Out at night, in during day - what are the benefits?

They are in the stable ready to be ridden during the day ? I know one of my friends reckoned they were quieter because they were more inclined to want to snooze all day.
 
I much prefer this in the summer, especially when its hot, so they are out at the coolest time, and in when the sun is at its highest.
 
I tend to do this with my horse. Time off the grass so she's not constantly eating lush grass (although she does have ad lib hay but she doesn't really eat much of it) and away from the flies and time to relax. She spends most of the day snoozing, she gets really irritated by the flies.

Also if you tend to ride on the afternoon it is much easier if they're in as they're less bloated, clean and ready to go. When the flies start going away she'll go out 24/7.
 
No being bothered by flies.

If it is hot they aren't standing out in the sun all day.

Longer out in the field.

Can regulate grass intake better and grass sugars are lower at nighttime so better for fatties/laminitics/barefoot horses.

Can stop them feeling so bloated when you ride if they have stood in for a few hours.

They are already in and ready to ride when I get there after work :)
 
Away from flys , in when the sugars in grass are at their highest it's how I have managed mine in the summer for years.
 
I do this with my two.

Flies are a major factor - one reacts badly to horseflies.
In stable ready to ride - especially if its a freelance groom riding as mare awkward to catch!
Less sugars in the grass at night, so less fattening!
Out of the heat (not really an issue this year!)
Don't know why, but there seems to be a lot less mucking out this way, despite them being in 12 hours - only 3/4 droppings per horse usually.
Doesn't matter if slightly late in morning after a night out etc - they are not stood in a stable without water or food..
 
I do this, pony much prefers it comes in to a small feed and small haynet and dozes all day in the cool. The only problem is what the weather is going to do at night so rugging has been a bit of an issue, but cooler, less flies etc.
 
They make less mess in the stable :D (well, mine do anyway).

I left the field gate open to the yard yesterday as I was unable to get up to see them in the morning so left them out 24/7. When I got out to the yard in the afternoon both my boys were standing in a stable together out of the sun / flies.

They do seem very content to be in during the day and snooze.
 
Mine are in during the day, they seem to prefer it and are at the gate waiting in the morning.
I do it for the reasons listed above, I ride in the late afternoon so the grass belly has subsided a bit and theyve had a snooze!
 
Mine loved being in by day. However, as I used to ride before work I had to be very quick to get the tack on as they used to eat their breakfast and then just flop out and sleep till lunchtime :D They had obviously adjusted their sleep, eat, play routine to eat all night and sleep all day :)
 
It's how I manage any horse I have being ridden/competed.

Out of the flies
Out of the sun / helps prevent coat bleaching
Off the grass at the time of highest sugars
Means horse is in and deflated/rested for when I want to ride in the evenings
 
It does sound like it would work out better for me.

I was particullary thinking of the longer time being out. My horse is on full livery at the moment but they only go out for about three hours in the day. Not bad in the winter but feel like we are loosing out in the summer.

I can have her on part livery and get the staff to bring her in in the morning. It would work out great as I only ride atfter work.

Do horses adapt to the change given that mine has been used to being out at in the day and stabled at night. Will I have to make the change gradual?

Im thinking she will be ok as she is a pain for the staff to catch anyway so obviously wants to stay out!
 
djlynwood said:
It does sound like it would work out better for me.

I was particullary thinking of the longer time being out. My horse is on full livery at the moment but they only go out for about three hours in the day. Not bad in the winter but feel like we are loosing out in the summer.

I can have her on part livery and get the staff to bring her in in the morning. It would work out great as I only ride atfter work.

Do horses adapt to the change given that mine has been used to being out at in the day and stabled at night. Will I have to make the change gradual?

Im thinking she will be ok as she is a pain for the staff to catch anyway so obviously wants to stay out!
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She'll be fine. Just lober her out after she has had dinner / been ridden!!

You'll probably find she is exhaused for the first week or so, but will then alter her sleeping patterns and be fine.
 
They have a nice deep soft bed to lie down on rather than just the grassy field.
They can be groomed and generally checked over
They are to hand or riding or for the farrier
They are out of the flies and hot sun [ what hot sun?]
They can be "made" to eat hay and so lessen their grass intake so they dont become too fat
Grass has less sugar in it at night then in the day too. So, generally speaking is less calorific at night and better for them then.
They can be given condition feeds if they need weight on
 
Thanks for all your replies, think it sounds great, dont know why more people dont do it!

Just wondering though, do they still keep their fitness? I have worked hard to build up my mares muscles and stamina. The only thing that will change is that she will have longer out, she will still be ridden the same etc.
 
Provided the actual time spent out isn't being cut then yes. More likely, the horse will be out for longer = more time moving.
 
I've never done it before but there is a lot of grass at this yard so I have started doing it this past month with my two.
Since then I have realised all the above benefits and will be keeping it up :)
 
djlynwood said:
Thanks for all your replies, think it sounds great, dont know why more people dont do it!

Just wondering though, do they still keep their fitness? I have worked hard to build up my mares muscles and stamina. The only thing that will change is that she will have longer out, she will still be ridden the same etc.
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this system used to be comonplace in ye olde days when I was a girl. It really is a good idea. Your mare should keep her fitness ok as she will still be ridden and will be out some of the time too.
 
millitiger said:
No being bothered by flies.

If it is hot they aren't standing out in the sun all day.

Longer out in the field.

Can regulate grass intake better and grass sugars are lower at nighttime so better for fatties/laminitics/barefoot horses.

Can stop them feeling so bloated when you ride if they have stood in for a few hours.

They are already in and ready to ride when I get there after work :)
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as millitiger said the sugars are a lot less at night - i have a shetland and a TB luckily my TB lives on air too so they go out at night also he suffers with flies and due to racing career he used to worry being out during the day but was fine at night - he's fine now either way but as someone said he seems a lot more chilled being in during the day as he snoozes and is often found flat out in his stable snoring with mini me next door doign the same - they do stay out 24/7 though if its not tipping it down or boiling hot as it is nice for them to be out as much as poss i think.
 
I agree with the reasons for doing it but they dont work for me. Mine stay in at night and out through the day all year and the same routine seems to suit them fine, its a little bit more work on my part but I don't mind. I feel its too much hassle to change them round when I know where I am in Scotland anyway the weather/flys/grass etc isnt a major issue. Just seems a bit of a faff to me!
 
I do mine the other way round, in at night, out during the day. He just does not stop eating when out at grass whether day or night so I have to work the way that means he has the longest possible stretch of time in without feeling like I'm incarcerating him! (which depending whether ridden or not as well can be 12-15 hours). Also though not relevant this summer the stable has the sun full on from midday to evening so gets far too hot and unpleasant if he's in on very warm sunny days. And after a hot day out and lots of flies he seems keen to be in once the stable has cooled down of an evening.
 
Mine is out at the mo 24/7 - well that is if it isn't torrential rain at night in which case I wimp out on his behalf and bring him in.

I have to say though, this morning he was waiting for me by the gate (he comes in for brekkie), was snoozing over his door after finishing breakfast and really was not that keen at all on going back out again!!

Think I shall be bringing him in and leaving him in during the day - certainly once the weather heats up (if it ever does!)
 
One of my old horses had to have TO on his own due to his aggression to other horses, because he jumped out of his bit into main field all the time we had to go on to overnight TO. No fly bites he had longer than the other livery horses, he was also very quirky to ride but this eased when he was on nightly TO. He snoozed a lot in the day :D
 
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