Would you keep a warmblood out 24/7 over winter?

Wondermare

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My mare's currently on working livery, I'm not happy there and she's not herself. She's used to turn out and she's not getting much of that at all. Last night I found her covered in sweat marks, legs filled, and eating shavings from her bed. I'm thinking of returning to my old yard, but that would involve her living out 24/7.

She's an ID/WB cross, has never really grown what you'd call a winter coat. Obviously she'd be rugged up and have hard feed. There's not much grass to speak of but they have lots of hay and a wood to shelter in.

We're not planning to do much this winter so her work load would be minimal.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts.
 
Yes mine overwintered out rugless all last winter and is doing the same this winter. Here he is:

IMAG0016.jpg
 
Warmbloods live out as happily as any other horse. I go to Germany a fair bit and there are loads of them over there that live out unrugged but with hay in big racks, mares foals youngsters and riding horses all just get on with it.
As long as you make sure they have enough roughage just treat them as you would any other type of horse :)
 
Yes, definitely. My 13 year old Hanoverian x TB had never lived out until I bought her. She'd been stabled and triple rugged most of her life. She thrived living out last year. I had a stables for her and a companion horse if she didn't cope, but she made it quite clear that after coming in for tea, she was ready to rejoin her friends. She actually needed less rugging as she was able to move about and had constant access to forage.
We currently have TBx's and retired veterans living out with good shelter and big bales of hay and all do very well.
 
My mare's currently on working livery, I'm not happy there and she's not herself. She's used to turn out and she's not getting much of that at all. Last night I found her covered in sweat marks, legs filled, and eating shavings from her bed. I'm thinking of returning to my old yard, but that would involve her living out 24/7.

She's an ID/WB cross, has never really grown what you'd call a winter coat. Obviously she'd be rugged up and have hard feed. There's not much grass to speak of but they have lots of hay and a wood to shelter in.

We're not planning to do much this winter so her work load would be minimal.

I'd be grateful for any thoughts.



My IDxWB will be this year - not worried about it at all and he's fully clipped. He does double up as a yak tho with his coat - def the ID coming out in him!!!!!!!
Please can we see a picture of your girl - I don't any other IDxWB!!!!!
Here's my boy...
Picture409.jpg
Picture408.jpg
 
I do love it when other people help me with a decision! Hooray, she'll be an outdoors horsey.

And Sarah1, your boy is a beaut. I shall now attempt to upload a photo of my lovely girl...

And as you can see, I have failed...Never mind. She's a skewbald, 17'3", she makes me very happy!

Thanks again, everyone.
 
Nothing wrong with a WB being an outdoors horsey!
I wintered two out last year (one being an extremely wimpy TB) and with ad lib hay and a shelter they were as happy as pigs in poo!
 
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