If Henry is spoiled then Hue is livin the dream! Hue gets turned out about 16 hours of the day I think approx 4-8. Looks like Henry was enjoying himself :)
So does that mean Mexi is the most spoiled because she's out 24/7 on ~400 acres? Or least spoiled because we have lots of snow and hay instead of green grass? Hahah.
Yeah Hue is lucky for sure! Henry only gets random turn out as we aren't allowed to turn them out and leave... it sucks. I do it sometimes since others do it all the time, i know that doesn't make it right but i think it's a dumb rule!
Julie idk how you do that... i like having Henry in a stall :)
Why it's so damn hard for me to find a place with an indoor for the winter... Such small turn outs. :(
On the other hand, I don't know how you do this set up with Henry. It'd drive me nuts! Different strokes, I guess. Goodness knows what I'd so if I loved in an area where that kind of "turn out" was the norm.
To each his own. I always want my horse to have a stall but I think he might get a little bonkers being in a stall 24/7 there is a happy medium I think. If I wasn't working hue regularly I would want him to be on pasture board too so he could be out and happy. But since I ride 5-6 days a week I think a stall makes more sense for me. And he gets enough turn out to be happy I think.
Like Hillary said I ride 4-5 days a week and Henry gets a trainer ride so a stall totally works for us :) I don't think Henry would ever come back if he had 400 acres to run lol!
He also gets extra hay/grain every day so I can only imagine what extra feed I would be dealing with if he was out with others. He would prob play rather then eat! haha!
I just wish he could get turned out 4 or so days a week just to hangout cause I am sure it's nice to move around in a bigger spot :)
Turn out is definitely a tough one! I have had Mexi on her current farm (where she grew up) as well as two others. At the other two places she had a stall and would have all day turnout (weather permitting) and come in for the night. I do think she's happier being in her current situation w/ pasture turnout. I've gotten used to her being out and making myself worry less, mainly because I know she's in GREAT hands should anything ever arise. I would be much less comfortable with her on pasture board somewhere else, I think. Maybe not terrible now that I'm used to it, but it's not the same as her being "home", you know?
I have friends who don't know how I can handle her being out, and others who do pasture turn out themselves. I think it's all a matter of the horse and owner and what they both like/want! Pasture turnout was totally foreign to me until I started riding with Kevin in 2004. He has a very European style in raising his horses in that they live outside in a herd, give birth outside, etc. It has worked wonderfully for him and I've kind of adapted that mentality.
It also helps that Mexi is an easy keeper! If I had to give her extra grain, I'd have to come out twice a day (or however many times I were graining), bring her in, and feed her. Thankfully she doesn't really need anything extra so she lives on haylage/hay/grass with the herd. That part was a bit tricky for me because I still kind of want to give her a ration balancer just to make sure that she's getting everything she needs, but for now she's happy and healthy, as are all the other horses she's out with, so that's good enough for me!
Whew. Sorry for the novel, haha. Basically what I'm saying is it's all personal preference, horse preference (we had a TB who hated being out in the heat/with flies), and situation - our farm is basically horsey heaven and not many people have access to the type of land where they can let their horses live outside like that. I didn't mean to imply that pasture board is the only way/the right way to raise horses. Just that I think it's a great lifestyle for some of them... keeps them healthy and sane. :)
love this, I also want to say that I love your cover photograph :)
ReplyDeleteAh thanks! :)
DeleteSo jealous of Henry!!
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteNom nom nom
ReplyDeleteHe tried to say hi to Magic and Mr happy wasn't to friendly
DeleteIf Henry is spoiled then Hue is livin the dream! Hue gets turned out about 16 hours of the day I think approx 4-8. Looks like Henry was enjoying himself :)
ReplyDeleteSo does that mean Mexi is the most spoiled because she's out 24/7 on ~400 acres? Or least spoiled because we have lots of snow and hay instead of green grass? Hahah.
DeleteYeah Hue is lucky for sure! Henry only gets random turn out as we aren't allowed to turn them out and leave... it sucks. I do it sometimes since others do it all the time, i know that doesn't make it right but i think it's a dumb rule!
DeleteJulie idk how you do that... i like having Henry in a stall :)
Mexi likes being out. There's a herd of about a dozen of them... They're happy as clams! Better for them too, I think. :)
DeleteWhy it's so damn hard for me to find a place with an indoor for the winter... Such small turn outs. :(
DeleteOn the other hand, I don't know how you do this set up with Henry. It'd drive me nuts! Different strokes, I guess. Goodness knows what I'd so if I loved in an area where that kind of "turn out" was the norm.
To each his own. I always want my horse to have a stall but I think he might get a little bonkers being in a stall 24/7 there is a happy medium I think. If I wasn't working hue regularly I would want him to be on pasture board too so he could be out and happy. But since I ride 5-6 days a week I think a stall makes more sense for me. And he gets enough turn out to be happy I think.
DeleteLike Hillary said I ride 4-5 days a week and Henry gets a trainer ride so a stall totally works for us :) I don't think Henry would ever come back if he had 400 acres to run lol!
DeleteHe also gets extra hay/grain every day so I can only imagine what extra feed I would be dealing with if he was out with others. He would prob play rather then eat! haha!
I just wish he could get turned out 4 or so days a week just to hangout cause I am sure it's nice to move around in a bigger spot :)
Turn out is definitely a tough one! I have had Mexi on her current farm (where she grew up) as well as two others. At the other two places she had a stall and would have all day turnout (weather permitting) and come in for the night. I do think she's happier being in her current situation w/ pasture turnout. I've gotten used to her being out and making myself worry less, mainly because I know she's in GREAT hands should anything ever arise. I would be much less comfortable with her on pasture board somewhere else, I think. Maybe not terrible now that I'm used to it, but it's not the same as her being "home", you know?
DeleteI have friends who don't know how I can handle her being out, and others who do pasture turn out themselves. I think it's all a matter of the horse and owner and what they both like/want! Pasture turnout was totally foreign to me until I started riding with Kevin in 2004. He has a very European style in raising his horses in that they live outside in a herd, give birth outside, etc. It has worked wonderfully for him and I've kind of adapted that mentality.
It also helps that Mexi is an easy keeper! If I had to give her extra grain, I'd have to come out twice a day (or however many times I were graining), bring her in, and feed her. Thankfully she doesn't really need anything extra so she lives on haylage/hay/grass with the herd. That part was a bit tricky for me because I still kind of want to give her a ration balancer just to make sure that she's getting everything she needs, but for now she's happy and healthy, as are all the other horses she's out with, so that's good enough for me!
Whew. Sorry for the novel, haha. Basically what I'm saying is it's all personal preference, horse preference (we had a TB who hated being out in the heat/with flies), and situation - our farm is basically horsey heaven and not many people have access to the type of land where they can let their horses live outside like that. I didn't mean to imply that pasture board is the only way/the right way to raise horses. Just that I think it's a great lifestyle for some of them... keeps them healthy and sane. :)
I'd love to have the life of our horses :D
ReplyDeletetell me about it girl.. my animals in general have PLUSH lives!
DeleteHaha... I usually feel like I am at work so my horse CAN do this :-)
ReplyDeletelol that is so true!
DeleteAnd you know if horses were people they would never spoil us! They would leave us tied to a tree all day lol
ReplyDeleteright!? ugh we are whipped! lol
DeleteAll that work you do under saddle and on the ground? It's nothing compared to the training and work it takes THEM to set US in "our ways".
ReplyDeleteThat looks like fat & happy to me!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteHe looks so happy :-)
ReplyDeletefo sho!
Delete