Bringing in for the winter and turing out for the day...?

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helly86

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Drags comes in for the night during the winter- last night was the first. He's on assisted livery as I start work at 7am so when YO turned him out at 10am he practically put his headcollar on himself. I could turn him out at 6.45 but i'd have the what rug thing etc etc... what would you do, have him turned out at 10am (as was done last year) or turn him out early and have his rugs changed if they need to be changed???? ooo I HATE work! Money doesn't really come in to it -i'm not loaded but can afford to pay YO to do him so it's not a deciding factor!
 
Personally I'd have him turned out by YO at 10am. By then temperatures have risen and he would have had breakfast and a belly full of hay to keep him going when the grass isn't good quality during the winter.

But then I'm not a 'turnout is the be all and end all' kind of person!
 
what time do they come in at night? my boys out about 9.30ish and in at 4-5 ish depending on if im riding or not cold in morning and at night now so hes now out in MW rug and fleece and MW stable rug at night grass aint best anymore so extra few hours aint gonna do them any harm
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Personally I would let YO turn him out, he will soon get used to the new routine especially if his friends are going out at the same time..... what time does he come in in the afternoon?
 
I'm going to start putting Bob out around 6.45/7am. He's been in at night for a week now and I've been getting there just after 9 (school run). By this time his stable buddy has gone out and he's starting to stress, also the weather is turning now and it's not fair to leave Anya sitting in the car.

If I was in your position though and the other horses were also going out about 10am, I'd leave him where he was until YO turned out - assisted livery, what luxury!!!
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well, I finish work at 3.30 so am at yard by 3.45 and he can stay out while a muck out his stable blah blah blah so he's prob in by 4.15 at latest in deepst darkest winter.

Assisted livery is a mega luxury, I do have to do an overtime shift every other week to pay for it (or Iwouldn't get to eat) but i's well worth it!

His buddies are all un clipped hairy natives so they are out anyway- there is an old arab who goes out at 10 am and back in at 3pm and a TB on full box rest tho so he's never alone on the yard.
 
I'll go against the grain here lol. I'd turn out early. You'll have a cleaner stable to muck out, he'll have less time in his stable. Rugs - watch a weather forecast, rug up as best you can.

Mine goes out at 7am and comes in at 4pm. I get there at 6, feed her (and the rest of the yard), tie her up outside with some hay so she has a munch while I muck out, then turn her out with hay.
 
Mine goes out before work at around 6.45am. I'm a bit of a weather fanatic - so usually know what the forcast is etc.

Do you go up in the mornings and skip out and freshen the hay and water etc.? If so then it's fine to wait until 10.00. If not, then I'd either go up to tidy up or turnout...... That way he may feel more prepared to stay in until 10.00 as he's been seen to first.

 
I understand your anxiety re rugging. If they go out in a middlewight early, it can really heat up by the afternoon at this time of year & an unclipped horse could be sweating in a rug. I think I'd use YO services until the weather stabilises.
 
He's ok staying in til 10am, he's the sort that will wait til his turn and then march out on a megga mission, it just me being a fuss pot- do I don't I???? it was the first night in since March so he would be keen to get out I crept up at 6.45 this morning and he was dozing quite happily - still had hay etc
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He's ok staying in til 10am, he's the sort that will wait til his turn and then march out on a megga mission, it just me being a fuss pot- do I don't I???? it was the first night in since March so he would be keen to get out I crept up at 6.45 this morning and he was dozing quite happily - still had hay etc
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If there are other horses out - then I would pop him out nice and early.
 
Use breathable rugs, like Fal for example, and don't change from stable to field. When you go up later take the rug off and give him a flick over, then replace it. Much nicer than taking off his toasty stable rug in the morning and putting on a chilly turnout rug. Then your decision about turnout will be easier.
 
I tried using the same rug for stable and turnout last winter, the only prob is he's a mud magnet- he adores bog snorkeling- even if he field isn't that muddy he'l find somewhere and when he comes in he's caked- up his nose in his ears- he's plastered so i have to take rug off and change it- i'd feel mean taking his PJ's off now you've said about cold TO rug going on in mornings...
 
My 13yr old 16.2 part TB who HATES being stabled will be out 24/7 this winter. He's already parked in with the hairy ponies and seems to be really enjoying life!
I have some big rugs for him for when it gets really cold & wet.

Other one (16.2, ID) will be stabled overnight. My friend turns him & her own horse out at 7am and I fetch them both in at 6:30pm. Its a system that works really well for us.
They remain in their turnout rugs 24/7 as a) helps the rug dry by leaving it on a warm horse b)keeps the horse warm by not swapping rugs all the time c) less hassle for us not having to swap rugs every morning&evening
 
This is a subject discussed every autumn. My 17 year old and her equally aged companions stay out 24/7 fully clipped and well rugged. They don't get stressed or bored and I don't have the stable work or expense. Believe me the horses are quite content and never get cold as they can move around freely. If we have a prolonged wet spell,I will bring them in for a few hours respite, but they are always ready to go out again.
 
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