how many leave their minis out

[SKMDREAMERSMINIS]

Hi everyone

Just wondering how many leave your minis out at night? And how many bring them in? I have two and they live out during the day with 1 big guy and a another mini. They all come in at night. What are your thoughts on miniatures staying out at night with a big horse and another mini?

Thanks in advance

 

[Champ]

I have 2 minis that can go in and out of there stalls as they please but because I live where there is a lot of woods and wildlife roaming around I lock them in when it gets dark.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I have 2.. they stay out and have a run in shed for escape from the elements. I do bed up and clean my run in shed.

 

[MajorClementine]

Mine stay out year round. Their pasture is open to a drylot/paddock and a run/stall as well incase they need to get in out of the rain.

 

[Minimor]

Mine are all out--they have sheds if they want to use them. We have predators in the area but so far they havent bothered the horses. (not counting the cougar that was a problem to our Morgans many years ago).

There would be no way I have barn room for everyone if I wanted to put them in (and I don't)--I am more concerned about barn fires than predators--this general area has much too much arson at times, I prefer not to risk it.

 

[atotton]

Mine stay out.They have 2 run in sheds to get out of the weather if they want to.

 

[lkblazin]

My girls stay out. They have a run in if need be. And if someone needs it I can stall them.

 

[amysue]

Most of my broodmares stay out. My school horses and most of my boarders come in at night, mostly because we begin work early in the morning and taking time to catch them becomes a problem. In the event of a storm or blizzard, every pony comes in just because the yard is so spread out and I have too much trouble trudging through waist deep snow and slipping over ice. Most of mine love staying out year round and seem to thrive that way. My boarders go in at night just so they can be fed their meals separately, but mine eat together. I keep donkeys with the little ones as a sort of warning system for predators. Not that they will protect anyone, but they hear everything and are very vocal. Often they have alerted me to a passing coyote or bobcat. My pasture fences are all 5ft tall to keep coyotes out. I have never had a problem with the predators bothering my horses, but I think that is because I have so many barn cats and loose chickens running around here and that must serve as a distraction.

 

[Brody]

I leave my three out as well, but with a run-in shelter they have access to. I also live in the woods with a lot of wildlife around. We have high-tensile fencing that is electrified. I know there have been others that dislike this fencing for horses, but I have LOVED it for my minis. They all tested the fence once, but have respected it since. Also, when we had a bear on the property a bit over a year ago he was deterred by the fence with a zap to his nose. Personally, I prefer having them out, and feel that they are happier and safer. With that said, every circumstance is obviously different, and depends not only on where you live and what your set up is - but I purposefully built up my place to allow for safe 24-hour turnout.

 

[Jean_B]

I live a bit northeast of the Twin Cities on the Wisconsin side. It's COLD here, but my horses are outside 24/7 with access to shelter. They prefer to stay out and are often walking snow drifts. No snotty noses around here, either. Germs don't stand a chance.

 

[7fluffyfriends]

We live North of the Twin Cities and like so many parts of the country right now it gets cold... the past few mornings were below zero - we had a couple of mornings around ( -19 ).

Our minis have a pole barn with several free choice entrances and several stalls. I have one older horse i do stall at night but everyone else is free choice.

Most mornings when I go out they are all standing around in the open air looking fluffy but healthy. It is rare to find them in the barn.

 

[AngC]

Access to the outside for all three of ours--24/7.

We have a barn that was designed for "big horses." The stall doors are those double doors; I keep the top door closed and leave the bottom door open all the time; they all seem to enjoy looking out the bottom door. I've snooped on them using a night vision scope, and unless they do it when I'm not looking, I don't think they come out at night.

I've worried about this one. There is a county website here, where you can check on cougar activity. (...unfortunately, I'm not sure they're updating it.) I'm not worried about coyotes; I've watched coyotes meander through our pastures, and all our horsies ignore them. I am worried about cougars. Our mare, Coco, is just nasty enough that perhaps she could clobber a cougar... ok wishful thinking.

 

[MyGoldenSunny]

My 2 live outside 24/7 with a big barn to go in as they please. They enjoy being out in the pasture all the time but as soon as rain/snow/ice comes they run in the barn. I also worry about Cougars. But when I heard of a cougar jumping into someone's barn and attacking her mini in its stall I now feel they have a better chance of getting away from one if they are free in the pasture. With shelter of course.

 

[Kendra]

I have 2 currently that come in at night: my mostly blind 25 year old gelding and his 24 year old girlfriend. Image doesn't see much of anything in the dark, and Robin needs extra feed, so I bring them in for my own peace of mind, not because they really need to be in. The other 16 horses are out 24/7 in all weather with access to run in sheds that I believe they use solely for pooping in based on how much time I spend cleaning and rebedding them.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

I do both. Depends on the weather mostly, but sometimes i bring them in if i plan to do something the next morning as im less likely to do it if they look content in the paddock lol

 

[eagles ring farm]

We bring our horses in to stalls every night. Although we don't have large numbers as many farms do

 

[SKMDREAMERSMINIS]

Ok thanks everybody! This gives me a better idea about how everoNE does it. Thanks again

 

[ManyMinisFarm]

I put my Minis up at night. In the winter at night they are put up and barn doors are all shut. And in the summer they are put up and the barn doors are left open. But up at our other..larger farm we leave all of our horses and ponies out. But during show season the show horses are stalled at night.

 

[sfmini]

Most are out 24/7 but some are in, stallions and young ones we want to make sure are eating well. Never never never with big horses.

 

[targetsmom]

Half of ours stay out with plenty of run-in space, and the other half have stalls. It was one of the stalled ones (Rusty) that was attacked in November 2013 and almost killed, although the predator (we are pretty sure it was a bobcat) had to go by most of the outside minis to get into and out of the barn.