Would YOU compromise on turnout for other facilities?

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Ziggy_

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I used to be on a yard with no turnout, and it was a nightmare. Since leaving that yard I've always made turnout my number one priority when viewing yards. I like my horse to live out in summer and be turned out every day in the winter, regardless of the weather. Thats why I ended up at my current yard; it fills the turnout criteria, even though there isn't really anything else for me at the yard; its expensive, the school is small, its very bitchy and the YO is more like a crazy dictator than a YO.

I've been to visit another yard today and it was lovely.

Big, spacious, airy indoor school. Even bigger outdoor school. Unaff. dressage once a month and unaff. SJ once a week, on site. Individual tack rooms. Owners on site. £10/week cheaper than my current yard. And the best thing was the hacking - you go out the back of the stables, through a gate, up a small grassy hill.... and you're on the BEACH!! The yard backs straight onto four miles of sandy beach! One end has groynes for jumping practise - the other has miles of fields and bridleways once you leave the beach behind.....
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I really like the place, it had a nice feel and the people seemed friendly but not in an overbearing in-your-face way. The horses all looked lean and fit, not like the heifers at my current place. There was just one big BUT - they restrict turnout. Nothing lives out, even in the summer. They do turn out most days over the winter, but they did say last winter was so wet there was about three weeks straight that they didn't turn out at all.

TBH, I can see why they do it. They don't have a great deal of land, and there isn't much benefit in horses standing knee deep in mud all day, just for the sake of being outside. Also, being right on the coast it was really windy, even today, and I'd imagine its bitterly cold in the winter.

On the one hand, I loved the yard and can see myself and my horse fitting right in. On the other, I swore I'd never go anywhere with restricted turnout again after having to deal with my bolshy, hyped up stresssed out horse on the first yard I was on. I feel like I'm compromising my horses' welfare for my own enjoyment.

Not even sure why I'm posting this really - just want to put it in writing and try and make my mind up.

Any thoughts?
 
No. I was at a lovely yard, but left due to the turn out. Now, I have an 8 acre field for my 4 horses, stables, and excellent hacking. I do however, use a school at the yard opposit very cheaply, so I don't think i've lost out at all. What I spend hiring the school is still less than the livery prices at the last yard!
 
Whereas I wouldn't have a problem not living out in summer, I think the idea of 3 weeks with no turnout does not sound good. Depends on your horse I suppose and how you feel he would cope. Yard sounds fabulous in every other way though .
 
I have to agree with the majority also moved from a yard with excellent facilities but limited turnout and gone back to basics at a yard with stable and plenty of grazing, all year turnout summer (and winter if reqd but mine are out fulldays every day and in at night).

Result is far happier horses, esp the tb who hated limited winter turnout it drove her mad!!!
 
Personally - no. My horse lives out 24/7 all year unless it's REALLY wet and then they may come in at night for a few weeks, but that is MY choice. I would be very unhappy at the thought that my horse couldn't even live out in the summer.

I have no facilities and have to rent a school a mile away for my weekly lessons, but I am happy to do that. The place you've been to look at sounds great though, and I suppose it depends on how important the facilities are to you.

I think you should definitely consider it - after all, if they manage to turn out almost every day in the winter it's more than some people get, and maybe they'd let you use the indoor school for your horse to let off steam for an hour or so?
 
No I wouldn't. I've been at places before who didn't turn out regulary over winter and it's not a good arrangement IMO.

I'd rather my horses were happy than have amazing facilites..... although beach riding would be very tempting
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I made this compromise recently. Although we have 24 hr turnout in summer there is about 1 month in winter when they dont turnout at all. It is managed though - all horses get an hour or two loose in the arena and can go on the horse walker. I ideally wanted Frankie to have year round daily turnout but this yard is closer, friendlier and with better hacking than any of the other yards I looked at.
My sister has a horse who hated being in and on her new yard they are stabled every night all year round and strangely he loves it - the stables are cool and airy and he isnt stressed or upset at all - I suppose it does depend on the horse but if they are in a routine with other horses for company and lots to look at I think it is ok.
 
I personally wouldn't compromise turnout for other facilities, no. Although that new yard does sound an incredible place and I could well understand if you went for it.
 
Firstly, I think you have to consider what your horse's personal preferences might be - knowing your horse as well as you are bound to.
My horse likes to go out every day, but he also seems to have a preference for coming in when it is time/everyone else does. I tried to leave him out this summer but for a week he stood at the gate neighing at night and first thing. He is now back to normal routine of in at night, out during the day, with everyone else around him.
He has around 7 hrs turnout in summer, and goes out every day in the winter (with the exception of a few scattered days adding up to about a week). In the winter it is about 6 hrs.
Tricky one for you. If the 3 weeks were continuous I could not justify this. I think it is pretty mean leaving a healthy horse in a box with only exercise for 3 weeks straight.
If scattered throughout the winter perhaps 3 weeks might not look so bad. If so, and summer every day turnout it just might be a possibility. I would look at other yards and try to see if there is any way you could use some kind of paddock at the yard in question.one nearby. Try to be as resourceful as you can if you really love the yard.
Every yard has a drawback - Keep looking, you may get a pleasant surprise. If not, you have to decide if in your heart your gut reaction is yes, you could handle it.
 
To the extent you are talking about, yes. Our yard has a similar arrangement, in at night all year round and restricted in winter when very wet. It doesn't suit horses who can't be worked, because when the weather's at its worst, work is the only way they can get out of the box, but as long as your horse is workable, it really isn't a problem. The horses all stay very settled in a routine of coming in at night. As long as the yard has the attitude that they try to make sure they get everything turned out as much as they can in the winter and they aren't awkward for the sake of being awkward - which doesn't sound like the case if the atmosphere's relaxed and the liveries are happy - your horse will be absolutely fine and you'll love it.
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I couldn't as my mare would climb the stable walls, I'm lucky to have 24/7 turnout all year round, a friendly yard and a fairly decent school very cheaply.

I know I'll never find anywhere better for us
 
Given the situation you have presented, personally I would go for the 'restricted turn out' option.

I think there is enough going on around the yard that even if your horse was kept in for three weeks over winter (which to be honest, is a relatively short period of time), you would be able to provid him with a stimulating and varied workload.

If your horse is kept in, the big downside to you is the extra commitment to keep him occupied. I used to keep my horse on a yard with no winter turn out at all and although I do not enjoy hacking, I made myself take him out twice a week because I felt it was important to him to get the variety.

obviously 24.7 turnout is best for the horse but you have to weigh it up against the pleasure you will have out of your horse and the more fun you will have together. A four mile gallop on the beach... I can see why you are tempted.
 
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The horses all looked lean and fit, not like the heifers at my current place.

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You will generally find on yards where horses spend most of their time living out the horses tend to be more like heifers! Its not easy to keep a horse competition fit at grass

I would take resticted turnout in return for good facilities. It can be a sign of a well managed yard as the YO obivously wants to protect the land and keep it in top condition! If I had my way at work turnout would be restricted in extremely wet weather and winter!
 
It would depend on how much you can work your horse in the winter. The facilities and hacking sound like you could. I have very limited time in the week in winter and can't ride every day, so really like my horse to go out - plus he stiffens up. You also know your horse and know how he might cope.
Your yard sounds awful though, so I would really consider moving.
 
I would not but I guess it depends on your horse and circumstances. I am lucky in that I rent a field and have a mobile stable in it so he is our 24/7 all year no matter what and chooses himself if he wants to go in the stable for a bit. I used to keep him in at night all year and whilst he tolerated this well he was always grumpy in the morning and wanted to be out asap. Since turning him out 24/7 he has changed in himself and relaxed more with life and is altogether a happier horse...he rarely uses his shelter in winter but goes in there loads in summer to escape the flies. He still uses it at night though and goes in there for a sleep of his own accord.
This suits me too as there is never any mucking out to do, but it does not matter that I have no facilities or school as we hack all the time and do not compete...so it does not matter.
 
I never realised how stressed my horse was at my yard with limited turnout untill I moved him to a yard that had 24/7 tunout all year if I wanted.

I know it's nice to have everything on your door step but not at the cost of your horses sanity. Think carefully. Do you have the use of transport? If so put more of an effort into taking your horse out and about and let him keep his freedom. Good luck!
 
Yes with my current horse. She doesn't mind standing in her stable, and she is also naturally fat so doesn't need too much grass. As long as they offer part livery so I didn't have to go there twice a day to turn her out and then get her in.
 
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I never realised how stressed my horse was at my yard with limited turnout untill I moved him to a yard that had 24/7 tunout all year if I wanted.

I know it's nice to have everything on your door step but not at the cost of your horses sanity. Think carefully. Do you have the use of transport? If so put more of an effort into taking your horse out and about and let him keep his freedom. Good luck!

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I know exactly what you mean - I did the same thing and swore blind I'd never go back to it.

The thing is, I have no transport and can't afford to hire it. Competitions, beach rides, their all way out of my reach. I was so excited when I looked around this yard; but deep down I know she probably wouldn't cope with limited turnout and I don't really fancy mucking out before work all year round
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Just have to keep looking I suppose....
 
I think it depends on the horse. my horse pretty much stays in all winter at livery and he's perfectly happy with that, he is out all summer at home though but the one i sold got really over the top with restricted turnout and he was out alot more than the other one. The yard you looked at sounds pretty good compared to some you just need to weigh up what is best for you and your horse. i would love a yard like that near me
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I really think it is important for horses to have access to daily turnout. If we started thinking about STABLES as the CAGES that they really are perhaps we would strive for more turnout!. Try saying to yourself "I am just going to put my horse back in its CAGE" and you might just have hit the nail on the head. A stable is hardly any bigger than a small rabbit hutch for a rabbit, when you look at the size ratio.
 
Tough one. I do think turnout is very important. My horse is coming in during the day in the summer to get off the grass and not make her paddock bare but she is out from about 7pm-9am so is happy enough. I think she likes coming in for a sleep too. I have all year turnout at my yard but earlier in the year with the snow there was about 7-10days of no turnout because the paddocks were like lakes. My horse loves her turnout but she got used to the routine of staying in ok.

It sounds like this yard is only restricting winter turnout when the weather is extremely bad. So i'd be tempted to move to it considering all the other boxes are ticked it seems. I guess you will know if your horse can cope with a few weeks of no turnout and you would have a nice indoor to exercise in!
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ETS: I didnt think my mare would cope with being stuck in with the bad weather but she surprised me.
 
Personally it comes down to your horse. I had one horse that was the grumpiest horse in the world when stabled, his legs would go flying and teeth would be out. Turn him out for as long as possible and he was happy as larry.
Honey on the other hand likes to be out as much as possible but when stabled is well behaved bar the banging at feed time.

I would prefer to have turnout all year. However the yard I was at previously had restricted turnout in the winter. They were to go out in the morning and come in at lunchtime. If very wet or snowy then horses had to stay in. HOWEVER we did have a horsewalker so most when they stayed in we put them on the walker and rode them. This suprisingly suited my horse.

The yard does sound amazing but you have to think about the weather in the winter, if they cant turned out would you ride? If you wouldnt ride then I wouldnt move to the yard.
 
No but I have a pony who likes to live out and does not tolerate stables - if I had a horse that was happy to be in then it would be different.

Three weeks is not a long time for turnout to be restricted if your horse does not mind being stabled. Last year was bad because of the snow and ice.

During the three weeks would the horse have access to freedom - perhaps being let loose to run about with a friend in the indoor school? If not you would need to provide plenty of exercise and time out of the stable maybe walking in hand and grooming - do you the time to commit to this?
 
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