Turnout question, opinions welcome!

[Alter3]

I am sure I’m overthinking things and being paranoid but would love advice! My main pasture was just closed to rest until summer.

I have a newly cleared “paddock” (~2 acres) that connects to my 50x100 stone dust dry lot. I have three horses that have had access to both the dry lot and the paddock for the past week. However, we are getting nonstop rain for the next week or so. I am certain that the paddock will turn into nothing but mud given the fact it was a wooded area prior to clearing.

I am debating between letting them continue having access to both, or confining them to the dry lot.

I can see both sides to this, if they have access to the paddock every day they won’t be as prone to running around and acting stupid…but the footing outside the dry lot is likely going to get super muddy and slick. Am I being overly cautions?

I am concerned if I contain them to the dry lot for the next week, when I do let them have access to the paddock they are going to have so much pent-up energy that they are going to make bad life choices . WWYD? They are out from 7:30 AM until around 8:30 or 9PM FYI

[LilRanger]

I live in the desert, so dry lot sounds fine to me? That is enough room to mosey, buckfart and have a snooze.

I’m sure there will be other opinions.

[Thames_Pirate]

Can you turn them out on the dry lot for an hour, then just casually open the gate to the rest of the paddock? I don’t know if your herd is stupid only at turnout or at certain times or if it’s a random thing. You could also try making sure they are fully worked before turning them out.

Beyond that I think you trust your gut. You know your horses and your physical space better than any of us would. What I would do for my current horse is different from what I would do with my old mare or my friend’s horse. Trust your instinct.

[Alter3]

They are typically a pretty quiet bunch and stand around the nearest piles of hay eating all day. But every few hours one of them will decide it’s time to run around the paddock.

When they are cooped up in the dry lot for more than a day or two, and then let out, they tend to play very hard, galloping and bucking in delight!

Unfortunately, none are in work at the time. And with the amount of rain we have coming, my arena will also be out of commission (no indoor) so no way to let them burn off steam that way before turn out either.

[Weezer]

Your herd sounds similar to mine - occasional bursts of energy if allowed to roam but totally crazy if pent up and then let go. In your situation I think I would let them into the 2 acres, understanding that it is going to get torn up and will need to be rehabbed when they go out on the summer pasture. I think they will be happier and less prone to injury if they are allowed to roam. My entire property becomes a bit of a mudslick for a month or two in the spring and I’ve never had any injuries as a result.

[Alter3]

@Weezer

Your herd sounds similar to mine - occasional bursts of energy if allowed to roam but totally crazy if pent up and then let go. In your situation I think I would let them into the 2 acres, understanding that it is going to get torn up and will need to be rehabbed when they go out on the summer pasture. I think they will be happier and less prone to injury if they are allowed to roam. My entire property becomes a bit of a mudslick for a month or two in the spring and I’ve never had any injuries as a result.

Thank you! I went ahead and let them have access to the paddock this morning, it had only started raining last night so the mud wasn’t too bad yet. I figured if they determine on their own that the footing is getting slick they will be more cautious on it? I’ve never had to deal with mud before, I’m a little paranoid about injuries…but they’re horses, right?

Yes, once the summer pasture is open again, this new paddock will get seeded and rested until next winter!

[Pico_Banana]

Unless it’s super muddy, I let my two into the grass paddock for an hour first thing in the morning. One just puts her head down to graze the entire time, the other will get in a good roll and will occasionally do a little trot or canter, then will graze. I then move them into the dry lot.

The hour seems to be enough for them to think that they have gotten great turnout and I don’t see any bursts of excess energy even with just the hour.

[candyappy]

If you don’t care what they do to it I would let them out as usual. My guys have access to the pasture every day no matter what the weather. It keeps them from getting stupid and they tend to stay in the dry lot with the hay when it is raining anyways.

We aren’t overly muddy even where the grass is just coming back.

[Alter3]

Again, my concern was the mud. Being recently cleared woods there is not much grass. However, my three have stayed mostly in the dry lot by choice only moseying out into the paddock a little ways to nibble and then back to the dry lot. Glad to see they are being smart about the footing! It seems they dislike walking through mud as much as I do

[candyappy]

Mine hate the mud when we have it.

[B-burg_Dressage]

I leave mine in the lot when the ground is bad.

But I leave them in there to save my pasture and grass, not because I worry about them sliding in the mud (at least not too much).

Generally speaking, they do run and act like fools the first day back out on the pasture. But generally speaking, I still don’t worry too much about injury. I don’t generally fall and break myself when I run, nor do my dogs or cats. (I know it’s harder with horses than dogs, but that’s the perspective I try to keep.)