Why is not turning horses out over winter becoming normal?

[Horsegirl25]

Just a thread for discussion..

What is the reason people chose to not turn out over winter AT ALL, I don't mean a few days in because of awful weather.
I know a few people that once the clocks change in October the horses are in and don't see a field until the clocks change again in Spring.
I get the whole, trying to save the fields etc and that some yards don't allow winter turnout so you don't have a choice but there is people I know that don't have anything nice to say about people that turnout over winter and I can't wrap my head around it!
I appreciate that the weather in the UK isn't the best and yes there will be mud but what are the genuine reasons that people chose to stable 24/7 for 5 ish months?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

No idea! Ours now live out 24/7/365 with a shelter, my life has never been so easy and the horses are more relaxed than ever.

 

[Lady Jane]

No idea, I only know of it done to preserve land

 

[TheMule]

It's a sad reflection of society that they would be willing to deprive a sociable herd animal it’s right to exercise its basic instincts. It can be tricky with the amount of land available for grazing decreasing all of the time, but there are ways around it (group housing in barns, stables with pens attached, turnout pens, surfaced tracks etc)
Phrases such as 'duvet day' in reference to horses need to not be normalized. 'Snug', 'Tucked up in bed', 'Cosy' etc are not words that should be associated with horses.
Mine also live out 24/7 365, but I am lucky to have enough land to manage that. If didn’t then I would have an open barn with access to the fields or, at very worst, a large surfaced pen.

 

[Red-1]

Climate change and cost of land / lack of land.

I have made all weather turnout areas for mine, but they don't go on grass from November to April. Some years it is longer.

My stables have a back door onto a hardstanding so they are still in or out at will. The arena is also a larger turnout area, and is then graded once a week or before riding.

I like having no mud TBH.

 

[Jambarissa]

This used to be the norm where I grew up. No one would dream of putting their horse out in a muddy field when they could be in a cosy stable.

I thought it was still the norm for competition horses - a bit too precious to be in mud and getting sufficient exercise to stay sane.

We're on clay, it's common for yards to at least halt turnout when the land is too bad or to be mainly in with only a 'trash' paddock available for use.

I sought out one with unlimited turnout, we will never be told we can't turn out but there are still days it's unwise to do so and our fields got trashed last winter.

If your area is moving back towards this it's probably land owners worried about their fields. I also think this is correlated to the rise in individual turnout, people worry about their horses more and want it to be convenient for them to go and ride so in and clean is seen as safe and convenient.

 

[JBM]

I know a yard who does no turnout year round
They have no fields at all
You can just turnout in the arena when you’re there

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

Not the norm at our yard, with horses of all kinds. A few are kept in overnight or during the day, but not both. Competition horses, sturdy Cobs and everything in between.

 

[Polos Mum]

I think YO have to have so many horses on the yard to make it pay that there isn't the space to have turnout without totally destroying in (so it's then unusable in summer too) and risking injury from horses sloshing around in knee deep mud all day (which I'm not sure would actually be good for them)

Out all winder on rough grazing on a hillside with space to find shelter / hard standing on the rocky bits and nibble at trees / brambles etc is a far cry from standing in a gateway or round a ring feeder in 4 inches of liquid mud.

There's turnout and there's turnout !

I keep 4 on 8.5 acres of space and I still have to restrict them sometimes to stop it being really damaged
Before I bought it my yard was a liver yard with 17 stables ......................
I can't imagine the state of the fields !

 

[Horsegirl25]

Climate change and cost of land / lack of land.

I have made all weather turnout areas for mine, but they don't go on grass from November to April. Some years it is longer.

My stables have a back door onto a hardstanding so they are still in or out at will. The arena is also a larger turnout area, and is then graded once a week or before riding.

I like having no mud TBH.

That set up sounds ideal with the stables having a back door to a hard standing!

 

[Horsegirl25]

I think YO have to have so many horses on the yard to make it pay that there isn't the space to have turnout without totally destroying in (so it's then unusable in summer too) and risking injury from horses sloshing around in knee deep mud all day (which I'm not sure would actually be good for them)

Out all winder on rough grazing on a hillside with space to find shelter / hard standing on the rocky bits and nibble at trees / brambles etc is a far cry from standing in a gateway or round a ring feeder in 4 inches of liquid mud.

There's turnout and there's turnout !

I keep 4 on 8.5 acres of space and I still have to restrict them sometimes to stop it being really damaged
Before I bought it my yard was a liver yard with 17 stables ......................
I can't imagine the state of the fields !

Yes definitely, I think that is a problem most places as they tend to have more stables than land for the stables!

 

[Alibear]

It's not that new. I was in a yard that did this 30 years ago, and it was due to the amount of land and the fact that they were on clay. They did a massive group of 20+ turnout in summer but all in from October to April.
You do the best you can. We're a small island, and the weather is getting more challenging for keeping horses. Now I'm on an individual turnout yard where they live out all summer and in overnight from October to April.

 

[Kirstineridesagain]

Yes definitely, I think that is a problem most places as they tend to have more stables than land for the stables!

Opposite at our yard. Not everyone has a stable. Loads of fields. A few stables are kept free for emergencies.

 

[TPO]

It's not just a winter thing. People are happy to deprive their horses on the daily; individual turnout, postage stamp turnout space, no [free] social interaction, stabled for long periods, etc.

The answer to "why?" is because it suits the individual and what they want/what is doable for them/what make life easier for them is the priority.

 

[JFTDWS]

It’s not a new phenomenon, but it’s worse now when most horses work less, and more of their work is arena based.

It’s baffling. I wouldn’t keep horses if I couldn’t have them out all year, at least some of the time.

Mine are out 24/7 all year round, which is a lot of work, and relies on a very sensible YO who also likes to see horses out more than perfectly manicured fields. It also requires either more land, better draining land, or investment in surfaces.

Ideally I’d have my own land with a nicely surfaced track and loafing areas, and access to fields when it’s not too wet.

I mostly have enough land that I can keep moving them around before the fields get too bad (from a horse perspective rather than a field looking pretty perspective), but the increasingly wet and turbulent weather is a concern for the future.

 

[SEL]

It's not just a winter thing. People are happy to deprive their horses on the daily; individual turnout, postage stamp turnout space, no [free] social interaction, stabled for long periods, etc.

The answer to "why?" is because it suits the individual and what they want/what is doable for them/what make life easier for them is the priority.

I know a lot of this ^^^^

But otherwise its related to land owners not wanting horses to trash the land.

I've got about 6.5 acres for 3 so they live out all year unless Feb is totally miserable. I have stables for 7 but the land is too wet to take that number (plus I have too much junk so need the storage!!)

 

[equinerebel]

Overstocked fields, poor field management, climate change, disassociation of what horses actually want/need vs human desire to keep them clean and "safe", grazing land going to developers, building on flood plains - pick any of the above

 

[scats]

A lot of yards take on more horses than they can adequately graze, so overgrazed and churned, muddy fields become a real problem.

Field maintenance is time consuming and hard work, I think it’s easier for yards to just shut fields and let the liveries get on with it.

 

[CastlelackSportHorses]

Its madness!
We used to keep ours out over winter for years but the field would be thrashed and horses were up to their hocks in mud, not happy.
Now we have them in at night and out in gravel pens with round feeders during the day 7am-5pm. If we get a week of good dry weather we turn out in fields for as long as it stays dry. But sadly our winters are just getting wetter, and I see more and more people putting in winter turnout pens.

 

[Cowpony]

We've always had 24/7/365 turnout at our yard, but last winter was just awful (we're on clay). This year the YM has said we need to bring in at night from the end of October to the end of March. Not sure that's going to help the mud, but we'll see.....

 

[Trot_on]

Its insane isn't it... it's not a way I'd choose to keep horses. We need to think outside the box as land gets less and weather gets worse.

I'm very lucky - our yard has 9 horses and approx 14 acres that is all on a slight slope so the water runs away, but we're definitely seeing more standing water as they're building houses around us. We can pick and choose how we manage our horses too which is a godsend. Ours are out 24/7 April - Oct and then are in Sun - Thursday and out 24 hours Fri and Sat (mainly so I can have a lie in!)

 

[Fluffypiglet]

My yard is on clay and has very limited turnout. YM does their best to shuffle horses around and get them out where possible but basically there is not enough grazing. Mine had to come in for a few months last winter as the fields were underwater and he was going to injure himself through his protests at being out. It was awful and whilst I liked no mud, I do not want him in again during winter unless we have no choice. The horses who did manage to keep going out all had mud fever. But the fields don’t recover that well and in reality they could do with being rested for a few months during the worst months. So reason for current lack of turnout is mainly down to the changed weather.

However over 30years ago at another yard but not a million miles away we were never allowed winter turnout. All horses in from October to end April. I didn’t know any better and it was ‘normal’! I cannot imagine that now but it does show it’s not just a modern thing that’s suddenly started happening. I would love some hard standing for winter turnout. Enough space for a mud free, hay if required, mooch outdoors.

 

[TheOldTrout]

At our yard horses are out during the day and in at night over the winter. When there's not enough grass in the fields they're waiting at the gates to come in.

 

[dorsetladette]

I don't think it is a new thing.

I grew up in the peak district where my parents had their stud. Part of their income was made from full liveries (no other options - just full) and stallions coming in to stand at stud. One of the reasons their place was a yard of choice over others in the area is that they insisted that EVERY animal had turnout time EVERY day. The stallions got the short end of the stick in spring and summer due to security/safety but they still had turn out and then in their stallion pens (shelter and yard area) for a change of scenery which kept them content. The only time ponies didn't get out was when the yard was frozen as it was dangerous.

 

[ponynutz]

I wish we could - we don't have enough land.

But I really like sand paddocks or turning out in arenas or all weather areas. We put hay out in ours and it means the horses are out most days (unless the paddock is literally flooded). I really look up to people who prioritise their horse's time outside and sometimes good is good enough.

 

[humblepie]

As above, not necessarily a new thing. I was at a yard 30 years ago where I was thought strange (not for the first time) that I wanted my horse out day time during the winter. The other liveries were all fully clipped and in from October to April. My show jumper was neck/tummy clipped and turn out each day. I think for the yard which was part and full livery it was saving time. The horses would be in all day Sunday as the yard staff did not ride on a Sunday so if the owner did not ride the horse was in from riding on Saturday until ridden on Monday.

I have come across elsewhere the landowner wanting to protect the land where they have limited turn out or don't want it trashed. Moved from that yard, once found that out!

 

[ponynutz]

I know a yard who does no turnout year round
They have no fields at all
You can just turnout in the arena when you’re there

I know one too but most rent summer paddocks
I was on the yard for a pit stop when we were in the process of moving the horses into the stables at home and I wouldn't do it again.

 

[SpeedyPony]

Concerns about land and also I think a certain amount of tradition- horses used to be stabled full time when they were in proper work over winter (particularly in towns, cabs/deliveries etc), so there's a cultural expectation still that the stable is a natural place for the horse, even though most modern horses are only doing an hour or two of work each day and thus don't get the exercise they need to be stabled full time.

 

[Goldenstar]

Too little turnout for the number of horses .
This is a wet country that’s getting wetter .
I have a lot of land for two horses about fourteen acres but even we had stable last winter because it was bottom less and they where miserable .

 

[SantaVera]

Mine live out all year round with field shelters. I do have stables but only use them occasionally. I'm fortunate to have enough land that is under stocked. I think overstocking and very wet winters mean horses are turned out less.