i would keep horses out. i think it keeps their energy level down. or you could keep them in the stall and work with them every day with a 3 hour turn out time.

 

Ours are out all year...well, right now with the exception of Tango, because the vet placed her on "stall rest". They have a run-in but live outside. I guess the reason-apart from the fact they're horses/outside animals and it's healthier for them, is that we only have one stall anyways-for emergencies and special occasions and such. It would be impossible to stall them all.

 

Mine are out all year. I dont have a barn even if i wanted to keep them in! I have a small portable pen incase one needs to be contained for some reason (injury) but other than that they're built to withstand the wind, rain & snow. Maybe a winter blanket if the horse really needs it, but they're by no means babied to the extreem where i keep them in a barn all the time & blanketed when they're outside.

 

Are you saying they are out all year with out shelter?
Do not agree with that. They need shelter from the wind and elements.
A wet horse and wind are not the best thing.

 

Ours have walk in walk out barns, we would never shut them in less they had to be restricted for some reason. My older quarter horse has a winter blanket, but only wears it if there is freezing rain/ice. She usually likes to stand in her stall in bad weather anyway.

 

My barn is designed so the horses can walk in and out of their stalls whenever they want, so I leave them out for the majority of the time. The only time I lock them in is if the paddock is getting really muddy and nasty or is flooding. But usually if it is raining hard enough they will go in the stall on their own anyways.

 

All of ours are outside all year long. Most of them are in a large pasture where they have trees to get under for shade and protection from the elements. It is easier, no stalls to clean every day, keeps their energy down, and lets them just be horses with a herd.

 

OUT. bottom line, it's better for them.

 

Not always. Some horses just do not do well in extremely cold temps, or in seasons where bugs are bad. So they may need a break from the elements to insure they stay happy and healthy.

Most my horses are out 24/7 w shelter. I do however have an old mare that CANNOT stay out during bug season, she just gets so worked up and agitated, that she paces, runs, and plain out goes mental....so she needs to be in the barn during the high bug activity then gets turned out later.

I also have a gelding that has COPD, so during harvest, he needs a break from being outside as all the dust in the air agitates his condition, so he goes out early am, comes in for the afternoon, and then goes out again at night.

My mares n foals are also turned in a night, as we have coyotes that have and will take down foals....not fun:-(

So yes, horses outside as much as possible is best, but there are some very valid reasons that some horses do need to have a break from "nature".

Also in all my 30plus yrs of working/being involved in the horse industry I NEVER seen anyone keep their horses in 24/7?????

 

My mare used to live out all year round and the horses were fed hay in the field to share and she had her dinner. As she has got older, she doesn't eat as quickly as the others so it concerned me that she wasn't getting her fair share. I also found she was losing more weight than I liked over the winter. So now she lives out in the summer, comes in during the winter but only at night time. This has solved all my problems really, she gets plenty of time on grass and she is inside overnight to give her a rest from the horrible weather. I can also monitor what she eats so I can adjust her feed to suit any weight loss and she can take as much time as she needs.

 

Our mares are out all the time. They have a shelter and trees if they want to get out of the sun/wind. They're outside animals...it's just healthier all around.

 

Mine both have stalls, but are out either all day or all night, depending on the season. Just like a stall so they have a break from the flies, elements, etc, and, frankly, so I don't always have to go WAY out to get them to ride when time is limited.

 

hmm, seems like most people keep theirs out most of the time. Where are the people with horses who keep them in 24/7? i always wanted to ask about it at my barn but thought it would be rude. lol, i dont want to be offensive..im just curious.

 

^^i wonder the same thing..some people at my barn keep theirs in everyday. my BO said it has to do with them not wanting the sun to bleach them and stuff. most of the time when their owners get them out to ride they are very high strung...

 

Outside. 1- our horses hate barns, if we kept them inside... well, we wouldnt have a barn. 2- they get to frisky. And 3- There really isn't really any point in bringing your horses inside when the barn floor is just as much, if not more, of a mud pit than the pastures(WhyTF do these Amish build there barns in the lowest spot and dig a hole for "foundation"? do they WANT the barn to turn into the Abyss every time it rains?)
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Two "really"s in the same sentance one after the other... thats gonna drive me nuts!
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My horse's rear legs stock up easily if he's confined to a stall, so he's out 24/7 with a run-in shed for protection from weather. I'd rather he have a stall, but he ultimately made the decision.

 

My grandparents have Standardbreds and growing up, the broodmare band was always outside 24/7 until winter for foaling. The horses in training and racing were kept inside except for short turn outs to prevent the risk of getting an injury. Even now, its the same thing.

At the barn I ride at, the horses are out 24/7 unless it is bad weather, and then in the winter the horses come in at night time. In really cold weather they stay in as well.

 

It depends for my guys-
I leave them out as much as I can, but they don't have a run-in. Sooo, during the summer, if it's raining really hard/storming or very hot & humid during the day they're in with fans. Then they're turned out at night when it's a bit cooler.

During the winter, if it's a very bitter cold/windy night or heavy snow, they're in.

Mainly due to lack of a run-in. The only other times they're in would be overnight before a show.

 

Out! Champ is claustophobic and he looks good when hes out!

 

Mine goes out for about 4 hours during the day right now, plus she's either ridden or worked for another hour.

She's being worked up to being outside all day and inside at night, she was recently moved from a dry lot, so she can't be out in the pasture all day yet (has tons and tons of brome hay growing in it).

 

Rena is in an outdoor stall, its just a bunch of stalls built like a oober long shelter with stall walls breaking them up into stalls, I love it because they are in fresh air and have stuff to look at and not in a dark barn or anything. But its super warm in there in the winter, and cool in the summer, and its protected from all the wind and rain and sleet and stuff.
But the horses are let out from about 8 AM to 4 PM in a big group paddock. But i love it because Rena can get a little skinny in the winter sometimes, so we can give her extra oats and stuff, and the horses can get their own amount of hay that they need (instead of the big fatties in the feil eating it up, lol) and if we need to we can give her
supplements and stuff without other horses eating them.

 

Outside 24/7 during MOST of the year, with trees and a run in. My guys do get stalled in the barn, during the dead coldest part of winter, at night only, still turned out during the day. Just because it gets uber-cold and snowy here. I would prefer to leave them out year around - but they all try to cram into the run in and now that we are up to 9 horses on the property they don't all fit - and I'd feel horrible for the ones left out. Plus since I have some fatties, I can more closely monitor the hay they individually get by bringing them in at night.

 

Ours are out 24/7 during every season but winter, when they stay in at night.
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My show horses stay out every dry day either am or pm depending on the season. This is for a lower risk of losing shoes, for a little extra energy, and to moniter their diet. My lesson horses stay out 24/7 but have an open barn for shelter.
I knew some people who kept their horses in 24/7 and it was usually to "prevent injuries"

 

Mine are out 24/7 too. They get rugged up in the winter and have plenty of trees for shelter. My pregnant mare has a run in shed, that she flat out refuses to use (she has trees too). I don't have a barn to put them in, plus having a few older horses, its better for them to be able to stretch the legs whenever they need to.

 

Also in all my 30plus yrs of working/being involved in the horse industry I NEVER seen anyone keep their horses in 24/7?????

Unfortunately, I have. I have one right now that was sent to me for training that cribs and weaves, even in the larger outdoor pen I have him in. I asked his owner and he said he was born and spent all 4 of his years in a stall :?.

 

My ponies are out 24-7 no rugs nothing in winter there moved to a mountain where they have free run of one side from OCtober untill march this gives my land at home much needed rest so it doesnt become horse tiered.

My horses are stabled October to March as they drop weight badly in winter so i can monitor and control there weoght. Plus i ride them for the winter so it makes sense that i dont need to climb a mountain to get a wet cold horse and try ride. It also prevents issues such as rain scald and mud fever on my fine skinned horses which there prone to.

The yard i worked in the majority of horses were stabled year round there out time was 2weeks of holidays and that was the height of there grass intake for year poor horses.