Anyone else horse just not happy being out overnight?

Barton Bounty

Barton Bounty

Just simply loving life with Orbi 🥰
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So, Orbi likes his bed, he likes a good lay down and a snooze, he is very chilled.
Last year I managed most of the summer keeping him out overnight and only in on bad nights etc. it was a struggle for the first few nights but he settled into it.

This year, he is hating it. He is not liking being out overnight, his whole demeanour changes. He has plenty of friends but he is not fussed with them.

He seemed off on Thursday morning so of course it sends you into panic mode so I gave him his breakfast and went to work. When I came back at 2pm. He was just as miserable. So I put him in..,, panic mode enabled to 100 by this point so went and checked on him at 7 pm and he was sound asleep laying down in his bed. Checked again at 9 and munching hay happily.

Next morning and ever since he has been absolutely fine, back to his normal self.
We have had terrible constant rain for 2.5 days now. So he was in all day yesterday and he was happy as Larry..

Anyone elses horses not fussed in going out overnight.
 
now I'm not saying this is Orbi at all, as I obviously haven't seen him, but I have a friend who says her horse doesn't like being out overnight, when it's actually because he's more chilled with more turnout. Yes, he lacks 'sparkle' but he's a cob, so not surprising. The owner is convinced his true character is the one that is present when he has pent up energy from being in.

That said I did have one that hated windy or cold weather, so liked to come in overnight during the winter, or if the weather was bad.
 
Orbi is soooo chilled though he likes a zoom around and thats about it. He hates the wind and the rain and the cold, and his field is super open although he has a field shelter he refuses to go in 🤣

Orbis symptoms the other day were .. he was stuck stood in the corner or the field and did not come running for his breakfast. He has never done that in all the time I have had him, he gallops to me every day whinnying his wee heart out.
I had to go over and get him.

I pulled his rug a wee bit and kinda shook him a second and he just kinda snapped out of it.
But he was very similar when I went to get him to ride at 2 pm.
You know when you just get a feeling something isnt right? I panicked thinking colic.
 
I have the opposite problem that one of mine doesn’t want to come in. The companion pony has a particular time scale of being in.
Will come in when required as he has a feed but will not stay in willingly past 6pm. Doesn’t matter if he’s brought in at 9am or 5pm, at 6PM he is ready to go back out.
Not great when the horseflies are abundant this year and somedays it would be easier to get them in later and turnout later 🙄.
 
equinerebel said:
Do all of his friends stay out 24/7 or have the same routine as him? Does he prefer it when they’re in with him as well? Can he see and hear them from his stable?
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Hes not fussed with the friends,🤣 yes they are out 24/7 and no he cant see them from his stable at all but he has a good big open stable that can see most things
 
Ceifer said:
I have the opposite problem that one of mine doesn’t want to come in. The companion pony has a particular time scale of being in.
Will come in when required as he has a feed but will not stay in willingly past 6pm. Doesn’t matter if he’s brought in at 9am or 5pm, at 6PM he is ready to go back out.
Not great when the horseflies are abundant this year and somedays it would be easier to get them in later and turnout later 🙄.
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Awww the flies are bad! Orbi hates them and I think thats the other reason to wanting in
 
NR88 said:
Does he share a field with the herd or is he on individual turnout out?
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Not sure it matters but orbi has always been on individual turnout , same as BB was and always will be on individual turnout. The fields are not allowed more than they can cope with ( 2 x 17.3hh, 1 16hh 1 x 15.2 1x 15hh and 1 x 13.2) and I have a lovely paddock. He does have three friends he can groom and chat to over the fence and then Valerie the other side.
Even if I could , I have no desire to put him in with my friends horses who consistently strip each other of all rugs and masks etc 🤣🤣🤣they are covered in bites and sores lol… so a hard pass 🤣
He was the only horse here apart from Valerie the shitland for over a year. The other horses were in a back field and didnt come in often. My friend has only been here for 6 months.
 
I kept my last horse on individual for a bit and he was the same during that time. He changed again once turned out with others.

My mare hates wind, rain, flies etc but she wants to be where her friends are so we keep similar routines. We’ve switched to overnight turnout and in during the day whilst the flies are this bad. It seems to suit her!
 
ihatework said:
Have you tried bringing him in through daytime to get out of flies and have a sleep?
That’s my preferred summer routine for pretty much every working horse!
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Yeah he would stay in all the time 🤣 he loves his stable. This week is to be nice for us up here, I might try that and see.
The only issue is at night the midges and black biting flies are so bad at the field. The field is lined with lime trees they smell amazing but jesus! They are full of flies 🤣
 
equinerebel said:
I kept my last horse on individual for a bit and he was the same during that time. He changed again once turned out with others.

My mare hates wind, rain, flies etc but she wants to be where her friends are so we keep similar routines. We’ve switched to overnight turnout and in during the day whilst the flies are this bad. It seems to suit her!
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Yeah we dont have that option, there is only two liveries lol ,even hers cant all go in together, its just, me and my friend 🤣 its a small private beautiful estate. She doesnt want it overrun with witches 🤣 he has never had company since I had him so thats not the issue.

But i might see if he wants to come in during the day and out at night then.
Another night and day of rain tomo then it should be a bit drier for us 😄
 
I wish my horse had the same views as Orbit. I have to drag her in after a couple hours of turnout. She would like nothing more than to be out overnight with her pals, but I can't do it. EMS, laminitis, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I was that person who thinks horses should be out as much as possible, but unless we move to Namibia or Spain tomorrow, I can't.

"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose." The Twelfth Doctor.
 
Caol Ila said:
I wish my horse had the same views as Orbit. I have to drag her in after a couple hours of turnout. She would like nothing more than to be out overnight with her pals, but I can't do it. EMS, laminitis, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I was that person who thinks horses should be out as much as possible, but unless we move to Namibia or Spain tomorrow, I can't.

"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose." The Twelfth Doctor.
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Same boat our weather will be totally different even though your only 50/60 miles away, 🤣🤣

Scottish summer has been pants so far and I am still going through a bale of hay in 6 weeks instead of 4 , maybe just not as much and Orbi is still getting his breakfast and dinner!
The grass around here just is not getting a good chance to grow.
 
Barton Bounty said:
Same boat our weather will be totally different even though your only 50/60 miles away, 🤣🤣

Scottish summer has been pants so far and I am still going through a bale of hay in 6 weeks instead of 4 , maybe just not as much and Orbi is still getting his breakfast and dinner!
The grass around here just is not getting a good chance to grow.
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I can send you some grass. It's gone totally wild up here. I've never seen so much damn grass.
 
Mine is like that! Tried overnight turnout for a bit as a fellow livery wanted me to so they could be out together - he hated it. So it’s out in the day and in at night all year round, which has its advantages (good for the waistlines!) but I don’t get the quicker summer muck outs 😆 looking back it shouldn’t have surprised me - he’s a creature of habit and likes a good lie down on a big bed and a sleep at night!
 
tatty_v said:
Mine is like that! Tried overnight turnout for a bit as a fellow livery wanted me to so they could be out together - he hated it. So it’s out in the day and in at night all year round, which has its advantages (good for the waistlines!) but I don’t get the quicker summer muck outs 😆 looking back it shouldn’t have surprised me - he’s a creature of habit and likes a good lie down on a big bed and a sleep at night!
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This makes me feel so much better, Orbi just loves a good lay down.
Its not that I mind one bit at all. Just muck out every day lol 😝
 

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Mine lasted all of 3 weeks been out 24 hours a day, with his buddies but he is a bit stand alone with them in truth. He became tired and bolshy not like him the bolshy bit was just not him self at all. So went back to out for 12 hours out in the day and in at night and he is back to his old self and quite happy.
 
welshcobabe said:
Mine lasted all of 3 weeks been out 24 hours a day, with his buddies but he is a bit stand alone with them in truth. He became tired and bolshy not like him the bolshy bit was just not him self at all. So went back to out for 12 hours out in the day and in at night and he is back to his old self and quite happy.
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I think Id rather keep him being happy too, so will just do the same as I do in winter I think. We have not had the best summer so far so its not that different to autumn lol.
He goes out at 5 am till 2 so has a good length of time in the field.
 
My friend has a cob who hates any yard where they try to do overnight turnout - he likes his routine so he's out in the day and in at night.

Was a total PITA the other week when temps got over 30 but he told the yard quite clearly that he would prefer to be in his stable.
 
SEL said:
My friend has a cob who hates any yard where they try to do overnight turnout - he likes his routine so he's out in the day and in at night.

Was a total PITA the other week when temps got over 30 but he told the yard quite clearly that he would prefer to be in his stable.
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🤣🤣🤣 we barely get to 22 up here lol, but if its that hot, Orbi would quite clearly tell you hes not going out or if you put him out, refuse to move from the gate 🤣. He will stand there and shout on me constantly 🤣🤣🤣
 
My two boys love their daily snooze and will raise hell if they don't get brought in for their day time naps 🫣🤣

Currently they're out 24/7 as we've just moved to a new yard and I figured, if they're gonna get a random freak out episode for the first few days whilst they're settling in, I'd rather they did it in a 3.5 acre field than their stables....but give it a week or so and I can guarantee that the pair of them will be bellowing to be brought in by 8am for their breakfast, haylage net and beds.

I once tried to leave Baggs out 24/7 for summer as I thought he'd enjoy it - nope - he became the most lethargic, uninterested pony to ever exist - not even a packet of polo mints could get his attention!

I proper freaked out, phoned the poor vet (who knows me very well!) in absolute hysterics thinking Baggs was dying, to which my vet calmly said "Have you changed his routine recently? Is he still weeing and pooing? I can come out of course but knowing Baggs is he just telling you that he prefers what you used to do before changing his routine?". Vet came out for my peace of mind, took bloods, did a basic exam and confirmed that Baggs was perfectly healthy and fine - he was just telling me in his way that he doesn't want to be out 24/7.

I'm a firm believer in horses being out as much as possible for their mental health - but when they're obviously telling you that they aren't happy with that arrangement, then it is up to us to do the best, even if that means going against what they would naturally do in the wild xx
 
Mine never liked being out overnight, loves it now we've moved yard! I do bring him in once a week or so for a good kip... he sleeps in the field but seems to be too busy stuffing his face so a few hours in or overnight if its wet/windy/rainy (he's a soft lad) once in a while does him the world of good
 
I know you say it is not related to being kept individually, but my mare was exactly like Orbi when kept on her own. She was much happier to stay out more when in a small herd, she must feel more protected. Prior to it she was always wanting to come in and much more reliant on me.

I know it won't make a difference as you keep yours on their own (which is your choice and no hate for it, I do think its nice for them to be in with 1-2 friends if it works out but its very difficult at livery yards, I've been through it!)

Go with whatever he is happier with :)
 
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