10/03/2025
This is worth sharing, some really great points here we should all be trying to work towards for the benefit of horse welfare.
𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀?
As the equestrian world moves toward better welfare standards, there has been growing talk about introducing a licensing system for livery yards. If (and hopefully when) this happens, proper winter turnout must be a requirement. Keeping horses stabled for months just because it’s winter is not acceptable.
Turnout isn’t a luxury, it’s a basic need. It allows horses to move, socialize, and express natural behaviors. Locking them up for months on end simply for human convenience is not good enough. If a livery yard cannot provide turnout all year round, then it should not be running.
I’m all for supporting livery yards, they are the reason so many people can have horses. The work they do is invaluable, and running a yard is no easy task. But things have to change. Welfare must come first, and that includes ensuring that horses have access to turnout every single day, even in winter.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: 𝗡𝗼 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁
Too many livery yards fail to provide turnout in winter.
The common excuses?
• “𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙩.”
• “𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡.”
• “𝙒𝙚 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩.”
• “𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙.”
Because of this, horses end up stuck in stables for weeks or even months, with little or no freedom to move. This is not okay.
Let’s be clear, 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁. Horses need time outside, where they can move freely and interact with other horses.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁?
𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙨 – Stiffness, joint issues, and an increased risk of colic from standing still for too long.
𝙈𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 – Boredom, anxiety, and frustration, leading to vices like weaving, cribbing, box walking, and aggression.
𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 – Horses are herd animals. They need to interact with other horses for their mental well-being.
𝑷𝒐𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 – Movement helps circulation and gut health. Horses stuck in stables are at a greater risk of colic and laminitis.
Many owners have simply accepted that their horses won’t get turnout in winter, normalizing a situation that is actually damaging their horse’s health and well-being.
A lack of turnout should never be considered part of winter horse care,it’s a welfare issue.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙩
If livery yards become licensed, they must be required to provide safe, usable turnout all year round. This doesn’t mean sacrificing good grazing or ruining fields, it means planning ahead and putting proper facilities in place.
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙔𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝘿𝙤?
𝙎𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨 – A designated turnout area that protects the main fields.
𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨 – Sand, rubber, or hardcore areas that don’t turn into deep mud.
𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 – A designed turnout route that encourages movement and natural behavior.
𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨 – Rotating turnout areas so all horses get their time outside.
𝙈𝙪𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙨 we -there is so many type available in the Uk and abroad!
If a yard cannot provide any of these options, it should not be allowed to operate.
𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝘿𝙤 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨
In Sweden, turnout is a legal requirement. By law, horses must be turned out every day unless the weather is extreme. Keeping a horse stabled 24/7 is not an option.
If Sweden can manage this despite its long, harsh winters, why is the UK and other countries still allowing horses to be locked up for half the year? It’s not about climate, it’s about mindset and proper management.
Other European countries also recognize the importance of turnout. In Denmark, for example, turnout is strongly recommended in welfare guidelines, and more yards are adopting year-round turnout solutions.
So why is the UK, Ireland and other Countries around the the World still allowing outdated, restrictive management practices?
𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
Yes, setting up winter turnout does take money, effort, and planning. But the reality is, if a yard cannot meet this basic welfare need, should it even be in business?
Many yards could provide winter turnout but choose not to because it’s easier for them to keep horses stabled. This needs to change. Welfare should always come before convenience.
Owners Have a Role to Play Too
𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨.
𝙄𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩.
𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚’𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙛𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩.
Too many people put their own convenience before their horse’s needs. A yard may be close to home, cheap, or have nice facilities, but if your horse is stuck in a stable all winter, is it really the best place for them?
𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁: 💭
I fully support livery yards, and I know how much hard work goes into running them. They are the reason so many people can have horses, and they play a vital role in equestrian life. But things have to change.
When livery yards are licensed, winter turnout must be a legal requirement. Sweden has already made it law, there’s no reason we can’t do the same.
Keeping horses locked up for months isn’t just outdated, it’s wrong. It goes against everything we know about equine welfare.
No more excuses. No more normalizing stabling for months. It’s time for change.
𝐈𝐟 𝐚 𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧, 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭.
Helen Jacks-Hewett is a McTimoney Animal Chiropractor based in the Mendip Hills of Somerset.
