20/05/2026
Turnout: The conversation people donât want to have
I know this can be a controversial topic, and I also know no one can be perfect 100% of the time. Iâm not claiming that in the slightest. Winter happens, fields get dangerous, horses need managing carefully and sometimes we simply have to work with what weâve got.
But I do think we should always be trying our best to give horses a life that gets as close as possible to what they were designed for.
No horse should live shut in a stable 24/7.
No horse should live completely isolated from other horses.
That doesnât mean every horse can be out all day every day in a huge herd in a big field. Some need quieter companions, careful introductions, restricted grazing, or different management setups. Some days are genuinely too icy or muddy. But we should always be asking ourselves how we can make things better for them where possible rather than simply what is easiest for us.
Whether itâs a ÂŁ100 horse or a ÂŁ100,000 horse, a fancy competition warmblood or a happy hacking cob, they are still a horse first and should be treated as one. They need the chance to move, roll, play, eat alongside other horses, groom each other and feel safe within a herd.
Thatâs what horses are naturally designed for. To live with companionship and social interaction. To rest together and feel security within a group. When those needs arenât being met, it very often starts showing up in other ways.
Separation anxiety.
Tension under saddle.
Explosive behaviour.
Calling and pacing in the stable.
Difficulty relaxing.
Stress around handling or leaving the yard.
Sleep deprivation.
Shutting down.
So often the is the horse trying to communicate rather than them âbeing difficult.â
I think sometimes the horse world becomes so focused on convenience, competitions and keeping horses looking perfect that we forget how important the simple basics are.
Yards are often designed around what people want not what horses need. But it doesnât have to be one or the other. We can still have the pretty stables, lovely tack rooms, wash bays and fancy arenas whilst also giving horses safe shared turnout, companionship, space to play and the chance to simply be horses. Or at least being as close to that as we can.
Turnout wonât magically fix every horse, and companionship alone wonât solve every behavioural issue, but youâd be surprised how many horses change when they start feeling more like horses again.
So⌠If youâre on a yard with no winter turnout, go find somewhere else. It is a simple as that. And no, turning a horse out in an arena for half an hour whilst you muck out or putting them on a horse walker isnât enough. Muddy fields, bad weather and difficult conditions happen, but part of owning horses is trying our best to find solutions and not just accepting months shut in a stable as normal.
