Barn at night?

[zacharyfarms]

All 27 of mine are "put up" at night..My barns and sheds all have fenced paddocks and everyone goes into to one of the areas where they can not roam at night and are fed in individual feed pans. The foals and dams are in closed stalls with no outside access. Putting everyone up in this way allows me to know who is doing what and I can check them when they come in to eat and when they go out in the morning..Just gives me more control. If they do not eat their grain, I know it..if they go stand in a corner without going straight for their grain or hay, I know it. If they have a slight limp, I clean their feet and check them out. Would they rather be free to roam at night?. I know how much water is drank, minerals are eaten and consistency and abundance of poop. They are waiting at their respective night housing gates and go straight to their spots..no questions asked..no fighting very quiet and content..Not that this is the way it has to be but just the way I do it. It is so amazing to watch them come in for the evening. It never ceases to amaze me how smart, sweet and wonderful they all are and to watch the herd dynamics.

:

 

[Beccy]

All our horses, large and small, are out most of the time. They all have access to shelter, and most of the time they choose to be out.

We do shut them in if it is bitterly cold, or freezing rain.

 

[WSR's_Judy]

Our minis got use to the routine of being put up every night when they lived in town, becuase I was always worried someone might run into the fence and hurt one of them or they would get out.

And now that they live on 40 acres on a secluded lane they still want to be put up at night, so we put them to bed every night like clock work and let them out the next morning. And if we are gone overnight our sons have specific instructions on what time to put them up and let them out.

Poor boys, when they left home and got married they thought the chores was over!!!

 

[wendy4mini]

I always stall my minis at night for two reasons. First, we have coyotes :no: and I don't want to take any chances. Second, the minis are SO FAT. If I left them out on grass 24/7 they would explode!!

 

[Coventry Lane Farm]

All our horses are turned out for exersize and then stalled every night and when the weather is extremely bad out they don't go out at all, and they are happy about being indoors during extreme bad weather and they don't like being out in those conditions, they usually will run back into the barn to get out of the wind, down pouring rain or blizzard conditions. We have 3 barns and plenty of room for everyone.

Now our 17 head of Texas Longhorn cattle are different, they have 2 buildings to get out of the weather and they won't even use them at all, they are pretty tough creatures.

 

[KrazyHorses]

Mine come in at night like Marty said here in florida the lightening is wicked. We have foxes too I dont know if they would mess with the horses or not. We have had alot of horses stolen around here too. My barn is close to my house so they would have to go through several fences to get to them, instead of just cutting one fence.

I'm in the habit of putting all mine up at night...weather, bugs, predators, thieves...7:30am let out, 7:30pm put up...give or take on the weekends but I try not to have them stalled more than 12 hrs at a time due to the age of my TWH gelding who will be 18 in March.

 

[Loess Hills]

All ours are stalled at night. In fact, they are waiting at the gate into the dry lot as soon as it gets to be about dusk! We do have critters roaming at night................in fact, I'm really scared of the idea of mountain lions. Some have been sighted not too far from us, and with a large gulch and wooded area behind our north pasture, I don't want to take any chances.

Everyone knows their stall, and most will be waiting in their stall when we come down the aisle with grain. They're creatures of habit and like their routines, especially during the fall/winter season. Some summer nights they'd like to frolic on green grass all night, but they get plenty during the day.

 

[minifarmgirl]

My two stay in a fenced in area atttached to the run un shed. They can go in and out as they please. It poured last night and when I looked out both of them were standing out in the rain. They prefer to be out unless it's very cold , or when it's very hot they like to stay in under their fans.

 

[KenBen]

Our horses come in everynight. At this time of year it is usually around 4:00. They are fed there grain and hay at this time. We have no trouble getting them in the barn at this time as they know that they will get fed.

Ken

 

[NMMack]

Ours come in at night (5:00) for their grain/hay and to sleep. We have coyotes and an occasional bear, and I don't want to take ANY chances with my little ones.

: They eat their grain in their stalls in the morning, then go outside for their hay.

It is nice too, because we can monitor their feed/water intake, and get to check each one over morning and night!

Ours love it, and they race into the barn the second the gate opens! LOL!!! Then they run around and play in the barn before heading to their own stalls for dinner! :bgrin

In the winter it is warm in there (and we have heat for when it is *really* cold), and in the summer, they each have their own fans to cool them off, and keep the flys/gnats off! (Spoiled Fids!

: )

They have a run in shed in the corral too, which they use during the day, and if it is close to 0, or windchills below 0, we keep them in. I think more for my peace of mind than for anything else! LOL!!!

:

Nancy

 

[midnight star stables]

Mine are stalled more that they are out.. but its winter, its cold and icy.. Summer will be different, but still, Mine are ALWAYS in at night, or even pefore it gets dark! lol