What age do you bring your youngsters in from 24 hr TO?

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Jesstickle

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My filly lived out in a herd until she was two and a half but this winter she has been coming in at night (she is nearly three now)

At what age do you start bringing yours in? I like having her in at night as it means she is handled daily and is used to being stabled. She will be backed at some point this year (probably late September) and be turned away for the winter but she'll still be coming in at night then too.

What does everyone else do with theirs?
 
Because of our ground which is clay, I have to bring mine in at night from October onwards until early April, same as everything else. They go out with all the others every day, same as they have from babies so nothing different for them really. If we had better and more land, I would have them out 24/7 but as you say, it does help with the handling of them although I'm a firm believer that if foals are taught to be handled, caught, led, feet done etc correctly, right from the start that they never forget their basic manners so it won't matter if they are turned completely away. Mine certainly like to come in although they don't get that much extra attention apart from the basics; they certainly don't get brushed over or anything like that unless I have oodles of time, say they're in for the farrier, that's the blue moon when they get 'things' done to them! I do believe you can over handle youngsters when they'll sometimes, (if they're a bit of a bolshy type anyway like Freddy would be given the chance!) lose a bit of respect for you, another reason why I don't do too much.
 
I never brought mine in! I handled her daily by bringing her to the yard everyday and then continued her training this way. I sold her on after she was backed and she's still out 24/7.
Why would you have to bring them in?
 
badgerdog said:
I never brought mine in! I handled her daily by bringing her to the yard everyday and then continued her training this way. I sold her on after she was backed and she's still out 24/7.
Why would you have to bring them in?
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Because 24/7 TO at my yard with a school and lights isn't an option in winter so either it is grass livery with minimal contact or they come to the yard to do some work. I don't want to back something in a massive field with other horses milling about personally so at some point the jump has to be made :)
 
My section C was out until she was 5! She was immature when she turned 4 so we left her for another year out 24/7, she then came in to be broken and did her first unaff dressage 6 weeks later :)
 
Mine are out 24/7 but go away to be backed and then in 24/7. They seem to cope fine with that but are out again with me ASAP. I'm sending my yearling same place to do some showing so will be in 24/7. Not ideal but she is a total madam and will love it - as soon as she's done 2 big shows she'll be back out.
 
This made me laugh. My filly was born in 2009, and ever since then has been stabled at night if the weather is cold or wet. She's a real diva and is the first at the gate if there's any rain!!! Loves her bed.
 
jesstickle said:
Because 24/7 TO at my yard with a school and lights isn't an option in winter so either it is grass livery with minimal contact or they come to the yard to do some work. I don't want to back something in a massive field with other horses milling about personally so at some point the jump has to be made :)
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I understand, we all have to accomodate to what's available at the yard unless you have your own place and can do what you want.
There are limitations at my yard about other things but having mine out all the time and being close to the yard was convenient for us at the time.
 
Why bring them in.
Mine are handled everyday and put in stable for groom etc... then turned out again.
If turning her away after being broken then again why bring her in, muchh better to be out.
If your yard doesn't have the facilities for 24/7 turnout then fair enough, but if the option is there then leave her out.
 
Well, my youngster has been coming in at nights since he turned 12 months. He'll be 3 in Aug this year and has been in everynight even in the summer.
Our yard doesn't offer 24hr turnout so has never been an option for him.
He's survived the hardships of a big soft bed, large haynet, out of the eliments, groomed daily and rugged when needed.
Make your stable a fun place to be, chuck a few carrots on your bed or haynet, fill a ball with nuts or a tongue twister toy etc.
It's also a great opertunity to teach your youngster stable manners like moving over, barging etc.
There is no right or wrong time if any time to stable your horse so don't feel there is a timescale you have to stick to.
 
O I don't worry about her. She likes coming in. Big pansy seems ecstatic that she doesn't have to sleep out this year like she did last winter. I just wondered what everyone else did/does really.

Because I am nosey :D
 
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