Why do they stand in the rain?

[Jane&Ziggy]

At the moment our weather is on and off, one day tipping it down and freezing (like today), the next dry, windy and even occasionally sunny.

When it's dry I give the horses new grass. When it's tipping with rain I give them scads of hay in the shelter.

Today was a scads of hay in the shelter day. I gave them half a bale at about 8 am. By then it was already raining.

When I had to go out about 11 am (to vote, natch) the silly buggers must have finished their hay, and they were standing in the tipping rain looking miserable because I hadn't given them any new grass. They weren't eating.

WHY NOT STAND IN THE DRY SHELTER?

I will never understand them.

 

[newforest]

For mine she only uses the shelter if it's not raining. We have an overhang and she uses that.
Dry she eats the hay inside, wet she eats the hay outside.
She hates the sound of the rain on the roof, and she leaves.

She also doses in the pouring rain, she's doing that I reckon to have a shower. She's barely ever dirty so I think she just washes the mud off.

Ponies don't always eat. It's very rare I admit.

 

[Jessey]

Bo was a nancy about wet stuff, he'd go charging to the shelter as soon as its started raining/snowing even when there was no food waiting. Jess has never cared, Hank will sometimes take himself in but not always, Dan never seems to. All would use the shelter when the bugs were bad though.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

It's just that poor Arab Mattie really seems to hate the rain. He stands there with his head hanging, looking thoroughly depressed. I say to him, "Why not go undercover, muppet?" but answer comes there none....

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

We have no field shelters when I turn out at 0630 they have to stay out until I finish work at 1800

I have rushed down before only to see the grazing but they are by the gate by 1800 as that is when they know they are coming in

 

[Lexi 123]

Wish my horse was like that she absolutely hates the rain and refuse to go out in the rain

 

[Toz]

I thought I’d turn out this morning in the dry! I figured I’d chuck all 5 out together which I don’t normally but they all had to stay in yesterday due to pheasant shooting. Just as I got them out it absolutely p’d it down!
I think given the choice Jake definitely would have come back in (being a cob he’s quite delicate!) the others didn’t even notice..... weirdo’s I’m absolutely with Jake on this one!