Horses: inside or outside?

[Brenda]

Here is kind of a controversy with horse people at least around here. I have always kept any of our horses free to come and go out of a shelter. In the summer they were left out (with shelter), in the winter I brought them into our barn at night and if we were having a snowstorm etc I would keep them in. Which was just fine with me, it's a lot nicer than trying to track them down in the pasture in a storm!! What do you guys do and how many of you have your horse(s) at home? I have been told by some people that leaving them out at night was cruel but I have found that most of the time they don't want to come in anyways.
Our horses of course always grew a fur coat and I've seeb Girly standing out with 3 inches of snow on her back!! I'm asking because we converted our barn into a workshop(we are working on our house) and she has a part of our drive-shed which is more open and definately cooler. I want to make sure she will be o.k.

[Myrmex]

Don't worry about not bringing your horses in all the time. Being out is healthier for their wind (no dust coughs) and their joints (because they're not standing in the same place all the time), so don't let anyone tell you it's cruel to keep a horse outside all the time! I know several horses and ponies in their late twenties and thirties who never set foot inside a stable or shelter and never wear rugs either - but they're all healthy and full of life. Given a choice, most normal horses would rather use a hedge or tree for shelter than a barn or field shelter. As long as they've got adequate feed to keep warm, they're fine, even without rugs. The only time it becomes cruel to leave a horse out full-time is if you've got a horse that is very susceptible to cold or mudfever. The only reason my two come in at night is because my (boggy) field would get too messed up if they were on it full time...

[cynthia]

oh, i just had to add in that i *completely* agree with myrmex here... don't let anyone tell you it's "cruel" or anything of that nature to leave your horses outside, even in inclement weather! i had horses for years as a kid, and grew up in connecticut, where it tends to get quite snowy in the winter months. we had a barn and pastures, and would frequently keep our horses outside (or at least, we wouldn't be frantic about taking them in at the first sign of cold-ish weather).

they can *certainly* handle it; our horses always got very furry, warm, winter coats (which i just thought was the coolest thing when i was little... my favorite thing was to snuggle up to Ebony and ride around bareback on his fuzzy coat!). we never had rugs for them, either. i don't *shun* rugs or anything; we just never bothered with that sort of thing. after all, we weren't raising $20,000 warmbloods for showing. ;)

we also have a family friend who keeps her two draft horses in a shed she built for them in her backyard (sounds like what you've described, actually)... they're perfectly happy, and Eloise is one of the most trustworthy and knowledgeable horsepeople i've ever known.

don't worry; i'm sure your girl will be just peachy. :)

-cyn

[~alison~*]

At the stable where I used to ride(in Oklahoma), the horses were turned out 3/4 of the time, and in the stable the rest of the time. In the summer, (it is really hot) they keep them in during the day, and turn them out a night, when it was cooler. Now, at the stable I'm at (in Ohio), they don't get turned out but one hour a day. I think that THAT is cruel. So I turn my horse out as much as I can. The horses in Oklahoma were much calmer, as here they are much more high strung. Good Luck!

[Vina]

Hi, I was just wondering what kind of weather everyone has, in the case of those who leave their horses out all the time? I don't own any horses at the present, but have been thinking about it for the future. Here in Canada the temperatures can sometimes get as low as -32 celcius, sometimes even lower (although not often), and this doesn't count the wind chill factor. Is it possible for a horse to withstand that? It just seems awful cold for them....in particular to body parts such as their ears---wouldn't that cause frostbite--even if they had shelter? I was just curious about this, everyone I know here puts their horses in at night for winter, but maybe they don't have to? Hmm, not sure! Is there such a thing as ear warmers for horses..hahaha..well, there is for cows, so why not for horses?

[JulieLINY]

The barn that we use has individual turn-out with each stall. This gives the option for the horse to decide where they want to be :) We have a standardbred gelding and we keep his door open pretty much all year round. He's chooses to be in most of the day but we find him outside at night, or he just sticks his head out. I live in southern New York, the weather's pretty mild, but Timmy is originally from New Zealand, so I guess he prefers the cooler weather....

[Brenda]

Vina, I am from Canada as well, Southwestern Ontario.We have always let our horses choose whether to be outside or not. Our drive-shed that we have, is closeable so when it's really nasty out or its really windy I will go out and shut Girly in(or try to get my husband to!! :)) Like I said I've seen her stand out with snow on her back in a snowstorm, I think their ears are so full of blood vessels that they keep warm plus they move them all the time. I used to love riding Dolly in the winter it was like sitting on a thick fur blanket. Even now when I'm out to see Girly I like to slide my hands up under her mane. It's so cozy!! Thanks for everyones messages on this post!!