# Horses turned out at night, in at day?!?



## Sauerkraut (16 September 2011)

As title says....

Winter time horses will be turned out at night and come in barn during day! Any ideas why, or are there any benefits rather then other way around? I 

Thanks for replies, have some (just a tiny bit really) red wine left to share


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## rachmacypixie111 (16 September 2011)

Hello Kitty,

Not a massive fan of red - have you got any white by any chance? or a cider?

In summer (and now!) mine go out at night in during day (sometimes they just stay out if it's very nice!) - I do this as the flies are worst during the day and for the ponies (grass worst in day etc etc)

In winter though they are in at night and out during day - cant see any benificial reason for visa versa in winter? - Not saying you shouldnt do it though.
I just like mine tucked up in winter

xx


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## ElleSkywalker (16 September 2011)

Mine are always out at night & in in day, just make sense to me & my pones as -

All are native types, so keeping in in day keeps them off sugar grass in summer & frosty grass in winter. (Got this reason hammered home this yr as left mare in foal out over frosty winter days, & you guessed it she got lami, also other mare went to stud for one week out 24/7 and yup, lami again!)

Everything I do with my horses is done in days as work from home so having them in means they aren't missing out in any turnout time for riding, farrier vets etc

Can keep themselves warmer in field at night than in stables by moving about, also better for order mares slightly gammy fetlock joints to not be stood still in cold.

Horses tend to eat slightly less at night so again better for my natives to be out when they will eat less.

Very little shade in my fields as well so being in in summer saves pones from flies & getting too hot.

Of course there are ways round all my points so really is just what suits you & yours best


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## canteron (17 September 2011)

Major benefit is that the horse is there when you want to ride!  The walk to and from the field takes at least 30 mins in total which comes out of riding time?


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## PolarSkye (17 September 2011)

This is what we do with ours - they go out at about 3.30 p.m. (or when they've finished in the school/had their dinner - whichever comes first) and don't come in until about 9 a.m.  It's more natural for them to be out longer . . . they're all incredibly chilled and happy . . . they spend the night playing, eating and dozing.  They can keep moving which is better for their joints and feet, plus no stable stains!  Also cuts down on bedding costs.  

Not sure what we'll do once the weather really turns . . . some of the decision-making will be based on how the fields hold up (first winter for the yard) but we do have enough grazing to rotate.  It'll be a toss up between whether it's more beneficial for them to be "out" with hay and haylage in the field (particularly if there is snow on the ground), or in in the warm (obviously with hay/haylage) but getting less exercise.  We'll have to see.

P


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## hayinamanger (17 September 2011)

My routine is:- Spring/Summer horses out at night, fatties on smaller barer paddocks, and in during the day on trickle fed hay.  When the flies are bad, they all come in for the day, they have a sleep and a bit of hay.
Autumn, all out for a few weeks in bigger fields that have been grazed down by the sheep and cattle, great, no mucking out or poo picking!
When Winter starts, rain, gales, snow, they are all in at night and out for the day.
If they were out at night, they would hang around the gates and turn the area into a mire.  I would lie in bed listening to the rain lashing on the window and be unable to sleep, thinking about them stood out in the awful weather.


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## Horseback Rider (17 September 2011)

My TB is out at night in during the day and he seems much happier like this than the other way round. Also works better for me in case I want to have a little sleep in at the weekend I can with out worrying that he is in having eaten all his hay etc. ( I know there are some ppl that will think I am an incredibly bad horse owner for even cpntemplating a lie in but there you go ) 

I think as he is more alert when out at night he comes in and has hay / feed and then has a little snooze.


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## Hels_Bells (17 September 2011)

It's actually more natural for horse to sleep in the mornings because at night they are naturally predisposed to staying awake on the lookout for predators, so probably suits their system better to be on having a kip during the day/morning! However they do eat less overnight so is also a good way of controlling grass intake, but can't really see how seasons affect that, other than the point already raised that they would be in, dry and ready to ride?


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## Wagtail (17 September 2011)

No, personally I wouldn't do this in the winter (even though it would be far more easy and practical to manage as it means horses are easily available for exercise, clipping etc.). As another poster mentioned, I would not be able to sleep at night hearing the rain, hail and wind lashing at my window and thinking of the horses being out in it. I like to think of them all cozied up in their stables at night.

I would consider turnout at night and bring in during the day in the summer though, because of the heat and flies, although I tend to leave them out 24/7 in fly rugs.


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## eggs (17 September 2011)

I usually have the horses in during the day and out at night in the summer and then swap over in the winter so they are in at night and out during the day.

However two years ago we didn't swap them over in winter and kept to the summer routine. They all thrived on this routine, would come in in the morning for their breakfast and then have a sleep.  The more stress type horses keep calmer.

They are all rugged appropriately and even though they have barns to come into they usually only use them when it is hot. When it is raining the are nearly always out in the middle of the field eating so I don't stress at the thought of them being out in the rain at night. Don't see the difference in them being out in the rain during the day.


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## monkeybum13 (17 September 2011)

It would certainly make life easier as they are in and dry for when you want to ride.

It would also mean they are likely to have more hours in the field and less in the stable which would suit some (most) horses.


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## Honey08 (17 September 2011)

We do this in summer too.  It makes the one that is dodgy to catch no problem if we have other people riding her when I'm away with work.  It also gets them out of the flies and heat.  Doesn't work as well with the sweet itchers.  Another advantage is that it doesn't matter if you have a lie in - they're not standing in a stable with no food or water..

I can't really see many disadvantages of them going out at night in winter.  Other than its a few degrees colder at night than in the day, but thats not such a big deal.  As for not wanting them out in the wind and rain while you're tucked up in bed, they're still going to be out in the daytime getting wet...  They would probably choose to go out.


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