I wouldn't worry about pasture boarding him if he has access to hay, shelter, and clean water. I can totally relate as I am going off to college next year and my dream facility is too much money for stall board. They offer pasture board for a fraction of the cost and I am going to do that instead. My horse, much like yours, is happier outside anyway!

 

I fully agree with eventerdrew!

 

I am a college student and I 'pasture' board my horse. They have 2 run in shelters and automatic waterers and hay 2x a day. I am blessed with wonderful BO and when its really cold or rainy and then gets really cold (we have a lot of CRAZY weather here) they bring the pasture boarded horses in and just put them in the indoor arena to get them out of the elements. But I have both stall boarded and pasture boarded and I dont think stall is better in anyway.

 

Oh boy you sound just like me, I had a really hard time when I first got my new horse and had to send her outside to live as opposed to that stall that she was living in before I got her, she did just fine. This winter I did keep her inside but I only did that because I work at the barn and it was cheaper plus she was being trained at the same time. But now she is going back out in march and I am already freaking out, but I know deep down that she will be fine. Just remember that when you first put your horse out with the other horses they will re-oreder thier pecking order and thats okay just ride it out let it happen. GOOD LUCK.

 

I think all horses need outside time. I hate seeing horses locked in a stall all day, only getting out for rides and a few hours of turn out. It's just not natural. That being said, I bring my horses inside for the night over the winter for one reason, and one reason only. Ricci hates the rain and the cold. Leaving her outside would leave her miserable. She is a pampered princess that won't step foot in a drizzle without a blanket on. Would she live if I didn't cater to her preferences? Of course, but there's no reason to. All in all, your horse will be fine outside 24/7 as long as he has adequate shelter. =]

 

You couldn't pay me to indoor board my horses. I, personally, don't much believe in it. Stalling a horse creates nothing but problems, in my opinion. I understand it's a necessity for some, but I really don't think you should feel bad - your horse will probably appreciate his freedom much more. It's better for both circulation and digestion for your horse to be able to roam and preferably graze. We don't even have a barn, our entire crew lives outside year round and out of 8 horses, only 1 needs a blanket in winter.

In my experience, the ONLY reason a horse may appear to prefer a stall is because s/he has learned that they eat there. The multitude of boredom vices that develop out of stalling a horse are a testament to how most feel about being cooped up inside half the time.

 

You couldn't pay me to indoor board my horses. I, personally, don't much believe in it. Stalling a horse creates nothing but problems, in my opinion. I understand it's a necessity for some, but I really don't think you should feel bad - your horse will probably appreciate his freedom much more. It's better for both circulation and digestion for your horse to be able to roam and preferably graze. We don't even have a barn, our entire crew lives outside year round and out of 8 horses, only 1 needs a blanket in winter.

In my experience, the ONLY reason a horse may appear to prefer a stall is because s/he has learned that they eat there. The multitude of boredom vices that develop out of stalling a horse are a testament to how most feel about being cooped up inside half the time.

I completely agree. Horses are healthier both mentally and physically outside as long as they have shelter, fresh water, good grass or hay. BO's couldn't pay me to 'inside' board my horse

 

Living outside is better for horses in just about every way, mental health, digestive, joint and muscle, hooves(if they are barefoot). I used to bring my horse inside for about half the time(more if it was raining) and moving him to 24/7 pasture was absolutly the best horse decision I have ever made. He has always been a colicy horse but since I moved him outside he colics much less often, and when he does colic it is usually mild. He also used to come up lame from an old racing injury several times a year, and I have not any problems with that since he has been outside.

Don't feel bad about keeping your horse outside, he'll be healthier and happier, you will have a fuller pocket book, it's a win win.

 

Oh I'm so happy to hear all these comments.. makes me feel alot better about keeping him outside. Thanks for everyones input

 

I think your overreacting. I have been to many barns and I wouldn't put my horses in even the nicest ones. Horses are happiest when they are outside and not stuffed up in a smelly barn. With outside board you sometimes get bigger stalls and you always get cleaner air and those things are important for your horses.

 

Hmmm I moved Hunter from his always outdoor paddock to an awesome barn. I think he has the best of both worlds now. He has an 18" x 20" stall plus huge paddock so can be in or out his preference. Once the weather gets nicer they are out in field all day long. I would never put him in a situation of being only oin a stall all day long.
I see a lot of places that have the horses in these little sand paddocks all day long. Poor horses.

 

I prefer 'pasture boarding' to stable, or stall board; horses, when they have the choice would rather stand outside, even in the weirdest weather conditions...yes, they may go in and out of a shelter, but most will prefer being able to see and hear around themselves, to being inside, where things might be distorted. I don't think there is anything wrong with pasture board, as you know your horse will always be 'exercised' because he has room to kick up his heels when he wants to. Free choice hay, and water, are 'really' all a horse needs to maintain his body function well. But shelters, atleast a 3 sided one, are always good to have in the pen, so they don't have to stand out in every type of weather; if they desire, they can settle in the shelter to 'warm up' or dry off a bit. Mine all have access to run in, and yet, they are always out and about in cruddy weather...they could care less; it's me that gets weird about it sometimes!Lol!

My mare, who really hates wind, and would hide in her shelter all the time, now stands out in pretty much anything, now that she's realized I will blanket her accordingly. She is body, clipped though too, but she really seems to realize the blankets block the wind, which make her happier to be outside. Lol!

 

I keep my horse on pasture board and my horse, when I first got him, came from a pampered horse farm.

Although, I think I am going to get a stall for the summer time. Just because his feet get sooo crappy and he gets bit up so bad by the other horses and flies.

But, I don't feel bad at all about keeping him out over the winter.

 

Personally we keep our horses outside. Neither of them have ever been stalled in their lives and they're perfectly happy. They have access to fresh water that is filled up every week{we have a large tub} and has a heater in the winter so it doesn't freeze. When it gets to cold they get blankets, they have access to a run in as well as 5-6 acres of trees. Plus they get hay and complete feed morning and night. I love outdoor.

I work at a a stable ad the only differance in my opinion between the two is yeah indoors is warmer in the winter and the horses get a shorter coat so there isn't really the need to clip{to much} but there are a few horses that weave, pace and crib. My outdoor horses never got weaving or pacing problems. They vrib but that's an entirely differant matter.

 

I built my small barn at home so that my horse could go in and out of her stall whenever she wanted and I find that is the best, she has a big paddock that surrounds the barn.

The stable where I board my gelding here is an indoor, his stall is 12x12". Only in the winter they bring them in for the night, other than that their just brought in to feed. I board there because they have an indoor arena, which makes life alot easier when you have a young horse to train, but other than that I like for my horse to have as much outside time as possible.. with that said, a girl who boards there constantly has her horse on "stall rest" because her horse is "lame" when really the only problem is because hes always in his stall, getting stocked up.

 

My horse lives outside 24/7 (with a shelter) and all my future horses will and so have my past ones, I think its best for the health of the horse and most natural.

 

i prefer to have them outside 24/7. unfortunately my barn does not have safe pasture board turnouts so i have both of my horses stalled over the winter & then in the summer i turn my younger mare out 24/7 [my older horse has an old injury & the only open field is on a big hill & i dont want him running up & down it everyday]

 

Guess I am the only one who will NOT pasture board. I wouldn't even consider it. My guy goes out every EVERY day for the daylight hours but come dark they are in. They have clean bright airy stalls well stocked with clean beding, hay, grain and water. The temperature is kept at 32 or slightly less but we work at it to keep it this cool.
My pastures are well treed including alot of big pine trees with the branches cut as high as needed to allow the horse to stand comfortably. My shelter is the best and insulated and located under large pine trees for shade and shelter from the driving rain and snow. A heated water trough and excellent hay in feeders fresh each day. Any old is removed daily.

Come night I want my horse in , dried off, feet picked and put safely away for the night.
NOt a single horse makes us walk into the field to bring them in. Everyone is waiting at the gate. I don't care if it is the food waiting, I don't care. They love their stalls, no stall walking, no cribbing, wobbling or fighting over the wall.
I care less about the cost and only the care.
I will not have pasture board.
That said my guys are out June, July, August and September except if it is a bad lightening storm. Then they come in for the storm and go right back out as soon as it passes.

I don't beleive it is better for a horse to stand out in the freezing cold, high winds , driving rain and misserable wet night.
Just think of the feet standing in mud day after day with no chance to ever dry out. My guys feet are picked daily and he stands in clean fresh bedding every night.
We are snug in our warm houses, in our warm beds, why shouldn't they?

 

Guess I am the only one who will NOT pasture board. I wouldn't even consider it. My guy goes out every EVERY day for the daylight hours but come dark they are in. They have clean bright airy stalls well stocked with clean beding, hay, grain and water. The temperature is kept at 32 or slightly less but we work at it to keep it this cool.
My pastures are well treed including alot of big pine trees with the branches cut as high as needed to allow the horse to stand comfortably. My shelter is the best and insulated and located under large pine trees for shade and shelter from the driving rain and snow. A heated water trough and excellent hay in feeders fresh each day. Any old is removed daily.

Come night I want my horse in , dried off, feet picked and put safely away for the night.
NOt a single horse makes us walk into the field to bring them in. Everyone is waiting at the gate. I don't care if it is the food waiting, I don't care. They love their stalls, no stall walking, no cribbing, wobbling or fighting over the wall.
I care less about the cost and only the care.
I will not have pasture board.
That said my guys are out June, July, August and September except if it is a bad lightening storm. Then they come in for the storm and go right back out as soon as it passes.

I don't beleive it is better for a horse to stand out in the freezing cold, high winds , driving rain and misserable wet night.
Just think of the feet standing in mud day after day with no chance to ever dry out. My guys feet are picked daily and he stands in clean fresh bedding every night.
We are snug in our warm houses, in our warm beds, why shouldn't they?

They have shelter.. they are snug. They're just not 'cage kept' and have the choice to either stay in, or go out as they see fit.

They're not standing in mud constantly but some mud is a good thing. Sure they could cast themselves in the shelter but the percent is so small is a moot point... not like a horse trapped in a cage/stall most of the time.

Outside horses can move about at will which keeps them healthier. Imagine if you were locked up every day or nite with little time outside your cell. At some point it will take a toll on your mind.

 

What do you people do with outside horses if you don't have a nice warm barn to bring them into for brushing?? If it is cold and your horse is outside in the freezing cold do you honestly spend time brushing, picking his feet and grain him??
Since my guy is coming in every evening I am there preparing his stall and then personally bring him in, do my maintainance and tuck him in. The barn is warm , dry, well lite so it encourages boarders to come and hang out.
If the horses are just out in the cold, wind, mud or snow, it is dark so how do you go and spend time???
The enviroment of a nice barn encourages you the owner to work with the horse.

Again regardless of the savings I will not pasture board.

 

What do you people do with outside horses if you don't have a nice warm barn to bring them into for brushing?? If it is cold and your horse is outside in the freezing cold do you honestly spend time brushing, picking his feet and grain him??
Since my guy is coming in every evening I am there preparing his stall and then personally bring him in, do my maintainance and tuck him in. The barn is warm , dry, well lite so it encourages boarders to come and hang out.
If the horses are just out in the cold, wind, mud or snow, it is dark so how do you go and spend time???
The enviroment of a nice barn encourages you the owner to work with the horse.

Again regardless of the savings I will not pasture board.

Yes, I do as do others 'like' me :lol:. We're not wuss's. Savings, although welcomed, isn't the issue

 

I prefer to have the option of bringing my horses in at night, or if they became injured or whatever. I just like knowing they have a stall to go in if needed. I do like them to be outside as much as possible though. In the summer, they're out all the time and rarely come in. I also like grooming them inside, much much warmer. lol

 

Ahem, YES actually, we DO. We are outside everyday regardless of weather to feed and water. Maybe that will change when we get older, but enough layers is enough to keep you moderately warm. We don't have the option of a nice barn, and we are outside "suffering" right alongside our poor horses. We spend hours in the bitter cold grooming riding or even just playing with them. Who needs light? In dead winter, the snow reflects enough off the cloud cover to make seeing quite easy if you let your eyes adjust. We always ride at night.

Do I sometimes wish we had a barn for truly bitter and horrific weather? Of course I do. But we don't, and our horses are conditioned for the weather. Wild horses fare every year in bitter elements and with a lot less help then we give our horses. Yes, obviously some die due to the natural selection process, but that doesn't negate from the fact that horses were designed to live naturally, not as pampered pets. I would never advise someone to take a pampered pet and boot them out into the cold, but our crew has lived this way since they were born. The fact that we deal with extremely smart animals who are rarely ever injured or lame and have never suffered from issues like colic is enough to tell me we're doing just fine.

 

Lots of people throw their pampered pets out on pasture board. The neighbour girl is going to university and she just threw her horse in a field, not even a shelter, just blanketed him and there he was. I stopped in and her mother said she can no longer afford the board so she threw it in a small small field and they are building a shelter. He is well blanketed but alone. From a barn and companions to alone outside in the dark, cold, wet. Sure you can do it. What is the horse going to do about it??
Die??
Wild horse don't stand out in the open, they have warmer, sheltered areas in the bush or a hollow, they move, they know the warmed spots.
It can be a bad blizzard out and I head out down into the swamp where not a breeze can be felt. I know pockets that trap the sun even of -18 degree days. Wild horses are not restricted by fencing and do not stand out in the open and endure.
I also don't believe wild horse quality of life is equal to a pampered pet. Worming alone will take it's toll. How about hoof care in wild horses??

A 600 to 750 square foot barn is not that expensive and comfortably holds 4 horse.

 

Our horses have food, water and shelter. I am not paying to build a barn on someone elses property. That money is going towards my OWN property. When I do build a barn, it will be used for emergencies and horses who require it. Our horses thrive outside, I will not change that. With as cold as our winters get, unless you can afford a heavily insulated barn or a heat source, I firmly believe it is better for horses to be moving around outside and eating to keep warm then to be standing in a stall.

Boarding options around here entail a stall at night with daily turn out in a paddock. I will not reduce my animals to a space the size of my living room at an additional cost of $300 a month. I have been in a boarding situation with my Arab mare and she dropped more weight then a Tijuana crack *****. She thrives on open space, and I could not imagine any of our crew being happier in a barn when they are accustomed to always being free.

 

. I am not paying to build a barn on someone elses property. That money is going towards my OWN property. .

I certainly can see your point. I wouldn't build a barn on someone elses property either.

As for the dropping weight because the horse was stalled???? That I don't see.

I am against 24/7 stalling too.

 

I've never been to Canada but I've heard it gets pretty cold.

Here in Australia, it doesn't usually get below 0 degrees celcius in the dead middle of winter. In 95% of places it doesnt snow, and even if it did it would only lightly snow and only for a couple of days. So I would appreciate if you would quit acting like having a horse in pasture board is like animal cruelty or something and it should never be done.

It is a horse not a 2 day old baby, funnily enough they(the horse) WILL survive the winter. As long as they have food, water, and preferably shelter, then I don't see anything wrong with it. I guess you could call pasture board more natural but there isnt really anything wrong with stall board either. We don't need it dramatised about the horrible cold windy rain. Its the weather. Its crap some days and lovely the next. Horses can be conditioned to do just about anything. They are originally (and still are) a wild animal, and did survive all those cold windy snowy nights without a stall. If they didnt they simply would be extinct. Whether they found those warm spots or simply they were conditioned to the climate because thats where they were born and their parents etc.

If anyone would like to stall board thats great for them and its there horse and its there choice, but the same applies to pasture board.

 

I've never been to Canada.
I would appreciate if you would quit acting like having a horse in pasture board is like animal cruelty or something and it should never be done.

.

I think it is. Down the road there are about 50 horses standing in an open wind swept field. I ride past them all the time. They have no options of finding selters in the bush out of the wind. They just stand and endure. Sometimes it rains heavy and then freezes at night. How do these guys get dry to endure the freezing night temperatures?? They don't, they just stand and suffer.
While I ride my horse hard I will not see him stand outside at minus 18 in heavy winds and blowing snow with feet that are constantly wet.
Wind is tiring and again what can the horse do about it anyway except DIE??


They will survive but the quality of care is not there. It is all about money, the cost of pasture board vs Stable board.
And you can't tell me that people having horses standing out in the cold , the wet, the rain are going to brush and clean and pick feet like horse that live in a nice warm well lite barn with other boarders doing the same thing?? No way
Going out andhrowing hay and water to a bunch of horses outside is one thing but to honestly dry out the horse and put him in a nice warm stall for the night doesn't compare in care.

I have had horse for more then 50 years and never have I had a horse stand out in the bad weather , the cold weather over night and I never will.
Call me cruel for caring but I will not pasture board.

That said out the last year the horses have never one single day been confined to their stalls all day. Average is about 12 hours out, 12 hours in but again depends on the sun rise and the sun set.

As for cold, insulation is cheap and any stable insulated with horses stays about freezing with just the body heat of the horses.
If I close the door the temperatue at -18 or 0 F is about 38-40F .
I have to leave a door partly open to try and maintain 32F where I like it.

 

I find it pretty insulting that you are implying that people who pasture board are causing their horses to suffer. Horses are not people. They have different needs. My horse is not miserable in the cold because he has been outside all year long and has grown a coat to protect him from the wind, and cold. He has a shelter to go in if it is raining, but nine times out of ten he does not use it. I imagine if the rain was making him miserable he would probably go under his shelter don't you?

I have a barn where I board and a stall to use if I wish. My horse is in said stall for about twenty minutes every day, long enough to eat his grain portion. I like having the stall for injury and illness but when I am forced to use it I can immediate see my horse becomes unhappy. He either paces around or stands dejected in the corner, when I take him out to hot walk he tries to pull me to the barn door to get back to his pasture. I know well and good that pasture boarding is what is best for my horse and I will never put him in a stall unless he is injured or ill and my vet tells me to put him on stall rest.

 

Money is not the issue. Yeah, we all love saving a little money, but if by some twisted plot of fate my horse required a stall, I would not shirk that duty - obviously as she HAS been stall boarded before.

Zierra has also cast herself in a stall before, thank god I found her in time. Ever since then, she won't roll all the way over when she rolls because she panics when she's on her back. After I found her, she was shaking so bad she could barely stand up, I had to spend an hour walking her around and rubbing her legs to help circulation.

I really don't care what your personal opinion is, it's yours and obviously nothing is going to convince you we aren't horse abusers. I don't care what some idiot down the road does to his animals, ours have food, water and shelter and they're fatter then summer ticks.

I already stated that indoor boarding around here typically involves only the use of a small turnout pen. If it's not a small turnout, it's in a large pasture with numerous other bigger and nastier horses. Zierra loses weight because she either frets it away from being cooped up, or from having the snot kicked out of her by other horses keeping her away from the food. There is no such thing as a pasture around here that offers grazing unless it's a massive outdoor boarding facility, WHICH WE ALREADY DO. I will not take away my horses right to roam and graze because someone seems to think she's abused from not being confined to a little stall half her day.