Switching back to in at night out during the day

[Horsegirl25]

Just as the title states, this year was my first year of having the horses out at night and in through the day (love it!!!) however sadly they cannot stay like this for the winter so will need to switch back around.
When do people flip? It is starting to get cooler in the mornings now but I am hoping to stretch it to at least mid September, is that a bit far fetched?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I usually dont flip till mid or end of October but usually on very wet nights he would be in anyway, so as I am in Scotland, I have had a bed all year this year, he has been in about 30ish nights since may. Now we are back to autumn up here with a high today of 12 , he was in last night and will probably be in for the rest of the week . so he may start winter routine in record breaking august!!
The weather is ridiculous and but wont compromise my field just to have him out.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Why can’t they stay like it?
Genuine question but maybe they can.
I always had to switch back, I usually did it when the weather changed a bit.
However last year I had less horses and so more ground. I just thought why not give it a try and it worked really well for me. I piles hay out if they needed it.
Horses in and dry to ride, they get more turnout time etc.
I do get that it isn’t possible for everyone and this year it probably won’t be possible for me- the extra horse will tip the balance on my friend being ok or not I think but I will see how it go’s!

 

[Horsegirl25]

I usually dont flip till mid or end of October but usually on very wet nights he would be in anyway, so as I am in Scotland, I have had a bed all year this year, he has been in about 30ish nights since may. Now we are back to autumn up here with a high today of 12 , he was in last night and will probably be in for the rest of the week . so he may start winter routine in record breaking august!!
The weather is ridiculous and but wont compromise my field just to have him out.

I am Scotland too! The weather has been seriously awful!!!! I am very lucky to say they haven't had one night in since flipping at the end of April, they are fairly unbothered with the rain and so far so good with the fields, although this may not be the case in the coming months if this wet weather remains.

 

[Horsegirl25]

Why can’t they stay like it?
Genuine question but maybe they can.
I always had to switch back, I usually did it when the weather changed a bit.
However last year I had less horses and so more ground. I just thought why not give it a try and it worked really well for me. I piles hay out if they needed it.
Horses in and dry to ride, they get more turnout time etc.
I do get that it isn’t possible for everyone and this year it probably won’t be possible for me- the extra horse will tip the balance on my friend being ok or not I think but I will see how it go’s!

I wish they could! I am on a livery yard which is supposed to be one day in one day out in the winter although this has became more of a loose rule as the years have went on and you can stretch for a few days out if weather nice. My boy is asthmatic so he goes out every day regardless even if only for a few hours, he has to as too dusty in the barn. I would love to keep them out at night during the winter, it has worked wonders with his breathing having that extra turnout time but that would probably be pushing it a bit if I asked for that lol.

 

[Nonjumper]

As a rough guide I always worked around the equinoxes of March and October, when it came to summer and winter routines with the horses. Of course, this wasn't set in stone, the temperature and general weather needed to be taken into consideration.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I wish they could! I am on a livery yard which is supposed to be one day in one day out in the winter although this has became more of a loose rule as the years have went on and you can stretch for a few days out if weather nice. My boy is asthmatic so he goes out every day regardless even if only for a few hours, he has to as too dusty in the barn. I would love to keep them out at night during the winter, it has worked wonders with his breathing having that extra turnout time but that would probably be pushing it a bit if I asked for that lol.

Yeah i get that, fair enough. it does wreck fields faster aswell, go's without saying.
i generally then don't plan the change! its usually a day that they have been in as usual, its maybe rained all day and is still wet at turnout time so i usually put them out for a leg stretch and roll while i sort the stables and then get them back in for the first night.

 

[Cowpony]

Last year mine seemed happy out at night so I left the routine as it was. Then just after the October equinox she started to make it very clear she wanted to come in at night! She was being a pain for other liveries trying to get theirs in, so we changed. She literally changed overnight, although the weather was the same.

 

[Surbie]

I was on a livery yard like that once - DIYs did what they like turnout-wise, but the liveries switched from night turnout to day when the clocks changed in autumn. I think it was to ensure staff were able to get in during daylight, as well as trying to minimise mud fever, which was endemic on that yard (clay & low-lying fields for winter as those were closest to the yard). The horses weren't particularly keen on going from 18 hours out to just 6, but at least they went out every single day.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

You might be OK until October.

 

[Sealine]

I leave my horse out a night for as long as the yard owner allows night turn out and there is sufficient grass to keep the horses happy and occupied. Usually this is until the clocks change.

 

[Equi]

We generally flip end of September or if it’s been horrendously foul we can go earlier but we try very hard not to. It depends how the fields hold up.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I am Scotland too! The weather has been seriously awful!!!! I am very lucky to say they haven't had one night in since flipping at the end of April, they are fairly unbothered with the rain and so far so good with the fields, although this may not be the case in the coming months if this wet weather remains.

Its actually quite depressing, the horseflies were only out for a couple of weeks as it wasnt hot or dry enough. But its west coast so generally the wettest part anyway.

I have the option of leaving him out all night in winter but His winter turnout area is not sheltered at all and is next to a very open field, its always windy and usually wet so I would never do that. He likes a wee lie down in his stable

 

[Lady Jane]

We flip end October (before any firework risk) but earlier if weather was very wet. Once we have had fireworks they stay flipped even if weather and fields are ok.

 

[Goldenstar]

I used to flip the second week in September .
That worked really well and it coincided with the horses going to the hounds so they got plenty of work as well as turnout .
For the last few years one they stayed with summer routine except they went from twelve hours in to three in winter as the grass died back .
The last two years we needed to stable at night beginning with in Jan or Feb because of the wet .

 

[Bobthecob15]

When they tell you? Ours have been wanting to come in on our yard night checks for a while..I’m bringing mine in tonight! I have a TB I’m already rugging so for us it’s easier to come in now.

Some are staying till mid September but they are all in by end of September.

We did try out at night till about mid November last winter (different horse) and it was awful they hated it as the ground was so wet, too cold and they started injuring themselves as they were desperate to come in! Lost shoes a plenty too.

Edit just seen you are at livery. We are too, we are lucky and YO will do whatever we want really so some are coming in at night now and the rest later in September. Lots of yards you all have to do the same so I would ask the YO when they are planning on the rest of them being in? We have less turnout though and in winter ours don’t go out every day as clay fields, they go on the horse walker twice a day or loose school or turnout pen twice a day if can’t go on the fields x

 

[scats]

I find it easier when they are in at night. I switch back around beginning of October. Once I start fighting with enough daylight in the evenings, I do the switch.

 

[BSL2]

Like others have said, i go with the weather and clocks/time. One year ours were out through most of November. Just depends how wet it is. To be honest, the horses tell us when they are ready to switch

 

[rara007]

Being on my own yard we usually manage until December when it gets really grim!

 

[sjdress]

Our yard switches round mid Oct so they can still have a few longer days In the field before the clocks change and they tend to come in earlier

 

[blitznbobs]

When it starts raining more … it’s not a date it’s a weather pattern

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

My boy has been out since May 24/7 and won’t come in at night until after October break when I come back my holidays.

 

[Honey08]

I used to always do the end of October (we always had a bonfire at Halloween) but as they got older I decided it was nice to swap over mid September so they get a bit of late summer warmth on their backs. It depends how bad the flies are.

 

[SEL]

Usually by fireworks night if weather hasn't forced it earlier, although my own land now so they stay feral unless it's horrifically wet.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Always dictated by the weather…most yards I’ve been on insist on the changeover by end of October but I’ve been a mid/end of September switcher if night temps consistently fall to 6 degrees or lower or rain and wind combination make it horrid.