Would you and do you turn out on rough frozen ground?

[Doormouse]

As title and at 7am?

New livery arrived on the understanding that we are on slightly restricted turnout due to wet winter but promised 3-4 hours per day and offered to do the turning out and getting in for her for her for free.

Arrived Saturday pm, we discussed turnout and I suggested she may not want to turn out early as very frozen but horse could go out later for the rest of the day as no one else was turning out.

She arrived Sunday am, turned horse out at 7am with breakfast so she could muck out, got him back in, got very stressed because he was calling and a bit unsettled back in the stable, came back at 11am and turned out for rest of day.

Phoned last night and said she couldn't cope with the turnout and left this morning!

 

[webble]

yes and yes, usually closer to 8am by the time he goes out but always the first one and on his own no problems. He has some hay and the others usually start to turn out an hour later

 

[emfen1305]

Yes, have to here, on DIY and work 8:30 - 4:30 so they are either out at 7:30 or in all day. Try and make sensible decisions based on what the weather is doing that day but very rare they have a day in. If someone was offering to turn out later then would probably take them up on it but to be honest we have no grass regardless of the time of day so they are out with haylage anyway.

 

[ihatework]

I suppose it depends on how rough is rough!
I happily turnout on mildly rutted frozen ground but wouldn’t turn out on proper poached frozen solid ground.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It depends on how 'rough' the ground is. We have kept in if the ground has been very soft, so that the ruts/hoofprints are deep and then the ground has frozen overnight. But on Sunday the ground was pretty soft here and the horses went out as usual. After bringing them in we rolled the gateway with a garden roller, to get rid of the worst of the holes, so that they could go out today.

 

[DabDab]

Yes absolutely. Once they get over the ruts by the gate the rest isn't too bad, and they have hay.

Maybe she gets stressed by any restriction in turnout and only really realised how much when in the situation... I suppose it's better she left quickly than it becoming an issue progressively and ruining the atmosphere

 

[Mule]

Yes mine have access to the field 24/7, hail, rain or shine. I keep a bale of hay in the yard so they are in and out throughout the day.

It's interesting to watch the differences in how their hooves handle the frozen ground. The full ID marches about the same as usual The two with tb blood are much more cautious.

 

[SEL]

My 2 went out on solid poached ground this morning. Both very carefully picked their way through the worst of it and given my draft usually engages 'cavalry charge' through mud I decided they could be trusted to be sensible.

Might re-consider if it's covered by snow and they can't see the potholes later in the week.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Yep. They go out. We have 4 Exmoors, a Highland & a Cob on the yard. None are bothered.

 

[JennBags]

Yes, I would and I do. I like my horse to go out first thing, he seems to like this too, so turning out at 11 doesn't really suit me, so I wouldn't enjoy a yard where this was the norm.

 

[JJS]

My four live out 24/7, so yes, they're out whatever the ground is like. TBH, even when I've had my horses on a winter regime which has involved stabling them overnight, they've always been turned out first thing, whether the ground is frozen or not. It would never have crossed my mind to keep them in because of it, and restricted turnout has always been an absolute no go for me. I guess if your livery is the same, it's probably better for both of you to realise it now and for her to leave before such a difference in opinions causes debate.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

As title and at 7am?

New livery arrived on the understanding that we are on slightly restricted turnout due to wet winter but promised 3-4 hours per day and offered to do the turning out and getting in for her for her for free.

Arrived Saturday pm, we discussed turnout and I suggested she may not want to turn out early as very frozen but horse could go out later for the rest of the day as no one else was turning out.

She arrived Sunday am, turned horse out at 7am with breakfast so she could muck out, got him back in, got very stressed because he was calling and a bit unsettled back in the stable, came back at 11am and turned out for rest of day.

Phoned last night and said she couldn't cope with the turnout and left this morning!

We feed at 7am and horse go out straight after, owners would rather their horses out than cooped up inside, we do NOT restrict grazing even in bad weather. I also rolled the gateways the other day just prior to the frost, the field they are on ( the bog horses) have only just been used so very little ruts

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Yes I do as mine are all out 24/7 anyway.

 

[Sallyfinn]

I'm another that wouldn't stay with restricted turnout. Mine are in at night and out in the day with free access to yard and hay. Would not keep mine in unless there was deep snow. End of. I agree that it's probably best she's gone early.

 

[AmieeT]

Yep. Mines out around 5.30-6. Ground is completely poached at the gate, but it’s an 8 acre field and is fine beyond the gate.

 

[ycbm]

Yup, love the frozen ground, it does a great hoof trim on them all

 

[Louby]

If there was something to eat further past the rutting, Id put out. We have turnout, its trashed despite trying to be sensible, most people are now keeping in as all they seem to do is maul around the gate, get narky and bicker with each other to come in. We have tried putting hay out but it was barely touched. We find the cob/native types will mooch off and pick at the hay or bits of grass left but the finer sport horse types seem to prefer their home comforts!

 

[Antw23uk]

If you have a yard full of liveries who keep in because there is a snow flake or a drop of rain in the air or the ground is too hard or any other excuse people seem to make up then it was probably a bit of a shock to her system and scared her off? I think I would be like her. Horses need to be out come rain or shine. I do think she should have given the horse more than 24 hours to settle into a new yard and routine and I would have certainly taken you up on the offer of free turn out/ bring in. As a yard offering 3-4 hours a day turnout in winter you sound like the exception and not the norm (in a good way) so not really sure why she left so quickly!

 

[hopscotch bandit]

I leave it to the staff to decide. If they think the ground is too dangerous both on the walkways to the paddocks and the paddock itself then I am happy for my horse to be left in. If its too dangerous for them to walk on then its too dangerous for my horse and I respect their decision at the end of the day.I have left a bucket of hay to be wet in case there is no turnout.

I stamped all my gateway down the day before yesterday when it was mild enough to make a difference to the surface of the ground so I know the gateway is safe but the rest of the paddock is too big to go round stamping down every hole made by a hoof. I would be there all day.I've left some damp hay last night in the paddock in a bucket with another over the top and my horse knows to push the top bucket off to get hay so it doesn't get too frozen or wet with rain/snow overnight.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I bring mine in if the ground is heavily poached and wet before it freezes hard, like it was here before Christmas. They mostly live out. Turning out on such conditions is asking for soft tissue injuries and/or fractures.

Although the ground is frozen again here now, it's dried out a lot recently and is much less rutted so they are staying out for the moment. I find that it is always wisest to assess things on a day by day basis rather than declare 'the neds must stay in/go out' .

 

[rascal]

Restricted turnout would also be a big problem for us. They live out with a shelter, and have done since the 1980s with no problems.
The field they are on at the moment drains really well, and had more or less dried out after all the rain. We now have snow. The ones who need it get a rug, even hubbys shire x has one now she is getting a bit older, she will be 19 in April.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Depends on whether you want a sound horse trotting up the centre line or not !

 

[redredruby]

Depends on whether you want a sound horse trotting up the centre line or not !

^^ Exactly!!

My youngest has gone out today but I've kept my pony in because the ruts would bruise his feet (have had to take shoes off for period of time). Would rather keep in for a few days than risk lameness etc.

 

[alexomahony]

Our yard doesn't have great turnout, so through winter my ponies go out for an hour every morning before work (usually 6.30-7.30) whatever the weather and then I ride at least 4 evenings a night. Ponies are fine with this and it's allowing the fields to stay quite good as I like them to be out as much as possible(day and night) in the summer. They'll continue this routine until about may/june time when they'll then be out 7.30 - 6pm with hay to eat (so hopefully the grass will continue to grow!)

On a weekend when I'm around more they're out for a bout 4/5 hours each day

 

[dixie]

Normally I would put out but this year our ground is very poached and the field is all deep frozen ruts with no give in them.
So unfortunately they were in all day yesterday and today and its not looking great until Saturday.
I might leave work early to see if I can get them out for an hour or two as the suns been out all morning but I'm not holding my breath that its actually thawed.
They do have a pootle around the car park for a leg stretch whilst I'm mucking out but that's it.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

depends-mine live out and the ground has been frozen solid since the weekend and on and off all winter. they are sensible types and know what they can and cant do on it. however, if it was knee deep in ruts, they were kept in an they werent too bright I might reconsider.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

All ours are out again today.

 

[wingedhorse]

Its a bit of devil and deep blue sea question.

I have been shoe hunting in my horses field.

It is a bit poached and rutted and frozen solid! No sign of shoe.

It is fairly sandy and draining soil but is still rutted.

I can think of several reasons for not turning out on it.

But my horses are used to 16 hours of turnout with hay. One doesn't like being stabled, one is arthritic and legs fill and is v stiff if kept in.

Our school and hacking is frozen solid.

I also think if kept in for 3-4 days until thaws, are likely to be IDIOTS once back out. Relative risks are about the same, and one is on rest not being ridden so cant tire before turnout!

I am going to keep turning out on the ground, and hope stay sensible, are adult sensible horses <fingers crossed>

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

We're on Devon red clay here, and up till last week its looked like the Somme here.

Now its gone all rutted and hard, especially in the gateways. Normally the tenant farmer would've put sheep in the field, and their little tootsies would have trodden down the ridges, but its been too wet and mucky out there for sheep just yet.

My three (two oldies & a 4yo, all cobs), are out. All have enough sense to take care, and in any case there's no other option TBH as none of them thrive from being stabled for anything other than overnight.

Little'un twisted her shoe this morning tho' ........... Might have to review situation if this happens too much. Bleddi weather!

 

[MyBoyChe]

At our DIY yard each owner has their own little section of field, the walkway is hard but doesnt get rutted because it is wide enough not to have to all stick to the same narrow pathway.My gateway is churned up but I must confess to rolling it with a garden roller prior to cold weather , purposely trying to avoid ruts. My friends 3 ponies live out 24/7 and last Friday her older mare presented as chromically lame, check ligament damage has been confirmed with the most likely cause, twisting it on the frozen rutted ground It is really difficult, we have no school or suitable place to ride so leaving them out every day is allowed and desired. I do turn mine out at 7am whatever the weather but leave him some hay on level ground, and he is in his own field so no charging about or fighting over the hay