Everyone still bringing horses in at night?

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Girlie1998

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I feel like this has been the longest winter ever! Is everyone still bringing their horses in at night? We are really struggling to get haylage but I am reluctant to leave them out. They are turned out in medium rugs so thinking of putting their heavy rugs on at night there is decent grass in their field but just feel bad as they are always waiting at the gate when they know it's time to come in, obviously their tasty feed has something to do with this. Really don't know what to do.
 
Mine has been out for the last three weeks (but rugged up well at night) and seems very happy.

Lot of horses on my yard are still in. I suppose it just depends on the horse.
 
Girlie1998 said:
I feel like this has been the longest winter ever! Is everyone still bringing their horses in at night? We are really struggling to get haylage but I am reluctant to leave them out. They are turned out in medium rugs so thinking of putting their heavy rugs on at night there is decent grass in their field but just feel bad as they are always waiting at the gate when they know it's time to come in, obviously their tasty feed has something to do with this. Really don't know what to do.
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yes all ours are still in at night
 
Mine are out and naked, I am still feeding hay, but that is partly because they are in a small paddock to restrict them as the grass is shooting up. It's so sunny today that the fly masks are on to protect their pink noses from sunburn. It's also mild at night here at the moment.
 
Faracat said:
Mine are out and naked, I am still feeding hay, but that is partly because they are in a small paddock to restrict them as the grass is shooting up. It's so sunny today that the fly masks are on to protect their pink noses from sunburn. It's also mild at night here at the moment.
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How lucky, can't believe that! We are west coast of Scotland so needless to say it's cold and wet! :(
 
Shes having the odd night out. This what I have done this week, there is no routine ;)

Mon: 12 hours out in big field and in at night
Tues: 5 Hours out alone in sick paddock, night out in big field with her 2 friends
Weds: Out for 12 hours in big field, she will come in tonight
Tomorrow: half day in the sick paddock, not sure what I will do at night.

We only have 2 paddocks and a sick field between 7 Horses (one came back unexpectedly from loan and he has to go by himself, so mucked everything up) at the weekend they are moving on to summer field. Mine has to go out every day due to COPD, we have another Horse that needs daily turnout for medical reasons, so they do half and half in the sick paddock (its too small for both and the other is very very aggressive)
 
Ours have been out for a fortnight but we are haying twice a day, feeding and rugging at night. The grass is crap (hate to say it but we need rain) but they are happy being out. Workload is no less though!
 
A few night out and a night in at the moment - they are moving today though and will be out - I will see how the weather goes and decide daily depending on the ground.
 
Girlie1998 said:
How lucky, can't believe that! We are west coast of Scotland so needless to say it's cold and wet! :(
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:(

It does depend where you are and what weather you have. Although some of the horses down the road from me were in full necks and miserable the other day. It was a hot showery day, so I guess the owner was worried about them melting in the rain. :rolleyes:
 
Mine have been out for the last 3 weeks, rugged going by the weather. Fed hay in the field in the morning as the grass is coming but not enough to keep them happy. They come in for a few hrs after work to be worked, groomed and dinner before back out. It is saving me time and bedding so prefer it
 
Yes, in at night - more for waistline management than anything else (we have natives so they are officially 'Fat Birds'). The ponies are used to the routine so for us, and our circumstances, it is easier to keep to a regime that includes being stabled for part of the time all year round.
 
My unclipped cob is out 24/7 naked. Pony warmblood eventer is still in at night, and rugged! However, I dont quite know how much of that is for daughter's benefit as she has a clean pony, or the horse. Somehow I think the former as its a tough as old boots, even if it is poncy warmblood.
 
We usually turn out 24/7 from 1st May but there not enough grass :( the fields look more like the end of summer than spring - It is starting to grow but not enough to sustain them.
 
Ours have been out 24/7 for a couple of weeks. Mine is naked during the day if the weather is good enough, and had one night naked when it was warm. Otherwise he has either a rainsheet on or a 75g, no neck, depending on weather. We've got a fair amount of grass and horse is ignoring the hay in the field.
 
Ours are out from about 7am till 9pm - both naked day and night. They'll be out 24/7 from sat either naked or with a rainsheet at night.

I've seen WAY too many horses rugged to the eyeballs in the current weather, desperate to get the rugs off and generally feeling miserable because they are too hot. Horses need to learn to regulate their own temperature, pilling a load of rugs on them just makes them miserable and uncomfortable.

Sorry - have major issues with overrugging. Drove home the other day at 6pm - it was 12 deg - 80% of the horses were rugged and had been all day!!! No need, get them naked!!! Horses don't shrink in the rain nor do they get blown away in the wind!

Rant over!!
 
Ours out 24/7 naked for the last 3/4 weeks. But like someone above we need some rain to keep the grass growing or I'll be starting to put a bit of hay out again in a few days.
 
Ah, the usual rant about rugging, why do so many people get so concerned as to how others rug their horses? Before going into a rant perhaps the owners have a reason for rugging, I have two on the yard that are out in rugs today as they have been ill with liver problems and lost lots of weight, they are rugged according to the vets instructions
 
In, but only because there is no starvation paddock. Everyone else is in, too, but they're in because they say there's no grass!! Proof that it is very much horses for courses (or rather, fields...). ;)
 
I just go back from France yesterday and whilst my friend was looking after the ponies for me they lived out as one is just a baby and can be awkward to deal with if he doesn't know whose who so figured it'd be easier if they were out for the week. I got back last night and it was a lovely day yesterday so despite having left their beds ready made so I wouldn't have to bother sorting it when I got back with work the next day, I've left them out and think I may do whilst it stays dry. If we have any bad weather I'll bring them in on that basis as and when but I'm putting hay out morning and evening and rugging as appropriate. They'll be going in their summer paddock next week I think. I've had it with mucking out!!
 
Mine have been out 24/7 for the last 2 weeks but are rugged overnight (from around 8pm until 7am) - they are out of their turnout's nw though and are in rain sheets. In the last week or so, with the wet but warm weather and grass coming through, I've been sticking them in a small paddock with some hay (grass limited). Im hoping to have both naked 24/7 next week.

In the last couple of days I've had to use fly spray so summer is definitely on its way!
 
Planning to put ours out with haylage tonight. They only wear rugs in the very worst weather, so unrugged tonight. We would have put them out last night but frost was forecast, although I'm not convinced there was any. We have very little grass and the neighbours' land that we have used in the past has been sold, so they will probably have to have haylage for most of the summer but at least there'll be no more mucking out.
 
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