routine or not

[cheeryplatypus]

hi
was wondering what your thoughts were on this.
i always thought that horses liked to have a routine, but my friend tells me this is old fashioned.
have just got a new horse who has previously been living out 24/7, I would like to leave him out and i'm sure he'd like this but pay for a stable and the field could do with the rest as quite poached. I was thinking of having him in at night during the week and out at weekends unless you think it'd be best to stick with a routine?

 

[0]

I'd bring it in every night

 

[brightmount]

I would treat weekdays and weekends the same, and personally, I would stable him at night over the winter for the sake of the fields, and I do think it's beneficial to give hooves and legs a break from the mud overnight, as well as the horse a chance to rest properly. I'd let him live out maybe from late March to October.

 

[Bert&Maud]

Personally do not stick to too much of a routine, because if you usually do and then for some reason have to break it the horse becomes stressed, whereas if there is no strict routine I think they become more flexible. This is Ok for a private yard, I know things are different in bigger or professional yards. I think that trying to turn out or stable on specific nights might be tricky, as you could guarantee that during the week when he was in it would be dry and mild, and then at weekends it would be wet or freezing (just like this weekend really!).

 

[_Jazz_]

If you are considering stabling overnight I'd bring in every night around October to April .
Has he ever been stabled? Is he used to being alone or would he prefer a stable companion-next door not in with him!!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

TBH I would bring him in at weekends too. Whilst horses don't NEED routine, it makes for a more settled horse if you can do as much as possible to keep things much the same.
If time is a problem at weekends then can you not electric tape off poached areas or hardcore it? Or strip graze with hay to supplement? Then you could leave him out 24/ 7.

 

[cheeryplatypus]

thanks
i'll keep bringing him in at nights. he has nice ladyfriend in the next stall so will get some chat if he wishes, also will let his poor feathery legs dry out!

do have electric tape so might divide the field and rotate for daily turnout

 

[Happytohack]

[ QUOTE ]
i always thought that horses liked to have a routine, but my friend tells me this is old fashioned.


[/ QUOTE ]
Call me old fashioned then! IMHO horses thrive on routine. If you bring your horse in on weeknights and then leave him out at weekends, you can guarantee he will be standing at the gate waiting to come in for his tea & hay on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

[SpruceRI]

I think the same as Tass. I don't stick to a strict routine of feeding at a specific time, or stabling routinely, which means that none of mine are standing by the gate waiting for me to turn up, and therefore getting worried if I'm late. They live out mostly, but come in occasionally as and when, and none seem to mind. One of mine is on box rest at the mo, and I worried that she might go nuts as she's used to living out, but she is as relaxed as normal and getting on fine. We're not at a livery yard which is why I think this sort of management works.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I stick pretty much to a routine, it suits me & the horse knows what's what. To bring them in week nights & then leave them out on weekends will probably stress them. I think you should either bring in each night or leave out but I don't think mixing the two is beneficial.

 

[Chex]

I stick to a general routine, more so in winter. In summer it varies quite a lot. Once Chex comes in in december, he's in every night until March. Saying that, on nights I'm up later, like christmas day I didn't bring him in until 10, they were both across the field grazing, and didn't want to come in at all. Whereas if the weather is awful they'll be waiting at the gate.
So I'm not really sure, I guess it depends on the horse, some need routine, others (like mine) don't mind so much.

Unless you have problems with the mud, I would leave the horse out 24/7. I find the ground gets more churned up when they're milling around the gate waiting to be brought in than if they're away grazing all the time. Of course it depends on shelter, hey, time etc

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

routine makes a horse secure, settled and happy. whatever you do do the same, what about in at night out for a couple of hours during day or in day out at night?

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello. My horses live out most of the time and just come in when the weather is really bad. They are fine with this and are quite happy to be out or in. Basic routine which is 'seen to' sometime early morning and then again late afternoon before it gets dark stays the same regardless and they always have adlib haylage. Think as long as this happens they are fine with whatever.

 

[jayvee]

I do believe in a daily routine. As this does make for happy horses.
Only change I make is. is rather than be a stickler for feeding at the very extact time etc, is I give my self a bracket of an hour or two. So there is some flexability involved and the horses do know that they will come in even if they have to wait abit longer, but know one gets stressed about it. (tho I do start to feed at 7.45am as gotta start the day like)! Bringing in is between 3-4pm at the mo. But that will get later as the days get longer til finally out.
End of day some kind of daily routine is better than being infrequently intermittent.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
Only change I make is. is rather than be a stickler for feeding at the very extact time etc, is I give my self a bracket of an hour or two.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what I do too. Even though I am around and ready to feed at the same time every single day, I do fluctuate between feeding times slightly every day. It works perfectly as although they know that they will be being fed soon, they don't get all grumpy if it isn't at exactly the same time every day. 22 horses fretting over feedtimes would not be good - as it is they calmly walk up to their feeding spot and just wait there patiently.

 

[JessPickle]

I do not stick to a routine due to pickle being on Working Livery at a RS that means he sometimes has to be fed later/earlier. Stay in some days go out all day others. He is quite happy whatever you do with him