who has horses our 24/7 through winter? reassure me!!

[jalapeno]

Hi, basically current yard offers no winter turnout at all so for 6/7 months of the year they are confined to their box! I am really not willing to do that so have found a new yard that has a horse for sale...so when it goes i can have their box! However, until then I can have 24/7 turnout! Shelter provided, good land and haylage provided.

So would u move to the new yard? iv never had a horse out all winter please reassure me!! Surely he will be happier than stuck in?

Also i could do with him clipped as he's in work... does anyone have clipped neddies that live out?

Thanks in advance!

 

[EllenJay]

No problem about keeping them out 24/7 over winter, as long as you rug appropriately especially if you are clipping. Would there be another horse out with him at night as he may panic if out all by himself.

 

[Clodagh]

Mine live out, with ad lib haylage and they have a HW full neck turnout on when necessary. They are both big blood horses and they thrive on it. As they don't stand by the gate you don't get the mud like horses with limited turnout, although I am vigilant about mud fever, luckily neither are prone and have never had it. They do have a lot of natural shelter and a field shelter, which they never use.

A friend hunts her horse from the field, he is hunter clipped but she leaves the front of his face on, he just wears a good stable rug under a HW turnout and is always toasty and looks great.

Good point about company.

 

[Brenjack]

Two of mine are out 24/7 in all weathers and they're oldies. They're well rugged during winter and fed hay and some hard feed. They do just fine. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[AmyMay]

Are you sure they are offering 24/7 winter turnout - and just not out during the day?

My own opinion on 24/7 turnout over winter is that people need to do what's best for them. It wouldn't work for me, as my horses are in work and clipped - and I think it's unfair to winter a clipped horse out. However I know people who do do it, and seem happy with their decision.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I winter my fully clipped cob out. She has appropriate food and rugs to keep her at a reasonable weight, if the weather is amenable shes in as much work as I can keep her in as we have no school so if its an icy snowy winter shes confined to the yard if its a wet one shes in more work

As long as you rug appropriately, make sure they have plenty to eat its simple really Much easier when your short on time as popping a barrow of hay into a haybox takes much less time than fully mucking out a stable once or twice a day

 

[Nudibranch]

24/7 works best for my horses, it keeps them sane, occupied and most importantly moving around. I really am anti them standing in a box for hours, it's just not good for legs. Mine have the choice to use the barn and rarely do unless it's absolutely driving, horizontal rain and I put the hay inside. They are rugged, one is clipped although it's a slightly odd version of a hunter clip whereby the neck stays on! I use high neck rugs but not heavyweight as this is too much even for the one who is clipped.

 

[Jesstickle]

Yes, I would move

You probably won't have to have your horse out 24/7 over winter unless it is the slowest horse sale in the world but even if you do I am sure that nearly all horses would prefer to be out than in constantly. The thing about company is a good one though, will he have company at night if it comes to that?

 

[Dab]

Yep mine lives out 24/7, and unrugged, but this year i may need to clip - racing style only, and he will be rugged to suit. No problem at all with clipping and wintering out as long as they have access to shelter, adlib hay and rugged to suit....much much healthier for them to live out! and a healthy horse is a happy horse

 

[FestiveFuzz]

My boy lives out year round and will be rugged appropriately come winter.

 

[vieshot]

Your horse will be fine, you however may feel guilty as sin lol.

My youngsters all winter out, unrugged. They have a field shelter and get plenty to eat. I always feel awful when it's pouring with rain but I know that's me just humanising. Every year I debate rugging when the weather is horrid but I always manage to get a grip.

If yours is well rugged with plenty of grub then he will be fine.

 

[saddlesore]

Yes I'd move. Wintering out will suit the vast majority of horses. I find it ironic that we will rug our horses in £200+ worth of gear that could cope with the north pole and then bring them in

 

[gadetra]

All mine are out, young, old and in work. They are only brought in for the farrier-everything is dome from the fields. I had a very young foal go through the shocking wet of last winter, he was the closest I came to rugging/keeping in, but he put up a huge pelt on him and was grand! Your animals will be fine, it us what they ae designed to do

 

[c2b]

All the horses on the yard I am on both those in work and retired are out all the time. Most are rugged. Those who are clipped are rugged appropriately and do very well.
My mare is 20, lives out all year naked. We do have stables available.

 

[Mongoose11]

With the choices you have I would definitely winter out rather than keep in for the whole winter. I think it is completely inappropriate for horses to have no turn out for weeks on end whether they are exercised or not.

I love having Olive come in to her box at night in the Winter, but in an ideal world I would love to have her out but able to access her stable/deep barn as she wished. As neither of those things can happen she gets 8 hours turnout and is in her box the rest of the time. We do late hay visits etc.

 

[FionaM12]

Are you sure they are offering 24/7 winter turnout - and just not out during the day?

My own opinion on 24/7 turnout over winter is that people need to do what's best for them. It wouldn't work for me, as my horses are in work and clipped - and I think it's unfair to winter a clipped horse out. However I know people who do do it, and seem happy with their decision.

I think it's just until a stable comes free.

 

[Jesstickle]

Same here Billie. I dream of buying my own place so I can just open up a big barn and let them in and out as they please!

 

[jalapeno]

Thank you all so much! I feel better about it now! He will be in a herd of other geldibgs and he will be in at night when the stable comes available. I was just debating whether to keep him at the old yard until his New stable is available but upon reading your experiences, I will definitely keep him out. He has plenty rugs and only has a kind of high trace clip anyway. Eeeek im excited now! Roll on moving day x

 

[Jesstickle]

O well, if he's in a herd I expect he'll be happy as larry. Much happier than not being allowed out for six months

 

[Lolita]

I have my veteran out 24/7 in the winter, as he hated being stabled. I do feel guilty when i see hime out though with plenty of feed and rugs there usually fine

 

[noodle_]

yep rugged and fed they are fine


dosent suit mine - she lived out part of winter last year she got horrendous mud fever and turned into the devil. I do prefer 24/7 out anyhow - but dosent suit all horses

 

[MiniMilton]

Mine winters out very happily. I clip belly, shoulders and neck. Hairy face and hairy bum take the brunt of the weather. A full hood rug covers the rest. The field only gets poached at the gateway. If your field gets badly waterlogged you may have problems with mudfever.

Ideally it would be good to have access to a stable incase you get really bad weather. But if this isn't an option, your horse would be still be MUCH happier living out 24/7 than locked in 24/7. I think its unfair to have any animal confined for months on end

 

[Copperpot]

My horses lived out for the first winter last year. I was worried but they never looked so good. One was fully clipped and he was always warm under his rugs.

They will both live out this winter, fully clip but well rugged and will hunt from the field.

 

[KSR]

I've posted this before a few times.. Well worth the read..

http://www.academialiberti.de/en/articles/read/11/Thermoregulation-in-horses-in-a-cold-time-of-year/

Of my 11, my youngsters (just 3 and 4) have never been in.. My yearlings will also be out unrugged all winter..

The only one that will want a stable and tucked in is JHs horse (who I'm having as a livery of sorts with mine for autumn/winter)..

 

[kellybee]

Think of it from the herse's perspective, and bear in mind they're all different - standing still or restricted movement can make them colder because they aren't moving about enough to keep warm. My shetland sweats so much in milder weather I have to clip her or she stinks to high heaven and becomes incredibly itchy/uncomfortable. I'd rather her be out with a full clip and an appropriate rug than in, or out and hairy.

Lots of people think I'm mental as shetlands are designed to withstand our winters but imho they're built for baltic weather, not milder inland, wind sheltered grazing. On the flip side my standardbred is thin skinned, thin coated and his hinds swell up when he's been in for more than 12 hours. He's happier outside too but needs the insulation because he seems to feel the cold more. He's rugged and fed appropriately and does come in when the weather is really bad, but given the choice I'd leave him out even when clipped given the choice. His legs say it all really.

 

[Orthe's Daystars]

All 3 of my boys are natives- either NF or Irish mixture. Live out all year in Huge fields with natural shelter, hedges, woodland etc. Are part of a large gelding herd aged 2- 31 & live in the most "natural" way possible. They socialise, play, form groups or pair up for good scratch. In short they couldn't be happier. Are fed & rugged according to age & workload, Foresters unclipped, Irish will see how he goes & clip if needed.

With so many owners they are checked frequently & we all have guidelines for when to call vet in emergency. IMO they couldn't lead a better life - our problems are summer ones with too much grass!!!

 

[MagicMelon]

So would u move to the new yard? iv never had a horse out all winter please reassure me!! Surely he will be happier than stuck in?

Also i could do with him clipped as he's in work... does anyone have clipped neddies that live out?

Absolutely I'd move to the new yard, cant believe some yards keep them in that long - how utterly miserable for the horses. Remember horses are MEANT to live outside permanently! The UK weather is absolutely nothing to worry about, any horse can cope here. I've always kept mine out, and that includes my Luso x who was born in Portugal - he winters out up here in NE Scotland through blizzards and all! Just rug them up well, give them shelter and feed plenty. Mine are very happy being out. I've also clipped several (hunter clipped) no problem through the winter, just dont do full clips obviously as they need their leg hair but modern rugs are so cosy nowadays you can easily get away with a hunter clip (or less obviously).

 

[BWa]

I would defo move. Is there somewhere at the new yard to tie up for a bit? If so I would get into a routine of leg washing and applying pig oil if you are on heavy clay soil. I did mine about once a week.

 

[Gloi]

All except one of ours live out 24/7 all year round (the other comes in at night all year round for some extra grub and because he hates his routine changed). Some rugged, some not, 2 trace clipped. All do well on it. We have an area of concrete in the field to feed on and where they can stand out of the mud which is a big help in wet winters.

 

[hessy12]

You can rest assured your horse will be very happy and thrive kept out. Just ensure ad lib forage and rug as necessary. I clip and keep them out all well rugged and well fed, never had any bother at all. Meanwhile, lady next door who keeps hers in 24/7 has lost two in last yr to colic. Nuff said!