Make me feel better please :)

[Ty2003]

I need some reassurance please! My 6 yr old gelding is currently on pasture board. He's fine in a stall or out in the pasture, but for financial reasons I had to put him back out on pasture board this fall. He loves being out, so it's not like I'm forcing him to do something he doesn't want to do. But I always worry about him when it gets cold, rainy, snowy, etc. He has a big shelter, a nice wooly coat (I did a very limited trace clip on him a couple weeks ago because he would get so sweaty when I ride), and multiple blankets available. He currently wears his heavyweight Rhino with hood. Last night I went down to the barn (in the blizzard that wasn't predicted on the weather) and put on another blanket underneath because it was going to be around -5 degrees with wind chills (10 degrees without). I always worry that he's uncomfortable in that type of weather, but of course when I pulled into the barn driveway (After braving HORRIBLE roads and an hour-long trip that should have taken 25 mins) he was standing out in the snow, munching on hay. His blanket was covered in snow, but he was warm/dry underneath. I know that horses are better off outside as long as they have shelter, hay, etc (in most cases). But I can't help worrying!! Please make me feel better by telling me about your guys outside in similar weather. :) I am moving him to a farm closer to me this weekend - he'll have an even bigger pasture to himself (next to a pasture with a band of broodmares, so he won't be alone). And he'll be about 5 minutes from my house - so that will definitely help my neurosis :D

[franknbeans]

Mine is happier outside, frankly, and does MUCH better in the winter than in the heat of the summer! I worried at first too, but he stays fat and happy out there. As long as he has his blankies and shelter he is fine. Relax! Don't be making him a hot house flower-let him be a horse! He will be much better mentally, IMO.

[mvp]

Besides being happier, he will maintain more fitness walking around outside 24/7.

Think this is trivial? It's not. That kind of slow, constant movement does wonders for bones and ligaments. It eliminates the slow walking and trotting trail rides we all should be doing to condition our show horses.

The next time you read about someone rehabbing a soft-tissue injury, thank your wallet for getting your horse the pasture situation that benefits him... and your wallet.

[NancyM]

We moved our farm from the warm/wet weather of the lower Fraser Valley near Vancouver, BC to the interior of the province, where things are much colder, but dryer. We breed mostly TBs.

The first winter, we had little available in the way of shelter. But other horses in the area winter successfully without shelter. Dry cold is very easy for horses to deal with. My horses came through the winter without a problem, temps were around -30 C for several weeks, and -20 C for several months. With feed (lots of hay), they stayed healthy and in good condition. There is nothing like watching a herd of mostly TB horses running at speed in a foot of snow across the high pasture, through the trees. Looks like a Bev Doolittle picture but without the pinto horses. Playing together, rearing, wrestling, leaping around, squealing, chasing each other. If anyone is feeling a bit chilly when the weather is cold, the games are started. And everyone warms up and comes bouncing down to the feed area for breakfast. When we burned slash piles last winter at -30, the horses crowded around the fires, walking in a circle at the edge of the fire like druids, like campfire girls. One singed her fetlock hairs, but no tails caught fire. Strange, I always heard that horses didn't like fire, but apparently that depends on the outside temperature.

Now that we have shelter built, they do not use it much. Prefer to stand out in the weather. Snow blankets their backs, the fur is so thick and provides so much insulation under the snow that the snow does not even melt on them. There is no mud here, and horses are rarely wet. If it rains, it is rarely a shower that lasts more than an hour.

What horses can't stand is wet, not cold. Dry cold is rarely a problem.

[naturalequus]

Nature designed horses to cope with the weather outdoors.

I second what mvp says and also add that being outside is also better emotionally/mentally for a horse, not to mention the benefits of being in a herd situation. Horses were not meant to be cooped up in stalls.

Our horses regularly brave -50C blizzards, year after year, no blankets included (the one TB wears a blanket, but he is an exception to our 'no blankets rule' for a number of valid reasons - the others, from TB's to QH's to WB's, are never blanketed, whatever the weather/season). They of course have shelter, however they are often found outside, snow on their backs. Even in wet, their hair acts as the excellent barrier it was created to be.

You're doing your horse a multitude of favours by keeping him outside, where he is happiest and healthiest. It's ok to worry though, but you will get used to it and he will enjoy it :)

[ponygrl25]

I have 5, 2 horses and 3 ponies, and they stay out as much as possible. In fact 3 stay out 24/7, with the other two going in only during really windy/rainy/icy/snowy weather. Ours have no shelter besides an area down behind a big hill and some trees. They all have thick coats (besides the one pony who is clipped due to skin issues) and all the blankets they need. The clipped pony and one hard keeper TB mare are the ones that end up in the barn during the bad weather.

As long as they have a good quality round bale and a full water tub with a heater, they are fine. I even have pix of them in the snow earlier this year, and the one pony (14 hands) is in a snow drift up to her elbows, happily munching warm beet pulp out of her bucket that is almost at nose level on top of the snow.

As long as your horse is in good weight/general health he is most likely happier being out all the time. If you are worried about him, give him a nice warm feed during icky weather and make sure he has enough decent hay (they don't call them hayburners for nothing) to keep his ''furnace'' going. Not to mention plenty of clean, de-iced water. I think that is the most important. I prefer my hosses to be out with a heated tub than in a stall with a frozen bucket. Good luck!!

[starkissed]

Your a good horse mom! No worries.
I would love to keep mine outside more, but there is no shed outside for them. So I have to keep them in the barn for bad weather.
Really if you have nice blankets for him and he has a shed, no worried, he is very happy!

[luckeys71]

I have had my older mare and her coming 6 year old daughter on pasture board for about the past 5 years and wouldn't think of doing anything else, even though the youngster is a quite fancy show hunter type. The older mare always had problems stocking up in the stall, even when she was just 5. She has some arthritic problems now and I think stalling her would be horrible for her. I moved them (one in Oct. and one Dec.) back to the old mare's former show barn and pasture boarding is new for them(the barn). The trainer has had a few "issues" with leaving them out in terrible weather, so I've let her bring them in, just to make her feel better. They spent two days in last month and both had stocked up hind legs. I had never seen it in the young one, before. The old mare's hind legs were HUGE. I think they would have been much happier outside. Our weather is much more temperate than your's, but we've had a particularly nasty winter (for us) so far. They are calling for a "world ending blizzard" (for us) starting tonight of up to 14 inches of snow. The entire place will shut down for just 1 inch. I hope the trainer just lets them stay out. They have a good shelter and water resistant blankets and extras, if they get wet. They have a new friend with them now, so maybe she'll let them stay out. I am firm believer in pasture board. There are plenty of mustangs out west who do just fine without shelters and blankets. The Chincoteague ponies and Corrolla wild horses (very near us) won't have shelters or blankets this weekend.

[smay]

I'm feeling very guilty at the moment for the exact OPPOSITE reason, in that my horses all have to stay inside for the last couple of days and maybe a few more days due to a LOT of ice in my pastures... we had flooding rains that melted a lot of snow then rained on top of that and THEN frigid cold that froze it all up solid. So I have ice lakes that are very dangerous and I'm too afraid to let them out in it. I feel SO guilty! I'd love to rug them all up and kick them outside right now.

[Wayside]

You're doing your horse a multitude of favours by keeping him outside, where he is happiest and healthiest. It's ok to worry though, but you will get used to it and he will enjoy it :)

:yes: I agree completely.

Right now I have four horses, two on "stall board", in at night, out during the day, and two that live out 24/7 with a access to a run in shed. The younger healthier two are stalled largely for my convenience, not for their well-being. The elderly one and the NQR one would not fare well being stalled, I suspect.

Miss Pody is healthy and happy living outside without a blanket even up here in the great white north at the tender age of 29. Yes, she eats a lot, and there isn't much competition for the run-in, since she's only out with one other horse, but really, she's doing fabulously out there. Way better than she would in a stall, I think.

[Melyni]

All my babies and brood mares live out with a run-in but no blankets.
As long as they have hay, liquid water and food they are fine.
And it is far better for them. Horses are cool temperate animals they have fantastic insulation with their coats and their feet are adapted for cold. They are usually comfortable about 15 degrees cooler than we like, and in winter with their hair coats about 30 degrees colder than we like.

So he will be absolutely fine, he probably won't even go into the run in unless the flies bother him. Mine only use theirs in sunny weather , they would much rather gather around the round bale in the cold.
Yours
MW

[deltawave]

Congratulations on making the decision to keep your horse in the healthiest possible manner. :)

Mine are outside 24/7 in even the vilest weather--last night it was minus 20 here with the wind chill. There was almost no poop inside where they have the option to spend the night--they were out eating hay and being horses. :yes:

[EqTrainer]

Besides being happier, he will maintain more fitness walking around outside 24/7.

Think this is trivial? It's not. That kind of slow, constant movement does wonders for bones and ligaments. It eliminates the slow walking and trotting trail rides we all should be doing to condition our show horses.

The next time you read about someone rehabbing a soft-tissue injury, thank your wallet for getting your horse the pasture situation that benefits him... and your wallet.

Ditto on this. He sounds happy and it's the best thing for his body.. have a cocktail and don't worry about it!

[navymom]

Spend some time watching the horses in the pasture, walk your pasture and observe the lay of the land. Our pastures have an area that gets no wind even on the windiest days. There is a glade where the temperature is 10 degrees cooler in the summer than in the rest of the pasture. I can always tell where i can find the horses by noticing the weather.
If it is cold and windy , they are in the little "valley", in the heat of the day they are in the glade or under the trees, on a sunny spring morning they are on the hill "catching a few rays"...they are smart and know how best to deal with the weather. I only blanket with a water proof sheet if it is going to be really cold and rainy. I have also noticed that the horses seldom use the run in shed! ( I do pulls shoes in the winter to avoid snow balling in the shoes)

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Your horse will be happier and healthier outside, as others have mentioned.

Most horses prefer that way of life.

My guy's current living situation is turnout from 9-4:00 and in the stall between then but he's lived outside before and been just fine.

A lot of the time I find that the other horses that live outside at the place I board at aren't even in their shelter when the weather is bad. They know they have that option but they rather stand outside in blizzards and rain storms so their owners get the joy of hanging their soaked blankets and waiting for them to dry.

I also think that it's great that they can have the option of moving around at any time.

[AKB]

Your situation sounds like the perfect situation for most horses. Just make sure his water doesn't freeze and that there is plenty of water and hay for every horse in the pasture.