How do you know when it's time to bring in for winter?

[CBFan]

I like to wait as long as possible otherwise it's a terribly long winter til its nice enough to turn out again but my boy has just started planting his feet and point blank refusing to move when it comes to going back out after he has had his feed... think he's trying to tell me something!! lol! He'll be coming in tomorrow!

 

[WoopsiiD]

Sounds about right!
With mine it was when he was out of the field and back in his stable before I'd even managed to close the field gate after turning him out!

 

[CBFan]

Lol! they're funny aren't they! I had been bribing him with a carrot but tonight even that didn't work!

 

[Chellebean]

Does that mean mine wanted out tonight? He never leaves his stable with out being told to and tonight he just waltzed out whilst I walked past him with a wheelbarrow full of haylage

 

[Achinghips]

You know when they're hunched, waiting at the gate at odd times of the day, standing with their back to the wind, head lowered. They don't have much trouble in expressing their feelings

 

[Holly Hocks]

Just over a week ago, we had a really really cold spell. I went down in the morning to get my old boy in for breakfast. His legs were so cold, he could hardly move his back ones. He's now tucked up with his stable wraps on his back legs...

 

[Chestnut mare]

Yeah they always tell you it's time to come in cos they stand at the gate looking miserable . Mine are still happy at the moment as they still have grass and it's got mild all of a sudden! My mare loves her stable and coming in but most horses at our yard stay out all year.

 

[thinlizzy]

pther way round for me my boy wintered out all his life coming in nights this year hes not causing a fuss but gives a deep sigh and just looks at me when he comes in for the night but its yards rules were i am think hed still like to be out at the moment

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Im in NE Scotland but have the opposite problem, mine are in at night but its been so mild that they are enjoying the grass and I am cursing them as I have to walk to fetch them from the far corner of their field, and thats even with carrot bribe. Normally in November they would be queueing up to come in.

But I think it's about to turn colder (which is fine with me if it means less gales!)

 

[FanyDuChamp]

I know when it is time to bring Captain to stay in, when he takes the gate off and stables himself!

For Fany it is never time to come in, rain (and boy does it rain in Cumbria) wind or snow she would rather be out)

FDC

 

[FleabittenT]

Ours start coming in once the clocks go. We move them onto their winter grazing, on a field right by the yard, to save leading down the road on the dark evenings after work.

It isn't big enough to support them out 24/7, we're on clay so it gets poached very quickly, so they start coming in to save the field becoming a bog within a week.

That said, there's still a fair amount of grass on it at the moment, so they're a little reluctant to come in for now

 

[peanut]

My horse never tells me when she wants to start coming in!

Usually I decide the time is right when it gets cold and wet. She's currently still out unrugged as it's been so mild.

 

[EQUISCENE]

Our 3 all start staring over the field wall longingly at the yard..