Wintering out?!

C

Chestnutter

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For a hugeeee amount of reasons, he's living out again this winter, and after lots of thinking, i'm happy with this, he'll still be in work, etc.
He moved into new, bigger field yesterday with nice thick neck-rug on, so he's warm and dry. He's only a TB but he won't be cold,
I think i worry too much tbh, as soon as it rains, the first thing i think of is him stood in it (and the mud that it's making, which will end up all over him....)

Ahh anyway, pointless post
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Anyone elses' living out this winter, or am i the only crazy one?! </font>
 
no I am in the same vote as it will be a sleepless night for me tonight as my young horse has taken to doing stupid things during the night (such as jumping the fence, getting his rug stuck on things and opening gates), I dont live on site so am wondering as to what he will do tonight. Will let you know. You are not alone is what I meant to say!
 
My boy has just started to live out a few nights a week weather dependent! I am a little worried tonight as temperatures are dropping to 2 degrees tonight so I just popped a fleece under his rug - what a softie I am. Felt awful last night when it was chucking it down but they are horses, they won't melt and all my natives used to live out 24/7 without me worrying so I'm sure a hanno x won't be much different rugged up!
 
Yep, she's living out and very happy in her rug. Haylage delivered twice a day and nightly check/carrots
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I feel worse when it's raining but as she's in a herd they all bunch together bums to the weather. With the quality of rugs available now I honestly can't think why you'd bring a horse in unless there were good welfare, health or safety reasons. They are herd animals and meant to live outdoors in herds.
 
My REALLY sensitive and thin skinned WBxTB is living out this winter. She's got a Fal Goliath to live in when it's really cold, and a couple of Weatherbeta Tristar rugs for when it's not; and she's fine. But I know what you mean about wondering how they're doing when you're laying in bed in the middle of the night listening to the rain battering the windows and the wind howling like a demon. I was driving home yesterday in a vile windy storm, lashing rain, etc and passed some horses grazing in the middle of a large field. All were heads down munching the grass and no batting an eyelid at the weather. I actually pointed them out to my son who was with me in the car, as the wind and rain was SO hard it was difficult for me to drive. The horses weren't batting an eye lid.
 
Ours are living out for the first time and are loving it. They are desperate to get back out to the field once they've had their bucket in the evening.
 
Bramble's out every year, 24/7. xD Keep's em moving, and they're happier and less stressed! MW with neck turnout rug on with a fleece underneath, plus an extra rug just for tonight because it's going down to -2 where I am! :O He's blanket clipped but i reckon if you rug them up enough it's fine! =P

Only reason i wouldn't leave him out is when he comes in plastered in mud, and it takes AGES to walk down to field, but other than that i think out is best! xxx
 
This is the first year that I'm attempting to winter out my boy. He's a TB. He has a very fine coat so he's wearing a good snug rug, he's got his girlfriend with him she's a welsh mountain and is naked!

I'm giving him large amounts of hay and haylage. When I do bring him in he always seems more than happy to go back out.

I feed them by the fence halfway up the field away from the gate in an attempt to reduce the poaching there. When I go up at night neither of them are stood at the gate but instead they are waiting by their respective fence posts and shouting at me to hurry up with their tea
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Two of mine are!! the cob mare and her young freind, both seem to be very happy despite the weather, they get hay twice a day - I don't add-lib them as they are fat natives, and have decent rugs on as there isn't alot of shelter where we are.
 
Some of mine are wintering out for the first time ever, and I think I am finding it far harder than they are!

I am driving up and down to the field, checking and swapping rugs, feeding them twice a day and laying in bed listening to the wind and the rain - and yet they seem really happy.

The only problem is one side of the field is really open and with the cold winds coming they are getting a real blasting. So even my fat natives have a rug on
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Mine are for the first time!!

Was doing all the worrying, swapping rugs etc but now, just chucked 'em in heavys (finally its cool enough) keep an eye out for dreaded mud fever and take a deep breath to relax any time i start wondering if they're ok!

They seem very happy every morning when I arrive so its all good. The least native of them all (anglo arab!) even wandered out of the shelters in a rain storm despite all the nice huge haynets i put up and stood in the middle of the field noisily telling the others (native crosses!) how good it was!!!

They all stayed in the shelters..... !!!!!
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Mine lives out all year. Yesterday was hideous so I brought him up to the yard put him in his stable with a big haynet and thought I would wait for the rain to stop before putting him back out - after about an hour he had had enough and wanted out again - could not wait to get back out to his mates who were all grazing in the middle of the field and not using the shelter at all!

I think as long as they have enough to eat they are happy.
 
Well my heavy cob is out 24/7 as are all my mates horses but we all have field shelters! Mine has three and half sides to it so its really like a stable without the door on it giving maximum shelter from the elements
I worry if mine is suffering in the wind and rain, as I know he hates it and he is the heaviest of gypsy cobs.

Sorry, but I cannot imagine turning a TB or finer horse breeds out in Northern Scotland where I am without a field shelter.
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