Bringing in during during the day - weight related

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CobsGalore

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Does bringing in during the day, instead of at night, really make a difference when trying to control weight?

Feel like I'm fighting a losing battle at the moment, so have just started doing this.

ETA Sorry for the typo in the subject :o
 
Have just shut mine in for the day as they look a bit bloated, I feel happier with them in during the day as it is a shorter amount of time, they aren't stabled but on arena and yard with field shelter. In during the day also means you don't feel guilty having a lie in !!
 
I bring my Welshie in during the day to try to keep her weight down but also she has a pink nose so stops sunburn and there are less flies about at night.
 
I have just started this with my horse whom the vet said was getting too porky... He has ulcers so I gave to make sure he isn't stressed by being in but so far seems to be ok.
 
Coming in at 7am and out again in the evening sounds great if he's a bit of a potato in the field and doesn't do much other than eat or stand about :) plus you have a better idea of how much he's been eating during the day and he'll probably be less bloaty when it's time to ride.
 
fattylumpkin said:
Coming in at 7am and out again in the evening sounds great if he's a bit of a potato in the field and doesn't do much other than eat or stand about :) plus you have a better idea of how much he's been eating during the day and he'll probably be less bloaty when it's time to ride.
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All he ever does is eat!

I think I own a Hoover not a horse...
 
Last year I brought my coblet in every day, once they were turned out at night. Mainly because he is very pink and he also seemed to enjoy coming for haylage. However, all of a sudden pm he's decided being in alone is not really for him :-/ most odd! So, he's now out 24/7 unless being groomed or ridden, but with lashings of sun lotion !

I can't say how much it controlled his weight last year, but wasn't really my main aim. However, I did prefer him having time off lush grass.
 
Our three are in during the day, out at night, have been for years, not sure it keeps weight off as they are not moving about; But, I like them in, they seem to snooze for a couple of hours :)Plus they are there when you want to ride.

Its certainly effective for the laminitic.
 
Do you think it helps with managing weight if you compare it to bringing in at night instead? The grazing at my yard is just too good for my cob to be on 24/7 (it's not that lush, it's just my cob lives on fresh air!)
 
When we had ponies who put on weight on thin air, we found it better to bring in overnight and turn out in the day. They were off the grass longer that way and we found they were more active in the day (moving around from flies etc). Really I think it is a case of ensuring they receive less calories......
 
tankgirl1 said:
Our lami prone lad is out at night in a muzzle, and in during the day with a soaked net, seems to be working well so far!
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Ditto - you can't really leave a muzzle on 24/7 so coming in during the day with soaked hay gives them a chance to rest from the muzzle and keep out of the flies & sun at the same time.
 
Scientifically no it makes no difference at all they eat as whole ration of fibre in an hour so as soon as you turn them out they stuff themselves silly however some people anecdotally will tell you it works for them so who knows
 
windand rain said:
Scientifically no it makes no difference at all they eat as whole ration of fibre in an hour so as soon as you turn them out they stuff themselves silly however some people anecdotally will tell you it works for them so who knows
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Thats how I understood it too, that they just gorge. Thats why we decided to use a muzzle
 
AFAIK fructans in grass peak between 10 am and 6pm in the summer.......so if you'd rather turn out on less sugar rich grass, thus reducing risk of laminitis, turn out over night. However it totally depends on what your grazing is like......my 'lives on fresh air' warm blood is out overnight muzzled as I'd rather he had less calories, but was moving around.....has worked for the last 3 years at reducing his weight whilst off work.
 
What I have found is that if you stable your horse for either day or night then turn out onto good pasture, sadly it won't make much different to weight gain as they will simply make up for lost grazing time as soon as they go back out onto the grass. The only way it will make a difference is if you stable and then muzzle or strip graze for the time they are on the grass.
 
To be honest the grazing isn't that good. I'm not even sure if it's long enough to go through a muzzle. They will be moving onto another paddock in the next few weeks and I will have no option but to muzzle him overnight, I just hope that by stabling during the day I can reduce the amount of sugars he digests.
 
I may consider doing this as our grazing is good and can't strip graze due to landowners wishes.

I reduced my boys feed down as soon as they were turned out and after a fortnight of less feed he has since only been fed after working.
Again, I consider rugs, weather etc..to help control weight. I don't like him getting wet but I do try and take them off where ever appropriate.

Also feel stabling during the day may help with flies, as my boy gets bitten and don't feel so guilty about him wearing a fly rug overnight but no matter how much money I spend find he gets hot under them in Summer - although last Summer really was sunny!
 
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