When is the right time to bring in again ?

MardyMare

MardyMare

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I know this is very different for everyone and depends on various factors but I am quite an organised person and I would like to know when. Its the first year both my horses have been out 24/7 and only because the one that used to like staying in appeared happy being out and there was no one for company down at the stable block, but I get the feeling she needs to get back to her routine and come in at night. On the other hand the other horse could probably live out all year quite happily (this is not an option though - they all come in at some point) I am on quite a big yard and when I have asked around everyone says whenever you want and if I ask them when they are doing it they just say they dont know - but not yet.

So what does it for you? What is the deciding factor that says ok time to come in at night again?
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Probably soon - no grass in the summer field, and desperately resisting temptation to put them back into winter fields. Lots of shows etc coming up and a grading for my colt, so stables will be pressure cleaned this weekend and probably horses will come in from next weekend.
 
My lot came in last night and will play it by ear depending on the weather. One of them is old and he feels the cold and then we feel sorry for the other two so they come in aswell.
 
I get mine in a couple of nights before fireworks night as its like the blitz around where I am. If I could I would leave them out all winter but although I've got plenty of grazing its all heavy clay so need to preserve it as much as possible and only turn out during the day from then onwards
 
Mine stay out as late as possible
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!! They usually come in around November time - they have been as late as December before now!! It is really dependant on the weather and how the fields are holding up.
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ETA - I will get my stables ready from about end of Sept/Oct so if it gets really bad they can come in as needed.
 
Mine stays out at night until
a) the clocks change
b)YO says they all have to come in
c)the weather becomes horridly cold/wet/windy/generally vile!
 
Thanks for all your replies - its interesting to see what other folks do. I had forgot about fireworks night although we are quite far from any housing. I am torn between the two horses so might try stick it out till end of month and then bring them in again unless someone else comes in sooner and the one can come in with her and the other can stay out a bit longer.

Not that I want the early morning mucking out to start toooo soon
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Im weird as i love having mine in at night and cant wait until winter and having them tucked up in their beds & rugs!!

I think they prefer being out at the moment as the weather isnt that bad. As soon as the weather changes they come round to my way of thinking and beg to the brought in!!!
 
Mine come in at nights when the ground starts to get really wet and cut up. Was about November last year, but obviously depends on how much rain we get. I feed haylage in the field to mine, but if you are not allowed to do that on your yard, then you might want to bring in earlier so the horses can have plenty of hay or haylage in the stable once the grass loses its value.
 
Mine comes in when
a)all the others have come in as he's not happy on his own all night.
b)he's clearly hungry (starts hanging around gate) as there's not enough grass (we're not allowed to put hay in the field)
c)yard owner says it's time

As they're in the hayfields (9 horses on 40 acres) from now until they all come in he rarely runs out of grass so it's usually one of the other two and usually anywhere between the end of november and the middle of december. One particularly dry year though he came in on boxing day! Not having to get up ridiculously early on Christmas day was lovely!

He's much happier out and I don't believe in making work for myself unnecessarily. He has a blanket clip first time round (early-mid november) and stays out well rugged, but after Christmas he has a full clip - mainly so I don't get covered in white hairs when he starts moulting!
 
I bring mine in at night, when I decide to clip her. I clip her when she gets too woolly to hack out without sweating, usually Oct.
 
Mine come in once I need to preserve the grass a bit more to prevent them from ending up on a mudslide instead of a green field!
They will start to come in soon overnight when it's wet and windy and then probably all the time by end of October. But if it's a fairly dry winter (fat chance!!! But I always hope!) then they will go out overnight sometimes - it all depends on how the ground is coping.
I love rugging up and putting to bed
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