Those with horses living out 24/7 during the summer

[HoneyB24]

Ok so i think i am going soft with my horse!lol!

She has been living out from mid-may till now. She has come in during the day a few times when it has been really hot (she suffers with sweet itch so is always in her rambo sweet itch hoody).

Those of you with horses out 24/7 during the summer, do you ever bring them in now and again for break or if it is constantly raining or they look fed up?

The yard i am at now, some horses come in during the day now and again and some still come in every night (i don't intend on doing that!) But sometimes its just nice to know they are tucked up in their lovely stable.

She is currently being bugged by flies and gets a bit annoyed with them, despite everything i do and lotions etc they are just a pain.

She will have company too as the horse in her barn is always in at the moment (recovering from laminitis), so she won't be in on her own. Is it wrong to bring them in now and again? Does anyone else do this or am i just way too soft? (yes i am well aware that horses don't shrink when the get wet )

 

[Nicnac]

No -cos if you bring them in, they're not living out 24/7!

The only time I bring mine in is when waiting for farrier or vet.

 

[HoneyB24]

ok then, 24/6? She doesn't come in all the time, just once every now and again if the weather is pants or she is really really hot and bothered! she is living out more than she does in the winter

 

[Nicnac]

If she's suffering being out due to sweet-itch (and I know what it's like having had 2 severe sufferers in the past; both now over the rainbow bridge ) and happier in when too hot or flies really bothering her, then definitely bring her in. Rain shouldn't be a problem

I'm lucky in that my current 2 are happy out and I am at work 12 hours a day Mon-Fri so can't bring in for whatever reason as ponies at home so no help.

 

[evj]

Mines lived out since beginning of May and hadn't been in his box apart from ten minutes here and there. I'm going to start bringing him in over night now and then to get him used to being in before winger though as they have to be in over night. If I had my way he'd.be out all winter too Slot of people on my yard still regularly bring in over night because of weight/lami issues.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I bring mine in for a few hours in the daytime (i) because grass sugars are high (much better to bring in during day than bring in at night if looking to prevent lami) and (ii) because it reduces the risk of grass sickness (which we are in a high risk area for) if they are in eating something other than grass for a while.

If a horse has a rug (sweet itch or otherwise) on all the time then I think it is nice for them to come in and be able to be naked for a while.

But the reasons I do it are more health related than just the niceness thing.

 

[LD&S]

Mine are out 24/7, last summer they had access to shelters as they were kept in single paddocks now they are in together they have to make do with natural shade and the overhang from the shelters, they will be the same in the winter too unless the weather is really awful then they will have seperate paddocks again.

 

[flirtygerty]

Ours are normally out rain hail or shine, they have access to natural shelter and a barn, they use the trees mostly, we came home from work one day to find them covered in snow.
This year however, because of the weather, we have too much grass and fat horses, so for the last month we have had them confined to the barn area, just to keep them off the grass during the day, but our norm is out all year

 

[Tash88]

Mine has been living out 24/7 since June, but he comes in most days for a couple of hours, just to be ridden and then he has a small feed in his stable. When we had loads of rain a few weeks ago I kept him in for a few hours because I had to leave the yard and it was torrential, he didn't really want to go out so a friend turned him out a few hours later. He doesn't like being in during the day and gets quite stressy if he doesn't have the same friend's horse next door, so I'd much rather keep him out when all the others are out.

He is a WB x TB and doesn't really put on too much weight either, tbh it's good that he's getting a bit more condition now in time for the winter. He loves living out as well, it really suits him so I'd like to keep him out for as long as possible, probably until early October.

 

[Janette]

Mine has been out 24/7 for a whole week now! And I'm loving it.

She's been the only one in because she's been recovering from a suspensory ligament injury and now, she's OUT! And she's staying out. Lol.

 

[L&M]

Ours have 24/7 turnout from Mar - Oct.

However we did bring them in during the day a few weeks ago, when the horseflies were really distressing them. I never normally have to bring them in during the summer mnths, but think all the wet weather made the horse flies worse this season.

 

[4x4]

Got 2 out 24/7 but bring them both in when I'm going to ride 1 and leave the other one in.
No rugs on but good to get them out of the insects, whatever and 1 has a bit of rain scald so am able to put on cream, hibiscrub whatever. Other than that they're in th field summer and winter.