24/7 turnout

[racaille]

This has come up again and again so I thought I start a little discussion about it.

My boys are now all out 24/7. Racaille always has been and has never been rugged. Paco was put out several weeks ago as an experiment and I'm thrilled at how he's enjoying himself - both has access to round bales or hay or luzerne 24/7. Paco has loads more energy, die to the increased feed that I could not have dared do when he was in overnight. His legs are also fine now as they were getting a bit filled overnight when he was standing still in his box. He is rugged (in fact, I've just ordered two new ones from the UK ;D) but so far we haven't had any really severe weather: the snow was no problem, but it hasn't got really cold or windy or rainy, just a light bit of drizzle. There is no shelter in Paco's paddock but he seems not to care - the other day when I took off his rug a bit late (he's naked during the day) he was actually too hot!
The other surprise success is the rather fragile TB who started it all off. She is prone to colic (and anything else she can imagine in her dizzy little head ;D) and eventually it was the vet who suggested rugging her up and leaving her out. She is utterly changed for the better!

In fact, the only horses who come in at night now are the two competition horses that are clipped and - annoyingly - a former RC horse (who has never before been stabled , ever!) whose new owner wants the 5* service. In fact the mare would be much happier outside too.

Obviously Triangle is out all the time, as he always has been. The little b*gger does have a box he could wander into if he chose to, but he doesn't. He snacks around the 'garden' all day and all night but I regulate the hay (plus he gets a handful of hard feed) so he doesn't get too porky.

I realise 24/7 turnout is not feasible for some, but I am very pleased with this regime. ;D So over to you, for your thoughts .......

[Becca]

I LOVE 24/7 TURNOUT!

thats all i really have to say ;D I bang on about it enough so won't bore you all again

[Jen]

bloss loves being out 24/7 and even though shes in at night now and has adapted well i think its only coz its where she gets fed and has her hay. shes only in at night coz she has a small field and ruth doesnt want it getting all churned up.

[fimacg]

I would love 24/7 turnout, however since we built the stables my field has never been the same. We had to strip the top soil off an area spread a load of subsoil (up to 50cm deep and then top it off again, that area is on the top of the hill but because we messed about with soil structure it gets really water logged, the water just sits on top and doesn't shed.

So for the sake of my field I am having to limit turnout to between 1/2 to a full day depending on the weather. i.e if dry or frozen they can go out for a full day, if wet its a half day.

I also wouldn't turn out 24/7 during high risk periods in spring and autumn for grass sickness. So I guess I am saying no it doesn't work for me, though I am sure the horses would cope brilliantly (unless one of them got grass sickness - which I really hope will never ever happen to me again)

[fleabitten]

Well, I havent really got a chance to test it.

During summer 07 we tried to leave Connie out 24/7 as much as possible but this didnt work for her as she got tired for some reason and lost a bit of weight.

With Princess we had to experiment. She did brilliantly out 24/7 in a strip graze field and we gave her a little bit of grass every day - we also tried stabling her at night but i felt she should stay out as its good for her. She did have connies old stable to wander into if she liked but she was scared of it as it has a low roof and is dark!

My RS has the school horses out 24/7 during the summer and she closely monitors for laminitis and catches it early. They are gradually stabled more and more. In the autumn they will get rugs on for a few weeks, then get clipped and live out with rugs on and then finally they will be stabled. At the minute they are stabled 24/7 although im sure they get out on a sunday or at least into the arena.

So will have to keep experimenting. Im hoping to let my next one live out as much as possible especially as its not likely to be clipped in the winter, although i dont know yet what im doing next winter school/work wise!

My aunties horses are living out most of the time (except bad weather) and they arent clipped but they wear rugs all the time. They arent really doing much except for the odd hack so it makes sense and saves mucking out!

[spotti]

I'd love to let Faith live out 24/7 - she lived out for a month or so over the summer (because she got strangles and was in quarantine) - because she was so much happier and more cooperative when she lived with her horsey friends. She doesn't do bad in her stable, and is currently stabled practically all the time (she is allowed half a day T/O every other day, but so far the weather has been horrid on our days or the grass has been frosty and that is just asking to give her lami, so she's only been out once). She does get ridden/walked/played with every day and she doesn't seem too fussed, but I know she'd be happier with more T/O.

I'm trying to persude my parents (via my sister lol) to look at land near-ish to our house back home or at yards with 24/7 T/O (even if it was just through the summer) so I can let her live out at some point, but its still a working progress...

[Blonde Donkey]

Our beasts are out all the time.
Bracken doesn't care where she is as long as she has a good supply of hay and water
Savs hated being in and jumped of a stabe five times in one night (made PC camp more interesting )
Sunshine was stabled when we bought him but he liked having the room to run away that he had when he was turned out (and we have no stables so he had to lump it ;D)
Dainty has never been in a stable in her life (only started wearing a rug 2 years ago) which for a TB is good.
It is easier on us not having to muck out everyday and tbh all the gang like being out and being in the pairs they are they all have someone to play with and have worked out a kind of herd dynamic (though maybe not Savs is in charge of Dainty, Brax is in charge of Savs and Dainty is in charge of Brax and sunshine just gallops round teasing them all

[jane]

My old boy Rockefeller was out 24/7, in winter he wore a good rug because of his age (he was 40 when he died.) At one time I was fortunate to have a stable which had 24 hour access to his field.... he only ever came in to get his feed.

Deb's is also out 24/7, she has a lightweight high neck rug, more to keep her clean bacause I ride so much, she is fed ab lib hay and two little feeds a day of just lo-cal and a bit of chaff, she hasn't lost any weight this winter. Because she is new to me I have been checking her weight with a weigh tape every week just to check that she stays healthy.

I love 24/7 but I have only ever had welshies/hardy types.

[haffyfan]

Mine are out 24/7 rugged as appropriate with a field shelter as Murph hates being stabled and I strongly doubt Harry would have ever been stabled in his life. Murph is a laminitic ISH (mainly TB and quite finely built) and most people are shocked he lives out but in the right conditions any horse is better out I say. His weight is closely monitered and their grazing restricted (all year) as appropriate and supplemented with hay and he hasn't had an attack for almost 4 years now (since his initial bout).
4th paragraph 2nd page laminitics and grass

During winter I strip graze them daily until they have full field alonside hay (usually adlib but again have to watch the waistlines) and hifi lite and alfabeet. In spring they are restricted to about 3/4 acre ish which is already grazed down from winter and use this until September/October when they begin strip grazing again (after the sheep have been on rest of field first). They have a smaller amount of hay in spring/summer but again it's fed as needed. This year They had very little hay really as Murph was able to safely graze a little more than previously (basically I am relaxing the more time goes on and as I am getting better at managing his weight etc)

[zara]

I would much prefer to keep AJ out 24/7 however at our present yard, although possible, would not be to my convenience. Before I bought AJ he lived out for 2 years however in our present situation he is more than happy to come in at night (ready and waiting and very eager to come in). I think if you have the right environment and some shelter, horses are much happpier living out. I think we all forget that they are in fact horses not human beings, after all they don't mely in the rain or blow away Zx

[jack]

mine are all out 24/7 2 hard feeds a day and hay jack is the only one ruged if you can call it that more like a mini skirt both sam and george have rather wooly coats and sam wont let you near him with a rug
but i would like to at least have a stable so that when ( mostly jack) gets misable he could just have a hour or so in a stable to have a rest but over all i think most horses are happyier out

[scattymare]

Sancy is out 24/7 with access to her stable. She is rugged overnight and if it's dry the YO kindly takes rugs off during the day to give them a breather. In the past they have come in at night over winter but you know what, she looks happier and healthier than she's ever been. She came in for a week overnight when she had the bout of mud fever and instantly started to drop weight. As soon as she was back out she's nice and round & has a shiny coat. Hopefully the grass will last us the winter.

[brigadier]

Its certainly more natural for them and if they can adapt to it and thrive then why not. If I had my own place (if wishes were carrots!) then I would probably do it with the option of a shelter.
I dont think it would save that much money though (tell me if Im wrong?) as what youd save on bedding you'd spend on rugs???

[jane]

Hi Brig

I think keeping them out 'can' work out cheaper.

Deb's has a thin turnout - simply to keep her clean for riding, she gets ad-lib hay - my field is poor so I would rather feed extra hay to make sure she gets enough. She gets two small feeds a day (lo-cal with chaff) and it is working out very reasonable this year.

BUT when I had my old boy, he was better out because he was arthritic but he was fed a vastly more expensive diet (I dare not say what I spent in the latter years.) He was rugged in winter with a good quality heavy weight rug, thinner one for autumn/spring days.... I know his feed bill alone cost more than bedding/feed etc for an indoor horse so think it is all relative really.

jane

[haffyfan]

Probably true initially Brig but once they have a full wardrobe you only have to replace when needs must (just as with any other horse and the indoor rugs aren't needed) and because I rug according to the weather daily my rugs actually don't always get the same hammer as rugs do when horses are turned out daily and generally wear same one everytime if you get me. Sometimes some of them are not worn for weeks on end...anyhow I like buying rugs (bought one not 30 mins ago ;D ) but I didn't like buying expensive bedding for my horse to use as a toilet having it would seem done a camel impersanation all day until they came in

[FirenLady]

Mine both live out 24/7. One weaves the other box walks...says it all. and Lady is 27 and TB Aswell! They have access to shelter during the coldest and hottest weather and guess whens the only time it gets used....

Yep, Hot weather! Fire puts himself in the stable during the heat of the day.

[racaille]

Well, I think Brig has a point. I've bought inexpensive rugs that will be much cheaper than bedding for the winter (assuming they last) but Paco is eating a great deal more. On the other hand, he has no hard feed now, but he and his paddock mate get through a round bale of luzerne very quickly.