How many of you only see your horses in the dark in the winter during the week?

spotty_pony2

spotty_pony2

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Probably quite a few of you, I’m just stressing!

For a job interview tomorrow, which if I get it will mean I’ll be doing the horses morning an evening in the dark, at least in the morning for quite a while as it’s an early start but finishing at 3 would mean it wouldn’t be too long before I could start riding after work. I might get some arena lights so I can do something on nice evenings but they all live out with field shelters anyway so they don’t necessarily *need* lots of riding during the week. There’s only one in full wok currently anyway.

Any tips? I’m getting a head torch so I can poo pick and it’s only a case of rug changes, feed, hay and check water so not loads to do… I’m sure it will be fine but I’ve always worked my hours around the horses (not the other way around) but this does seem like a good job opportunity.
 
I did every winter for years, but haven’t since having kids (11 years).

It’s fine, it did mean I spent most of the weekend at the yard catching up but that was no problem.

Horses are at home now and I’m just about to go out and do final checks, in the dark!
 
I did this for years and hated it, especially poo picking. I found a headtorch was useful for poos on the grass but when they pooed in the mud it wasn't easy to see what was poo and what was mud. As for poos done in the drifted up fallen leaves, forget it. So about this time of the year I'd abandon poo picking on weekdays and do the whole lot come the weekend.
Sometimes just finding the ponies was hard. Especially when you've got a black pony with a sense of humour and the ability to move absolutely silently.
 
I don’t do this now as I work nights but have done it for many years. I used to do everything with a head torch (super bright) and leave poo picking until the weekend. Used to ride in the dark too!
 
I do! Well in the morning on the way to work at 7.45 it’s light enough to see but at the other end of the day at 4.30 it’s pretty much dark and will certainly be very soon. A good head torch, prepping feeds in the morning and reflective rugs help a lot!
Good luck
 
I did this for more than 30 years. I had light in the arena and had a rule. Dark and rain or wind was fine to ride in, but not dark, rain and wind. I just did the poo picking at the weekend. Don't do it now as have semi retired - bliss!
 
I’m really lucky that I have flexible hours so can go up during the daylight hours. Having said that, I’ve been so busy at work the last week that I’ve only seen them in the dark. I bought an amazing head lamp from the local petrol station that is like a flat rubber band with strips of light, and it’s so good that when I’m looking down and doing the feeds I forget it’s night time.

The ponies do like to hoon around in the dark though so it’s a bit hairy. I’ve explained to them that if they run me over no one will feed them. Other than that there’s something quite nice about going up there and working in the dark. No neighbours watching, it’s peaceful, and it feels like time stands still in a weird way.

Ironically the bomb proof 16 year old is suspicious of my head lamp, and the 4 year old show pony isn’t bothered. It’s a bit spooky seeing the reflective eyes moving towards you across the fields though 👻
 
I did this but with help to bring in and stable yard was mostly concrete with nice floodlit arena and one indoor which was on for walk and trot. In at night , out to early afternoon. Now I have one out 24/7 and I don't, between the two of us we do say time even if a 5 minute check in the morning. I work part time, if I was full time I think I'd just get someone to check them during week and then enjoy the weekend. It's often wet and windy here and combined with the dark it would be a massive unenjoyable slog. Sorry if that doesn't help! It's so individual.
 
Yep, ours are out 24/7, and we work full time. I agree with the advice for a good head torch.

I also find it doesn’t last that long. By the time you're getting into the swing of it, it's then the run up to Christmas which I always find flies by, then we're past the shortest day and only a month or so until it's starting to get noticeably lighter.

One real treat that I love in winter, is while the horses eat their feeds, on a clear night/morning, looking up to the sky, feeling small beneath billions of stars.

I like weekends though, to remind myself what our horses look like 🤣
 
Have always been on DIY and have always worked full time so yes, for the last umpteen years have only seen horses in the dark further week. Although one horse I have now has to come in at lunchtime so I briefly see them then!
 
I must admit this is the one thing I do enjoy about turning to stabled at night. I like to be able to see them in proper light and with my work that just wouldn’t happen right now.

I think some good lights in the arena would be a good plan. Even if you don’t do that much work with them it would be good to see them moving under lights and a check over.
 
I did this for about 45 years and that was with horses at home. I hated never seeing my animals in daylight except at weekends but no option as I had to work. Luxury now to be able to choose my hours to do them. Best part about retiring. As for riding that was weekends only and after we left the farm and didn't have stables or any hard standing we basically didn't ride in the winter full stop.
 
Yes for 30 years. Head torch but they may panic a bit at first. It's amazing how your eyes adapt to the dark.
I turned out at 5am and brought in from December at 6pm usually by OH as I wasn't home. Rode in school during week a couple of times when I was home.
 
Yes, do horses in the dark, sheep in the dark, chickens in the dark, dog walking in the dark. It can be a bit miserable for 4-6 weeks, but tbh you just change gear and get used to it. I don't habitually use a headtorch because I'm lucky that my night vision is pretty good, but they are invaluable when it is overcast. I abandon poo picking when it gets really soggy. Quite happy to ride in the dark (off road) so long as it is not wet. During prolonged wet weather I abandon riding except at the weekend - I don't think it does the horses any harm to have a quiet couple of months every year tbh.

The other think that makes quite a difference to the feel of dark drudgery is motion activated lights in entrance/exit areas, hay areas etc.
 
Good luck for your interview 🤞 To be honest, once you are in the swing of it, it's OK. I like to remind myself that it's only 50-something days until the Solstice from the clocks changing - we are already down to 38 days until the Winter Soltice🎉 I hack out or ride most of the time on the dark in the week too, but am lucky I can do that.

The things I find make the biggest difference:

• Good headtorch
• Ditto good waterproofs & wellies
• Travel mug that keeps drinks hot ❤️
• Organise what you can for the week ahead - I pre-make hard feeds and haynets for the week on weekends, I do all my 'full' grooming on the weekends and re-apply pig oil/mane tail spray, hoof etc so in the week it's minimal grooming and maintenance
• Organise all my tack/riding stuff & keep it together so I can just grab it & go don't waste time and lose motivation for riding
• Use extra reflective strips on rugs so you can easily locate horse in the field
• Ditto headcollars - Pioneer Endurance actually make high viz reflective headcollars (and tack!)
• Battery LED lighting makes a massive difference if you don't have mains lighting

It's fine, we get through it every winter (mostly) still smiling!
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MuddyMonster said:
• Battery LED lighting makes a massive difference if you don't have mains lighting
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absolutely this, I bought some of the rechargeable Cherry garden lights via LiteMyRide recently and they're great. We have no electric at the farmyard where the horses are and being able to switch on a light and see the whole feed room feels like such a luxury. I need to make and install mounts for another one in the horses' barn.
 
Thank you everyone, interview went well so fingers crossed! Even better, they think they might have a position which starts at 9 am for me which would be perfect!

My horses are in today and tonight in this storm and we do have lights in the stables and tack/feed room. I think I need a light in the hay barn though, and my cameras on the field shelters also have a light on them that I can turn on and off on my phone. I'll have a look at the lite my ride lights - I've seen some lights which are solar and clip on the fence which would be perfect for outside the stables and in various dark areas! Can't think of the make but I'm told I need 2000 lumens minimum to light up an arena?
 
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