DURING the winter horse owners often worry about whether their horse should be kept stabled or turned out the winter.

How many of us keep our horse stabled during the winter months as a matter of course? Is it to make sure they don’t lose condition because they are in work and clipped out? Is it because they will poach the ground, causing more work and expense to reclaim good grazing for the summer? Or is it because we feel sorry for them not being able to come into the house to sit by the fire? The important thing to consider is what the horse thinks about it all.

They are herd animals who are, in general, more resilient than we give them credit for. They can adapt successfully if they are given a chance to acclimatise to their surroundings The horse grows a winter coat that we clip off because they will sweat too much when exercised.

Good practice, we all think. But how many of us exercise for only one hour a day and then expect the horse to stand in for the other twenty three hours? We then wonder why he has started to box walk, weave or kick the door down. Many of us will acquire objects to amuse them while they are standing in their box bored, when all they want is to be outside doing horsey things.

If you are worried about turning your horse out in the cold, remember that it has a waterproof coat and a central heating system, the digestion of fibre generates a lot of heat, keeping horses warm from the inside out. For many horses, this will be enough to keep them warm throughout the winter However, if your horse needs a bit more help, there are all sorts of rugs on the market today; you can even find ones which would keep your horse warm at -40°c.

If it is necessary to keep a horse stabled then the following should occur: ideally, where possible, the horse should be in hard work; it should also be on controlled rations and the stable should be big enough and have good ventilation.

Stabled horses tend to have more ailments than the horse that is not stabled. It is very easy to label a horse as having COPD when all it really wants is good clean air. To keep the horse sane it should be allowed access to a paddock so it can relax naturally. Yards with a large number of horses often find turning out horses for an hour a day impractical.

A final thought: in the winter when it is snowing or raining, how often do you see a horse standing outside beside its field shelter? In summer, however, you might not see your horse outside much because it is inside getting away from the flies.