Keeping Horses' In Or Out ?

[mike001]

I've had horses all my life and we live where the temps reach -40C in winter. I have never locked my horses up but always had an open barn policy. We built our barn facing south and built a large stall with enough room for 4 horses that we left open year ound. The horses come in and out as they please. Even in the worst colds the horses preferred to stay outdoors. They used the stall to get in from the hot sun and flies in summer. The most important thing to remember is that horses need water 24/7 and in winter we always have a plug in tank that keeps the water warm. Horses seem to drink more in cold weather for some reason. I have horses with thick woolly coats and never have a health concern with them. The shedding is pretty bad in the spring but it doesn't last forever. Some boarding barns lock up the horses at night but many of the horses seem to catch flu or colds so I prefer the open barn method.

[Toby's my baby]

I've had horses all ways. Where I live, it gets to -35 degrees Farenheit. About 4 years ago, the horses used to get locked up in stalls every night. They did get discharge sometimes, probably a cold or something, but nothing serious. When they are kept inside at night, their hoofs are easier to trim, and their coats don't get AS long.

The lady I bought my current horse from, kept the horses inside all the time, except for a couple hours a day when she let them out with blankets on. The horses didn't grow long coats at all. They didn't seem to have any health problems, but it was hard to adapt to a different life style once he was out all day without a blanket.

Now the horses have an open door. They can go in and out as the please. Their hooves are a lot harder to trim, but they don't grow as much either, so it kind of evens out. I like the open door the best. They spend most cold nights outside, but then if a snow storm comes during the middle of the day, they can come in if they want.