scopeybay98
Active Member
My yard has switched to summer turnout and now many owners are choosing to turn out at night and bring in during the day. What are the benefits of turning out at night?
Horses out at night
- Thread starter scopeybay98
- Start date
AmyMay
Situation normal
You can have a bit of a lie in...
Upthecreek
Well-Known Member
Normally so that the horses are out of the hot sun and away from the flies during the day. Not a problem yet this year though ? Also they are in ready for riding rather than missing out on their turnout time by being brought in to ride.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
I love night turnout. So many benefits.
generally they get longer out, the grass sugars are less at night (If that’s important to you, it is to me with little ponies)
My horse is in, clean and dry ready to ride.
It’s easy for vet/farrier, all appointments as again in and clean.
For me it helps with catching, they all know they come in firsts thing for food, rather than “come here I want to ride”
They eat less hay, use less bedding.
It’s just a no brainer, I love it!
generally they get longer out, the grass sugars are less at night (If that’s important to you, it is to me with little ponies)
My horse is in, clean and dry ready to ride.
It’s easy for vet/farrier, all appointments as again in and clean.
For me it helps with catching, they all know they come in firsts thing for food, rather than “come here I want to ride”
They eat less hay, use less bedding.
It’s just a no brainer, I love it!
laura_nash
Well-Known Member
The grass is lower sugar at night.
Less flies and if the field has no shelter potentially more pleasant for the horse (mine use their field shelter much more in hot sun than any other weather, though it is horse dependent as some love to sun bathe).
The horse is already in the stable if you want to ride after work.
Less flies and if the field has no shelter potentially more pleasant for the horse (mine use their field shelter much more in hot sun than any other weather, though it is horse dependent as some love to sun bathe).
The horse is already in the stable if you want to ride after work.
Arzada
Well-Known Member
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LouisCat
Well-Known Member
All you have to do before work is bring them in so it is much quicker
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
if you are on a yard that doesnt allow 24/7 turn out your horse gets longer and can snooze in the stable away from the flies, less sugar in the grass,i think.....
scruffyponies
Well-Known Member
Mine are out 24/7. In summer they choose to spend most of the day in the shelter, away from flies, and (presumably) graze more at night, so this makes sense to me.
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Mine aren't even out in the day properly yet...
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
All of this! Also as others have said, they are out of the flies. If not out all the time I'll turn out throughout the night and in through the day all through the year.
L&M
Well-Known Member
Does anyone turn out at night in winter? And does it work for them? I can totally understand 'out at night' in the summer and we tend to do this july/aug when the flies are at their worst, the rest if the summer they are out 24/7.
We have a field that the yard attached to has been sold for housing and am concerned about having them in there during the day whilst the works are being done. Typically the driest part of the field that we tend to use from xmas until approx march, is the section which will be closest to all the disruption, so have considered turning them out after the builders have gone and bringing in before they start again the next day.
My only concern is that the weather tends to worsen at night during the winter, but with all the noise/flapping tarps/machinery going during the day, at least at night the horses won't be upset by it all.
Thoughts?
We have a field that the yard attached to has been sold for housing and am concerned about having them in there during the day whilst the works are being done. Typically the driest part of the field that we tend to use from xmas until approx march, is the section which will be closest to all the disruption, so have considered turning them out after the builders have gone and bringing in before they start again the next day.
My only concern is that the weather tends to worsen at night during the winter, but with all the noise/flapping tarps/machinery going during the day, at least at night the horses won't be upset by it all.
Thoughts?
oldie48
Well-Known Member
The only disadvantage that I found was if you ride first thing in the morning, the horse comes in full of grass and ready for a kip, not so bad if you have a forward going keen to work type but a pain if you have a steady neddy.
scopeybay98
Active Member
My yard typically turns out at night in winter, switches to day in spring and then when the fields switch for summer 24/7 is available but most people just turn out at night, so I think out at winter is okay. We have shelters in our fields so that may be something to look at if you choose to turn out at night in winter. Not sure how many use it as we aren’t there to see obvs but it does need cleaned out so I’m sure a few of them do.
Carrottom
Well-Known Member
I turn out at night all year. It suits me to have them in during the day to feed, ride ,groom or whatever. If it turns icy they stay out as I would rather that than have them stuck in for days. I put forage out if needed.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
yeah this is an issue for me.
I keep mine out during the day for as long as possible, i think it's nice for them to get the sunshine (er... where are you, sun?) on their backs. it means no grass hangover either as the hours outside chomping are reduced. but when the flies get too bad then I swap them over.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
I was planning that last Autumn, it would be perfect. I’d had an extra horse and trashed the grazing though so sadly they were just miserable and I had to swap back. Absolutely going to try it this year though with a bit more planning!
Melody Grey
Well-Known Member
I do! It works well for my two- they used to love out 24/7 so being out overnight isn’t anything unusual for them. They come in for feed, a haynet and dry off in the daytime and then put at night (with hay in winter). Far less mucking out that way and they get longer out- it’s a winner.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
My aim!
Boulty
Well-Known Member
I've done night time t/o year round for a horse who needed time off the grass in Spring / Summer but to come in for extra hay & food in Winter. He wasn't a massive fan of being in so a system that maximised his field time made him happier (8-10 hrs was about his tolerance!). Also the field setup made finding horses in the dark a PITA & YO used to do evening feed for me due to my work hours so it also meant I was making her life easier if she just had to turn him out. I just used to make sure he was well rugged if out in horrid weather. It meant if we went somewhere for the day he still got field time but the downside was having a muddy pony to deal with in the morning!
skint1
Well-Known Member
My gelding usually stays in all day during the summer for the reasons stated by others, my mare isn't such a fan unless it's a hot fly ridden kinda day, she tends to come in for 2-3 hr stints a couple of times a aday but this year she's in a paddock with a field shelter so she may prefer to hide in that during the heat of the day.
GoldenWillow
Well-Known Member
I turn out at night all year round and find it works fine. They'll come in through the day mainly to save the field, to let their legs dry off and for differing feeding needs. Even in the worst of the weather they are fine as the field has plenty of shelter and as I don't live on site I'd rather they were out than worry about stable roofs coming off in the gales with them in. It would maybe be different it the field had no natural shelter although I have, once in 10 years, opened the doors to turn them out and they refused to budge, it was horizontal sleet!