our stables dont do turn out

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We love our stables - but they dont do winter tun out exept for muk out and riding time-we are new and didnt know this - but we really llike the folk and we want to stay but are worried for the pony...

To give you my experience mine live in 24/7 a lot in the winter. It's hard work, they do become slightly more mental but it is do able.

However, I say we have no turnout, we have limited grass turnout. We do have a dry area, I put them out in twos and they can play/eat etc in there. They're ridden or lunged (or both!) daily. They go out in the fields as much as they physically can and for as long as they can. This year has been horrific for turnout for us. Were on a flood plain, we've flooded lots!! But my horses still look fine and have coped superbly.

If you can find somewhere with turn out brilliant!! I know round us, winter turnout is a luxury!!

Does the yard not have an arena that they can use for horses to let off steam in the winter months?
My horses are box kept, in winter they get turn out 1/7 and are ridden at least 1hr/day the other 6/7.They are not loopy as long as they are ridden every day. However, after they are ridden they do get turned loose in a sand arena to have a roll about and relax. I should probably just say that they are ex-racehorses so have not had a lifetime of turnout and then box kept, I think that makes a big difference, they don't know life any different IYSWIM.
Given a choice I would opt for out at day in at night in winter - but you have to weigh up the pro's and con's of your situation.

I can see both sizes to this, if you are new to keeping a pony then you do really need someone with experience to help you out and give you advice and lessons etc. However if your pony is kept in 24 hours a day then they are going to start being a bit of a handful when ridden and this can affect the riders confidence and the enjoyment of owning a pony! When I am looking for a new yard, one of the first questions I ask is do they get turned out 365 days a year? It might be worth looking for another yard a bit further away, where they do this, possibly with a school and someone who can give lessons.

Regarding the loss of shoes, we have had problems with this at our yard this year. I have checked with a couple of Farrier?s and the problem is when it is wet hooves swell up, then when it dries up, hooves shrink and crack and the nails come up and the shoes come off. Kevin Bacon hoof balm has been recommended to try and firm up the hooves and you could try turning out with overreach boots on to see if that helps. Also just because they are stabled does not mean that shoes will stay on; we have had 3 horses in our yard taking shoes off in the stable this year...

Hi all - thanks so much for all your advice i so appriciate it.I think that we may have got our solution which is a comprimise...our current yard has allowed turnout x 3 a week- mon wed fri with the weekends we will try to ride come what may as well as o n no turnout days.if we cant ride on non turn out days then we will put them in the small space for turn out which is only for 15 min and then walk em down road if we can, in hand in mean.

We did find a place with daily turn out 2 hrs nearby with no school, but as it will be dark by 3,3o deep winter then hack wd not be possibe . my dd says i am putting us beofre the ponies but ive had to make decsion somehow.

We did also find a place with 24 hour live out and with school but for some reason i dont want to go for it as1, it is without a stable 2-esp as there is no one living on site and we need advice as new to this and our first winter

.Biz - thats intresting re shoes - they have only come off in wet wether our feild is very boggy and v deep in mud we are slipping over and wellies feel like being pulled off..will get the hoof balm - thanks.

To all those who recommend 24 /7 turnout- i do agree that for us its the best option and i really want it- but for now we have to comprimise as eveywere full- which i feel uncomfortable about - this due to our inexpeience and need for support. I wd much pref turn out but wd struggle to deal with any problems i no support onsite for this ist year say if found a feild to rent.How do you manage the shoe situation 24.7 live as biz mentioned-we cant remove shoes as we are planning to do a lot of road work to keep in work over winter....im asking as this time next year it may be something we can do so im asking for management tips !!

My horses are turned out 3 times a week in the winter as you have decided to do and they both are fine. I would say they are very sensible throughout the pony can be far sharper in the summer he seems to quite enjoy the extra attention.
I keep mine at home but the fields are terrible we live on London clay so the fields quickly turn into a bog my mare stands at the edge of the concrete and pony has a terrible scar ( from a previous owner ) and despite what I do gets mud fever in that scar. So we compromise on 3 times a week turnout, it's worked for many years.

Hi I think you have made a sensible decision and I'm sure your equines will be fine. We always used livery yards ( of various quality and facilities ) but even when we had 4 horses / ponies never considered renting a field as we liked them to be somewhere with somebody on site. This again is not a factor for everyone.

landy - did you mean thay enjoy extra attention being in ???

You can take the shoes off, just get some horse boots. They're like trainers for horses, and you only up them on when you need them,whacky their feet are short and you want to hack out. it's more economical than metal shoes and better for the foot. You might still need the farrier to trim their feet, but it will cost a lot less.

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saggy - thanks for the ref re hoof boots that woul solve a lot of issues re losing shoes and turn out issues.this wil really help us get round a few things esp ability to inc turn out but may need to be at another stable .thats really exiting!!!!!! as id pref unshod anyway.we plan go out x 4 pw a least - shoes boots ok for this....took ponies long gentle hack tonight up little hills and by a river they rolled in school when back so hope they ok as can be with their what i see as confinement and our comprimise...for the support of lovely folk in our fisrt year...thanks so much for advice - ill prob drive you and all bonkers asking !!!!

saggy - thanks for the ref re hoof boots that woul solve a lot of issues re losing shoes and turn out issues.this wil really help us get round a few things esp ability to inc turn out but may need to be at another stable .thats really exiting!!!!!! as id pref unshod anyway.we plan go out x 4 pw a least - shoes boots ok for this....took ponies long gentle hack tonight up little hills and by a river they rolled in school when back so hope they ok as can be with their what i see as confinement and our comprimise...for the support of lovely folk in our fisrt year...thanks so much for advice - ill prob drive you and all bonkers asking !!!!