First time out overnight - nervous!

emfen1305

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For someone so adverse to change, I am making a lot of them recently! We finally moved yards yesterday and he's settled in OK although he shouts at everything that moves to make his presence known. There's actual grass at the new yard so I have been introducing him slowly for 4-5 hours at a time yesterday and then he went out for 6 hours this morning but part of the reason for the move was so he could go out over night and in during the day so tonight is the first night he will go out from 7pm-7am. His field mate will be in but he can see the other horses in the next fields so I am really hoping he will be OK! I am not sure my reason for posting, positive vibes maybe? Or nice stories from people who had done the same thing. I stupidly took time off work so I could be around but now I have too much time on my hands to worry!
 

LaurenBay

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Is his feild mate ever out overnight? I am sure he will be fine. But for the first time I'd like him to have company, especially if this is a new yard to him.
 

emfen1305

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Is his feild mate ever out overnight? I am sure he will be fine. But for the first time I'd like him to have company, especially if this is a new yard to him.

No sadly he's an out in the day and in at night and don't think that will change. I've tried to make sure he's had some time out on his own and he was left on his own yesterday (with the others around) when the owner brought his field mate in and I left him for another hour and kept out of the way, he called a little bit but went back to grazing so I am hoping he will just get used to it. If not I'll see if I can switch to go out with something that is out at night too but from what I've read most get used to it so I am hoping he will be the same.
 

Pearlsasinger

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I wouldn't want my horse to be kept in isolation like that. I would definitely either leave him out during the day, or ask to put him with companions that stick to the same routine as you.
 

milliepops

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does seem a bit odd to be sharing a field with a horse that's on a different routine to yours. If he's got company in neighbouring fields then I'm sure yours will be OK because that's just like individual turnout but it sounds like it would make sense to swap fieldmates in the longer term.
 

emfen1305

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It's small herd turnout - no more than 3 in a field and the other fields are full so that's why, we are rotated every few weeks so if he doesn't seem settled then I'll see if I can move him but I am treating it a bit like individual turnout so he will always have others around him
 

VRIN

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I think many have us have been there ... .sleepless nights for the first few times... Turn up in the morning and they are right as rain and have enjoyed the evening out...
 

MyBoyChe

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As long as he can see others he should be fine (unless he's a particularly stressy horse). Tbh unless both horses belong to you I would think you are better off not letting him get too attached, that can backfire big time. As long as he is happy with others in the vicinity it will be better for all if he can be brought in/left out without getting stressed if his field buddy isnt there, it will become the norm for him. Our yard is a bit like this, everyone has their own paddock and chooses their own routine, wherever your horse is they can always at least see others so nothing gets wound up if its immediate neighbour isnt there
 

emfen1305

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He's not stressy - certainly not on the outside anyway, the worst he has done so far (and the same on my old yard) was look and whinny every so often! I have popped him on some tummy settling stuff just in case he is internalising! I've tried making sure they haven't had too much time together so he doesn't get attached and he will only go out once the other one has come in, the other horse was not fussed in the slightest when I took him out at lunch. It sounds like ours is the same, some are out 24/7, some are out at night and in in the day and vice versa.
 

BOWS28

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I've told this story before but i feel like you'll benefit from it lol...
My girls second night out last summer, i woke up at 4am to hear an awful storm. Thunder, lightening the full works. Laid there for about half hour tossing and turning and worrying like something chronic... Got up, ran to the car, flew to the yard, run down to their field (still in the horrendous storm) to save my girl as i was sure she would be terrified, shivering etc... Nope!!! Happily grazing, didnt even lift her head to look at poor dripping wet, bedraggled mum!!!!
 
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