what should I do?

W

windywillow

New User
Joined
4 January 2007
Messages
3
Visit site
I would really appreciate your help in making a decision.
I am currently on a small private yard. I have all year turnout although currently bring him in at night, nice stable but no menage - plenty of bridleways.
I have the option to move to a large yard that has no winter turnout and limited summer turnout (half days) but with unlimited access to indoor & outdoor schools, horsewalker, lunging pit and bridleway access. Still DIY and the cost differential is £10 more for the larger yard (although straw bedding is included). Not much in distance from my house so no gains there.
I really want to concentrate on my flatwork. Hacking is great fun but in the wind and rain I am not the most confident of riders and don't get to ride as much as I would like because of this.
Should I stay where I am and ride 2/3 times a week but at least my horse is out in the field or move yards so that I can really put him to work and improve us both but lose the turnout in the winter?
thanks
 
I think your horse would be happier staying. With no turnout in the winter the schools would be really busy, so may not be as big an advantage as you would think. Plus your horse could end up like a coiled spring if its stuck in all day
 
Personally if it was me the horses needs would come first...I could not move my horse anywhere where there was such limited turnout..and none at all in winter would be dreadful! Sorry to be blunt!
Honestly though it depends to a certain degree on your horse...has he/she been used to no turnout before in the winter...some just do not cope with it. Have they ever had any respiratory problems because being in a lot on straw would not be recommended. Also bear in mind that the wind and rain is only in the winter time so you should be able to get out more in the summer months...
 
Half a day turnout in the summer!!! are they short of grazing by chance? - I would def stick with where you are, you can always rent a school within hacking distance if possible but turnout is one of the most important thing for horses, mine would break out if they only got half a day in the summer!!

Winter is different matter, we have to kick them out!!!!
 
I would stick with your current yard, Turnout (for me) is of paramount importance
smile.gif
 
There is no question for me but I would always want turnout all year round. Horses are not designed to be shut up in stables 24/7.
As allready suggested could you hack or box up to somewhere that has an arena?
 
Ditto everyone's comments about turnout. You can use some of your hacks for schooling, or maybe box your horse over to a yard that hires out its manege. Also, smaller yards tend to have fewer problems with other owners etc!
 
It really depends on your horse my young horse Ryu doesn't do winter, rain or mud (he's like a posh fluffy cat) He will not be turned out in rain and if I do manage to wrestle him down to the field he sulks, he would rather be in his cosy stable with his toys and hay, my other horse gets frantic left in and will weave he must be out all day even in snow, luckily we have winter turnout so mine are both happy although if I just had Ryu I'd happily move somewhere with more limited turnout.

I must add we do have indoor and outdoor arenas and Ryu is ridden dailly and I do stick him in the arena for a buck and a roll on a morning if hes in.

You must weigh up what wether your horse could cope with minimum turnout and whether it would affect its temperment. Also bear in mind its six months of mucking out twice aday!!!
 
Thanks to all of you. Your thoughts have echoed my own concerns about the horse. I think I will stay put. Spring is around the corner and it could just be the windy winter blues setting in. I would hate to move and unsettle him.
 
We have got no winter turn out… and half a day in the Summer…my horse gets worked for at least an hour a day. He is fine (See my pics of him on the photogallery….about half way down by now…)
I would say that it is bloody hard work. You have to be committed to riding, for at least an hour, every day. I would die for a horse walker…he would be in that too if we had one.)
I weighed up the pro’s and cons of being on my yard. The fact that it is a competition yard was a big pro, as was the fact that my instructor is one of my best friends another (so lots of free help!) Another pro is that I trust YO and grooms with anything (which is quite hard for me to do as when I first put my JA pony on livery when I went to college, they stopped feeding him his oats as they said he was too fizzy…and threw a bucket at his head!!! He was out competing 3 times a week….pony nuts just weren’t enough)
So I would say consider your options. If you are mad like me go for it but you HAVE to be committed to getting your ned out of his box and doing something productive on a daily basis…otherwise you will not have a happy horse.
 
I wouls stay where you are, i would hate for my horses turnout to be limited and if there is no winter turnout the schools will be heaving Im sure.
 
would try and find a yard with both turnout and school, or maybe stay where you are but look for a menage close by to hack to (this is what i do as i have mine at home, loads of turnout, but no school) would rather hack to school and be able to turn mine out than have little or no turnout, have had one of mine on a big yard before with limited turnout and he turned into a well schooled bouncy ball
grin.gif
now he is much more relaxed
 
I have exactly same facilities as you - I cope just make a bit of effort to hack to a school and hire one for flatwork. In summer I use a field. It is worth putting up with it as I see how happy my horse is to be going out. I have never had a horse with allergies, stable vices etc as out for most of the day. I also do not have to deal with yard politics or bitching so I think probably both horse and I are happier for it!
 
I am in the same boat as FeuFolet and my three horses are fine they have turnout in the summer and wouldn't dream of being out in the winter we have a programme so that each one does something different every day. These however are serious competition horses and need to be ridden and worked but it is dedication that is needed, if you just enjoy riding for the fun and are not planning serious competition then stay where you are but we need and get serious help for the YO who rides his own and for other people
 
Im sorry but my horse has little close to no turnout in winter and he is doing fine! i school or ride him out nearly everyday and they have a little paddock they can have a play in! Limited summer turnout is sounds daft though. My horse is in now due to bad weather and he would rather be tucked up warm in his stable as when is turnout in bad weather or to hot weather stands waiting at the gate to be brought in or screams his head off untill he is in bed again! You have to think of your horses needs more than what is convienent for you!
 
Is there absolutely no turnout? We have no winter turnout but the horses get a couple of hours out in one of the schools each day and often if you are up there you can sneak more time out by putting them in the lunging pen or sptting when the school is empty.
 
I do get to a lesson once a week which we both really enjoy. I will stay with turnout because I know that once the better weather comes I can find a field to school in or use the paddock. Seeing the horse out today enjoying the sunshine kicking up heels and generally tearing around made me realise how much that would be missed. I don't want to be riding a time-bomb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top