Winter Turnout Conundrum

[ApolloStorm]

Hi all,

Some of you may remember back in the summer I uhmed and Ahhed about moving yards, in the end I moved, and up until very recently have been loving it.
I’d just like some opinions a bit of a Wwyd maybe?

So 4 weeks ago we were requested to bring in overnight by YO, earlier than I’d have normally expected but we have had a wet summer. Then on the Thursday before storm Babet (18th Oct) we were told “ no turnout only for a max of an hour while you muck out”, this had been in anticipation of some awful weather, the storm came and went and all the liveries were waiting to be told when we could go back out, and we didn’t get to go back out until the Wednesday, and even then, we are now sharing a field mares/geldings on alternate days. And then Friday rolls round and we are back on an hours turnout due to rain.

In this time I had messaged the YO to gain a little clarity as I really hate them being in and this was one of my important must haves that they get full days turnout in winter and I was told they don’t restrict and that they had a new field seeded for summer so there would be enough turnout and after I moved on YOs family member had said we would be going onto one of the hayfields that didn’t get a second cut for the winter ( and I am wondering if this may happen as we have paid for work counts which have yet to be conducted?)
Anyway, I asked the question, and supposedly it’s restricted due to the wet summer rather than trying to fit 20 horses on 7 acres which is what I had suggested was a reason - I will say bar the gateway and round the trough the field is immaculate, but then it’s basically been rested for 2 weeks!
Other liveries are a mixed bag, some are as annoyed as me, others say “ he knows how to manage his fields” ( that may be the case but currently he’s doing a pants job of managing the liveries!)
Horse is doing surprisingly okay energy level wise, but I am hand grazing up the lane/lunging/riding/hours turnout where I can twice a day so he’s not cooped up along with mucking out 2x daily but frankly this is exhausting for me and not ideal for him!
Other than this turnout thing I do REALLY like this yard and horse has settled really well and I’ve got my chilled out but engaged horse back, so I loathe to leave in some ways, but I know there’s a stable for me at the old yard, but the old yard has its own issues along with the potential for his mystery hives to come back?

Sorry if it doesn’t all quite make sense - I appreciate I’m also jumping the gun a little after only not even two weeks but I feel like I’ve heard this story before and the outcome always was that it never got better?


Also to add we aren’t in an area badly hit by babet, most of the standing water was gone in 24hrs!

 

[meleeka]

How has it been in previous years? Are there any long standing liveries you could ask? It may be that he’s trying to save the fields a bit longer, as we aren’t even in November yet. Mine have spent more time in than normal these last couple of weeks, because the rain has been never ending and they aren’t enjoying being out in it. The other possibility is that they lied and they don't provide all day turnout at all. I think I’d try and find out the answer to that first.

 

[ycbm]

I would say that if this is the situation now, you are probably faced with it being the norm for the next 5 to 6 months.

All year turnout is a very common lie that people tell to get liveries to move in, sadly we hear it all the time on the forum.
.

 

[ApolloStorm]

How has it been in previous years? Are there any long standing liveries you could ask? It may be that he’s trying to save the fields a bit longer, as we aren’t even in November yet. Mine have spent more time in than normal these last couple of weeks, because the rain has been never ending and they aren’t enjoying being out in it. The other possibility is that they lied and they don't provide all day turnout at all. I think I’d try and find out the answer to that first.

Yes the long standing were a mix - some annoyed, some more understanding but all said they’ve never been restricted like this before but that also they’ve never had so many liveries on before - I should add that the stables I am in are a block of 7 new stables so there’s been quite a jump in the number of horses!

 

[SEL]

Is it possible for a group of liveries -or perhaps one of the longer standing ones with a good relationship - to speak to the YO and say they're unhappy? I've been in your situation with too many horses for the land and broken promises and had to move. Within the space of a couple of months the yard lost a good chunk of paying liveries and if I'd been the YO then I'd have regretted being so greedy!

 

[Highmileagecob]

We are allowed to manage our own turn out, and most of us have started bringing in at night. We do turn out in the day time, but the horses all head up the hill to the drier parts. Wet ground very quickly gets trashed, and protecting it now means you have summer grass. Any chance of constructing a loafing paddock?

 

[southerncomfort]

I would say that if this is the situation now, you are probably faced with it being the norm for the next 5 to 6 months.

All year turnout is a very common lie that people tell to get liveries to move in, sadly we hear it all the time on the forum.
.

Long range forecast is for a very wet, mild winter, so I agree.

I don't think these horses will be getting much turnout at all this winter.

 

[FestiveG]

Having 20 horses on 7 acres is never going to lead to all day turn out imo. If the yard owner is trying to get their money twice (grazing and hay) then the horses are not going to be a priority. I'd be moving asap

 

[ApolloStorm]

to clarify, there’s a further 7 acres currently seeded and growing for summer, so having summer turnout isn’t an issue, and there’s also a further 5 ac for mares which IS currently quite wet and very cut up but this isn’t being used at all

 

[SEL]

to clarify, there’s a further 7 acres currently seeded and growing for summer, so having summer turnout isn’t an issue, and there’s also a further 5 ac for mares which IS currently quite wet and very cut up but this isn’t being used at all

There are lots of landowners who don't like seeing fields churned up (I'm wincing at parts of mine today) so I think unless you talk to him then this will be how he manages for all of winter. More heavy rain due this week.

 

[FestiveG]

The overall acreage is probably OK, although 19 acres for 20 is a bit skinny, but it isn't being managed in the way you were told it would be and alternate days turn out would not be something I'd agree to. Having said that, our land is currently very wet, in places, which is early.

 

[irishdraft]

I would hazard a guess there isn't enough grazing for 20 horses to go out every day over a wet winter. If the new lay has been ploughed & seeded I would be doubtful it will be ready for horses next spring/ summer, it can take forever to get a decent covering of grass.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

All year turnout is a very common lie that people tell to get liveries to move in, sadly we hear it all the time on the forum.

We have all year round turnout on our yard (except days where its too icy to safely lead them out) and honestly if you see that 'beware'.

We genuinely do have all year turnout because the paddocks aren't well managed. They don't get rested, fertilised etc. I could pay for it to be done but there's a strong liklihood I'd then be moved to a different paddock.