The question of sporadic overnight stabling

[JillA]

I was taught that once a horse is in at night, that's how it stays for that season - they need routine and it reduces the colic risk from changing from hay to grass and back again. Everyone of my generation (which is fairly old lol) was taught the same, horses either live in or out (usually in for winter nights and out for summer) unless there is a very good reason such as preparing for a show etc.
A rainy night isn't a good reason, maybe to rug but not to stable if they have been living out.
Anyone else taught the same? It's one reason why come autumn I leave mine out as long as possible, and have always done it that way, but I can't find it written anywhere.

 

[Candygirl14]

I will bring my lot in if the weather forecast is bad anytime during the year & non have had colic in the last 40+ years of keeping them. I think it may have been the case when owners had lots of horses and grooms working for them so more of a convenience to have them out in the summer and in during the winter. Just to add, mine have hay & grass all year round, so do not really have any change of food.

 

[scats]

I'm a stickler for routine. Mine are out overnight in the summer, whatever the weather and then in overnight in the winter (and out in the day).

I know of two people who randomly leave in one night if it's going to rain and then leave out for 2 nights and then maybe in again- they basically take it day at a time.

Personally I prefer them to have a set routine. If the weathers bad, I'll either put rugs on or turn them out in the field with the best natural shelter (they are used to moving fields every few weeks).

 

[Farcical1]

As we head toward winter time, mine start off having the odd night in if it's very cold or wet, then go back out again. I can't say it's ever been a problem.
If it's wet and horrid, they're at the gate waiting to come in; I can take a hint!

 

[Dr_Horse]

My boy is on restricted grazing so currently has quite a small patch, unfortunatly alot of wet weather means it will quickly poach up so last night he came in plain and simply because I didn't want the field wrecked!!!
In the winter he will be in at night. I think he enjoys being in. He definatly sleeps when he is in. Every night lol!

 

[frostyfingers]

Mine is out all summer, but in the winter he comes in the night before hunting for his bath and then stays in. After hunting he's in for his food, drying & cleaning and then goes out for the night. He doesn't seem in the least bothered - when I got him last winter he'd been in 24/7 since September so I started with him out during the day and in at night and then moved to what I do now. He's much less stressy and I feel it's much better for him being out after hunting to move around and roll as he wants.

 

[ihatework]

Why is stabling before a show acceptable and not for rain? I really don't understand your logic. If you were only to stable for a show then surely your horse starts to anticipate why it's being stabled and more likely to colic than just getting the odd random night in the stable for a different reason, weather included!

The best thing we can do for our horses is to get them to accept all the weird and wonderful things we humans inflict on them. That in turn decreases stress levels and any associated problems. Routine is good, but only to a certain limit.

I suspect this comes down again to your difference of opinion with your livery, just move them on and do your own thing.

 

[JillA]

Why is stabling before a show acceptable and not for rain?

Because there is no way round it if you want a clean horse, their routine is disrupted anyway by the day at the show.
And you are wrong. I am trying to establish where this comes from, and how widespread it is.

 

[ihatework]

Because there is no way round it if you want a clean horse, their routine is disrupted anyway by the day at the show.
And you are wrong. I am trying to establish where this comes from, and how widespread it is.

Yes there is. It's called bathing them the day before, chucking a full neck rug on and getting up an hour earlier for any last minute touch ups!

 

[exracehorse]

Mine practically live out 24:7 but it was chucking it down last night They looked miserable at the gate and I pulled them in. Didn't think twice about it. I've had colic twice with a previous horse who was on a strict routine of stabling. He coliced one afternoon in the field in the summer, and a year later one evening in the October In the stable.

 

[Goldenstar]

I think all systems work TBH .
I will stable overnight for one night if I wish to in summer my usual roultine is in during the day out at night .
My horses are therefore used to forage all summer so it's not a huge digestive shock to be in overnight .
I knew one showjumping yard were the young horses lived out from Sunday night to Thursday they then came in on Thursday worked Thursday Friday and went to show at the weekend went back out Sunday night .
They did well on it and I did this with my best horse when she was an intermediate eventer except I did ride her every day she got more turnout and enjoyed that roultine once she was doing advanced I had to stable her more to keep her trim enough .
I don't like to keep horses out when they wish to be in I do let them chose .
One of mine has been hanging around the gate each morning the last few days I 'll stable him at night soon .

 

[Arzada]

Anyone else taught the same? It's one reason why come autumn I leave mine out as long as possible, and have always done it that way, but I can't find it written anywhere.

No! Horses have always lived out and come in overnight only when we have consecutive days of wind and rain/heavy rain. They have a feed evenings and are clear when they don't want to go back out. They then stay in overnight. Out the next day. If the next evening they want to stay in they do and we keep going like this until they are happy to go back out after their feeds. I think to date the maximum number of consecutive overnight stays is three. Of course with the wetter winters they may have a number of overnight stays but not many. Perhaps three/four periods per winter.

 

[Frumpoon]

I was taught that once a horse is in at night, that's how it stays for that season - they need routine and it reduces the colic risk from changing from hay to grass and back again. Everyone of my generation (which is fairly old lol) was taught the same, horses either live in or out (usually in for winter nights and out for summer) unless there is a very good reason such as preparing for a show etc.
A rainy night isn't a good reason, maybe to rug but not to stable if they have been living out.
Anyone else taught the same? It's one reason why come autumn I leave mine out as long as possible, and have always done it that way, but I can't find it written anywhere.

Probably because it isn't written anywhere

This wouldn't have anything to do with trying to manage those troublesome liveries of yours that like to bring their horses in now and then would it?

 

[milliepops]

Why is stabling before a show acceptable and not for rain? I really don't understand your logic. If you were only to stable for a show then surely your horse starts to anticipate why it's being stabled and more likely to colic than just getting the odd random night in the stable for a different reason, weather included!

The best thing we can do for our horses is to get them to accept all the weird and wonderful things we humans inflict on them. That in turn decreases stress levels and any associated problems. Routine is good, but only to a certain limit.

^^this

Yes there is. It's called bathing them the day before, chucking a full neck rug on and getting up an hour earlier for any last minute touch ups!

^^ and this.

On the whole mine have a routine which we stick to, but I know they will cope if I need to change things for any reason - if I stay away for work, for example. One of the benefits of having 2 horses, rather than 1 Mine don't give a toss provided they have food and company.
I wouldn't keep them in the night before a show if they would usually be turned out - I would rather they had their field time before having a trip in the lorry etc.

 

[JillA]

Frumpoon - read the thread properly

 

[MotherOfChickens]

mine come in and out as suits me. my lot are used to it-I try not to keep in for more than overnight but I have had to in really bad weather. For example, they've been in the summer meadow for that last couple of weeks out all the time they are there. They come back to mine thursday early morning or evening, stabled overnight and back out to the meadow on monday morning. no colics, no stress, they know where they're going and what the crack is. I feed hay all year round although in august they generally don't want it-the meadow they are on has a lot of stalky stuff on it. its not that difficult.


last person I knew who was a stickler for routine had three stressy horses that couldn't cope with any 10 min change to their routine, cope with one being gone or cope with competing etc.

 

[saddlesore]

In and out as it suits/ weather depending.

 

[Wagtail]

As we head toward winter time, mine start off having the odd night in if it's very cold or wet, then go back out again. I can't say it's ever been a problem.
If it's wet and horrid, they're at the gate waiting to come in; I can take a hint!

This, exactly. I run a small livery yard and about this time of year the weather can change in an instant. If a very wet and cold night is on the cards they will come in. Even in the summer, if it is very hot they might spend the day in, or if we have torrential rain with slippery paddocks, they will come in. It's normally only a handful of times and the horses are never stressed about it. They immediately tuck into their hay and enjoy getting out of the weather. I always feed a bit of hay or haylage in the fields during the summer, even when there's plenty of grass. I put it down whilst I am poo picking to stop the cheeky ones tipping my barrow over. Once the grass starts to go off, especially if the weather is good and they are out 24/7 after August time, then they will get more hay. I find that the only routine that really matters to a horse is when it gets fed. Whether they are in or out, feeding times remain the same and they're cool with that.

 

[MissTyc]

Mine have no routine and are the most relaxed horses I know.
They don't know when they're being fed so they never neg for feed, they don't know if they're coming in or staying out so they don't have any expectations ... Mostly, they are in the middle of their pasture, grazing, until a human hollers for them. They will all stable nicely although they clearly prefer to stay out so unless absolutely necessarily for veterinary, hunting, tempest, etc reasons I leave them out.

(I should add that none of mine are fed anything other than chaff with their supplements or maybe a balancer, so about a handful of feed per day - I therefore don't worry about lack of routine. My former warmblood who had bigger dinner did have a vague routine for her feeding i.e. within 1 hours of morning staff arriving and "before dark" for dinner and that suited her well)

 

[Red-1]

I am always very careful when first turning out after a winter when they have not been at grass, but that is because I have known that to cause colic. In fact, when the grass is lush they only have up to 6-8 max out.

Once they are out I would not think twice about having them in overnight if I wanted it. I guess hairy horses are happy enough out in the wet and cold, but mine are miserable if out long term in the rain, as they tend to be working horses, and therefore groomed to within an inch of their life and washed regularly, with no waterproofing.

I do monitor that poos are not too dry, and have never had a problem, 30 years, including commercial yards.

I also rug up if it is cold and wet!

 

[WelshD]

My three have no real routine.

I will bring them in for a few hours of they look fed up or tired. I will leave them out for weeks on end at other times.

I have two stables and three ponies so last night after a chilly and persistent drizzle left one in the field unrugged, one in a straw stable in a stable rug and one unrugged in a shavings stable, they get what stable they are given and live with it

I fed hay until I ran out then switched to haylage then back to hay with no issues

I personally feel that things being varied makes life easier all round but with my rented yard can please myself luckily

If I were paying for a stable on a yard I would fall in to line where possible but couldn't cope with being told when I should be using 'my' stable. I would expect the YO to not interfere if I wanted to bring my fluffy bunny out of mild drizzle regardless of their own opinion about horse management

 

[DD]

mine live out mostly and are fed hay all year round they come in most days for a few hours too . if a horse living out needs to come in overnight and isnt used to it then feeding soaked hay rather than dry would help the situation.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Mine work round my routines (my yard, my rules)

In at night generally from December to Feb, also any other time through winter if the weather dictates as such.

I work Mon - Weds, so often from clock change weekend they will be in at night on Sun - Weds inc, as much easier to do stables, than walk round with barrow and head torch twice a day. (means I only poo-pick after work instead )
Otherwise, they might well be out at night from Weds night till Sunday - they have big shelters to have hay in, if required.

Otherwise, they are out 24/7

 

[southerncomfort]

Don't see a problem in it myself. Mine live out 24/7 but I have a stable for emergencies but what I really find it useful for is bringing one of them in overnight to dry out and have a pick of hay (especially if it's one that tends to get chased off the hay by the others!).

Although I like routine, I do think it's good to be flexible where horses are concerned.

 

[Esmae]

Yes there is. It's called bathing them the day before, chucking a full neck rug on and getting up an hour earlier for any last minute touch ups!

Your horse is clearly an apprentice when it comes to finding ways to get dirty then. Mine, however, holds an olympic gold medal for finding mud even in a drought LOL, particularly if I really need him to stay clean. Hence, he comes in on those occasions. Other than that mine are out in the summer full time and come in at night in the winter, which has more to do with my sensibilities than their need.

 

[Milkmaid]

Another with no fixed routine. They will stable or live out whenever it suits with no stress or fuss!
They come in during the day to escape the heat and the flies in summer but as it's been cool & windy they've been left out today (nothing to do with my hangover, honest! ) Looking out of the window now they seem not in the least bit bothered ;-)
I sometimes stable in winter and other times they stay out, especially if it's cold and dry.
I can't stand gate hanging or stressing because you happen to be a bit late or they need to stay in for some reason and imo that is far worse for the horses physical & mental health.

 

[Dr_Horse]

Mine have no routine and are the most relaxed horses I know.
They don't know when they're being fed so they never neg for feed, they don't know if they're coming in or staying out so they don't have any expectations ... Mostly, they are in the middle of their pasture, grazing, until a human hollers for them. They will all stable nicely although they clearly prefer to stay out so unless absolutely necessarily for veterinary, hunting, tempest, etc reasons I leave them out.

(I should add that none of mine are fed anything other than chaff with their supplements or maybe a balancer, so about a handful of feed per day - I therefore don't worry about lack of routine. My former warmblood who had bigger dinner did have a vague routine for her feeding i.e. within 1 hours of morning staff arriving and "before dark" for dinner and that suited her well)

Absolutely this!!!! I arrive at my horse when I want! Hes not waiting for me but happy to see me. Doesn't beg for a feed. Doesn't stress about a chhnge in routine

 

[PerfectCoffee]

If a horse is in the stable for some hours of the day and out for some hours of the day and getting some hay and some grass in the field then I can't really see why there would be a problem if they had to stay on a few more hours overnight, whether that is for a show, veterinary reasons or weather/ground conditions.

 

[Goldenstar]

The truth is that horses are adaptable and the the more adaptable they are the easier their lives are .
Stables and periods of box rest are something most horses have in their lives so getting them to accept that, hey everything changes and now your in a stable is a good thing .
It can save your horses life .

 

[catroo]

I think the hay/grass/colic thing is a load of rubbish and stems from a time when less was known about digestion and causes of colic. If your still turning out by day then they are having a mix of hay and grass anyway.

I don't have a rigid routine and think my herd is more relaxed because of it. They don't stress whether they're in or out at night/by day. Nor do they worry if I just bring a couple in. I compete quite a bit and travelling and staying away throws any routine into disarray anyway.