Peglo
Well-Known Member
Do you leave your lights on in the stable if your horses are in overnight through the winter?
Lights on or off?
- Thread starter Peglo
- Start date
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Off. I bet they like to have a sleep too.
I do leave low level lighting through the night when they are new. New horse had low lighting for 3 nights. Also, I leave bright lights around firework time.
I leave them on until after late night checks though, as I hate to see them squinting when lights are turned on at 9pm.
I do leave low level lighting through the night when they are new. New horse had low lighting for 3 nights. Also, I leave bright lights around firework time.
I leave them on until after late night checks though, as I hate to see them squinting when lights are turned on at 9pm.
spacefaer
Well-Known Member
Off once I've finished for the night. Back on in the morning (thinking of my electricity bill!)
On if there are fireworks.
On if there are fireworks.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
No I don’t unless it’s a new horse in which we leave on the night lights which are two dim bulkhead lights in the corridor .
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
Fireworks the place is lit up like a football stadium .
Cortez
Tough but Fair
Goodness, why would you leave them on? Horses are used to it being night......
blitznbobs
Well-Known Member
Off — not sure why youd leave them on tbh
Lady Jane
Well-Known Member
Definitely off. The light affects the horses body rythms
Lady Jane
Well-Known Member
I do leave them on till about 10pm over fireworks and also leave the radio on rather loud
The Fuzzy Furry
Getting old disgracefully
Nope, because mine are 12v and are solar charged, would kill the battery which otherwise lasts over winter if not longer.
Peglo
Well-Known Member
I usually have them off. I’ve left them on for a couple of nights to let the new girl settle but thought it was time to start switching them off again.
I think a neighbour leaves hers on (or they are on every time I go past, even when coming home late after a night out) and just wondered if leaving them on was a thing and if there was any reason to leave them on.
I think a neighbour leaves hers on (or they are on every time I go past, even when coming home late after a night out) and just wondered if leaving them on was a thing and if there was any reason to leave them on.
MotherOfChickens
MotherDucker
Off of course, they can see in the dark perfectly well anyway-it’s adjusting from dark-light-dark which takes them longer than it does us. Plus they need natural light cycles as do all animals.
silv
Well-Known Member
This, plus they have very good night vision.
scats
Well-Known Member
Off. It’s never entered my head to leave them on, even on firework night.
Equi
Well-Known Member
Off. They have a natural cycle like us and I suspect having the lights on all the time would be very irritating. I did leave the light on in the next door stable when I had a foal tho, more so mum wouldn’t like walk on her or something ?
FestiveFuzz
Well-Known Member
Off for us too. If hubby has accidentally left them on between dinner and late checks I get serious side eye ??
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Another off for sure, even on fireworks night. We live by a wedding venue so there’s no knowing when fireworks will go off anyway.
I once left them on when one had been ill and I just needed a few hours sleep after spending every second for days with him, I look into the stables from my bedroom window so I was able to keep an eye.
I once left them on when one had been ill and I just needed a few hours sleep after spending every second for days with him, I look into the stables from my bedroom window so I was able to keep an eye.
paddy555
Well-Known Member
off for us unless I am unhappy with one then I leave one light on so I can creep in and check during the night without disturbing everyone.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Off I even turn the security light off outside the stables if they are in as its linked to my stable lights.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Why would anyone leave them on if they aren't trying to bring a brood mare into season or perhaps dealing with a horse with night blindness?
It's never occurred to me to leave them on, horses aren't afraid of the dark.
.
It's never occurred to me to leave them on, horses aren't afraid of the dark.
.
Durhamchance
Well-Known Member
Definitely off! Ours are powered by a car battery. We turn them off as soon as we leave the stable regardless of the time/light level
L&M
Well-Known Member
Of course not, what a waste of electricity!!!
Lights are for human benefit, not the horses......
Lights are for human benefit, not the horses......
Annagain
Well-Known Member
I turn them off but Archie turns his back on EVERY....BL00DY...NIGHT. 
. Apparently he will sometimes turn them off at some point (according to YO who lives on site) but he'll always turn them on again and leave them on until we get there in the morning, He escaped one night and turned a few of the others' lights on too.
. Apparently he will sometimes turn them off at some point (according to YO who lives on site) but he'll always turn them on again and leave them on until we get there in the morning, He escaped one night and turned a few of the others' lights on too.Peglo
Well-Known Member
I turn them off but Archie turns his back on EVERY....BL00DY...NIGHT.
He sounds like a right character. I like that he decided the others needed their lights on ?
Annagain
Well-Known Member
I think he likes playing with the switch more than wanting the light on. The switch is outside his stable door. We tried to put a piece of wood at 90 degrees to the wall on an angle bracket at the side of the switch to stop him reaching it but he just bent it back and forth until it came loose. We gave up at that point and just found the lowest energy bulbs on the market.
Peglo
Well-Known Member
yeah I assumed that. Funny he went looking for more switches.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
He's normally last in of an evening and he insists on going round the other stables to check on his mates before going to his stable so I assume he went to say hello to his friends, maybe accidentally found a switch and then realised there was one outside every stable door - they're in the same position outside every stable. All the field gates have to have an extra chain around them as well as the bolt on a spring as he can open those. He opens his top bolt every night and the time he escaped, he must have leant on the door so hard that the catch for the kick bolt came out of the door frame. He is, as you say quite the character!
Peglo
Well-Known Member
I love hearing stories of horses like this. (As annoying as it must be day to day) he sounds very funny and must be great entertainment to have around. He’s put a smile on my face hearing about him.
Carlosmum
Well-Known Member
Pony's stable (pen) is in corner of farm yard, normally through the winter the lights are left on overnight. I do a late check at 10pm, and occasionally someone is up during the night to see to animals calving, etc, or can be up all night during lambing
We find it is less disturbing to leave the lights on than have to turn on from dark. Sodium lights too so they take a little warming up.
We find it is less disturbing to leave the lights on than have to turn on from dark. Sodium lights too so they take a little warming up.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Now that we know how to manage him (chain everything up, double check all catches / bolts) he's the best. He's about 27 and retired and I've never met a horse better suited to retirement. I used to say he was like Victor Meldrew when he was in work he complained about everything but now he's so happy and cheeky, he's like Compo from Last of the Summer Wine - a giant child in a retiree's body. I wouldn't be surprised to find him careering down a hill in a bath tub on wheels!