Ponies in or out

[Blackboot]

I have two small, hairy, hardy ponies. Ex feral ponies. Neither are in work. They are usually out all summer and in during the winter (mostly to save the ground). Last winter I noticed they were scratching a lot in the stable, sometimes even drawing blood. Vet confirmed no parasites. This winter I am pregnant so they are out so far. They seem way happier. They're getting haylage and are holding weight, they might even be in a bit too good condition. Is it ok to leave them out all winter even though the field is now getting very mucky and wet and has no grass whatsoever? We are not worried about saving the field as this year the ponies will be moving in the spring and we plan to plough and reseed.

Our two natives are out all winter and we are all very happy. They do trash the field but it grows back and with two natives I don’t need the best grass.

I'd love to leave them out. I think we'd all be very happy too!

Yes, no mucking out!!! 🙌

I like the sound of that.

Mine are all out - but it's been very dry here and there's no mud, we have a good amount of land and there's still grass in the fields (though they're getting hay too). I wouldn't leave them out in a complete mudbath...

Mine are all natives and w don't have any stables. They have ad lib hay all winter and the worst doer has a daily hard feed. Last winter it was a quagmire due to the weather and nothing we could do about it but this year is much better

Thanks for all the responses. They're staying out for the foreseeable future anyway. They seem very happy.

I have a herd of natives, all but one are in work and they all live out. They are much, much happier that way. I put hay out if they start to lose condition but even then I don't feed it ad lib as they pack on the pounds very quickly under those woolie coats and it is impossible to get the weight off them once spring arrives! We do have a well-draining winter field though, and there is are plenty of dry places they can use. If mud is a problem in your field would it be possible in invest in a field shelter for next year to give them a dry place?

We're moving house this year (yay) so this is the last year of this dilemma.

As long as there is some natural shelter for them and they are happy then no reason for them to come in.

They have a good bit of natural shelter and one end is sloped so is always relatively dry.

Out is almost always better. For everything equine.

Ours are going to have to come in at night soon, they normally would be already by this time of year but the unusually dry winter has meant the fields are a bit less muddy/poached than usual. Everything on my yard has to come in over the wettest part of winter or the fields would never recover ... but our grazing is quite poor and on heavy clay to be fair. For the horses sake I'd prefer them out 24/7 if it was possible... if yours are not in work you shouldn't have to worry about clipping and rugging so it'd be a no-brainer for me!

Well, they're in tonight. They managed to pull down all the electric fence and drag it all over the field. Think it's revenge for worming them. Grrrr.

If there is a bit of dry ground and natural shelter then leave them out. I have 2 out 24/7 but admittedly my fields are extremely well drained and unlikely to be trashed even in horrific weather (fingers crossed!).

One is too fat so is out naked and will stay that way unless we get another Beast from the East when I might put on a lightweight.

Despite the wussy TB being desperate to be brought in in previous winters, they are both so chilled they are practically horizontal! I think they are loving the feral lifestyle.