Horses in overnight

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Ceifer

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Anybody switched routine yet?

Mine are still out overnight. I prefer this routine immensely as it makes life so much easier but my big horse prefers being in overnight in the depths of winter - much to his companions annoyance.
I’m going to have mine in overnight over the weekend in case of fireworks but I’m wondering if the weather holds up I might try and keep them out after this …
 
I'm leaving mine out until the fireworks have died down. I think they will be happier out in their herd. My old pony likes to come in and is starting to look tired, so I don't think she's resting in the field as much as it's so wet, so it won't be long before she comes in at night.
 
Won’t be long, my track is about trashed so he’s been given a slice of winter grazing to keep him off some of it. Once he goes in at night he will go into his winter grazing with his muzzle on and my track will get broken down and left to rest until spring 😁
 
Mine is now in over night, has been for a week or so now. In some ways it’s easier as there’s better lighting up at the yard and our winter paddocks. Trying to sort her out at the summer ones with no lights now the clocks have changed would have been a nightmare.
 
I'm experimenting with semi (weekly muck out) deep littering on straw for the first time. I used to do it with wood pellets & shavings, but we can't have wood products on the muck heap, the farmer who takes it doesn't like wood now.
Big bed set. It doesn't look deep as I've walked all over it to try & settle it down a bit. Fingers crossed. If it's hideous, I'll be straight back to going to the floor every day.

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Dave's Mam said:
I'm experimenting with semi (weekly muck out) deep littering on straw for the first time. I used to do it with wood pellets & shavings, but we can't have wood products on the muck heap, the farmer who takes it doesn't like wood now.
Big bed set. It doesn't look deep as I've walked all over it to try & settle it down a bit. Fingers crossed. If it's hideous, I'll be straight back to going to the floor every day.

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I think this is also what I’m dreading. I need to sort the companion ponies bedding out. He used to be on shavings, then straw as it was cheaper but he developed a cough so switched back to shavings but he became the dirtiest pony I’ve ever known 😑. I’ve had him on a small day bed all summer when they come in during the day but I think I need to play about with deep litter and accept it’s going to be worse until a base forms and hope for the best.
 
Ceifer said:
Anybody switched routine yet?

Mine are still out overnight. I prefer this routine immensely as it makes life so much easier but my big horse prefers being in overnight in the depths of winter - much to his companions annoyance.
I’m going to have mine in overnight over the weekend in case of fireworks but I’m wondering if the weather holds up I might try and keep them out after this …
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I keep mine out as much as I can over winter they are not bothered about fireworks we have a company that rent a unit at the farm next door, they sample the fireworks on the track at the back of my house so my horses are used to them.

I only have about 3 acres but I have hard standing that I put haynets out on and I try to keep mine out as much as possible, if it's really wet and vile I keep them in but they don't like it.

I don't really have a routine for mine as such so they have no expectations but I do feed ad lib hay in winter and they are happy to be out.

I think you have to sort of condition them to just be out and do believe most horses are conditioned that in means hay and feed, I understand that on livery yards they don't want you feeding hay in the fields so it inforces that.

Mine are at home so they get hay when they want it and most of the time they don't want to come in.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I keep mine out as much as I can over winter they are not bothered about fireworks we have a company that rent a unit at the farm next door, they sample the fireworks on the track at the back of my house so my horses are used to them.

I only have about 3 acres but I have hard standing that I put haynets out on and I try to keep mine out as much as possible, if it's really wet and vile I keep them in but they don't like it.

I don't really have a routine for mine as such so they have no expectations but I do feed ad lib hay in winter and they are happy to be out.

I think you have to sort of condition them to just be out and do believe most horses are conditioned that in means hay and feed, I understand that on livery yards they don't want you feeding hay in the fields so it inforces that.

Mine are at home so they get hay when they want it and most of the time they don't want to come in.
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With previous horses I have always managed this but the big horse will not do it. I tried once and ignored him wanting to come in when it started to get dark. Unfortunately when I did relent he came in on 3 legs and I thought it was a fracture.
He’s not overly interested in hay in the field. He might pick at it for a bit but he’s not bothered.
The piglet pony however is like a hoover and snaffles all he can stuff into his little body.

I really wish he would stay out more in winter and I had the guts to persevere and work through the hysteria but I’m too scared.
 
I can't do overnight out & daytimes in as no one else does on the yard - I mean I could, but nothing else would be in as company.

I've grudgingly switched to getting up earlier so mine will still have 11-12 hours out. I am very lucky that he's with retirees so I can leave out for a few days when I need to.

Dave's Mam said:
I'm experimenting with semi (weekly muck out) deep littering on straw for the first time. I used to do it with wood pellets & shavings, but we can't have wood products on the muck heap, the farmer who takes it doesn't like wood now.
Big bed set. It doesn't look deep as I've walked all over it to try & settle it down a bit. Fingers crossed. If it's hideous, I'll be straight back to going to the floor every day.
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In case it might help, are you allowed straw pellets at all instead of the wood ones? They rot down fast.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I keep mine out as much as I can over winter they are not bothered about fireworks we have a company that rent a unit at the farm next door, they sample the fireworks on the track at the back of my house so my horses are used to them.

I only have about 3 acres but I have hard standing that I put haynets out on and I try to keep mine out as much as possible, if it's really wet and vile I keep them in but they don't like it.

I don't really have a routine for mine as such so they have no expectations but I do feed ad lib hay in winter and they are happy to be out.

I think you have to sort of condition them to just be out and do believe most horses are conditioned that in means hay and feed, I understand that on livery yards they don't want you feeding hay in the fields so it inforces that.

Mine are at home so they get hay when they want it and most of the time they don't want to come in.
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This. I find it so interesting to see what my horses do on the camera at night. 2/3 (the two older, compromised ones), don't even sleep on their fluffy beds, or on the bedding under the overhang of their stables where their outdoor runs are attached. They choose to sleep on the cold, hard, packed dirt.

The youngest does at least lie flat out in his thick bed which makes me feel good. But, they spend most of their time out in their runs not in their stables at all.
 
I like mine under my beady eye. They have cameras on them 24/7. In the day I can see them in the field and at night there are night lights so I can see them then too. I can access that from my phone and it is recorded too. They are always in at night. That said, they do have a back door to the stable to some hardstanding, so they can loaf on their patio all night.

In summer, they are out 6am to 8pm. Winter 7am to 3pm. Winter will swap to all weather turnout once the fields start to be damaged. I don't do mud, for their legs as much as the mess LOL.
 
Dave's Mam said:
I'm experimenting with semi (weekly muck out) deep littering on straw for the first time. I used to do it with wood pellets & shavings, but we can't have wood products on the muck heap, the farmer who takes it doesn't like wood now.
Big bed set. It doesn't look deep as I've walked all over it to try & settle it down a bit. Fingers crossed. If it's hideous, I'll be straight back to going to the floor every day.

View attachment 149207
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If it doesn't work and he's OK with hemp then aubiose deep litters well

Saying that we deep littered on straw when I was a kid. I knew no different so I got a shock when I realised layer in life some people fully muck out every day!
 
Ceifer said:
With previous horses I have always managed this but the big horse will not do it. I tried once and ignored him wanting to come in when it started to get dark. Unfortunately when I did relent he came in on 3 legs and I thought it was a fracture.
He’s not overly interested in hay in the field. He might pick at it for a bit but he’s not bothered.
The piglet pony however is like a hoover and snaffles all he can stuff into his little body.

I really wish he would stay out more in winter and I had the guts to persevere and work through the hysteria but I’m too scared.
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Can you bring him in for a feed and put him back out?
 
Mine are still out which is pretty unheard of. They probably wouldve been in but cousin was away at the weekend so kept them out for easiness.
We have gales forecast for tomorrow but after that it’s looking calm and not too wet for quite a few days so we might manage until after bonfire night.

I’m happy to keep them out as long as possible. I always think after the new year is half way through winter but it really isn’t. 😂 and the worst of the cold weather comes in jan/feb 😂
 
I opened the little barn up last weekend and they have free access at night, with haynets inside. They have been using it, even after the hay is all eaten, so I would say I got my timing right!
 
Mine are out at night and will be until Christmas if the weather stays dryish. I have so much grass DP is still muzzled which shows just how mild it is for it to be growing. No shoes on so the field doesn’t get destroyed either and I’m on clay. Once we get heavy rain then I will switch them around.

Once in I only semi deep litter on straw. A few bags of wood or straw pellets under the wee spot and then I take the middles out midweek and Sunday. Saves time, money and my poor back from daily mucking out.
 
Michen said:
This. I find it so interesting to see what my horses do on the camera at night. 2/3 (the two older, compromised ones), don't even sleep on their fluffy beds, or on the bedding under the overhang of their stables where their outdoor runs are attached. They choose to sleep on the cold, hard, packed dirt.

The youngest does at least lie flat out in his thick bed which makes me feel good. But, they spend most of their time out in their runs not in their stables at all.
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Mine lay down in the field mostly I've seen them in the early hours they lay opposite our bedroom window under the trees.

They will lay down in the stables if in overnight but if in during the day they will in summer but don't tend to much in winter which is weird.
 
Mine have had a few nights in, when it has been wet. We seems to be having some dry weather right now, so they are staying out. They will definitely be out over bonfire weekend as trhey prefer it.
Their beds are down and ready but we will take each day as it comes.
 
All ours are still out 24/7 which is a first for me as its nearly November and our fields are wet. But its been so dry here that the fields are holding very well.
We may put Haybells out at weekend depending on the longer forecast, and try and keep them out til December :D
 
Last year I managed to keep them
Out at night and in during the day all year round but only had one horse and two ponies. Now I have two horses and 3 ponies and it’s just not going to work I don’t think.
Last year I had almost standing hay to strip
Graze, this year my grazing is already stretched looking :(
The ponies will stick as they are for sure. Being tiny and barefoot they don’t trash the ground and I need to feed the one often.
It also means the horses have company on the yard when I ride the other.
I suspect I will have to bring the two horses in, which is super annoying and I’m dreading as it means they don’t be stood clean and waiting for me to jump on and ride quickly. How does anyone have the enthusiasm to go out and catch a muddy horse before riding 😫
 
Pinkvboots said:
Mine lay down in the field mostly I've seen them in the early hours they lay opposite our bedroom window under the trees.

They will lay down in the stables if in overnight but if in during the day they will in summer but don't tend to much in winter which is weird.
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It annoys me so much but at least the young one appreciates his thick, fluffy bed. And he doesn't even pee or poo in it he does that outside in his run in a single pile. Dreamy!
 
Michen said:
It annoys me so much but at least the young one appreciates his thick, fluffy bed. And he doesn't even pee or poo in it he does that outside in his run in a single pile. Dreamy!
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They are strange mine have have thick shavings beds and they sleep in the mud, although mine do most of the droppings on the hard standing in winter which is so easy to pick up.
 
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