over winter, and as we each have individual turnout of an acre each, so didn't have much room to manoeuvre. I don't want to jump ship and regret it, but I am not enjoying horse ownership at the moment, as I don't seem to have any time to do anything other than muck out and refill haynets! My horse is getting a bit of time to roam around in the school each day and have a roll but is missing grazing really.

Any advice/opinions welcomed. I feel a bit lost at the minute :(.
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I would NEVER EVER ban horses from going out ludicrous IMO mine have gone out every day since xmas day when they stayed in and before that it was the previous xmas when they did not go out = 2-4 days TOPS a year when they do not go out
You can harrow with horses in. Seeding why does he not do half now rest half then move horses over and seed other half:rolleyes:
 
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Thanks all, it's nice to know that I'm not actually being an unreasonable stress head about this! I'm hoping to catch the YM this morning, and I think I might have to get a bit tougher and say I need more information on the turnout situation or I will have to go. I am happy to give it another week or so but after that I will have to move somewhere that provides the facilities I want.
 
Its the horse who has to live there so my number one priority would always be turnout, stand in his stable for a few hours and I suspect you will be straight on the phone looking for alternatives! Weather has been horrendous but they should have provision for at least partial turnout. Horrible situation for u but I would be moving and if they say a months notice move asap and either pay month or if turnout is in contract argue the point.
 
My guy has been in 6 months now both me and him hate it and are fed up! Was suppose to be allowed back out today but due to the rain this week they are staying in :( not happy!
 
Two months! Mine have been in since the last week of November and still no sign of a turnout date! Its been the worst winter I have had horses ever! so I sympathise but some have it worse than you!

There is no grass not even in the rested fields and now the fertiliser and harrowing have started we still have to wait til that gets going! Many around here in the same boat, and have been in even longer than mine, it sucks but we can't change the weather can we!
 
While I can sympathise with the OP, as a farmer I think I have to play Devil's Advocate!

It is those first few tentative blades of grass that are so important to the plant after a long winter. If those are left ungrazed, they will get busy photosynthesising so the rest of the plant can recover.

You can't have your cake and eat it. Destroy the grass now and you won't have any for later.
 
I would be happy if the daily turnout was on an all weather corral with hay feeder and water trough - it doesn't have to be on a field.

Maybe more yards should have a corral/all weather turnout pen?

I would also rather two hours turnout per day than 14 every tuesday (for example).
 
Unless my horses where in seriously hard work and having a very busy time there's no way I would keep them like this .
Why don't yards have sacrifice pastures ? That's what we do , so I can always turnout.
Or turn out corrals that's better than nothing it's simply not acceptable to have no turn out for two months if you have horses that are not in ridden work on the yard.
 
Feel a bit guilty for moaning now when others have been in since November :eek:, but this has also made me think if I am getting this annoyed with the situation now I will be ready to strangle someone if another four months go by with no turn out!

By chance a friend told me this morning that a box has come free where she is today. They have turn out, albeit pretty muddy turn out, but they also have paddocks that have been rested all winter which aren't looking too bad, and can be used when the weather picks up. Very tempted to try and move there!

Faracat, I agree, I would rather throw my horse out 5pm to 7pm each day than sling him out all day once a week, I suggested this but was told it was unfair for me to turn out whilst others can't (as if we all turned out we would be back to square one).

Dry Rot, I do see your point but equally can't see why half can't be seeded whilst half is used for turn out, and then rotated between the seasons? Isn't this a more logical approach? I'm not a farming expert by any means but there must be a better way than keeping all the horses in for such extended periods of time?
 
While the weather this year has been exceptional and there does have to be some compromise, it seems increasingly a trend that some yards see grazing as an optional extra.

If a yard offers just stabling, fair enough, you make your choice. If a yard offers stable and grazing, then it should provide grazing.

At the very least, there should be a turnout/sacrifice paddock or track system so the horses can breathe fresh air and keep moving.

I wonder about the long term consequences to the health of stabling horses that are not worked for 3-4 hours a day.
COPD, stable vices, arthritis, muscle/tendon injuries, colic and behavioural issues etc, etc, must surely be a risk of confinement.
 
Is it possible that you could find a field, even if it's just for a month or two? Sometimes people have fields they are not using and might like the grass to be eaten down a bit and you might be able to get a small group together to graze it for a short while.
 
Dry Rot said:
While I can sympathise with the OP, as a farmer I think I have to play Devil's Advocate!

It is those first few tentative blades of grass that are so important to the plant after a long winter. If those are left ungrazed, they will get busy photosynthesising so the rest of the plant can recover.

You can't have your cake and eat it. Destroy the grass now and you won't have any for later.
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^^^ This exactly. This has been an exceptional year, I've not know one like it, and you just have to work with what you've got. Far better keeping them in now rather than trashing the grazing, hooning around and injuring themselves because they are bored with nothing to eat.

This is not the year to make decisions about moving due to no grazing as everyone is in the same /worse boat.
 
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