I sold my last competition horse for more than I paid for my house.
And then when he sold I bought an investment property with the proceeds.
He got daily turn out in a group and when we lived in TX was out 24/7 with a run in shed and his friend.
17 Likes
deleted
On the topic of turnout vs no turnout. Lovely article with Peder here. I really enjoy his commentary.
20 Likes
Oh boy, this is just scandalous. Turnout and mostly barefoot!! 
2 Likes
And how many medals has he won compared to Dani? Clearly he’s doing something right
2 Likes
Interesting, about the word adaptable. There was some research in the last few years posted on one the horse sites, about how horses are indeed adaptable. But, being adaptable does not reduce the stress they feel. They apparently are hard wired to survive and thus learn to appear to adapt. But when their stress levels were monitored with a lot of stall time, they were stressed which would eventually show up as the horse that always has ulcers, etc. Like people, some horses will appear more accepting of confinement, ( but they are still stressed) and other horses will let you know loudly they are not a 24/7 stall horse.
14 Likes
Also, the Budweiser Clydesdales are on a schedule where they are rotated off the hitch and sent back to the farm for a break periodically. They lay over at a barn near me when they’re on their way back to the farm for their break, so I’ve had the delightful opportunity to meet some of them. So they are not analogous to the modern show hunter or jumper or race horse.
5 Likes
Interesting article;
6 Likes
The linked article also has the link to the Dani Waldman response to the first one who chastised her for not turning out her horses where she says her horses are out several times during the day, more than most horses. They’re out for work on the treadmill, or the automatic walker, or for riding but never turned out to allow them to just be horses. She also throws in that they’re hand grazed for an hour a day (I call BS on that one). It’s like they’re toys which are taken out, played with, and put away multiple times during the day.
7 Likes
This is a good point, too. I firmly believe that horses need downtime and time to themselves to be at their best. At my current barn, we see even our hottest, most tense horses laying down in the paddock all the time… Really doubt they’re going to do that during their one precious hour of hand-grazing.
14 Likes
I really appreciate that this piece also raises the need for social interaction between horses.
8 Likes
This is so true. I run a dressage barn and the horses always arrive with the owners saying how their beloved and pampered steed LOVES its stall and has to be closely watched on turnout because they want to come in early, etc. I say that I prioritize turnout but obviously not at the expense of the horse so if they are upset they are brought in on an individual basis – then I just wait and see. It never takes long for the horse to decide being out is much preferable. Now one has retired and has the opposite problem…this dressage princess of 22 years has decided stalls are NOT FOR HER and she’s a hot mess if she’s brought into a stall for more than a few minutes. Her long term owner is amazed, because this mare really does have DQ tendencies…just very different ones than she always thought!
17 Likes
Yes! We have one who came to us with strict instructions to wear two pairs of bell boots because she had pulled SEVEN (!) shoes in the past month at her prior barn running in a panic when her buddies were brought inside without her. Bad past barn management practices notwithstanding, she has not pulled a single shoe at our barn and stays out all day without so much as a peep out of her. I’m sure there truly are some special unicorns out there who absolutely cannot go outside for even a short period of time without losing their marbles and trying to kill themselves, but any trainer/rider/owner making such a blanket statement about every horse in their barn is lacking horsemanship and empathy.
17 Likes
Ugh. Our fields each have a very specific “bringing in” order. When you have a horse with issues like that, why would anyone in their right mind leave them out there alone to keep repeating what is obviously not working? Some people just shouldn’t be in charge of the well being of living creatures.
15 Likes
So, this is why I bought my own farm.
I have a special snowflake who is iffy about turnout. We have worked hard to get him to adapt to 8-12 hours out. Some days we can turn him back out with the rest of the herd. But, he has to be the first or second horse brought in, and if it’s too hot/too cold/too buggy/too whatever, he’ll lose his mind and be very difficult to bring in. So on those days, he stays in - usually by choice. If I take him out and he spins quickly and tries desperately to get back in, it’s obvious that it’s a day he’s not feeling it. 
This doesn’t work in most boarding situations where it’s either everyone out, or everyone in.
He is as quiet as a lamb and has fantastic ground manners otherwise so it’s really hard to train him to be better when he loses his marbles. And when he loses his marbles he’s miserable to handle. I have other horses that will be “up” but still easily handleable - he is not.
So yes, I bought a whole farm, mostly for him.
16 Likes
My BFFs beloved show horse was a bit of a diva. He loved his turnout, but not if it was raining, hot or buggy. He had read his show horse contract, and believed strongly that being rained on, bothered by bugs or being sweaty were breaches of that contract.
On a beautiful fall day he was happy to stay out 24/7 and he did very well in a situation with a stall open to a paddock where he could come in whenever he wanted.
But if the weather conditions were not to his liking he would pace the fence and call until you brought him in. And if it was buggy he’d just about run over you to get to his stall and he’d fuss until the fans were turned on.
Some people would interpret that behavior as “hating turnout” or “loving his stall.” Not the case. He just had a certain standard of living that he believed should be upheld.
31 Likes
Trying to say that horses going out on the treadmill, being ridden, hand grazed, etc is the equivalent or better of turnout is like me trying to say going to the gym, grocery shopping, going to work is the equivalent of sitting on the couch eating ice cream and being lazy for afternoon - newsflash it is not. Those are all still ‘activities’ that are not a replacement for time just to be a horse. Let your horse have his couch time and relax!
13 Likes
Not to mention no socialization with other horses, they are isolated basically. I can’t imagine these horses are healthy mentally.
10 Likes
@McGurk you have described my mare to a T. She will not go on the winter paddock if it’s muddy, she will push past you and out. She doesn’t do bugs or too much sun or rain. She has a shelter in her field and her safety blanket (my daughter’s pony). She is a princes and knows it BUT if you dare not to turn her out when it’s the right time and right weather she will not be happy with you!
5 Likes
I live in Oregon and turnout during the winter doesn’t happen sometimes bc the endless mud and sometimes frozen ground. During those times the horses get ring turnout in the indoor. No it’s not the same but at least they get to buck and run and play. I am also a big believer in turnout, despite my wonderful but insane mare injuring herself twice–both times to the point she needed 8-12 weeks rest/rehab–in turnout. She is so much happier when she’s turned out.
4 Likes
