# mare standing out in all weather



## kbaiko (Sep 20, 2010)

I have 2 mares that I moved from southern Arizona to the central valley in California last April. In Az I had stalls and paddocks with a (dirt) pasture. One of the mares hardly ever went into her stall. Even the few times it snowed she was out in it. I boarded them for the first four months here. They had a pasture and a rain shelter. Patty was never seen in the shelter. Here on my own property they are in a three acre pasture. No shelter except for several trees. It has been so foggy the last two nights that Patty is completely wet in the morning. I have a 12x12 stall for her but it is not connected to any paddock or pasture. Should I put Patty in the stall at night to keep her out of the weather? She has arthritis so I was advised to keep her in the pasture so she can walk around and keep her knee loose. Thank you for your advice.


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## patandchickens (Sep 20, 2010)

Unless she seems pathologically stiff/sore/droopy/unhappy at those times, I would not worry about it at all. Leave her be. Horses just have a lot different idea of what's "bad weather" than we do. Honest.

If you are concerned about her (at some point in the future) getting soaked-to-the-bone and cold in rainy weather if the trees aren't enough to keep her dry, it would not be a bad idea to own a waterproof turnout sheet (NOT stable sheet, NOT rubberized show sheet, and NOT insulated blanket -- you want something labelled either "waterproof turnout sheet" or "waterproof turnout shell", although it may say water resistant instead of waterproof). In your climate you would seldom if ever have to use it, but for an older horse with no shed available it is real good to have one on hand for the occasional drenching winter day.

The only thing that should make you consider stalling her is if she is shivering *despite* the best clothing-and-shelter she has available; or if the weather is cold and wet to the point where she is feeling exceptionally stiff.

And btw, <applause> for letting her have 24-hr turnout. It really IS the best for nearly all horses, especially older more arthritic ones. If it makes you feel better about your choice, I live about an hour N of Toronto, with winter lows regularly into the -10's F (-20s C) and sometimes as low as -30 F (-35 C), with three retired horses including a considerably arthritic 22 yr old TB... and they only get put in the barn maybe 3 days a year, usually on occasions when there is prolonged heavy wet snow from the S (which they have less shelter from). Obviously they have ample shelter and hay, but don't really USE their shed much except in big downpours or to get out of cold winter winds. They are happy and healthy, and in fact the 22 yr old is FAR FAR healthier than when I used to have to board him and he was stalled every night.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## w c (Sep 21, 2010)

Some horses just don't go in a stall when the weather is really bad.  With some you have to use your judgement and if they are suffering put them in their stall and close the door.

The question is, are they suffering.  In Arizona and California, I think that the weather can change quickly, and storms can move in suddenly.  There are occasional extreme drops of temperature, wind and rain.  Horses don't always react to these by going in the barn.  Many have more of an instinct to stay outside and hunker down.  With very sudden temperature changes or bad storms, you may indeed have to put your horse in.

However...most of the time, no.  Your horse, if well fed and healthy, can benefit from being outside and moving around.  Will ALL horses ALWAYS know to come in when it's bad?  No.  Will you have to put her in sometimes?  PRobably.  Will you have to use your judgement sometimes and decide when it's bad enough to bring them in?  Yes.

But most of the time, the horse is better off moving around and loosening up.  In wet weather, some horses do need a rain sheet, especially if the wind is blowing hard and conditions are worsening.

Do people 'baby' their horses and blanket them and bring them in a lot when they don't really need it?  Sure.  Does it really hurt anything if they err on the side of caution?  Probably not, unless it means the horse winds up being in too much.  What's too much?  Everyone has a different opinion.  Some people overdo with the 'natural-leave-em-out' too.  I've seen horses screaming and tearing around the field when conditions are bad and they want to come in, too.


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## ducks4you (Sep 21, 2010)

I had only a shelter for the longest time.  I am much happier now with the option to stall after 25 1/2 years of horse ownership.  Most of the time/year she'll be fine, but you've got a horse with health problems.  I understand.  I cared for my elderly horses for 15 years before they passed, and they take more care than the youngins I now own.  My horses "Toma" and "Ro Go Bar" both had many years of dealing with arthritis.  
Good luck, and PM me if you have any questions.


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## kbaiko (Sep 22, 2010)

Thank you all for your replies. She has never appeared to be in any distress. No shivering, hunkering down, etc. She spends more time sleeping on the ground then I'm comfortable with. I grew up thinking that if a horse is on the ground then they are sick. She likes to sun bathe, lol. She appears happy. We have another 2 acre pasture that has a three sided shelter. Part of it is covered in dried thistles. I think I will move them there when I get the thistles cleared away. That way she has a choice.


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## w c (Sep 23, 2010)

Some horses just enjoy lying down, some horses lie down excessively when their legs hurt.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Sep 23, 2010)

Natural shelter is best for horses and I agree you're to be applauded for turning out 24 hours.  Especially for the elderly and arthritic it has worked best for me.  However they do need shelter so I guess what I'm not clear on is what you mean by 'several trees'.  Horses need wind break, and enough tree to get out of a major rain storm.  Mine have only bush to go in, but it's thick, and it involves a natural gully (north-south) so with wind is just not down there no matter how hard the valley (east-west) blows.  Each situation has to be evaluated on it's own merit.  Here a combination of tall trees and brush under them is total shelter.

My arthritic horse enjoyed sun bathing too, and now that I have arthritic knees I know why!  It feels great to unload the weight and bask.  In winter after working nights and then coming home to do the chores in the cold I often nap on the couch so my legs can be in the sun from the great room windows, no better therapy.  If you can give her the option of going inside fine, but don't lock her in, nothing is worse than the stiffness pain that comes to me when I have been standing around too much, keeping moving really is best.


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