I do! I turn out in wind, rain and snow. The only time I won't turn out is if the wind is going to cause an issue to fences and the main electric gate, I'd hate for him to escape, or it's lashing down so much and nobody turns out because leaving Toffee out in the field with no other horses in the lashing rain, stresses him out and he races up and down until someone gets him in.
Which brings me to the point of this topic...... not turning out for no other reason than you don't want your horse to get muddy. Now does anyone actually do this because this is a major bug bear of mine.
Correct me if I am wrong but horses are meant to be out in fields, grazing and generally being a horse right? This includes getting muddy. So unless you have a medical reason why not to turn out, a show the next day or suchlike, then why not turn out? There are horses on my yard that do not get turned out, some have been in the stable for weeks with no turnout. Why? Because their owners think it's too cold/wet/muddy. As a result, for the past god knows how long, Toffee's field has been empty. He has had it all to himself. This would be great normally but as much as Toffee likes to insist that he hates other horses, he doesn't. He likes the company. I hate him being on his own but I still turn him out as he's better in the field in my opinion and I have no legitimate reason to keep him in. It annoys me when people don't turn out incase their horse gets dirty or cold. I feel like saying "they're a horse, get a grip!" but obviously I bite my tongue.
So today, after our hack, out Toffee went. On his own. Because apparently the farrier was coming in the afternoon so of course none of the horses could be out in the morning, they were all stabled. Apart from my friend's horse who turns her horse out no matter what (like me) and would rather die than have her stabled for no good reason. But her horse is in a different field. I felt awful leaving Toffee in the field alone. He looked awfully miserable but I made myself walk away and sure enough, half an hour later, he was happily grazing away.
I'm going to get him in early-ish (3pm) when people in the other fields get their horses in so he's not the last out but honestly this really bugs me. We treat horses more like humans sometimes. I know it's good to care and I love my pony to the moon and back, I really, really do worship him but not turning out because of some mud seems completely ridiculous and really unfair on the horses.
Am I the only one who feels this way? Is anyone on a yard where turnout is restricted for whatever reason and how do you get on with it being this way? I couldn't imagine not turning him out. He's a responsive ride anyway without me adding to it and keeping him in. I'd have a coiled spring situation I think!!
Which brings me to the point of this topic...... not turning out for no other reason than you don't want your horse to get muddy. Now does anyone actually do this because this is a major bug bear of mine.
Correct me if I am wrong but horses are meant to be out in fields, grazing and generally being a horse right? This includes getting muddy. So unless you have a medical reason why not to turn out, a show the next day or suchlike, then why not turn out? There are horses on my yard that do not get turned out, some have been in the stable for weeks with no turnout. Why? Because their owners think it's too cold/wet/muddy. As a result, for the past god knows how long, Toffee's field has been empty. He has had it all to himself. This would be great normally but as much as Toffee likes to insist that he hates other horses, he doesn't. He likes the company. I hate him being on his own but I still turn him out as he's better in the field in my opinion and I have no legitimate reason to keep him in. It annoys me when people don't turn out incase their horse gets dirty or cold. I feel like saying "they're a horse, get a grip!" but obviously I bite my tongue.
So today, after our hack, out Toffee went. On his own. Because apparently the farrier was coming in the afternoon so of course none of the horses could be out in the morning, they were all stabled. Apart from my friend's horse who turns her horse out no matter what (like me) and would rather die than have her stabled for no good reason. But her horse is in a different field. I felt awful leaving Toffee in the field alone. He looked awfully miserable but I made myself walk away and sure enough, half an hour later, he was happily grazing away.
I'm going to get him in early-ish (3pm) when people in the other fields get their horses in so he's not the last out but honestly this really bugs me. We treat horses more like humans sometimes. I know it's good to care and I love my pony to the moon and back, I really, really do worship him but not turning out because of some mud seems completely ridiculous and really unfair on the horses.
Am I the only one who feels this way? Is anyone on a yard where turnout is restricted for whatever reason and how do you get on with it being this way? I couldn't imagine not turning him out. He's a responsive ride anyway without me adding to it and keeping him in. I'd have a coiled spring situation I think!!