OK to change routine from day to day?

i keep a vague routine - but do try to mix it up a abit so that she copes better on the days we are out competing
i know of some people who always ride in the evening as the horses ;dont like being ridden in teh morning as its out of routine'
building that much of a routine is obviously detrimental for cometitions
but what ever works for you and your horse :)
 
I completely agree with Lauren Bay. I'm very flexible with my lot even the foals; yes, I have some sort of routine; same things done in the same order but timewise I'm the original flexible friend as I've seen far too many neurotic and bargy horses that have been kept to strict timetables - where incidentally, they had far more digestive problems such as colic if their timetable went haywire. I have a yearling here which had been kept to a strict routine simply because that was the only way the owner could operate due to her job and he was a bit of a stress head when he came thinking I ran by the clock; a big disappointment to him, lol! Now he's settled down and is far more laid back because he knows he will never be hungry, there is always something in his rack so he's not beating down the door for his next feed - whenever it arrives. Give me laid back horses every time, far pleasanter to work with.

ETA: Sometimes, shock horror, I'll leave them out if it's dry and they're happy - even in the winter (when they're in at night out by day)and usually they'll tell me they want to stay out by ignoring me when I call them. Shine the torch later on just in case they've changed their minds and ten to one they're at the top of the field either eating or laid down; if they were hanging by the gate I'd get them in but they don't; they usually come to call the next night though!
 
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I'm another for being flexible with timings - sometimes mine come in during the day sometimes they stay in at night. Might ride in the mornirning or afternoon. The only routine that I do have is that they get fed in the morning no later than 10am and in the afternoon between 3 and 7pm. They usually are anticipating feed times but if its getting a bit late they just wander off to graze keeping a watchful eye on the kitchen door opening! I think its good for them to learn that things happen at different times - what happens if you onyl ride in the morning then have to compete in the afternoon? However every horse is different and if I didhave a stressy horse (albeit one made stressy by human constraints!) I probably try and compromise a bit to avoid the stressing and then slowly try and help them to become a bit more flexible
 
I think you need an equal balance.

I don't believe in turning horses out at 7am Monday-Friday when you have work and then leaving them standing in until 10/11am on a weekend just because you want to sleep in. As much as I would love to stay in bed a bit longer on weekends, I don't because I don't want her stood in the stable with hardly anything to eat.

That said I don't have a stupidly strict routine. I like to stick to roughly the same times daily but give or take a little, depending on work and other commitments. Enya likes a routine, but if I'm not at the yard for a certain time then she isn't banging the stable door down or jumping gates or anything.
 
Frosty89 said:
I think you need an equal balance.

I don't believe in turning horses out at 7am Monday-Friday when you have work and then leaving them standing in until 10/11am on a weekend just because you want to sleep in. As much as I would love to stay in bed a bit longer on weekends, I don't because I don't want her stood in the stable with hardly anything to eat.

That said I don't have a stupidly strict routine. I like to stick to roughly the same times daily but give or take a little, depending on work and other commitments. Enya likes a routine, but if I'm not at the yard for a certain time then she isn't banging the stable door down or jumping gates or anything.
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This, exactly!
 
My horses have their own routine I know where abouts they will be at certain times of the day in the field. There field is bendy and hilly in places with wooded areas, and flat areas. I arrive sometime in the morning before 10am and call them all over for feed and hay, once thats been eaten they continue with their own routine again. Because I always ride in the morning and feed in the morning my mare can get grumpy if she is ridden not fed, so I always give a small token feed which she will digest as I groom and tack up. This seems to work for me and her, after the ride she will have another token feed which makes up her usual ration of feed for the day anyway.
 
Mine usually lives out, but the rain and mud has been awful here, so she is in at night just now, and stayed in during the day during the last torrential storm. She's pretty chilled, although I know she prefers to be out, she accepts it gracefully if left in! She is also keen to come in at night just now, so I'm quite happy to go with that. If I go to get her and she's not keen to catch, I'll assume she's happy to be out again. Basically, she's in charge! Lol
 
Depends on the horse and the time of year/weather/grass available I think....

I have a 'rule' that their routine has to fit around my life in the mnths they are out 24/7, but once they are stabled, mine do like a routine and I try revolve my day round this.

I have did try once not to have a routine, and force the horses to stay out longer mid winter to fit in with my day, but just resulted in difficult to handle horses and trashed fields.

But then I have the luxury of horses at home and working from home....
 
General routine for my girls, fed, turned out, brought in and fed again roughly same time every day (give or take half an hour either way). Although one night last week I got home from work and was told that they were still out because they hadn't wanted to come in at all (usually stand by the gate). It had been a really mild day and they were neither stood by the gate or running up the field when called. Dad could see they were still quite happily grazing down the field, so left them out. It didn't kill them!

I actually think mine are in a routine purely that fits into my family's routine. Dad turns them out every day same time as he suckles the big calves on the yard and brings them in after his cup of tea before feeding the cows!
 
Well the vast majority of owners have to work and don't have horses at home. Therefore, horses are done at specific times of the day. Mine never care what time I ride or how long they are out for and I have never seen any horses stress about that. Feeding is different. Also as someone who does work full time, I will plan what I am doing around feed times as well.

This thread is becoming a tiny bit sanctimonious about people who have their horses on yards and in a routine. It is NOT the kiss of death for horse care neither does it automatically mean all kinds if behavioural issues. My personal choice, be it On DIY or part livery was always to stick to certain timings. Meant I could plan my day more easily and if I was not going to be able to do it, then would get someone else to do it. And I always thought it was grossly unfair to do horses early all week and then turn up 4 hours later at the weekend.
 
I do have a lay in at the weekends, although I do go up before 9.30. I work bloody hard all week, so an extra hour or so won't kill her (she has bigger nets on weekend for this reason). I just would hate to rush around and watch the time constantly. I love having the freedom, if my family or frienda were to call and ask if I wanted to go for a pub lunch or something, I would hate to have to say no, just because my Horse will be expecting me. I see to her twice a day, every day. But she has to fit in around me. Its a huge commitment, why add the stress of a strict routine on top? I am not talking about people with rough routines here. I mean more the people who are very strict (5pm exact ride, 6.30pm exact feed etc.)
 
I am not talking about people with rough routines here. I mean more the people who are very strict (5pm exact ride, 6.30pm exact feed etc.)
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I absolutely agree. Don't think anyone would argue with you there.


LaurenBay said:
I do have a lay in at the weekends, although I do go up before 9.30. I work bloody hard all week, so an extra hour or so won't kill her (she has bigger nets on weekend for this reason).
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I agree. Instead of 6.30am on the yard, at weekends it's 7.30 - so I can have a lie in.

I love having the freedom, if my family or frienda were to call and ask if I wanted to go for a pub lunch or something, I would hate to have to say no, just because my Horse will be expecting me.
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Again, I agree. But do fail to see, really, how going for lunch is going be a problem (I've never found it to be).

But she has to fit in around me. Its a huge commitment, why add the stress of a strict routine on top?
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This I don't agree with - It is a massive commitment, and I'm afraid I fit around the horses not the other way round.
 
I dont have a routine in regards to stabling, I prefer them to be out, easier for me but if the weather is vile or they need to come in for other reasons then they do.

I dont have a routine as I work shifts so my horses get fed etc at different times easch week. Doesnt seem to bother them, so I have to say changing from day to day has never bothered any of the horses I have had ove the years.
 
I dont stick to any set routine with my two. If they weather is ok they stay out, if its horrid they come in. If for any reason they have to stay in during the day then thats what happens. They are only fed once a day and this will usually be around 4pm but if for some reason its later they are not stood gate watching or fence walking, though they will stand at the gate when they hear me arrive. If they are in at night they will get turned out around 6.30am but at weekends it will be more like 8.30am but they dont seem to mind and they are given extra hay to allow for this. They get ridden at various times of the day as well.

Their routine is not set around what is best for me but around what is best (in my opinion) for them. They are happy, laid back horses :)
 
I'm not having a dig at anyone by the way. We all do things differently. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same!
 
Amymay the pub comment was directed at those who keep in a very strict routine. For example if someone were to ask me to go out at say 4pm, if my Horse were expecting me to turn up at 5pm it meant that I wouldn't be able to go. Wereas a Horse that isn't in a strict routine, I could go and leave at 6ish to see too Horsey, all the while knowing she won't be stressy waiting for me.
 
I think it is important to keep certain things to a routine, such as feeding. But turnout is not so important to be in a routine. At either end of the summer, when my horses and the liveries are out 24/7 they occasionally come in at night or during the day if the weather is really bad. They all take this in their stride. So long as they have company, they are happy. I would never bring just one horse in without a companion either. But in the winter routine, I keep it the same every day. Once they are having to go out in the all weather, I split the day into three shifts of 3 hours. The change over times remain the same every day and this makes it easier for me to manage them and muck out etc. Owners try to avoid turnout times when they come to ride because their horse is only getting 3 hours a day and they don't want to deprive them of any.
 
Frosty89 said:
I don't believe in turning horses out at 7am Monday-Friday when you have work and then leaving them standing in until 10/11am on a weekend just because you want to sleep in. As much as I would love to stay in bed a bit longer on weekends, I don't because I don't want her stood in the stable with hardly anything to eat.
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I get up, skip out, hay and feed wearing my pyjamas and rigger boots :D, perks of having them at home-so he's not left in with nothing to eat. But he does get kept in weekend mornings when the others are turned out, when he's usually turned out at about the same time weekdays. and he's left on his tod. and he's fine. I don't get lay ins, I have dogs, horses and chooks to see to (and kids on occasion) but they all have to be a bit flexible!
 
Making decisions based on the weather is reasonable. Your horses routine would be that if it is wet and miserable she will come in and she will probably be quick to learn that! Just remember a 'routine' that changes EVERY day isn't a 'routine' :)
 
I personally have a routine which never changes Mon-Fri so my horses routine is exactly the same but at weekends it will be slightly different but only really because they will be turned out later and brought in earlier than normal and maybe ridden at a different time to what they would during the week.
 
My horses expect me at 4pm just before dark every evening for their hay. They wait by the fence for me till am there and if am say 20 mins late the cob goes mad and starts running up and down the fence line bucking!! she likes her routine!! When i check them in the morning they don't bother waiting as they don't get hay at that time so bit more relaxed about times - normally anywhere between 10 - 12 is checking time in the mornings, i am lucky to have lots of horsey people living and over-looking my field and they always keep an eye on them anyway and call me if any problems.
However, went down this morning at 1030am as its cold i have started giving them hay in the mornings too now and will continue doing so for the rest of the winter, so i expect after a few days they will be waiting for their morning hay too :rolleyes:
 
Whether you stick to a routine rigidly, have a flexible routine or no routine at all, I've come to the conclusion that horse owning is a road paved with feeling guilty alternating with a sense of huge happiness and well being when you've got it right. Our horse is kept at home, her field is 20ft from the house and we have a routine around feeding, exercise etc. she is stabled when the weather is bad and out when it's good. However, if I wake in the night and it's unexpectedly pouring with rain and I can see her in the moonlight looking miserable, I'll spend the night awake worrying about her... And she hasn't melted yet! It must be doubly difficult for those who have their horses in livery as they can't rectify their decisions so easily as I can, although in some ways it must mean that they have a life away from constantly thinking about what's best for the horse.
 
I do have a routine but, I do vary it to an hour or so either way. Can't be avoided at times. My boy does seem to sometimes glance at his wristwatch if I am late however!
 
Perhaps Cob&onion you could feed the morning hay at different times so your Cob doesn't stress if your late. Less stressful for the both of you.
 
Wagtail said:
I think it is important to keep certain things to a routine, such as feeding. But turnout is not so important to be in a routine. At either end of the summer, when my horses and the liveries are out 24/7 they occasionally come in at night or during the day if the weather is really bad. They all take this in their stride. So long as they have company, they are happy. I would never bring just one horse in without a companion either. But in the winter routine, I keep it the same every day. Once they are having to go out in the all weather, I split the day into three shifts of 3 hours. The change over times remain the same every day and this makes it easier for me to manage them and muck out etc. Owners try to avoid turnout times when they come to ride because their horse is only getting 3 hours a day and they don't want to deprive them of any.
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I think when you have a livery yard, especially full/part you have to have a routine and people expect it. Its your job, so the routine is as much for yourself in a way. People who are saying they vary their routines slightly are those that work or have unregular lives (like me!). It I were home all day every day things would be different..

Wednesday's child said:
Whether you stick to a routine rigidly, have a flexible routine or no routine at all, I've come to the conclusion that horse owning is a road paved with feeling guilty

absolutely right, and you will feel even more guilty if you read too much on HHO and take it all onboard!


However, if I wake in the night and it's unexpectedly pouring with rain and I can see her in the moonlight looking miserable, I'll spend the night awake worrying about her... And she hasn't melted yet! .
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A lot of us forget that its perfectly natural for a horse to stand bum into the wind with their head down. To us it looks like they're miserable, but they're actually just doing what they do..
 
I wasn't getting any notifications of replies, I was all upset thinking no one cared haha thank you all for replying!

I ended up keeping her out, she was perfectly happy, although seemed relieved to see me this morning! She wasn't as toasty as I'd hoped , so stuck her lightweight on underneath her heavyweight and she is out again tonight.

I agree with whoever it was that mentioned about how full livery yards are in such a strict routine that it causes so many problems, box walking, door kicking etc, because I work on one and it's a flippin nightmare, it gets the staff so stressed out as well. I have a toddler so can't be in a strict routine, so I'm really glad she wasn't stressed out by the sudden change.

I brought her in and out twice today because I was work and childfree, and she came over when I called and seemed really perked up wondering what we were doing this time, which is a huge change given the fact that before I got her she was difficult to catch and would run off once captured!! :p
 
Horses like routine and many thrive on it. Slight variations won't cause too many problems (e.g giving them a day off because you don't ride everyday) but you should try and stick to the same routine as much as possible. I even hay at the same time at the yard when I am in charge - 8am, 12pm and 4pm (they get another top up at 7pm) and believe me - the horses all know what time it is!
 
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