Horses in at night, all year round?

Cash

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 November 2008
Messages
1,977
Visit site
Just found out that at the yard I'm planning to move to with my new horse, all the horses come in at night, all year round. Not sure if this is self-imposed (ie no liveries want theirs out at night, so bring them in) or a rule- will find out.
Apparantly in summer most of the horses are brought in really late, when it gets dark (10pmish) and turned out early..so i guess they're not in stables all that long...but still, at both yards i've been on everything went out 24/7(obviously excluding box rest, nights in to keep clean before comps next morn etc) from spring onwards, and i just think it's nicer for the horses to be outside..they are horses after all.
confused.gif

Thoughts?
 
Mine comes in at night because she always did at her previous home. Once tried to leave her out and she stood at the gate waiting for ages to come in. She does as a rule come in anyway as have to watch her weight and she has had a dose of laminitis. (Only tried to leave her out when grass was eaten off well and the weather was nice) Will be doing the same with other horse we have as he is a very good doer and we have just bought him and got a lot of weight off. He did resemble a beached whale last Summer when we didnt own him!!
 
Hmm, a lot of yards a i know have always been stabled overnight, all year round.

My boy hates being out now [despite living out 24/7 for 3 years before lol!], he's in more than out and goes out every couple of days usually or just for a couple of hours perday if not. He likes to go out for a quick roll, run around/play, a bit of grass then an hour later is back at the gate generally!

He's now nicknamed being a stable-who*e....lmao bless him. Likes his haylage and big bed much too much me thinks!

Whilst I had my mare at college with me we had about 6-7 months with no turnout hardly
blush.gif
bless her cottons she was used to being out mainly before that, but she was good as gold through out bless her. Thank god for the hacking and walker and indoor!

I'm dreading thinking how much grass there will actually be this year anyway, after the weather so far and how aweful the feilds are atm! :s
 
Lots of people who have limited grazing bring their horses in at night all the year round. A good friend of mine says it is the only time she can guarantee her horse has a good feed!
 
At my last yard 24 hour turn out was allowed from May to November but we all chose to keep our horses in at night. Various reasons including control of the amount of grass eaten, avoiding flies, routine for the horses.
 
I am having the same problem. Have two potiential yards to go to one had 24 hour turnout in the spring/ summer the other doesn't it may well be a deciding factor? . . . . .
 
Mine are at home and come in at night all year round. I have no grazing and due to the position of my paddock and the fact that it isn't mine, so I can't put in permanent fencing, I can't leave them out at night. In the summer they go out about 8am and come in after dark and in the winter they are usually out 10am -6pm. I tried leaving them out in the garden, which is more secue, but they just crashed the electric tape and took themselves in anyway!
 
I was clearly being a bit thick before, as there are obviously a lot of sensible reasons for bringing in at night.
grin.gif
I guess the yard is fairly short of grazing land, so maybe that's why.
 
mine are at home and are in at night all year round to save my grazing.bit of a joke at the moment but they would probably be mud snorkelling at the mo.
 
mine are in at night all year round.
i dont like competition horses out 24/7, i think they get grass bellies and a bit *feral* because they are self suffucient and happy in their little herd.
certainly mine are more settled and fit for being in at night.
 
My yard they haven't been out for bl00dy weeks and even when they do they are out 9-2 in the winter and 9-4 in the summer.

Angry doesn't really cover how I feel about it!!!

My previous yard had them in during the day in summer (9-4) which seemed to work better
 
My yard keeps horses in at night all year round, and after initially being hesitant about it I'm now a convert.

Its easier to control their weight, it gives them some respite from standing on rock hard ground all day and of course saves the grass if grazing is limited. Plenty of horses are more settled if they have a consistent routine, mine included.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My yard keeps horses in at night all year round, and after initially being hesitant about it I'm now a convert.

Its easier to control their weight, it gives them some respite from standing on rock hard ground all day and of course saves the grass if grazing is limited. Plenty of horses are more settled if they have a consistent routine, mine included.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this.
I feel happier knowing she is in at night.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My yard they haven't been out for bl00dy weeks and even when they do they are out 9-2 in the winter and 9-4 in the summer.

Angry doesn't really cover how I feel about it!!!

My previous yard had them in during the day in summer (9-4) which seemed to work better

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know why you are so angry about it - those hours aren't too bad.

Mine have to be in at night from about Oct - April and once they come in they get between 2-5 hours turnout each day. From end April they can go out 24/7 but I keep my pony in because he is in competition and I feel I need to keep on top of his condition. But really 9-2 isn't bad and they soon get used to it. Mine are waiting at the gate when I go to get them at 1pm as they know it's time to come in.

OP - stabling at night all year round would not put me off a yard if the other facilities were what I wanted.
 
I always used to keep any of mine out 24/7 in the summer, but I started to bring my WB in as I felt he needed to continue his regular routine. So now my connie X & Welsh A are out but my WB comes in at night all year (although out early/in late). Just seems to suit him better.
 
I am with Mrs M, mine will be in during the daytime to get from the flies and the heat and out at night. I like them out 24/7 but they do get fat and less manageable.
 
Mine are in at night as it reduces the risk of grass sickness (bad here in NE Scotland) if theyre not on grass 24/7, also one of them would be way too fat. Frustrating as we have ample grazing. Sometimes stay out a few days in summer tho.
 
I haven't done a summer yet but I'm not sure I'd want mine out 24/7 - I think he'd just get ridiculously fat and it would be hard to control his weight. Also he's chunky, black and has loads of hair - if we have weeks of hot baking weather (snort, yeah right!!) then I think he would cook being out all the time!!
 
Yes mine are, I think they'd be horrified if they were left out at night. Mainly for fat fighting reasons, but also one has sweet itch, by bringing her in at night all year round she is in when the midges are at their worst at dusk and dawn...
 
All our liveries are in at night all year. The horses do really well on the same routine all the time. Its the same for them 365 days a year. All fed and out buy 8.30am - all back in and fed by 4pm so ready to ride when owners come to the yard after work. (all on full livery)

Horses are all really happy, have no box walkers, weavers, crib biters, serial door kickers! Having them in at night all year means they can go out in the day all winter. If they lived out in summer we would have to restrict winter turnout. They would also get extremely fat, we actually have a lot of liveries asking for their horses to be brought in at lunch time due to them getting too fat. If they were out 24/7 we would have some welfare issues.

I know some people say theyre horses and its natural for them to be out 24/7, but putting them in the stable overnight is no where near as unnatural as riding them!!
 
Mine are in all night throughout the year, don't think it really bothers them. They only get turned out for 3 hours a day but horses have no concept of time so as long as they've had some turnout every day they're very happy.
 
Mine are in at night all over winter and during summer out 3/4 nights a week. I can only leave them out for a couple of days before they are begging for a night in the stables. They find it hard work being out 24/7 and i'd rather that they are in getting a good nights sleep, than being moody and lathergic all the time. Plus if D doesnt get his sleep he becomes a nightmare to ride.
 
Top