unsettled stabled at night, fine in day not sure why.

J

JLD

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Hello. Bit confused. This is the first winter I have had my boy, on his summer regime he was out at night, stabled by day and was quite happy. He has just gone onto winter regime - out by day in at night and he seems really unsettled, not wanting to come in, and seemed a bit tucked up this morning all though had eaten all his hay, and obviously been lying down overnight ok and his bed wasn't particularly messed up. Not sure why he was fine during the day in his stable and not at night. He is on his own with horses in next door field but this hasn't changed. His stable is part of his field. Do you think I should give it time or go back to in during day. He is pretty hairy although hates being wet but quite happy in a rain sheet so could cope out overnight. I keep him at home so can be flexible.
 
Is there the possibility of rats getting into the stable? They tend not to be around open spaces during the day, but do find horse feed irresistable at night! :eek: We had a gelding who pressed rats, we found a few flat ones in his stable! Some horses are quite worried by them, so it could be why your lad is unsettled.
 
I don't feed him in stable so hopefully not rats but feed / hay store next door so possible. Need to investigate this. Agree need to give him more time, just a bit tired getting up at 5.30 am to let him out so he isn't stressing on my only lie in days !!
 
Could you just leave his stable open as its in the field and he's alone, with the hay inside and allow him to come and go as he pleases?
Be a lot easier for you and perhaps more acceptable for him too. :)
 
Yes I agree with other ops, leave door open if stable is in field. My horses lived like this all the time with no problems. I think they preferred having the freedom and I did not like stabling them anyway. I still bedded them down and fed and hayed in stable. You could see flat patches where they had laid down in them too.
 
I would love to give him free access to field but am on heavy clay and it is already a quagmire, so I need to rest it for part of the day or am going to really struggle. I only have 2 acres.I have a small concrete yard though so will leave door open so he had access to that. Assume he would be ok in a turnout rug day and night if needed ? He is moderately hairy and not clipped, fine naked when dry but gets really cold in the rain.
 
My four have 24/7 access from the field to the barn, stables, we get knee deep mud which is horrendous, luckily my lot have sense and tend to stand in a lot eating hay, saving the field a bit and let their feet dry, you could also section off part of your field, allowing your horse a leg stretch.
 
Does the horse have a companion of his won, or just horses in a nearby field? He is probably not as confident on his own in the dark, he may be the same in the field but the effects would not be so easily seen.
 
I left him with access to the yard from where he can see/hear the horses next door and although he had clearly spent most of the night in doors he was much more settled this morning. Thanks everyone.
 
JLD said:
I don't feed him in stable so hopefully not rats but feed / hay store next door so possible. Need to investigate this. Agree need to give him more time, just a bit tired getting up at 5.30 am to let him out so he isn't stressing on my only lie in days !!
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If the feed is next door, it's quite possible the rats are just making a racket and making him unsettled. Sounds like open access is the way to go from your update. :)
 
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