Out 24/7 or something less?

[wingnut]

I'm curious to hear how much time you leave your horses turned out...either on a pasture or dry lot. If you do stall your horses at night, what is your time split between the two?

Currently, we are stalling our 2 girls at night. On average, they spend 10-12 hours turned out on our small pasture during the day.

Do you do things differently in the winter?

Thanks in advance!

Joy

 

[kaykay]

Hi Joy

The only horses stalled here are show horses, pregnant mares or mares that just foaled. Everyone else is out 24/7. The main herd is out on grass from about 11 am to 7 pm and then on a drylot.

 

[minih]

We do pretty much the same as kaykay, only we do not have any grass at all to speak of, so no rotation.

 

[Mr.T]

Our horses are out from 6/7am- 7/8pm. depending on weather and how dark it gets.

They are turned out in a dirt pasture with hay and have access to a run in shed

 

[Joanne]

All our horses are in large paddocks with a large shelter for the rain that they can go into. We have multiple paddocks with various separate groupings in them i.e. pregnant mares, yearlings, mares with a stallion etc.

During the day certain groups are turned out on grass to roam the 37 acres and back to their pens at night. They are typically out for about 6 hours a day.

Mares due to foal are stalled in the barn at night under a webcam so we can see them.

 

[Relic]

All ours are out 24/7 year round all have access to run in sheds if they want them...even the minis we show aren't put in stalls till about 2 weeks before a show and some are never put in a stall at all till they get to a show...preg mares l prefer they foal out as we have a clean just for them paddock which has a barn cam so l can watch...when foals are born they are in stalls for 2 days to be closely watched no matter the weather and then out again into the mare/foal pasture...l'm a firm beliver that inside harbors more germs and bad air for them then outside...

 

[Jill]

Here, our horses are out 24/7 on dry lots with run in sheds or stalls open to be basically run in sheds. Exceptions here are:

• mares close to foaling are stalled and under cameras
• show horses are stalled the night before we got to a show to keep them clean (and wrapped in slinkes and show sheets)
• our "rejected-orphan" colt we've been handraising is closed in at night or if it rains really hard and he chooses not to seek shelter

I feel like it is healthiest (mentally and physically) for horses to be outside as much as possible.

 

[targetsmom]

I am a believer in 24/7 turnout and we bought our farm so that my big horse Target could live like that. He has had 2 colic surgeries (1998 & 2001) and I think he is only alive today because he is never stalled. Some, but not all, of of our minis are also out 24/7 but not with Target! I work from home so I can move them around during the day. Even the show horses get an hour or so on grass when weather permits, but they are stalled at night. Pregnant mares/mares and foals are out longer. Even on really crappy days like today (which is about as bad as it gets here) almost everyone was out on dry lot all day with plenty of shelter. The minis that are out 24/7 are on dry lot at night and have shelter near the stalled minis and also next to Target.

 

[Zipper]

My guys go out in the morning about 8am on a dry lot with hay and than are put in their box stalls about 8 at night with hay.

I dont have grass pasture here where I live.

 

[barnbum]

Mine are stalled every night due to coyotes in the area. I've seen stray dogs before, too. So, they are stalled from about 8-9 PM to 5-6 AM, depending on the weather/season. During the day they are separated into gelding with fillies (3), and mares with foals (4). I have four smaller pastures that have a little grass-but I still give some hay every day. They usually hang out in the back ones all day, then I bring them up front until tuck-in time.

All pastures have run-ins. I agree out 24/7 is healthiest--I just don't want to regret the decision. When we had big horses, they were never stalled.

 

[Shari]

Mine are also 24/7 with a big run in shed if they want to use it.

 

[Horse Feathers]

Run in shed and stalls that are never closed execept for feeding time. All the horses are on a dry lot with free choice hay.

 

[Miniv]

Our barn only has 6 stalls.......one is good for a stallion or used for quarantine situations. Four others are set up with cameras and used for foaling. The rest of the barn is used for a "run-in " or groups........

We have too many horses to stall every night......and nowadays I wouldn't want to. They all prefer being outdoors and being given the OPTION of being undercover.

 

[Gini]

Out 24/7 with run in sheds.

 

[Willow Tree Miniatures]

MINE ARE OUT 24/7... ON GRASS WITH ACCESS TO A RUN-IN SHED FROM 7 AM TO 6 PM AND ON A DRY LOT WITH A SHED DURING THE NIGHT. EXCEPTIONS ARE MARES DUE TO FOAL ARE STALLED AT NIGHT, MARES WITH FOALS ARE STALLED AT NIGHT FOR AWHILE, UNLESS I HAVE ONE SOLD OR I AM KEEPING A FOAL FOR MYSELF THEN I TEND TO DO IT LONGER... I HAVE A PARTICULAR MARE THAT "EXPECTS" TO BE PUT UP AT NIGHT... AND LUCKY FOR HER SHE HAS A SOLD FOAL AT SIDE SO I GIVE IN.

I THINK KEEPING A HORSE STALLED FOR MOST OF THE DAY IS WRONG.... PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES. IT WOULD BE LIKE BEING IN JAIL. I ALSO FEEL STALLED HORSES CAN DEVELOPE BAD HABITS.

 

[FoRebel]

My gelding is out 24/7 since he is with my mother-in-law's big horses.

The horses that my mom and I co-own that are at her place are stalled at night or if no one is home. There have been bears, coyotes and some stray dogs in the area so we just take precautions.

 

[Marty]

My summer and winter schedule differ a lot.

I do very much believe in daily turn out for as long as possible depending on the weather. Mine get pasture and dry lot both every single day and also get stalled. It is a LOT of work for me to turn them in and out daily I feel like a revolving doorman, keep stalls cleaned and extra $ for shavings up the whazoo but that's the way I do it.

My barn was built for using and horse protection and that is what its there for.

During summer, my horses are not left out in this heart we are having. The last few days here have been scorchers for me and them. No reason for them to be standing out in that. Ever see a horse go down with heat stroke? I have and that ain't good. They are inside their very comfortable cool stalls munching on hay under fans and very happy to be there during these times. They are also not left out in these severe storms we've been having either. Lightning kills and is not a pretty sight.

Winter is a whole nuther ball game.

 

[Alex]

My two show horses are stalled at night and in the late morning are turned out on dry lots with other horses. Our stallion, who is not really showing, is in a small run in 24/7. When it rains a lot or if it gets really hot he gets stalled.

 

[~Lisa~]

Mine are out all day and stalled at night in the summer they go out around 6 and come in around 6-7 pm. (weather permitting)

I personally feel this is very important so I can check and know what is normal for each horse and when they are not doing something normal for them.

I can see who is off feed right away, or who is not passing normal amounts of manure, or not drinking enough. It would take me a while to notice these things if they were turned out 24/7.

I also think it is a nice break for those lower down in the pecking order to have some down time and a meal where they do not have to worry about the bossier horses chasing them away.

It works for me and my horses are always glad to come back into the barn especially during the summer since it has a fly system!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Dry lot with hay and then led over to grazing area for small grazing periods, less than 1 hour in length per day.