Anyone else with ponies/horses and no stable? Living out 24/7

[Altamoda]

Hi. I'm new.

We have two ponies (13.2 and 14.2). Two paddocks and no stable. My children do a lot of pony club. I like them living out as I think its healthier and they seem to like it. However I find the rain and mud really hard to cope with. Also one is a really good doer and one needs extra feeding to keep the weight on, so Chubby is in a starvation paddock which is now mud (must move it this weekend) and Posh Pony has the run of the place. We do have a field shelter BUT it is over run with badgers who keep digging holes in it so too dangerous to use.

Anyone else with 24/7 turnout?

[Mitchy1nge]

yeah my two live out 24/7 although we have one stable of our own (in case of emergency, there is usually one a year) and access to others if needed. We don't have the most free-draining soil in the world and the wet grazing has caused bog burn and forced them in, and am sure standing in deep mud doesn't help the older horse's stiffness so am prepared to bring them in if I have to before it gets like that this winter. It's just so much more work and expense! I'll take the mud any day!

gradually adopting a 3rd who does live in over winter, and spends summer out at night and in during the day - probably won't change his routine unless we have to, he is so much more civilised than mine

[CooEeeEldridge]

Can you do anything about the badgers? Mine are out 24/7 but LOVE the shelter and happily put themselves to bed in there at night. I sympathise though, after a fab summer the mud is back I dream of having a nice barn with concrete floor to tie up and dry off in, but no..

[Altamoda]

TOTALLY DREAM OF A CONCRETE FLOORED BARN! We costed out a concrete floored stable block - 2 stalbes and a tack room with concrete base. Came in at about 8k

I don't think there is anything legal I can do about the badgers other than hope the cull comes our way

[BurberryQ]

yes ours lives out all winter, it is better for her to have 24 hour forage although there is a nice barn/tie up place.

[CMOTDibbler]

Dpony lives out 24/7/365 with no field shelter, and no rug till December. He does have unlimited access to haylage in the field from this week, and a number of herdmates that also live out (only 2 out of 6 in that paddock come in at night in winter) so he can squidge between them when its cold.
7 day mud away means the mud falls off his legs and tail quite efficiently

[Altamoda]

ooh what is 7 day mud away
I have carefully chosen non grey ponies but one has an annoying white sock

[CMOTDibbler]

Its a spray, thats obviously oily/silicone that you spray on and the mud just seems to slide off. Much better than mane and tail spray or pig oil imo.

Dpony is grey and has a very full and natural mane and tail. Mostly he looks palamino during the winter

[Pixel]

Yes ours are out but they do have a shelter which they love. We have in the past managed with a windbreak which had a dry area for them to eat their hay made out of really thickly laid wood chippings. It made such a difference and you could actually feel the higher temp if you stood behind it on a rainy/windy day.
It does get muddy around the shelter but luckily as we are on chalk and a slope the field gets drier as you go up it. Bit slippery at times but they aren't actually standing fetlock deep in mud all the time. This year we electric-fenced the bit just above the shelters and let the grass grow in the hope that it will stop the water running down off the hill so much, although dhorse did trash the fence and get in there last week so I don't know if the plan is going to work!

[Pixel]

Sorry, that's a dry area for their feet made out of wood chippings, if you are wondering how I made a windbreak out of them lol. The windbreak was an old trailer next to the hedge so they could get shelter from most directions.

[Mirage]

Me.We have a 13hh and a 13.3 out in a field on my dad's farm.No field shelter and although there is an old stable in the farm yard,it is,like the many other buildings,full of crap being stored 'just in case'. I have almost emptied it,in case of emergency,but people keep putting more stuff in.My main problem is that dpony,who is 23,will not be stabled and if you try,will kick the door down in an attempt to get out.Our new pony,who is on loan,can be stabled,but that would mean splitting them up,so I am praying for a mild,dry winter.

We do Pony Club too,we had a rally on Monday and both ponies had got wet under their rugs,then I had to try and remove the worst of the mud and tack them up in a downpour.They are both greys who like nothing better than a good roll to make matters worse.

[BurberryFucker]

we use an amazing product called Prize in the winter before turn out which makes brushing off the mud much easier and protects the skin as well.
www.equisoothe.co.uk

In the summer it is also a good grooming aid and relieves itching as well.

[BurberryFucker]

better link here

[Altamoda]

Dd1 is off to sj champs tomorrow. I washed pony today and when he was dry I sprayed him with Avon skin so soft. Theoretically the mud should brush off easily tomorrow...

[Pixel]

I don't know if I fancy spraying dhorse with products. There's an awful lot of him, surely it would cost a fortune!
Does anyone else use a magic brush? It's the best thing I've found for brushing off dried mud. I always used a plastic or rubber curry comb before but this is heaps better.

[Mirage]

Yes,we have Magic brushes and they are great.Dpony was lovely and clean before we went to cross country yesterday after my hard work,and promptly rolled the minute she was back in her field,she even had muddy eyebrows.

[elastamum]

I have acquired a little 15hh TB who has been living out for 2 yrs. Unfortunately she has just had to come in as her fieldmate has a punctured sole. She is livid! Keeps churning up her box every morning - its like mucking out the Somme..

Am praying for the day I can rug her up and turn her out again. She ahs absolutley no coat, but loves her field

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

I would put them in together. Keep the poor doer rugged and the good doer a bit chilly. Maybe take the poor doer out for a while every day for food and hay?

[Deborah51]

Hi anyone know anything about Bansomewood stables in chislehurst?? I'm looking for daily turnout and riding and night time stabling, thanks.