| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jaj |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 12:48:19 PM
I'm humming and hawing over leaving K and the pony out all night as she won't tolerate a rug but it still gets quite chilly at night although only cold as opposed to wet and/or windy.
I've had another cortizone injection in my arm so forbidden from mucking out or doing anything much for a month  ! I'm paying my friend to muck out at the moment but wondered if I should just leave them out as it is nearly May  .
What's everyone else doing at the moment?
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Nichole Waller |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 3:27:44 PM
It's heaven not having to muck two out every day and do the early mornings. I always feel so guilty about laying in bed when they are stabled over night and i try to get to the yard as early as possible to turn them out.
I had a lay in yesterday until 8.30am which was wonderful...! It's still very cold at night though. Dropped to -1 last night here in Essex. Mine don't seam to mind the cold and Ozzy is only having a thin rain sheet on at night (with no fill in in whatsoever) and he is lovely and warm in the mornings when i go up to take them off. 
Roll on warmer nights so they can be rug less 24/7...!
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| Cinnypony |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 9:11:19 PM
Cinny been out all winter, but has been naked 24/7 for 2 weeks, especially as bib/belly clip turning to summer coat nicely.
However they have their own woods for shelter and round bale haylage. |
| debs |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 7:55:59 PM
I love having them in half and half... but Ali is so much happier out, so there he stays!!! Must confess I did bring him in a little to try and keep the dreaded mud fever at bay.
Every horse we have had on this land has got it.... and hurrah he didnt get it!!!
Hopefully will stay out 24/7...just got to keep an eye on that tum! |
| katemaciver |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 7:32:07 PM
I prefer to have them in at night and then I know what they are up to altho I do give in to pressure from my co mucker outer when its warm enough to leave them out!. It is nice to get a break in the summer but up here in the frozen north its a very short summer anyway. We had snow on the ground yesterday morning- they even have their rugs back on during the day this week.
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| Anne C |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 12:53:16 PM
I totally agree regarding individual personalities etc. My stallion had a nasty accident Good Friday, really thought he was going to die, which has meant him spending a lot more time in his stable and to be honest he is as happy as larry. He's now allowed turnout , under supervision, but he's more than happy to come back in after a while. Had brought one of the mares in for company at night but after a couple of nights in she made it perfectly clear that she wanted to go back out with her mates!!
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| Tahir |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 10:48:21 AM
All these responses just go to show that each and every horse needs to be listened to and observed to provide them with the best care possible and to suit each individual. Having 10 at home (not all mine) we do cater for personalities and needs. Some like to be in, some prefer to be out regardless of weather; some love their rugs, others would prefer to die than wear a rug  ; some like to 'work/play', some prefer to lounge in the field/stable.
Getting the equation right can sometimes be a nightmare, but when it works = happy horse/owner IMVHO  |
| Zan |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 09:34:51 AM
Pat---your horses sound just like mineThey love their stables. I prefer it this way as well, because it is so much easier to control their weight. When they are out they have 8 acres of really interesting field, with rises to gallop up and survey the world from, and sheltered bits etc., and when they are in they can relax. I personally hate to see horses confined to tiny bare paddocks where they are bored to tears, and I prefer to run back and fore to them like a yo-yo so that they get good quality turnout/time in their stables to control their weight. |
| jaj |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 08:46:06 AM
Pat it is a help because sometimes you think it is your own neurosis that is keeping them in when I know in my heart that she loves her stable except in the height of summer! You feel like they OUGHT to want to be out being horses but know that for some reason, probably as you say security, that they want to be 'safe' in their stables. I think that her son will be the same, he loves his stable and always more than happy to come in.
Well she can come in at night until I can't catch her and then I know she's happy to be out all night  !
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| pat day |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 08:36:43 AM
Jen, mine come in everynight all year, and nothing to do with the weather.
They hate being out past their fetch in time.
Shanaara a rescue who I was told hated being in, is the first to start to remind me of the time.!!
Example: I had my stable yard re-concreted last year, and they had to stop out 2 nights. They were very upset and were still marching around the gate at 2am.
When they did come in they had their feeds, left their hay and slept.....
Its their choice, but security wise, I think I would anyway.
No help to you I know. |
| abcoboy |
Posted - 22 Apr 2010 : 08:25:43 AM
My girls been out all winter too ... (with the option of coming into barn if she wants - not that she did) ... she's naked now and loving it ... typical girl |
| jaj |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 11:05:10 PM
Well the girls are back in their stables tonight  .
My friend fed them and then decided to muck out as she couldn't do it earlier in the week, K came and watched for a bit and then stood with the pony. They had already had their tea in the field and my friend called and they galloped over like the hounds of hell were after them ! No doubt in her mind that it is still too cold (well for K at least) so in they come until it warms up a bit.
The ground is like concrete at the moment and the grass seemed to have stopped completely in its tracks as it is so dry, never thought I would be praying for a drop of rain right now !
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| BeckyBoodle |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 10:52:56 PM
Eba lives out 24/7 in a small group all year. She doesn't seem to mind cold weather and always feels toasty under her rug even when it was really cold and she has mini icicles on her beard and ear hair. Living out really seems to suit her and she is so chilled and calm that I get all the comments about how she can't be a real arab.
She has a Bucas Power rug without any filling on at the mo which comes off during the day when I am not at work. I can't wait til these cold nights stop and she can go fully bare. A friend has already stripped her horses, but they are hardier cob types and this morning when I got in the car, the temperature guage registered -0.5, so for me that is a bit too cold.
Roll on summer.
B
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| angelarab |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 10:09:42 PM
Baz has been out for almost two weeks, ita's that or on his own in the yard! Well i am happy he is happy AND we managed the North Wales Show without looking like a hairy hippo! he has filled turn out at night and flysheet during day for play protection |
| Oregana |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 10:05:19 PM
jaj. I wouldn't worry too much. Emmie has not been in at all this winter, except on the very worst of nights. Half a dozen nights at most. She's not overkeen on a stable and lives out with a shelter. She just has a lightweight rug on now. She's doing very nicely, is 28 years old and has lived out full time for the last 10 years. |
| gossy |
Posted - 21 Apr 2010 : 12:38:10 PM
Mine wont stay out at night until mid may as is it is still really chiily at night and in the morning, also mine are still at the gate to come in, my indicator is when they are quite happy still eating grass and not stood at the gate waiting to come in |
| Kazzy |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 10:11:28 AM
Zan, I worry about Lami all the time having lost my mare to it 3 years ago, even though she never got it from grass she got concussive Lami. He is not fat but is mother never was either and she got it, I get him out everyday twice a day and walk him bakc to the stables on the hard and hopefully will notice if he goes a bit footy.
The horses are out in a 10 acre field that has been grazed since begining of the new year and is quite rough, if and when we move them the cows will have been on the other fields before they get to eat it.
Janet
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| joanna_piana |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 09:35:18 AM
Aren't you all lucky to have the option of 24/7 turnout. None of the yards round here have that anymore. There is one yard that offers grass livery but that is in a big mixed herd of around 30 horses and I couldn't take the risk. |
| guisburnfeefee |
Posted - 20 Apr 2010 : 08:43:30 AM
farmer won't let us out overnight just yet grrrr.
hopefully first bank holidsy weekend in May then again hopefully out till back end of October |
| Smiler |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 10:34:06 PM
mine are out 24/7 anyway but now have there rugs off too |
| jamie |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 10:32:06 PM
Still bit too cold where I am - had to defrost car this morning Hopefully not much longer... |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 9:46:08 PM
Jen mine are out 24/7 as you know. Over the past two nights, it's been so lovely here - and they're both turned out onto new grass - that they've been rugless... If it turns cold or wet and windy, I'll put rugs back on, but they seem fine.
I don't think you have much of a choice with K. Like Lance she tells you what she'll put up with!
Horses weren't born with rugs on, and they survived thousands of years without stables either.
Don't feel bad; the weather's on the up now!!
XX |
| Tahir |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 9:29:47 PM
Helllooooo Jen Dolly is one of the 5 who come in at night purely because I want to keep her in a routine ready to cover her, and she is keeping the other 2 young ladies and the boys company  . She could easily live out at the moment though.
Not entirely sure if we have dust from the dry weather or ash from the volcano  |
| phoenixbruka |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 9:11:21 PM
I'm in Derbyshire Jaj |
| jaj |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 8:53:30 PM
Does help thank you!
My mare is weird though, she loves her stable and hates rugs - she should have been a cat .
Oh well she's out there now and hopefully not having a hissy fit  .
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| taranstorm |
Posted - 19 Apr 2010 : 8:48:58 PM
All mine turned out 24/7 without rugs as they need air in their coats especially had to wear rugs on all time in winter! All happier out rather then stabled even i have stables but never use it unless need use it! out better to have more room to move around rather then stabled as i never keen on them cooped up in stables but that my views  |
