Does anyone else dread bringing in time?

Not me because I'm really odd!!

I find that I get up easier in the morning because I know I have to be up. I get to spend extra time with him in the stable (he sods off in the field!).

I do get a bit weary towards the end of winter but other than that my only issue is the extra money on bedding and food! :D

We also now have a double gate in the field, so we can let one through close that gate, put head collar on and go through the next gate.
 
I love the double gate idea. If we move from here, which we will eventually, and I am in the position to build turnout from scratch, I'm going to install that system.
 
I had a couple of ex racehorses on full livery one winter, and were an absolute nightmare, and terrified me to bring in. They hated being out, but if left in were total loons for the owner to ride and handle, so the compromise was that they had a couple of hours turnout each day. They could not be separated so had to be led in together, and was a lottery on which one would rear and spin first! I used to go out with a hard hat, gloves and a back protector on, and used to be hugely relieved to reach the stable block.....I found that using a dually on one would help, as if I had control of one, the other was less likely to set off being silly.

The owner was lovely but was so relieved when she took them back come spring!
 
Speedyfluff said:
I love the double gate idea. If we move from here, which we will eventually, and I am in the position to build turnout from scratch, I'm going to install that system.
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It's brill, YO only installed it this year and it's made such a difference even though we're still on full turnout atm. I can let him through and give him his tea without having to take him all the way down!
 
Ours are reasonsabky well behaved but it's the mud I hate. It's only a matter of time before Big Ears marches on and I am stuck without my boots. I won't bring in/turn out my friends younger horse with mine atm as he is just to painful!
 
My boys have been fab so far since we moved yards and they are turned out together. They are usually stood by the gate when I get there. We have a big flood light that shines on the gate so can see what I am doing in the dark. They lead in together and then there stables are up a little ramp and down a narrow corridor over looking the arena, they walk quietly and the first one gets his lead rope chucked over his neck and walks himself into his stable I close the door as I pass put the other one in his box and take head collars off. The same in the morning. They are better being bought in together than leaving one out on their own
 
Only three horses in our field and I own two of them, so there doesn't tend to be any trouble.
Other horse comes in before I get there and then I bring mine in together. We used to have a herd. About 7 horses. It was more difficult then with the horses bickering.
I don't have to worry about mud as we aren't allowed to turn out when it's wet. The gateway does get a bit muddy and there's normally a puddle but we don't have deep mud
 
Bringing in time is the best part of the day, Beast is bought in at night everyday all year round. YO turns him out and 'bring in' is the first time in the day that I get to break away from work! With a horse who has done this, every day for six years (other than one day - and he had an abscess), not only does bringing in time give me 'me time' but it also puts a huge smile on my face to have such a welcome!

[video]https://www.facebook.com/emily.beech3/videos/1056527947690913/?l=4585028033183846035[/video]

and once we get through the gate, he walks nicely in... unless I let him go, in which case he does this!!
[video]https://www.facebook.com/emily.beech3/videos/1056528204357554/?l=4929486164887323404[/video]

What's to dread? :p
 
I have 5 to bring in and they are all in position by the time I arrive. I put headcollars on at least 2 of them that cannot be trusted to take themselves up to the yard and get into the right stable. Ideally i put headcollars on all of them and sling the ropes over the necks of any that i am not leading as otherwise I have to fetch their headcollars to go out in the morning, but the newest one hasn't got the hang of waiting with the rope over his neck whilst I sort out everyone else and is inclined to get overly involved "helping" me). One always brings himself in and wouldn't dream of getting diverted. If they are all standing in the right order I lead 2 in either hand, otherwise I go back to retrieve the 2 that might have stopped to chat to pigs/ferrets/ducks/chickens en route. I do prefer to do it in daylight though, because by torchlight it always seems more tricky and inavraiably they are fooling about as they have got bored of waiting.
 
be positive said:
If mine are out in pairs I always bring in two at a time, I expect them to learn to be led from both sides so it is easy to do although there is always one who cannot fathom it out and has to be on my right, I have to bring in 8 every evening and want to make as few trips as possible, turning out is much the same most go in pairs, I would probably be less inclined to do this if my yard was not secure or I had to walk down a road.
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Absolutely this - we taught ours from the outset to lead in pairs, and nowadays it is an absolute breeze! Makes life SO much easier.
 
I'm very naughty. I open the gate and let them wander into their stables. There's not really anywhere else for them to go (only the hay store) and they normally go straight to their stables. A will occasionally wander round the yard saying hello to his friends but he's never nasty to them and they don't mind. They're usually the last ones out so no others to have to fight through at the gate. Now I'm also having to get share horse's owner's kids' pony in too, I let the two bigguns through and pop the headcollar on the pony as I don't know him well enough yet to trust him to do the same. I then put him in and shut their doors - they're too busy with tea to think of leaving before I get there!

If I'm there earlier for some reason, A will still wander in past the others - it's like the parting of the red sea with the horses at the gate for him even though he's bottom of the pecking order, they all adore him and just stand aside. With M however it's much more difficult as although he's 3rd in the pecking order he petrified of the 2 above him and it's always them at the gate. By the time I've held them back and dragged him past - he starts off reluctant and once he's past the point of no return charges through - I'm normally plastered in mud and might have had a foot stood on. Haven't yet had to try to get D past them but I think he'll be ok, despite being a good 3 hands smaller than any other horse in the field, he holds his own.
 
Faracat said:
Train them to help support you as you go through tricky deep mud. I fall over easily (neurological issues) and it's surprisingly easy to teach them to go at your pace, pretty much step for step that you take and allow you to lean on them if required. I can take one in each hand and therefore have support both sides - great in ice/snow when going down a slope.
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This. When I first fractured my pelvis, I taught Kali to walk at my pace (which was glacial) and since then we have kept it up . . . most useful when trying to navigate slippery mud (or ice/snow, etc.) . . . he is very patient, bless him and any other horse I happen to be bringing in quickly learns to follow his lead.

P
 
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