xRobyn
Well-Known Member
I personally wouldn't get a horse if circumstances meant it had to be in 24/7.
I would personally never have a horse if I could not provide it with year round good grazing.
Ditto.
I have accepted it is near impossible for me to find a yard that caters for 24/7/365 turnout and has good facilities. I want a school. Phil wants turnout. I refuse to stable him to keep myself happy. He was stabled as a colt and when he had lami in 2008. at that point he was stabled for 24 hours a day but spent about 2 hours with him, twice a day lunging and walking out. He hated it. Box walked like no tomorrow, had to be mucked out fully twice a day because he was so messy etc.
If your horse doesn't mind being stabled then fine, I personally could not look after a horse who WANTED to be confined for over half it's life, not because I hate the mucking out or don't have time/money (I don't right now because I'm a student but I'd hope that when I manage to get a job I could be at the yard twice a day and afford the huge prices), I couldn't bring myself to believe that a highly social herd animal that covers hundreds of miles daily (yes in the wild, but domestic animals don't just loose all their 'wildness') would be happy in a 10x12ft box for 23 hours a day. Personally.
As for turnout, we have a small herd of 8 individuals on 8 acres. The only mud we got was at the gate. All the horses are out all year long. I do often wonder if the amounts of mud are not just based on soil type, but management too. Ours are out all year and therefore being turned out is not cause for celebration or stress (ie pacing). They seem to maintain minimal mud despite not being rotated or restricted.