Field Kept Ponies

and ponies live outside 247. Most are hardy creatures that grow woolly coats in the winter and wouldnt like it very much if they were brought into a stable at night. Does your horse live outside all of the time? If she does she needs to be looked after just like a stabled horse does.
You might not have to bring her in every night but you still need to check on her every day. It only takes a few seconds for a horse to get seriously hurt and its important that someone your or the barn owner keeps a regular eye on your fourlegged friend.

Here are some important things to remember if your horse lives outside most of the time.
Your horse needs some sort of shelter in the field. Is there a runin shed or a tall hedge or trees that can give her some shelter from the wind in wintry weather?Check your horses legs every day even if it means wading through kneedeep mud. You need to feel for heat and swelling to make sure that your pony didnt get into any trouble while you were away Apply equine or human sunscreen liberally to your horses face if hes light colored or has a pink muzzle. Horses that live outside can burn even in the winter if the sun is reflecting off the snow. We all hate being sunburnedmake sure your horse is wearing sun block whenever the sun is shining!Make sure that your horse is protected from flies and other biting insects in the summer. Apply fly spray to your pony as often as directions allow. If the flies still seem to be bothering him after applying fly spray consider getting him a fly mask flysheet or fly leg wraps to make him more comfortable.
Walk your fence line at least once a week to check that the fencing is safe and secure. You want to make sure that your horse cant escape and that there are no loose boards or wires that he could cut himself on. This is also a good time to look for trash that might have blown into the field. Pick up plastic bags and other junk that appears in the field Pick out your horses feet every day even if youre not going to work him. It is important to make sure there are no sharp stones trapped in his feet that could