Turnout - How Many Hours?

[3Beasties]

For those turning out or bringing in in the dark; how do you do it? Our horses are divided into day and night turnout and so at present the day horses go out at 8.30am and come in at 3.30pm, and the night horses go out at 4pm and come in at 8am. I wouldn't fancy turning out or bringing in in the dark.

I bring in when it's dark every night. I wear a good head torch and lead on either side of me. The winter paddock is 3 fields away so I am very cautious about sillyness, they are always keen to come in but if they step a toe out of line they get the rope round their nose. I will not risk one of them exploding, I had my nose broken last winter, it ain't happening again!

 

[noodle_]

about 7 hours a day - she wants in any more than that to be honest.

 

[PollyP99]

I turn out and bring in in the dark, no choice as I work a long way from home. Out at 6.30am and in at around 6pm. It's no bother as school lights cast some brightness toward paddocks and you just get used to it

 

[Mongoose11]

7-8 hours daily.

 

[PonyclubmumZ]

head collar onto first, swing rope up over neck, tel him to wait, then head collar on second, grab first and second would usually just follow in, easy.

That is pretty much what I do too, I have 3 to bring in and do the same. I have one pony on either side and then my lovely horse wanders along behind on a very long lead rein.

 

[JustKickOn]

Mine is 24/7 but with a cosy field shelter with a bed at night, and she brings herself in! The others that are stabled, minimum 10 hours.

 

[Supertrooper]

24/7

 

[shadowboy]

Out at 9am and in at 5pm in winter (1nov - 31 March) and our 24/7 rest of the year

 

[Copperpot]

24/7. They have a shelter each but rarely go in. I actually love going down in the dark. It's middle of nowhere so really quiet and no lights. Lovely and peaceful ☺️

 

[Bertolie]

Mine have been getting anything between 5 - 11 hours depending on my daughters shifts at work. From Monday they will be going out at 7 am and coming in at either 4.30 pm if daughter brings in or 6 pm if I do. We are on clay so once the paddock turns really muddy they will only be turned out for a couple of hours a day for a leg stretch.

 

[sam_]

Mines don't go out until lunchtime(12) they get there breakfast and there haynet to do them in the morning and they are ready to come in by five! They like there home comforts!

 

[Elsbells]

Mine are lucky enough to be out 24/7/65

My mare would not think that as lucky ha! She's out 24/7 in summer and loves it but if I dare leave her out after dusk in the winter there would be hell to pay and that's why I've moved yards recently, so she can come in!
In answer to the OP's question though, at the moment it's out at 9am then in at dusk which suits both of us.

 

[Nudibranch]

Out 24 hours unless there's a hurricane. They are fed in the field so there's no hanging round gates....lets face it, thats why they do it, not love of a 12x12 foot box.

 

[rara007]

Varies! They're no turned out 7am to 4pm. But last week before our yard 1/2ed in number 1/2 that time. I have one who is kept in the whole time too.

 

[Marmitesandwich]

Out when it's light and in about three. Any later and all hell breaks loose

 

[Elsbells]

Out 24 hours unless there's a hurricane. They are fed in the field so there's no hanging round gates....lets face it, thats why they do it, not love of a 12x12 foot box.

I disagree, in my mares case it is the love of the 12ft box. Shes just plain miserable left out even with a mountain of hay and a bucket of feed, believe me I've tried it. We had to move yards because she was likes to come in and I don't do that on a whim.

 

[saddlesore]

Mostly out 24/7 with the odd night in - maybe once a week- for a good sleep! On the occasion that he's in he'll be in from about 4pm-10am with adlib haylage. He seems more than happy with this arrangement. He comes in in the dark quite happily, I wear a head torch.

 

[Sleipnir]

24/7, unless it's the New Year's Eve, when I put my boy in his box for the night due to the crazy fireworks in the neighborhood. To be frank, he clearly hates to be inside and I avoid it as much as possible, however, he has been inside occasionally in the summer, at noon, when the horseflies are too bad and it's too hot anyway.

 

[JennBags]

It always surprises me when people jump in and answer the question in the title rather than reading the post - it's lovely how many people get 24/7 turnout but does posting about it help the OP at all?

OP, if you're not turning out until 9.30, and you want your horse to be out longer, then you either need to get someone else to bring him in, or you could turn out earlier! I'm not quite sure how someone bringing in at 2.30 makes them "lazy" - I would think it's the person who's not turning out at 7am who's lazy.

 

[charlie76]

It always surprises me when people jump in and answer the question in the title rather than reading the post - it's lovely how many people get 24/7 turnout but does posting about it help the OP at all?

OP, if you're not turning out until 9.30, and you want your horse to be out longer, then you either need to get someone else to bring him in, or you could turn out earlier! I'm not quite sure how someone bringing in at 2.30 makes them "lazy" - I would think it's the person who's not turning out at 7am who's lazy.

I agree, why is the other livery lazy catching at 2.30? Maybe he has other commitments meaning he has to catch at this time? I bring mine in at 12 pm, I'm not lazy, it just suits my routine as one till four is the only time I have free to ride.

 

[Scatterbrain]

Out 24/7 with field shelters all year round. I'm lucky to have sandy soil so no worries re ground conditions.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

It always surprises me when people jump in and answer the question in the title rather than reading the post - it's lovely how many people get 24/7 turnout but does posting about it help the OP at all?

OP, if you're not turning out until 9.30, and you want your horse to be out longer, then you either need to get someone else to bring him in, or you could turn out earlier! I'm not quite sure how someone bringing in at 2.30 makes them "lazy" - I would think it's the person who's not turning out at 7am who's lazy.

I agree with this chuck out earlier if you want longer hours. When you share duties sometimes you have to compromise. Unless your horse is going crazy I would stop worrying most horses do fine on 5 hours a day turn-out in winter. I prefer mine in earlier than later because even though he has good grass this time of year they all get a bit fretful about coming in and start to hooley around like idiots and it saves the grazing a bit as well.

 

[blitznbobs]

Mine are out at7 and in at 3 - they are only in at 3 cos mare panics if brought in in the dark ( no idea why) so when it gets lighter again they will be out longer - cobbo is also semi happy about this arrangement but he'd rather be in 24/7 at this time of year ... He likes his home comforts

 

[stormox]

It is up to the other livery what time he brings his horse in. And what time he turns it out. Its his horse!. Maybe have a word with the YO and see if theres another persons horse you could turn out with that suits your times better?

 

[milesjess]

It always surprises me when people jump in and answer the question in the title rather than reading the post - it's lovely how many people get 24/7 turnout but does posting about it help the OP at all?

OP, if you're not turning out until 9.30, and you want your horse to be out longer, then you either need to get someone else to bring him in, or you could turn out earlier! I'm not quite sure how someone bringing in at 2.30 makes them "lazy" - I would think it's the person who's not turning out at 7am who's lazy.

Sadly from knowing him, he is lazy. He comes down early at that time of day so he doesn't have to do mornings ever because he'd sooner sleep and he doesn't want to come back later on because it's too much trouble and inconvenice for him not because of daily commitments. But that's up to him and it's his routine, but what I'm saying is it now doesn't suit my routine and I was asking for advice from others on here that's all Especially to see if 5 hours (minimum) is a reasonable amount of turnout time. It isn't every day, sometimes they do get longer.

I do have help now and again but it's full DIY so I can't rely on others all the time . And I work shifts so me turning out every morning is exhausting and I'm far from being lazy, I finish work at 3-4am certain days, have less then 4 hours sleep to get up and turn them out before doing another 10 hour shift. If I finish nights I'm there straight after at 8am etc... It's exhausting me but obviously it's a life I've chosen. (My original post obviously didn't mention that I work shifts so I realise you didn't no this).

I have help on evenings when I'm working until midnight with other livery feeding/ rugging/ skipping out but as I say, I can't rely on them every day to help me.

Anyways, I have a couple of options, one of which is to change him into another field with another livery and he'll be out for 7 hours plus so hoping this should work out.

 

[milesjess]

It is up to the other livery what time he brings his horse in. And what time he turns it out. Its his horse!. Maybe have a word with the YO and see if theres another persons horse you could turn out with that suits your times better?

Yes I no it's his horse, and he can do as he pleases with her. But my post was for advice on how to resolve the issue re my horse. He can turn his out for 1 hour a day, that's totally up to him ...

 

[Mongoose11]

It always surprises me when people jump in and answer the question in the title rather than reading the post - it's lovely how many people get 24/7 turnout but does posting about it help the OP at all?

OP, if you're not turning out until 9.30, and you want your horse to be out longer, then you either need to get someone else to bring him in, or you could turn out earlier! I'm not quite sure how someone bringing in at 2.30 makes them "lazy" - I would think it's the person who's not turning out at 7am who's lazy.

Hang on, the only question asked in the entire Op is 'How many hours turn out do yours get over Winter'. I answered that question as I presumed the op wanted it answering so that she could compare what she was thinking was an unreasonable amount of turnout, to what others were getting...

 

[Evie91]

Mine go out between 6-8 hrs a day.
Out 6.30am in the week and 8.30am weekends. Come in at three.
My mare hates going out/coming in, in the dark - she loves her stable and would hate to be out 24/7.
I have to balance with my welshie who loves being out - but will do whatever my mare is doing!

 

[Princess Rosie]

Ours get 8 hours a day turnout, they're all ready at the gate after that to come in, they are all home birds (even my mare who until 14months ago had been feral and obviously was out all the time!).

 

[Beatrice5]

We are on awful heavy clay so mine are only out until lunchtime and the rest of the time on a track and / or in their corrals . So it can be as little as 3 or 4 hours a day if I have ridden . They are quite content with that arrangement and don't explode when turned out and bring themselves in happily . I guess it depends on your horse and if he is happy and the situation works for you then it's fine . If not then as you said maybe you can look into other field share options .