Night time turnout

[MissJessica]

During winter my horse is stabled at night, out during the day. A few weeks ago he was turned out 24/7 for Summer however in a bid to limit spring grass intake & try to calm him (the green stuff went to his head) this week I am trailing night time turnout & bringing him in during the day. To give his tummy a rest & some hay instead of grass. Grass. Grass.
Anyone else have this routine?
Do you find it benefits?

 

[chocolategirl]

During winter my horse is stabled at night, out during the day. A few weeks ago he was turned out 24/7 for Summer however in a bid to limit spring grass intake & try to calm him (the green stuff went to his head) this week I am trailing night time turnout & bringing him in during the day. To give his tummy a rest & some hay instead of grass. Grass. Grass.
Anyone else have this routine?
Do you find it benefits?

Yes I use this routine as well. It helps that the sugars in grass are reduced or less active at night. I much prefer out at night for the fact I don't have to get up at the crack to turn out as well!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Mine is on exactly the same regime in winter and out at night in the summer then in during the day.

He doesn't do heat so being in during the day suits him.
He is a live on fresh air type of pony so restricting grass by bringing him in rather than muzzling him seems nicer to me.
He likes to lay down during the day and enjoys having a good old snooze.

 

[Holly Hocks]

I do this in summer. It's still a bit cold and wet where I am at the moment and probably not quite enough grass, but I'm hoping to have mine out in another couple of weeks.

 

[MissJessica]

Awww that's nice Lindylouanne, I hope my boy has a little snooze too.
It is nice to read others to the same, I never have before but it's working well this week & I will try anything at the moment.

 

[Barnacle]

Plants, like us, burn "food" to survive. Their food is sugar, which they synthesise during the day via photosynthesis, with the help of sunlight. The reason grass is less sugary at night is that the plants start using it up (they stop photosynthesizing when the sun goes down and respire - just like we do - instead). So grass pretty much literally burns sugar at night and therefore is less calorific Totally useless bit of info but since someone mentioned the sugars being reduced, I thought I'd explain what's actually going on and back the idea up - nighttime grass is indeed less sugary and could be a very good thing for an energetic horse!

 

[SuperH]

Mine do this. Still in at night at the moment although they will be going out on Friday for the weekend as I'm away and it will be easier for my in laws to look after them. When I get back they will be back in at night though for another couple of weeks before switching over, just as one of them is a bit on the porky side so need to slim her down a bit before overnight turnout. They aren't keen on 24 hour turnout and are usually desperate to get back in. Both come in and sleep and like it out of the sun and away from flies.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

My only ridden horse and 2 of my others are out at night and in the day all year, the ridden one fully clipped but well rugged. Once I have enough stables the others will be in this routine too. As well as keeping down their grass intake to me it makes more sense, I ride in the day , farriers vets etc visit in the day so by being in it doesn't take time out of their grazing time or interrupt their routines

 

[cobgoblin]

Mine re out at night all year round except for really bad weather, when they come in at night. They love it as they're on the yard when things are going on and they can see into the house. No heat, no flies and plenty of time for a quiet kip. I like it because it's convenient for riding, farrier, vet etc and makes field maintainence easy with the horses out of the way.

 

[suffolkmare]

Elleskywalker, that actually sounds really sensible, and I wonder if many other people do it? Do you vary the time of day that they come in/ go out through the year or stick to the same time regardless of daylight/dark? It not only preserves their routine better but saves your time at farrier/vet visits if you don't have to catch them in the field (and they tend to play up when you really need to get them in!) Winter nights outside might not be as cold as stood in a stable as they can move around or choose to stand together.
My boy prefers to be out 24/7, but if I did stable him in the day he would hate it as he'd be alone,

 

[Goldenstar]

It's how I do mine in summer it works well they get out of the flys and are in when I need them to work.

 

[MissJessica]

Elleskywalker, that actually sounds really sensible, and I wonder if many other people do it? Do you vary the time of day that they come in/ go out through the year or stick to the same time regardless of daylight/dark? It not only preserves their routine better but saves your time at farrier/vet visits if you don't have to catch them in the field (and they tend to play up when you really need to get them in!) Winter nights outside might not be as cold as stood in a stable as they can move around or choose to stand together.
My boy prefers to be out 24/7, but if I did stable him in the day he would hate it as he'd be alone,

My boy is in on his own at the moment & has taken to it ok although only on day four. His bed isn't messy, he is eating his small tiny none existent feed and his hay & is happy to be ridden when I've finished work as opposed to dragging him up the field away from his friends.

 

[fatponee]

My only ridden horse and 2 of my others are out at night and in the day all year, the ridden one fully clipped but well rugged. Once I have enough stables the others will be in this routine too. As well as keeping down their grass intake to me it makes more sense, I ride in the day , farriers vets etc visit in the day so by being in it doesn't take time out of their grazing time or interrupt their routines

Ditto. Works really well for me.

 

[oldie48]

Mine are out at night and if it's not too hot or the flies aren't too bad, I'll turn out for part of the day too. It really suits my horses and it's much less work for me but I'm retired and the horses are kept at home so can get in and out to suit myself. I usually ride in the morning, so they come in early, have a very light breakfast mainly to get joint supplements etc into them, get ridden then turned out again until about 16.00. they get a light supper and then turned out for the night. I don't have masses of grass at the moment but I find the extra turnout just takes the "edge" of my dressage horse who can be a little sharp at this time of the year. Rugging or not at night is the biggest problem at the moment but I err on the side of them being cold rather than getting too warm so they were out last night unrugged.

 

[PollyP99]

I will be bringing in the day time once the grass really starts coming through. Currently my mare is still losing weight being out 24/7 which suits me fine as she's another porker, she is grazing a fileld used in winter so it's only just starting to recover, did look luminous green everywhere first thing today though so it won't be long.

Main thing I think is to make sure to give them plenty of excercise if in during the day, then mine sleeps and enjoys the break. I wouldn't want her in if she felt full of energy and no where to use it. In at night it seems more natural to rest for them although excercise is always needed and key to behaviour in my opinion.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, mine are out at night and in by day during the summer too. Keeps them out of the heat and flies and restricts the grazing a bit too.

 

[skint1]

I think it's a good idea, but my mare hates being in her stable alone and I don't think anyone else would go for that.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Elleskywalker, that actually sounds really sensible, and I wonder if many other people do it? Do you vary the time of day that they come in/ go out through the year or stick to the same time regardless of daylight/dark? It not only preserves their routine better but saves your time at farrier/vet visits if you don't have to catch them in the field (and they tend to play up when you really need to get them in!) Winter nights outside might not be as cold as stood in a stable as they can move around or choose to stand together.
My boy prefers to be out 24/7, but if I did stable him in the day he would hate it as he'd be alone,

I tend to bring them in between 7.30 -8.30 am so it doesn't upset them too much if they need to come in earlier or later if I want a lie in :wink3: similarly they tend to go out around 6-7 in the evening so if am going out and they go out earlier or have been somewhere for the day an hour either way doesn't upset them :biggrin3:

I use these times all year round

 

[tabithakat64]

At previous yard mine were out at night all year round. One previously had laminitis so she was kept off the grass from 6am to 6pm and muzzled the rest of the time. We stuck to the same routine year round.

 

[eggs]

I've kept my horses like this for years. I try to have a couple of weeks in the spring and autumn when they are out full time - just coming in for a feed and a kip and to be ridden. I'm hoping that this weekend they will go out full time (having been stabled at night and out during the day) and then when it warms up and/or the flies start to bother them I will switch to them coming in during the day and going out at night.

I don't stick to a strict timetable but at the moment they are going out between 6.30 and 8.30 am (depending on my work schedule) and coming in around 6 ish although that does depend on the weather. Once they are out at night I tend to get them in around 9 am but again it does depend on how hot it is and whether the flies are bothering them. I find that it is less unsettling for them to not have a very strict routine.

 

[pippixox]

probably next month mine will start going out at night, in during the day. Have done this for years and find it works really well. As like some have said, grass has less energy, but also they are happier, as my boy hates the flies and when it is too hot, so it better out in the dark. Hot at the moment, but they are still happy grazing in the day.