Turnout issue

dwi

dwi

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I'm looking for advice and other people's experience on a rather bizarre turnout issue.

We moved to a new yard on Saturday and its lovely, I liked my old yard but this one is much nearer and is the facilities are more suited to our needs (if anyone on HHo is on the new yard and I haven't realised, hello)

When we looked round I asked if I could leave her out at night and the YO was quite happy for me to do so because there is a huge amount of grazing. I did not however think to ask whether anyone did leave their horses out at night. Roughly half of the horses are cobby/native types but all are brought in at night. So many people see 24/7 turnout as a kind of holy grail that it didn't occur to me that no-one at the new yard would be using it.

I would really like Daisy to be out 24/7 because its nicer for her and for me but I'm not sure about leaving her out on her own. Tonight she was the last one in because I work long hours and she was fretted but then it is only her third day there. Do you think horses can adjust to being left out on their own? and if so how do you make the transition? At our old yard she was used to living in a small herd and is fine if you leave her on her own for a hours to take others on a hack and she will happily be in the barn on her own when she is on box rest but I don't know if she will be happy in the field on her own all night.

Short of leaving leaflets around the yard about the benefits of 24/7 turnout how would you try to deal with the issue?
 
Perhaps ask the other liveries if they really LIKE mucking out and point out that horses were designed by nature to live outside (especially the natives)
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Maybe stick a note up asking if anyone wanted to put theirs our too (check with YO first?) Otherwise, try just leaving her out and see?
 
Have you spoken to any of the other owners about it? they may feel the same but think that THEIR horse would be out alone! you may start a trend...
I personally wouldn't leave a horse out alone... but it depends on the horse, only you can answer that question.
 
The cobby/native types are probably brought in to keep their weight/laminitis risk down if there is tons of grass , try the owners of the slimmer nags first.
 
I would be worried about leaving a horse out on its own. Is he able to see the others in the yard? Is there any sheep for company?

I would ask around the yard and see if anyone is interested in keeping theirs out with yours. Can you persuade anyone from the old yard to move to the new yard so that your horse has some overnight company?!
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Would sheep do? YO is talking about putting sheep in with her to help keep the grass down.

I wish that someone from my old yard would come with me, the only person that might have done has unreasonably decided to move house and is leaving the area. It would be too far away for everyone else.

Someone else with a cob also moved into the yard this weekend but I haven't seen her today. Do you think it would be wierd to leave a note saying something along the lines of "I wondered if you would normally be leaving xx out at night once he has settled?" He and Daisy are in fields next to each other so they could talk over the fence
 
I wouldnt leave merlin out on his own out of choice but had to a couple of years ago out of necessity!!!

He lived to tell the tale but really wasnt happy... and i didnt do it for more than a couple of nights.

She would prob be worse if she is out and all the others come in..... perhaps she could be turned out after all the others come in and then wouldnt feel left behind so to speak???
 
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