Why do horses not use field shelter?

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Polos Mum

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Here in Lincs today the weather is grim, cold (2 degrees over night), windy, rainy - ponies have a 24 by 12 foot top notch field shelter and where are they?
Tucked up bums in the hedge looking miserable - I know they won't melt but it's clearly not nice to be outside so why not go inside??

They go in the shelter to avoid heat/ flys (if I can remember that far back to a summer when we had those!!) - why not in the rain??
 
No idea mine love the field shelter I got one that at the first drop of rain heads straight to the shelter.
If it starts to rain hard he gallops to it it's very funny to watch.
 
Mine doesn't, but I should image because there is no grass in there lol


I don't think it's their instinct though, unlike us who would seek shelter as a matter of course, such as in a cave, horses in the wild did not gravitate towards these behaviours.

Yes, they will choose to go in there I am sure absolutely tonnes of horses do. But I don't think it's as simple as us wanting to get out of the rain - as it doesn't seem to bother them so the need is not as great as we presume it to be. Besides, maybe also because we keep our horses adequately warm and there is little need to find warmth in the shelter on a windy cold day when they are rugged well. Who knows.
 
I'd say two options.

(a) they are scared to go in there. Unlikely, since you say they use it in the summer (though I'm not quite sure I know what one of those is :p)

(b) they aren't bothered by the rain!

Of course, there is (c) to annoy you/make you feel bad for them being out in the rain...when they have a perfectly decent shelter ;)
 
The wind is coming from the north west and the shelter front faces east so shouldn't be windy in their. They are parked with their bums towards the north (so I assume that's where the wind is coming from)

Your probably right about the lack of grass as it's been in same place all winter!!
 
Mine do the opposite that what we'd expect them to do:

Stands in rain when its cold .. wants to come in to shelter when its hot :confused:
 
Mine don't use theirs because it is corrugated iron and it makes a racket when it rains. Hopefully soon I'll be able to replace it.
 
We have a lovely big barn that they horses can wander in and out of freely, I suppose it's like a giant field shelter! They use it all the time, if they're cold/hot etc. Their hay is fed in there in winter, so they see it as a "happy place" :)
I have noticed though that rain doesn't bother them half as much as it bothers me! Bob will usually be found outside in the rain scoffing! They'll only come in if they are cold/hot due to the weather rather than for the weather itself if that makes sense?
 
Mine dont use theirs very often atall either come rain or shine, they will stand behind it though!? Drives me mad, they dont like rugs either though so i think they just prefer to bey more natural and wild like of coarse feed and haylege dosnt count though! :D
 
Field shelter is man made cave horses do not live in caves as they can not see predators. One horses will always guard the herd whilst the rest graze, rest.
Field shelters are also enclosures so that a dominant animal will bully or corner horses down the pecking order.
They are more bothered by the heat, my two old ponies will pack together in a 12x10 stable to get away from the sun.
 
Ditto honetpot - they like to be able to see all round, given the choice. Ours would only use it to get out of hot sun and flies, but it was there is they wanted it.
 
I guess the preditor thing is probably true, the ground is quite well worn just in front of the shelter under the overhang! Maybe today the wind makes the overhang not worth it and the hedge is better!
Clearly they know best - I'm just the humble servant
 
In addition to the good points above, don't assume that because they're sheltering in a hedge with their heads down that they're miserable :)

The bum to wind head down position is simply the best way to stand to minimise wind chill and to allow the coat to disperse rain water properly - the big bottom shelters the rest of the body, the tail spreads out over it to stop the wind whistling past bits that don't have much hair ;), the flanks and chest stay warm because they're not exposed to the wind, and the head down means the ears and face are sheltered by the rest of the body. If you look at the way the hair grows, it's also designed so that rain hitting the back of the horse runs off down channels so most of the horse's flanks, belly, chest and neck stay dry.

So it's just a sensible way to stand, not an indication of being miserable :)
 
Brightbay said:
In addition to the good points above, don't assume that because they're sheltering in a hedge with their heads down that they're miserable :)

The bum to wind head down position is simply the best way to stand to minimise wind chill and to allow the coat to disperse rain water properly - the big bottom shelters the rest of the body, the tail spreads out over it to stop the wind whistling past bits that don't have much hair ;), the flanks and chest stay warm because they're not exposed to the wind, and the head down means the ears and face are sheltered by the rest of the body. If you look at the way the hair grows, it's also designed so that rain hitting the back of the horse runs off down channels so most of the horse's flanks, belly, chest and neck stay dry.

So it's just a sensible way to stand, not an indication of being miserable :)
Click to expand...

I am so glad you wrote this. My pony lived out naked all winter and when it was raining he stood exactly like this. So many people told me I was cruel and look how depressed my poor pony was. They didn't understand there is a reason why he was standing like that.
 
honetpot said:
Field shelter is man made cave horses do not live in caves as they can not see predators. One horses will always guard the herd whilst the rest graze, rest.
Field shelters are also enclosures so that a dominant animal will bully or corner horses down the pecking order.
They are more bothered by the heat, my two old ponies will pack together in a 12x10 stable to get away from the sun.
Click to expand...

Brightbay said:
In addition to the good points above, don't assume that because they're sheltering in a hedge with their heads down that they're miserable :)

The bum to wind head down position is simply the best way to stand to minimise wind chill and to allow the coat to disperse rain water properly - the big bottom shelters the rest of the body, the tail spreads out over it to stop the wind whistling past bits that don't have much hair ;), the flanks and chest stay warm because they're not exposed to the wind, and the head down means the ears and face are sheltered by the rest of the body. If you look at the way the hair grows, it's also designed so that rain hitting the back of the horse runs off down channels so most of the horse's flanks, belly, chest and neck stay dry.

So it's just a sensible way to stand, not an indication of being miserable :)
Click to expand...

Absolutely this! We all know that horses try to turn their bums to the wind when we lead/ride them in rain too.

Just because we look miserable when we stand like that doesn't mean a horse is.
 
Mine are in it all the time. In fact, they sleep in it - I know this, because its full of shavings and they have shavings in their tails in the morning. Sometimes boss horse won't let the other horses in it, but they are so keen to get inside they will try and sidle at least get part of their body into it.

But when it rains, they prefer to stand with their backs to the hedge, or take short 10 minute breaks from the rain in the field shelter (I can see it from my window).
 
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