# boarding a young horse.. stall vs pasture



## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Pasture. No question. 

If you're working the horse daily, MAYBE stall with paddock.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Pasture, absolutely.

I am not a big fan of stalls - while yes, there are horses who thrive on stall time, but I think stalls are unhealthy. Reason being is because they are animals who are meant to range and move and graze. Their digestive systems are designed for continuous grazing and I feel that spending 15+ hours in a stall, hinders them, causes issues joint and digestive, in the long run.

If you can do stall and a paddock - so that your horse can move around at his/her own free will, with access to as much roughage as possible, that's much better, IMO, than being stuck in a stall.


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## OnlySamwise (Jun 24, 2008)

ok i agree.. just wasn't sure if you were supposed to do somethin' different with a young horse is all. it's hard to find a ranch here with pasture.. most of 'em are just stalls and you're lucky to have a paddock :/


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

Pasture!!! I have a coming two year old and he has pasture access to him. He has a stall for when the weather is iffy. He is outside all day and inside at night. Babies need the room to run around to help develop good muscles and strong bones.


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

haleylvsshammy said:


> Pasture!!! I have a coming two year old and he has pasture access to him. He has a stall for when the weather is iffy. He is outside all day and inside at night. Babies need the room to run around to help develop good muscles and strong bones.


my thoughts exactly. my 10mth old has a stall at night (it's 12' x 30' so not tiny) and goes out on 5 acres (maybe more - never measured) during the day to play with the other horses. i think the movement and the socialization is paramount for a well rounded healthy horse.


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## dressagebelle (May 13, 2009)

I agree with a pasture, they develop more correctly when in a pasture situation, they get that discipline and manners from a "herd" of horses, and they are free to run around and play with their buddies when they feel like it. I don't mind stalls if the horse gets at least a 30 minute turnout at least 4 times a week in addition to whatever ride time they get, and by turnout, I mean being turned out in an arena, or paddock or pasture and left to do whatever they want. They also need to be able to figure out where their feet are. When I got my mare at 4 years old, because she had been stuck in a stall and hadn't been turned out or anything, she had no clue where her feet where when I ended up putting her in a paddock, and I'm running into the same problem with a 3 year old Arabian who's owners don't get him out, he had no clue where his feet were either.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Hunter is 3 and has a huge stall with a large paddock (has been boarded there for a year and a half). Personally I would never board where there were only stalls. In April they are out on the grass for 12 hours a day (at least) until Oct/Nov.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Depends on the horse. We have two coming two year olds. One does just fine on 24/7 turnout, the other needs her 'me' time over night in a stall. I think she is too uptight to sleep out in the herd situation.


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## Cowgirl140ty (Jan 7, 2010)

I have a coming 3 yr old gelding. He is stalled in a 12x12 stall during the day. And goes out at night. But he also gets ridden 2-3 times a week. ANd he does great. But he has tifton hay in front of him constantly while he is in the stall. And then 20 acres of grass and a roll of tifton at night. Not to mention the flake and a half of alfalfa he gets a day. ANd he does great.


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