Summer Turnout plans

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Hannah198

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Just wondering what you all do regarding sumer turnout. I've always stabled overnight and turned out during the day, all year round. Thinking about going for out all the time in summer apart from when i am wanting to ride, or to take them in from really hot weather / flies. They are at home so I have the option to take them in over night when required.

What do you all do?

Thanks
 
I have native ponies so they live out all year round. I have a stable for emergencies, but living out suits me better and they are happy and healthy.

My YO has 3 big horses who she has stabled over night all year round. She went away to India this winter so the horses lived out all winter with the liveries feeding and haying them. They are like different horses! So much calmer, looking well and the YO is amazed at the difference in them.

I would leave them out and see how they go.
 
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I'd love that option :( ...though our livery place doesn't offer that unfortunately. Limited turn-out in the winter, and in the summer they're out from 9-5ish. Saying that my mare is always waiting at the gate wanting to come in, so not sure how she'd take to staying out over-night. Would be nice to have that option though :)
 
My old TB has cushings and gets bothered by fly bites (even with good fly rugs). As his immunity is compromised by the cushings, he can get very itchy and uncomfortable, so last year I switched all my horses round to out at night and in during the day as soon as we got warm weather. It worked really well and I intend to do it again this year as I think the flies are going to be especially bad this summer as we've had such a mild winter. The only problem I found was if I had a lesson early in the morning, horse was a bit flat so I did bring him in overnight on those occasions.
 
My theory is, that horses do wait at the gate to come in as they know they are being fed. My gelding will eat hay over grass any day, and will stop grazing for a slice of hay.

I stable him for an hour each day as he is really nervous in the stable (been abused in the past) so he always gets a slice of hay, his feed and a groom to he knows it is a nice place. The second he has finished the hay and feed, he wants back out again. If I were just to bring him in and groom him with no food incentive, I an pretty sure he would bog off when he saw me coming with my halter :D

That is just my opinion though. I am not anti stabling as such, but do think horses are happier out, if you can meet all their requirements, which I appreciate isn't always possible on livery yards with rules.
 
Mine is in at night all year round due to having mild sweet itch and living in a very midgy area. I did try him out at night and in during the day but he was itchy - switched back and itchiness stopped. He is happy with this routine but unfortunately I can't build up a hay/bedding fund over the summer months as it's all year :0( No point changing yards as the local area is all midgy!
 
Mine will be going out 24/7 as soon as the weather allows. I haven't checked the other topics so not sure if anybody has made a post about when people are planning to turn out full time for the Spring/Summer if that's what their doing but it'd be interesting to know! I'm down to my last bale of straw and can't decide whether to bother ordering anymore with the clocks changing so soon.. I think we ended up doing it mid-April last year but I can't be sure.

My boy is still at my ex-boyfriends, which was once home until a couple of months ago so I'm looking forward to him going out as my friend and I plan to alternate days checking them during the week so it means I won't have to see the ex quite so often. He'll live out there until probably October and then I'm planning to move him to a yard nearer my parents as I don't want to risk not being able to get there in bad weather.
 
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