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Post by arabheaven on Dec 23, 2009 12:05:11 GMT 1
Mine have been out, zac double rugged as he is clipped, ori has one rug with neck cover. They have hay am and pm and also have a warm feed pm. Plenty of room to roam. However, last night, zac trotted along the field beside the field as I left and this morning ori stood at the gate as i left, despite having food so I may get them in tonight for a break from it all. It's just the yard is so icy too but at least they dont have shoes on. Their feet look AMAZING int his weather though!! xx
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Post by jes on Dec 23, 2009 12:05:51 GMT 1
Mine is out during the day, in at night. Coming in at about 3 and happy to be coming in. Still in his 40g rug though and warm enough.
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Post by geeup on Dec 23, 2009 12:54:50 GMT 1
mine are both out durring day in a small paddock, resting grass paddock in this weather so it dosn't get churned up, both are rugged as started to get cold, theylike going out , but like comin gin to. Both rugs are dovet togs 100 and 300 and both ponies really warm, so they don't feel a huge need to shelter. They are getting bored though, especially of hay, local saddlely sold out of carrots as I brought mine today. Water an issue as its freezing over here as soon as its broken. As soon as snow and - temps are gone, rugs will be off, they hate getting hot. The saddest thing though a hairy breed calf in a field was freezing to death and closing its eyes on me, you could see it physically shivereing, called the farmer hopefully in time, darn't go back in case it died, reminds you that this weather is unusal and even hariy creatures might not be prepared for it.
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Post by lindaandrascal on Dec 23, 2009 13:30:44 GMT 1
Ours are all out and seem quite happy. Glad we dont have to walk them over the frozen stable yard. Water is an issue both hubby and i have still got frozen hands from this morning. If it gets too bad we could buy a container and take some from home. Only about an inch of snow on the field but its frozen solid!! The shire x and the ID youngster are wearing mw rugs and are snug as a bug. The 26yr old is wearing a heavy rug and our old pony has a mw turnout with his stable rug under it while its this cold as they both have cushings and need more. They are all snug and warm, not lost any weight, its just the water trough keeps freezing over.
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Post by amberhoney on Dec 23, 2009 13:36:12 GMT 1
My girls were out with plenty of hay and well ruged. But went down to absolute carnage this morning,both were in the wrong paddock waiting to come in with fencing strewn everywhere . Will have to keep them in till the ice has all thawed from my fencing and i can repair it .
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Post by marianne on Dec 23, 2009 13:40:22 GMT 1
It's a good question! I'm a big fan of leaving them out to keep themselves warm, however my TB oldie wasn't eating enough hard feed in the field so I started bringing him (+ a friend) in overnight when it got REALLY cold. TB was rugged and given a double feed overnight (which he ate over the course of 12 hours, bless him!), the IDx put her ears back when I offered a rug so she stayed in the stable naked :-)
Neither particularly wanted to be in, but the oldie's welfare has to come first!
MTA: the other 4 native ponies however are most firmly OUT.
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greyhorses
Grand Prix Poster
My two grey boys
Posts: 1,204
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Post by greyhorses on Dec 23, 2009 13:53:33 GMT 1
Mine are in at the moment but went out sunday morning for a couple of hours while I mucked out. I have also been letting them loose in the menage for a couple of minutes in the evenings as they like to stretch their legs and role but are keen to come back in again to munch on hay..
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Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
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Post by Caroline on Dec 23, 2009 14:17:53 GMT 1
TigerLily and Zee are out 24/7 and unrugged. TigerLily is Warmblood cross New Forest and Zee is Cob cross New Forest. Both are fluff balls at the moment. They have been out 24/7, unrugged all their lives. They get hard feed once a day and ad lib hay in the form of massive round bales in their field.
Beauty (Argentinian Thoroughbred polo pony) is out 24/7, but with a thick rug on. She gets a mega-conditioning feed twice a day and as much hay as she gets through. I could put her in a stable but decided against it because I want her to be able to move around and stay warm.
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Post by specialsparkle3 on Dec 23, 2009 14:48:50 GMT 1
Mine are out from 8am to 4pm with ad lib hay and a big bedded down field shelter . They go foraging as they are on 6 acres of longish grass ( poking out of the snow ) They are waiting to come in at 4 but not much before. All are unrugged -----------even full TB Mummy who is in foal and has a coat like mink
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Bella
Olympic Poster
Posts: 506
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Post by Bella on Dec 23, 2009 15:45:05 GMT 1
This is awful weather isn't it? Its -7 where we are brrrr
We aren't allowed to pu hay in the field so I've been giving my mare a breakfast before going out just to line her stomach. I put her out just after 10.00 and she comes in about 3.00pm.
I must admit she's eager to out and just as eager to come in but I like her to have a leg stretch.
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Kayti
Advanced Poster
Posts: 314
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Post by Kayti on Dec 23, 2009 16:15:08 GMT 1
Mine are all out, with ad lib round bales of hay or haylage. the 4yr old is unrugged but the 3 youngsters have had light sheets on and off over the last few days as their field isnt quite as sheltered as the other field. The rugs will all be coming off tomorrow though!
I do feel terribly sorry for the cob in the next field. He was FULLY clipped - legs and all 10 days ago, mane and tail bathed with the hosepipe then turn out 24/7 in what looks like a medium wieght rug, no neck. and is still there.. he has hay twice a day, and to be fair their grazing does still have some grass at the moment. I just think of how he has no protection on his legs or anyway out of the mud or wind. It was -4 here last night and still frozen at lunchtime when i was there. The owner has a stable, the other horse in the field is put in every night, so it is a choice not a situation that has to be endured for lack of facilities.
We all have different ideas of what constitutes abuse and neglect. The owner has had the horse for over 10 years and is very quick to preach to others on welfare matters, including how we all over react to strangles..
nowt so funny as folk...
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Post by wabuska on Dec 23, 2009 16:22:34 GMT 1
I know exactly what you mean... and it's hard to say anything when it's borderline like that...
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chloe
Grand Prix Poster
Kai's Mum
Posts: 2,609
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Post by chloe on Dec 23, 2009 16:59:24 GMT 1
Kai stayed in last night - he came in as usual for an hour in the afternoon for a nap and some hay but when I put him back out he stood pitifully calling by the gate until I went back for him and brought him in. He's out today, rugged in a turnout for the first time in his life (which he was very happy to have put on - the pansy!) and will hopefully stay out overnight tonight.
Dolly is out and not at all keen to come in. She's also coming in for an hour a day for a haynet but as soon as she runs out of hay she's demanding to go out again and heads off at canter the second the headcollar comes off in the field. She's clipped and rugged in a lightweight although I might up her to a very old mediumweight this evening if it stays icy (harder to get at the grass when the snow's frozen over).
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Post by nich on Dec 23, 2009 19:16:51 GMT 1
both out and don't want to be kept in. Autumn in Rambo Duo as she lost condition in the drought, Iolo just a rainsheet cos he shivers when wet but otherwise doesn't feel the cold. we give them 2 feeds a day and hay in the field - after having their hard feed in the stable they are nose over the door 'let me out now'. we clear the snowballs from their feet and chuck em out - their choice.
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Post by wabuska on Dec 23, 2009 19:26:21 GMT 1
What's refreshing reading this thread is that there's a response to what that the horse wants where possible, no critisism of those in a routine on a yard, but it's nice to be able to let them have their way.
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