Further to the "proper" turnout time

Spring Feather

Spring Feather

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What do you feel is the "proper" bring in time for horses out at grass through the day and stabled overnight? Are some people as obsessed with what time their horses come in at as well? I've been professionally involved in the equestrian business for most of my life and I've seen allsorts. Horses going out at 5.30am, horses not going out until 10am. Horses only going out for 3 hours a day. Horses being stabled 24/7. I've found that most of the horses just happily live their life in the routine that is set up for them. Granted most of the establishments I've been involved with have been big setups and I haven't been aware of people getting upset about things like this, but maybe it is different on small livery yards?

Where my own horses are concerned, I set up a schedule which suits me and them and I stick to it. I'm happy and my horses are happy :)
 
I like to see horses out as much as poss, personally mine are out 24/7 but that is because it suits the horses I have. I have had them stabled and like them to have at least 8 hours out during the day.

But i work with race horses that during the season are in 24/7 and get an hours turnout once a week if they are lucky and they are all happy as larry.
 
I think part of the problem can be what is acceptable to you may not be acceptable to YO? Must be very difficult pleasing everyone though. I also think being consistent is the key to a happy yard. Whats ok for one has to be ok for all otherwise resentment begins to build. I speak from experience! :rolleyes:
 
MummyBuck said:
I think part of the problem can be what is acceptable to you may not be acceptable to YO? Must be very difficult pleasing everyone though. I also think being consistent is the key to a happy yard. Whats ok for one has to be ok for all otherwise resentment begins to build. I speak from experience! :rolleyes:
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Yes I feel a little sorry for some YOs as they seem to be damned if they do and damned if they don't.
 
Mine fit in, for the large part, with my life....some days they go out at 5.30am some days they wait till 10.30am.....they don't seem to care too much provided they have hay and water!!

They generally come in just before dark (whatever time that is), but again, if I have to alter the time, it doesnt kill them!!!
 
We are on diy because I am a fussy sod and I don't think that what I would be expecting from full/part livery is reasnoble. What I want for our horses and what is stricly necessary for their basic health and wellbeing are different.

If I were paying for full/part then I would expect the essentials to be covered, though as already mentioned I am akward so we are on DIY so I can happily be as uptight as I like without irritating the hell out of everyone!

I think the essentials are daily turnout but I don't think it has to be the crack of dawn - but if it were later than say 9am I would expect an earlier check and some breakfast. Then horses out and then in pm (later the better as far as I'm concerned, but if it is someones job then you have to have a reasnoble end time for the work!) say 4? Then tea/hay/water and a later check - no earlier than 6 really if they are then being left for the night.

I think more than particular times, the most important thing is that the schedule is set out clearly by the yo when someone is looking to move to the yard, and this is agreed to by the horse owner in writing. It comes down to clear communication and expectations I think!

If land were no issue and there was a good field shelter then I would have them out 24/7. Where we are has just enough land but no more so they are out about 8am and then brought in about 1/2 before it gets dark so I just have time to do them up for the night in the light. If I am riding then they go out later or come in earlier. I couldn't expect a yo to be this flexible each day.
 
I have mares on foal watch in at the moment, and a couple of others on stall board.

Fortunately, I am not bound by the clock, the barn is outside my door, routine is loose, they go out when it suits me, ditto coming in. I don't do DIY on my yard, it doesn't suit me, or my owners, so I do as I please and what works best for the horses I have in my care.

Mine tend to get hay thrown in and grained at about 7.00 and then turned out any time from then until around 8.30am, depends what I have to do first. They don't fret, turn out time is when halters are put on.

I bring in if they are at the gate asking to come in, usually the mares waddle up to their gate about 4ish, depending on the weather the geldings can be wanting in anytime from 2pm (rain and wind - wimps;)) until about 7pm, our clocks changed a week ago so it isn't getting dark until 7.30 ish.

If standing at the gate for 5 minutes doesn't result in me coming out to get them, they go away again until I bang on the gate to call them in. A non routine works just fine for the horses here.

As Spring Feather says, I think horses accept a routine, and generally if they have time for a bit of a hooley, or merely a quiet bimble about, and to pick some grass then they are happy to come in to hay and feed.
 
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Do you know I have never considered this. It is only recently that I have had the luxury of a YM that will do this. I have no idea when my YM turns out or brings in, and to be honest I don't really care. I pay for a turn out and a bring in, as long as my horse has a few hours out I am happy. At weekends my poor horse gets my rather random routine, and I tend to go on her body language as to when she wants to come in.

From what I am reading, I am in a minority and my YM should count them selves lucky that I have this point of view.
 
If I was paying for it then to leave them until 10 each day is getting late ( if they haven't got a net)

however I don't - they get done on the way to work at 8, they have already had their breaky and a net which I leave every morning and a pixie puts it in for me its normally all gone when I get there so the pixie must work under the cover of darkness ! I bring in on the way home from work @ 5.15 ! if work was different then they would go out a different times too .... on a Saturday more hay goes in the net and they go out about 10 so I can sleep in !
 
My friend and I share my yard and we have four in. We feed breakfast at nine am. Turn out by ten after everyone has eaten. We bring in again at six when they have tea. Last checks are at ten when nets and water are checked and replenished as needed. They all still have hay and water at nine am. This is our routine and quite frankly at our age (we are in our mid to late fifties ) I dont see what the issue is about turning out at 5.30 or 6 am.!
When I worked full time my ponies fitted in with the routine I had to have that suited both work and ponies. The operative word here is "routine" . Horses/ponies thrive just like babies on routine and I am sure the DIY/partlivery girls that are getting so heated because their animals are not getting turned out till 9.30 are more upset than their animals are because if allowed to be its their "routine".
If you dont like the YO routine move your neds. I think its a fuss about very little.
 
I certainly can't be doing with a ridiculously early turn out. It totally depends on me, when they go out - sometimes they stand in till eleven on weekends, earlier in the week, but as they don't come in till 10-11pm usually, they still don't spend as long standing in as the ones that go out at 7 and come in at 4!

I currently have a lass turning out and mucking out for me during the week, I have no idea what time she turns them out, it never occured to me to ask. It's in her best interests to put them out early-ish (well not leave them in till 2pm!) as they'd make a fair mess of their beds if she did... They're very laid back and if I'm late for any reason, there's no door kicking or upset. They're happy and I'm happy, which is all that matters.

I have been places where some liveries' horses would be left in until gone midday without feeding or haying (since 4pm the previous evening), or would be turfed out for half an hour in the sand school / walkway "because it's a long walk through the mud to their field" which I wouldn't be happy with, paying those sorts of prices.
 
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