Out at night in winter

Clodagh

Clodagh

Rage, rage, against the dying of the light.
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17 August 2005
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Does anyone do out overnight and in during the day in winter?
I am planning ahead, hopefully by January my 2 year old will be over his box rest and back out. I am also bringing my new horse home from the livery yard he is at now. If I have them in overnight they won't get turned out before 10 as I can't ride before the school run, then will come in about 3 as I hate doing it in the dark.
I thought if I got them in at 7am they could stand in while I do kids and then I can ride, they can stay in til lunchtime or something and snoozle then I can turn them out again. Even if I don't have time to ride they could still come in for a sleep and a feed - two are feed aggressive and I don't want to be feeding the three together in the field, they will have big bale haylage out there to help themselves.
Does that sound like a plan or is it cruel?
New horse has been stabled 24/7 bar 2 days out for 4 hours in a mud patch, it will be an awful shock for him but hes not clipped and I have lots of rugs.
 
It sounds like an excellent plan to me, and a million miles away from being cruel, just the opposite. But then I am a huge believer in 24/7 turnout and usually only use stabling as a sick bay. IMO its far healthier and more natural for the horse and I have even managed to keep an old TB very successfully without ever bringing them in.

I am currently bringing my horse in during the day for a few hours to help her feet dry out as our fields are a quagmire due to a horrendous summer and even worse winter. I did start bringing her in at night and back out in the day, but although she settled I though from dusk until daylight was far too many hours, so I have reversed the bringing in.

We are both very happy with the arrangement:).
 
Mine normally live out 24/7 as well, I am very lucky and have acres of well sheltered paddocks with huge hedges, no need to use the stables! If I was getting them in though (prior to op) they both went flat out and snored so I do think they like some quality straw bed time.

Sounds good!
 
That's how mine are, still coming in for the day as I can't get them all ridden if I have to keep fetching them but also want them to get decent turnout. They don't seem to mind.
 
Mine are out at night in during the day summer and winter. Most of the horses at my yard are. It's a brilliant system as the horse is always in for riding, vet, farrier etc. My veteran is 28 and properly rugged up it's best for him to keep moving rather than stand in for 18 hours and get filled legs and stiffness.
 
My horse is out at night and in for about 4 hours a day for hay! However next week am going to start trying to bring her in at night as the fields are wet!!
 
Yep I have been doing this for a few years now and it works brilliantly :)

i bring mine in around 7am they have brekkie while I walk the dogs, clean the field and do some housework ( very lucky they are at the back of the house ) I ride or not lol then they go back out around 3pm.

They have 5 acres of good well sheltered grazing and only my 22 year old is rugged as he is clipped, 19 year old pone is like a yak and would run a mile rather than have a rug on!

Good luck, Its so much easier, less muck, less hay and as you say they get fed seperately which is good if they are like mine and eat eachothers :)
 
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