Turnout Query

[Helena88]

i'm planning on buying a horse who is currently stabled 24/7 (ridden once a day for +/- 45mins and goes in the horse walker every day for 30mins... however where i'm planning to move him to has daily turnout (all year) ... so i was hoping to be able to turn him out (i shall have him on DIY livery)...

he was obviously turned out as a youngster, but since hes been in work hes been stabled.. he is four and a half..

hes my second horse, but i've never come up against this problem before...

i was wondering whether i should expect any problems with turning him out? and if so is there anything i can do to prevent/deal with these?

any tips? advice?

 

[Fleur100]

I would start of by turning him out with something quiet and very friendly for short periods of time building up how long he can be turned out for. He may (or may not) feel anxious being turned out. He may of course surprise you & just live the freedom.

Just a thought, is he hard to catch perhaps?

 

[pocket]

Will he go out in a small field with one/two horses or as a herd animal?

Either way, introduce him gradually, ask if he can be turned out with the old faithful first or on his own so he can work out the boundries of the field.

When I got my pony as a two year old, he went out after about 6 months once he had been cut. We let him out with another youngster and he was fine.

I have never experienced any problems and all my horses have been introduced to a mixed herd. I am sure he will be fine, good luck and dont worry

 

[Helena88]

i think he'll be out eith approx four other horses

im not sure on the difficult to catch, but we're going to ask them to turn him out for a day and then see if i can catch him

thanks for your help

 

[teapot]

See if you can have a small ish field (or even a section done by leccy fencing) so he can't go as mad.

Possibly introduce other horses over the fence

Oh and I would boot him up for the first couple of times too

 

[Lorian]

I agree, definately put boots on him just incase. My boy was on limited turnout for years. He probably got an few hours a day in summer and stabled all winter. I moved him to my recent yard 2 years ago and he much much prefers living out. I never thought he'd get used to it as he was 14 when I first turned him out at night but he loves it. I think your boy will love it too. Dont worry if for the first few weeks hes unsettled as he will get used to it and I think he will much prefer it too. The only problem that I had was that he doesnt know how to live in a herd so he has his own field as he gets stressed when he is turned out with others. I think as your boy is young he will be fine, as everyone has said just do things slowly. Good Luck

 

[katelarge]

I wouldn't put him straight out with other horses in the same field in case he gets nasty! I would put on boots and put him out in a separate paddock where he can see and say hello to other horses, then start to turn him out with one other, and then introduce more.

I think it's lovely that he will go from no TO to the life you will be giving him, but remember he might find it stressful, other horses in his space all of a sudden! So take it slowly and don't endanger any other horses, and hopefully he will love his new life, much more as nature intended!

 

[katelarge]

BTW if you don't know how he is to catch then turn him out in a fieldsafe headcollar, the type that has rubber rings holding it together. Also possibly no harm in bringing him a few treats when you come to get him in and give him lots of praise if he's good. Don't only go to catch him to ride - if you bring him in a few times for a groom or a feed then he will connect coming in with nice things too!

 

[CBFan]

Colic??? Like any other change in feed, grass should be treated the same... I'd start by putting him out on poor grazing (i realise everywhere is pretty poor atm) for an hour a day to begin with and gradually build up to four then 8 hours + over a few weeks... it could take his digestive system a while to adjust to the change and he could be a bit 'loose' for a while...

Agree with the others re turning out with a quiet companion in a relatively small area (for easy catching) to begin with and gradually introduce him to the rest of the herd.