Winters coming

Armas

Armas

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So as winter is approaching I am now thinking about my winter routines. As I have a number of empty boxes at home. I have decided to turn one in to a day box for the days that it is p^&ing down. I tend not to leave him out in the rain even if he is rugged up.
His day stall will have a thin layer of straw for day time napping, where as his normal box has a layer of wooded pellets and a very deep bed of straw.

This will probably change when I get round to building a field shelter.

So thats my winter plan for keeping my very Spanish horse warm toasty & dry whats your's ?

Winter pic of us out in the garden :)

DSC_0265.jpg
 
I always try my hardest to keep to the same routine every day whatever the weather they go out for 12 hours a day. Even in the hardest of conditions (deep snow) I have made sure they have gone out for at least 6 hours to forage for grass through the snow and move around a bit. A good rug will keep them snug and warm so cannot see the point of keeping them in. Of course some horses hate going out in bad weather but mine are quite the opposite.
 
Mine stay out 24/7, rugged if required, lots of hay and fibre feeds. Naturally works best for my lads, they loo so well for it! Plus its easy peasy for me - well easier than if they stayed in anyway! :)
 
My lads routine is the same all year, out in the day for 12-13 hours and in at night for soaked hay. He goes out everyday, even when the snow has been up to his knees. Although I may give him hay in the field if he is struggling to access the grass through the snow.
He is not rugged but grows a thick long coat that has always kept him dry next to the skin. His stable is in his field so he has access to that at all times in the day, but never goes in there in winter of his own choice.
I strip graze his grass each day in winter so he has enough to nibble on in the day.
 
Well my routine this year will be a New one. Due to working more hours and having lots of natural shelter i am going to try and keep my tb out all year with big bale haylage out all time and plenty of thick rugs with some good fibre feed to keep condition. He likes being out so fingers crossed he copes.
However if he doesn't i will have a stable waiting for him to have 10 hours out and then in over night.
 
My routines changing too this year, I usually leave them out but due to moving yards and in with my boyfriend/his parents I shall be keeping mine in.

In at night (7pm), fed and hay and then out in the day (8amonwards) hopefully no matter what the weather as they have huge rugs and natural shelter.

:-)
 
Just to add I only bring him in if its heavy rain if its snowing he stays out ! I bring him in at about 8pm and he goes out at 7 am.
 
Mine live out all year but have access to stables if they want to shelter. They are mostly naked too unless it's very cold and wet. Last winter I put up haynets outside for them near the shelter but this year I may use my hay hutches and see how that goes. Think we will have grass until Xmas unless it snows.
 
My routine stays the same. 2yo and 5yo live out all year round with only natural shelter. The 5yo will be rugged as he is in work and will need clipping and the 2yo will have her 2nd winter of never having a rug on :)
 
Our routine stays the same, the only thing that changes is the weight of the rug. As always, if there's heavy rain & it's in for the day then they stay in. They aren't partial to heavy rain & I don't see the point of trashing the paddocks.
 
Ours are currently out 24/7.

Come Oct I will be watching the forecast closely and will start to bring them in at night once the ground gets too wet for 24/7 turnout, but always try to have them out until after Hoys if possible. They have separate winter grazing, so will 'close down' their summer paddocks and do any maintenance on them in the autumn.

Once they start coming in, they will be in at approx 4pm and turned out at approx 7am.

I spent yesterday airing rugs, setting new beds up and cleaning buckets and feed bowls. I also have all bedding and haylage in, so am all ready.

I actually enjoy winter as love mucking out and all the other chores, and always feel sad when they go back out come spring as feel 'redundant'!!
 
Ours are out all year and nothing is rugged so in winter they need hands on checking to see that they are still healthy under the hair instead of being able to just look at them they get fed twice a day instead of once and have big bale hay or haylage so othet than the mud and cold unless one needs to come in for a reason its not much different to summer
 
Armas - lovely photo but I can't help thinking that you just need to be holding a long handled scythe to complete the 'grim reaper' look ;)

DD - good luck with keeping yours out, my TB wintered out last year and was much happier and did very well on ad lib hay, high fibre feed and correct rugging.

I've got first delivery of hay coming this week to get a head start, barn and feed bins all cleaned and tidied, rugs back from being cleaned and reproofed.
Paddock will be split into 5 sections so grass lasts until Christmas that way. Then I split into 2 until spring as it stops it being churned up too much with less grass coverage (we are on clay soil).

Thinking of getting some old large round covered bales to make windbreak/shelter (2 bales high) but not sure of best position for them yet, anyone's tips for this would be appreciated.
 
My mare and my sister's youngster will be coming in at night, out in the day with rugs when cold. Thinking of putting them on to wood pellets as bedding. Bella is good on easibed and is quite clean in her stable now but is a nightmare on straw and shavings but Puzzle is a messy little so and so so we need to try and find something that suits them both. B will be fed twice a day and P will probably just have a little bit of chaff so he doesn't go mental whilst she's eating! Hopefully it'll be an okay winter this year and not arctic temperatures!
 
Mine three were out 24/7 from Feb last winter which was my TBs first stint at living out. I am now having to wait for the planning permission decision so I can make a final decision on whether to build 3 stables in the field which they can use at will and they can come in overnight if the TB struggles (plus they have a double field shelter) or I can build a big 24ftx24ft shelter that they can all use when they want and stay out 24/7.
I have plenty of grass to strip graze through the winter and will give hay. Just have to decide whether to put hay in shelter or to try medium size hay hutches in the field. I daren't put a whole big bale out at once as the two fatties won't move til they've hoovered it all up.
 
Armas, I have two Spanish gentlemen who cope admirably with everything except driving rain, and no rugs unless clipped. They do come in at night, but that's to save the ground more than anything. My attempts to leave them out 24/7 during the summer were met with firm disapproval and much gate rattling at 2am - they love coming in for a snooze.
 
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