Horses out overnight?

TheEquineOak

TheEquineOak

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I'm a first time horse owner... so bear with me! I may be about to make myself sound stupid!

Because of our herd situation on our yard, the only way each horse is going to get daily turnout would be for one herd (which so happens to be my horse and one other) are to be turned out over night and brought in through the day.

With me never having a horse before I don't know the implications of this. Will it affect his sleeping pattern? He's a TB and out he's been put out without a rug, does this matter? Can anyone explain any differences between being out at night and in during the day for me?! :D

The groom and yard owner are pretty confident every is fine (although I'd like to add it's the liveries that have had to go out overnight and not their own)


I know I shouldn't be worried but this is all new to me :)
 
Mine are out at night! Only worry is weight gain for me as out on grass all night but they dont eat anything during the day just sleeps (leave them a section of hay which they usually leaves half of!). It chills the horses out as they are tired and they do adjust very quickly to sleep during the day! I wouldnt panic too much, it just saves me loads of money in summer! :)
 
My horses are currently out at night and in during the day. I do this during the summer to get them away from the flies and heat. They tend to come in, eat their breakfast and have a kip. Remember that horses don't sleep like us but sleep in short snatches. They are sports horses and do very well on this routine.

During the winter I swap over and they are in at night and out during the day. The youngsters are out for about 22 hours and come in for a couple of hours to be checked over and haveva feed.
 
according to a lot of research, horses eat more during hours of darkness than during daylight hours.... so, being out at night is not a problem at all!

FWIW, our boys are out 24/7 at the moment and are very happy (though not as happy as they would be if we put them in the big field!:D:D, greedy bu55ers!)
 
A couple of the liveries on my yard turn out overnight and bring in during the day - the grass is less sugary overnight, so it's good if your horse is overweight or a laminitic. It really will be fine - stop worrying and enjoy your horse!
 
If I had to choose between turnout in the day or night during the summer, I'd choose stabling during the day. Given the choice, horses prefer to be sheltered from hot sun and flies. How nice for them to be out in the cool of the evening and at night once the midges have disappeared.
They are more likely to want to rest during the heat and do not sleep as we do.
Don't worry about not rugging, much nicer for them to regulate their own body thermostat and enjoy the freedom of being unrugged. If you have persistent heavy rain forecast overnight with cool winds, then slap on a rain sheet, but summer showers and cool nights are fine for most horses.
 
As others have said, it's absolutely fine - horses don't get 8 hours sleep overnight. Because they are prey animals, they are more likely to sleep during the day, when predators are likely to be less active. They also sleep for much shorter periods than we do. However I would be concerned that the livery yard might not have enough grazing available if it has to be shared like this. Surely the grazing could be split with electric fencing so that all the horses could be out 24/7 if their owners wished. The best part of summer is no mucking out IMO.

ETA - it'snot a stupid question. If you don't know the only way to find out is to ask!
 
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TheEquineOak said:
I'm a first time horse owner... so bear with me! I may be about to make myself sound stupid!

Because of our herd situation on our yard, the only way each horse is going to get daily turnout would be for one herd (which so happens to be my horse and one other) are to be turned out over night and brought in through the day.

With me never having a horse before I don't know the implications of this. Will it affect his sleeping pattern? He's a TB and out he's been put out without a rug, does this matter? Can anyone explain any differences between being out at night and in during the day for me?! :D

The groom and yard owner are pretty confident every is fine (although I'd like to add it's the liveries that have had to go out overnight and not their own)


I know I shouldn't be worried but this is all new to me :)
Click to expand...

Really? :D
 
Pearlsasinger said:
As others have said, it's absolutely fine - horses don't get 8 hours sleep overnight. Because they are prey animals, they are more likely to sleep during the day, when predators are likely to be less active. They also sleep for much shorter periods than we do. However I would be concerned that the livery yard might not have enough grazing available if it has to be shared like this. Surely the grazing could be split with electric fencing so that all the horses could be out 24/7 if their owners wished. The best part of summer is no mucking out IMO.

ETA - it'snot a stupid question. If you don't know the only way to find out is to ask!
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There is usually 20 acres of good grazing for a yard of 10 horses. The main bulk of the grazing has been fenced off for 6 weeks for haylage though - which is why we're in this situation.

Fii said:
Really? :D
Click to expand...

Oh no! What have I said?! :confused::D
 
TheEquineOak said:
There is usually 20 acres of good grazing for a yard of 10 horses. The main bulk of the grazing has been fenced off for 6 weeks for haylage though - which is why we're in this situation.



Oh no! What have I said?! :confused::D
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Well, i don't know, it's just you come across so knowledgable, usually, or am i missing something?
 
Our yard has a mix of horses from porky shetlands to TBs to cobs to a humungus 18hh shire x. All the horses are out at night summer and winter, from about 2pm to 9am in the summer, stretched to out from 4pm to 8am in the winter. We have the most chilled and happy horses it's possible to imagine. Even during last winter's ghastly Arctic spell, we only had to change them round (in overnight, out in the day) for TWO days. This way, they're in for riding, vet, farrier, etc etc etc. And we only have day beds to do!
 
So long as the boxes are well venillated and stay cool then it's an ideal situation. Turned out in the day they do tend to stand around a lot sheltering from the sun and snoozing. It's why I bring my fatty in at night - she eats more at night than during the day.
 
Fii said:
Well, i don't know, it's just you come across so knowledgable, usually, or am i missing something?
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Awwww :D Don't let my name fool you, I'm only 'TheEquineOak' because it is very close to my horse's, now registered, name ;)

I've been around horses for 20 years. I've had loan horses before but only bought Arnie 9 months ago :o so every ounce of common sense I had with regards to horse management has gone out of the window for favour of bubble wrapping and cotton wool.

I felt a bit ashamed to ask the question because I KNEW he would be fine... I think I just needed someone to tell me to stop being stupid!
 
This year my mare is out 24/7.

I used to turn out overnight and in during the day. The horses liked this. They would only have a small amount of hay because they would snooze all day out of the sun and the flies :)

In the summer I much prefer turnout overnight and in during the day as oppose to turnout in the day and in during the night.
 
eggs said:
My horses are currently out at night and in during the day. I do this during the summer to get them away from the flies and heat. They tend to come in, eat their breakfast and have a kip. Remember that horses don't sleep like us but sleep in short snatches. They are sports horses and do very well on this routine.

During the winter I swap over and they are in at night and out during the day. The youngsters are out for about 22 hours and come in for a couple of hours to be checked over and haveva feed.
Click to expand...

Ditto, my event, SJ and dressage on this routine. I prefer it as ot means they are in when I want to work them, groom them, for farrier, vet etc.
 
Mine is out at night and in during the day. My choice as he needs hay but, doing it this way round means he gets longer out than if he were in overnight. he also enjoys his mid morning and afternoon naps sprawled out in bed! lol! I'm sure if he were out in the field he'd be too busy causing mischief to sleep! lol!
 
My two are out 24/7 and do sleep (aka sprawl out looking dead) most of the day rather than eat and seem to love it :)

It's alway better to ask and put your mind at rest :D
 
I deliberatley bring mine in during the day and out at night, because the sugars in the grass are much lower at night so its a good time for fat / lamanitic horses to be out. Although...thats not very fair of your livery yard - you must be doing a lot of mucking out for the summer months!!
 
Jump at it. You've got the best deal. Nice and cool, no flies, safest time of day - sorry night! - laminitically speaking. Your horse will love it. And then a nice cool stable during the day. Our fatties are in the stable yard and open barn by day, and toddle out in the evening air.
 
I actually thoroughly enjoyed being around my horse today :D

He spent this morning snoozing in his stable, I even had a cuddle with him when he was sprawled out on the floor. Had a dream session in the school too... hmmmmmm
 
when i bought my 3yo dutch warmblood the livery yard owner advised that i keep him out at night and in during the day, probably more to her benefit that mine, yes he was very quite to handle, but i felt awful riding him in the day, he would come in about 8 in the morning eat his feed and then sleep for several hours, espescially being such a large warmblood he had a lot of growing to do! and when it came to competiting I stood no chance the horse didnt sleep for hours and hours!
he's out for a few hours a day now and in at night (the joys of keeping them at home!)
But having said that if i had a hacker or a sharp horse i wouldnt dismiss the idea!! My warmblood is VERY lazy!!
 
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