Alright, so l have only been a horse owner for one month now, so please do not be too hard on me :] When l got my horse, we boarded him at where l was currently taking lessons, because l respect and am impressed by the barn owners. However, shortly after he moved in l found out there is no pasture turnout for the stalled horses. Before you yell at me for keeping my horse locked in a stall, his stall is very spacious. l do not have the exact measurements but it is larger than your average stall. It also has a good sized outside run attached to it, so he can stretch his legs, and l do get out often to exercise him. But l know he needs turnout to have his being a 'horse' time.

My barn has two riding arenas, on extremely large one located outside and a smaller one inside. Using the outside arena is impossible during this cold weather, because of all the snow and ice (we had freezing rain not a couple days ago).

What are your opinions on turning a horse out in a small riding arena? Is it better than nothing? Will it teach him bad manners for when l ride him in that arena? Any safety precautions l should take? Leave halter on or off?

Sorry for all of the questions!
Thanks!
Katie

It is understandable that you do what you have to do given the circumstances that there is no pasture. You will be fine to turn him in the arena to let him get some exercise. l would say leave the halter on if it is not going to be for a very extended period of time. Just make sure there is nothing in there that could hurt him badly. It is definitely better than nothing.

If it is okay with the owners & no one is using the arena it will definetly be better than nothing :) You r right sometimes a horse just needs to be a horse. Even if he only gets to strech his legs in there for 15min. it will do him some good.

Is he easy to ctach or have u not figured that out yet? If u do not know then l would keep a good break away halter on him & just let him have some fun :) l also do not think he will have any problems being ridden in there afterwards. l have ridden plenty of horses in their pastures, thety normally do fine as long as there r not any loose horses in there to stir them up xD

Good Luck & let him have some fin :D

Turning him out in the arena is not a big deal--he will be able to distinguish between ''oh Im FREE to run and play'' and ''oh, l am working you should take the halter off if there are any jumps or other objects he could get his halter caught on--

Thats about it!

BB

Dont be too hard on yourself! It sounds like ur horse is being well looked after. If he can sniff & snort at other horses in his run & have a 'buck & a fart' as my instructor says he may well be fine. Turning him out in an arena should not teach him bad manners if u r firm with him as otherwise he would never want to leave his stall now!

l always take a halter off when l turnout so the horse cant get caught in it - that said, if yours is a difficult catcher u may want to leave it on.

l do want to say that ur awareness of a potential problem & the fact that u want the best for ur horse sounds like u will be a great horse 'mom'!

Firstly, l would not advise your horse receiving free/turnout time in an area where he will be schooled.
Secondly, having your horse in a stall is fine, especially one that has an exercise area with it. Just remember that exercise is very important, and just because it is cold does not mean you can not ride your horse for some light exercise, we used to live in Manitoba and regularly rode out in -15.just do not cause them to sweat or breath deeply!
Good luck!

l think it is great. It is better than nothing. l do not think it will teach him bad manners at all. It might make him like the arena better since it will be a play area and a work area. Take the halter off in case he should get it caught on something. Horses need to jump and play and kick up their heels from time to time.

Listen to Greg, hes right. Also, make sure there is nothing that your horse can get hurt on in the arena - l even go so far as removing the jump cups, but most people are not as paranoid as me!

In over 34 years of my horses having to live in box stalls with no turnouts but arenas available, I've NEVER had an issue with the working in the SAME arena they are turned out in.

l would say that turning him out in an indoor is perfectly acceptable. It is also a good time to practice ''liberty'' work with him. It will help him move freer than in a roundpen & u can move him through jumps if they r set up. l would not suggest keeping a halter on him unless u r inside with him. It might be wise to invest in a breakaway halter if u have too.
My horse went through a long period of time where he needed light work & b/c he would get too excited out in the pasture with other horses l used the indoor.

l think it sounds like ur on ur way to being an awesome horse owner! l think u would be fine turning him out in an arena. Your horse getting to run, buck & kick is very important. It is part of what a horse is. They love it. Especially in the cold. And it can help keep them warm & keep u from getting dumped on ur head.
If anything, l think it would make him more comfortable being in that arena when ur riding him.
l look at it this way-
The longer a horse is stalled without exercise the more they become like a coiled spring. The longer there stalled with no exercise the tighter the coil gets & it is going to have to give sooner or later.

over winter all we have is arena turnout. it is great. they can run around & chill out. l would try to get him out maybe twice a day for short periods. if there is no pasture then there is nothing u can do. arena turnout is ur only option.

try getting him some toys for his stall. my tb loves a football inside a haynet tied to the rafters of his stall, & he had a couple of kick around toys to play with.

also, get him a couple of turnips (swedes) put them in the stall whole, that is hours of fun