Yard with no winter turnout- should i run for the hills?

Tinkerbee

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10 mins extra isn't exactly far to travel! I am always wary of places with no winter turnout, they always strike me as they have too many horses for the land and/or they have no clue how to properly manage/rotate land so I wouldn't trust them!
 

foraday

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Sorry would NEVER ever consider this in a million years!

Has to be the 2nd yard

I somehow ended up at a yard like this 6 years ago and the turn out was restricted from dec to mar but turn out in the school and a walker!

Well it was sept to may!!!! They lied! The walker was constantly broken as the hydraulics leaked in the centre and they never topped it up!

My poor lad did both his suspensories for messing about in the school WHICH WAS TOO DEEP as never harrowed!

Yards such as these should be banned and prosecuted under the welfare act 2006!
 

NicoleS_007

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I would go for the one with TO. I moved from a yard with all weather TO to one with no winter TO due to the facilities being alot better!! We have no TO from Oct-April and we can only let them out in the small arena for 15mins for a run. There not allowed to be left unattended incase they start to chew the fence or dig up the arena, (which is fair enough as I wouldnt like my yard being messed up either.) Mare seems content enough munching away all day but I'd much prefer her out in the field being a horse. We've been looking for a yard for months now and just cant find anywere with TO and suitable facilities, so we have come to the conclusion that we might turn her away now for a month at a friends place (if we can ever get in touch with him :rolleyes: ) then move her back around april-ish when TO is available again at the yard. I know a lot of people happy enough with no TO but each to there own.
 

coen

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No I wouldn't go to a yard with no turnout, I tried it years ago when I lived in London and it really is awful for the horses.
Given the other yard is only an extra ten minutes I would certainly go there, you will save far more time on yard duties when the horses are out for part of the day too.
 

pottamus

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For my horse...no. I would not even ring up about a yard that had no turnout in winter. I would travel further and find one with turnout or rent a field from a farmer instead.
 

opinionuk

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There is no way I would consider a yard without winter turnout, imo I think it is essential that horses have as much turnout as possible, having a horse stabled 24 hours a day is unfair on that horse, what if one day you don't get to ride them and take them out.

I would never dream of going to a livery yard without turnout, horses that are stabled for that about of time often develop stable vices due to boredom and joint problems, totally unfair to keep them without turnout imo.
 

sonjafoers

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I haven't read all the replies but having just had a horse on box rest for 3 weeks and seeing how frustrated she was getting I wouldn't even consider it. It's basically a winter of box rest through choice - insanity imo :eek:
 

Ebenezer_Scrooge

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I'm another who would without doubt drive the extra 10 mins. Assuming you go twice a day - that's an extra 40 mins? Equate that with the extra time you would spend mucking out a second time every day, changing rugs twice to allow the two short turnouts, filling extra nets etc, and extra costs of bedding, haylage etc. and time spent making sure they get exercised/fed every day!

just what I was going to say...:)
 

Always Henesy

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I'm sorry - but am I the only one who questions how someone can claim to have a livery yard when there is no grass available for 6 months of the year?

Every horse should have access to at least an acre of grass all year round - 24/7 if possible. If a yard can only offer a postage stamp mud bath for winter turnout then it shouldn't be in business.

I gave up on livery yards. I approached a local farmer with 15 acres. Asked for grazing all year round - that was 2 years ago and he has since built me 4 indoor barn stables (16x12), fitted automatic water troughs, supplies my hay and even fixed my wheel barrow! All this for £25 a week per horse. My horses have 24/7 turnout if I want it (2 horses to each 4 acre field).
Yes they get trashed - yes 1/3 of the field ends up horrendously muddy. But it's nothing that a good harrowing/rolling and 4 months rest won't sort out.

My horses end up like Hippos/mud monsters - but they are so chilled and happy.
 

MerrySherryRider

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I'm sorry - but am I the only one who questions how someone can claim to have a livery yard when there is no grass available for 6 months of the year?

Every horse should have access to at least an acre of grass all year round - 24/7 if possible. If a yard can only offer a postage stamp mud bath for winter turnout then it shouldn't be in business.

I agree with you completely, but as long as owners continue to use yards with no guaranteed winter turnout ( a sand school/hard standing does not count), then more yards will continue to offer grazing as an optional extra for summer use only.
Locally, its a choice between having facilities and no winter grazing or slumming it on grass livery. There are too many horses packed onto yards without enough land to support them.
25 miles away, in an area with higher land prices, livery yards offer a much better service.
 

Samantha008

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I think youre all very lucky, in my town, ive managed to find the second yard i mentioned previously, and one other that i cant afford that have all year turnout.

The one i mentioned does have one all weather turnout on to grass, but its "limited" and one small grass paddock they allow turnout in as well as the sand school, that isnt used as a school, is used to turnout in all year round/isolation paddock/starvation paddock etc.

Theres only 5 liveries on the yard so should struggle too much for space and theyre out 24/7 through spring and summer and most of autumn. Will have to see what happens, ive put my name on the waiting list for the good place :) :)
 

callan2002

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Hi, just out of interest where is the yard that you're looking at?, maybe one of us could point you in the direction of another yard or give a thumbs up to the one you've looked at??
 

miss_wilson

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I have just moved yards for a similar reason, although we were allowed turnout mon-fri till 12, no turnout at weekends, the yard had a lovely indoor arena..... but my horse is happier out in the field all day, now she has a fantastic 8 acre field to play in and is so much happier.... as am i!!
 
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