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| Author |
Message |
    
Dr. Carol Artlett
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2000 - 1:25 pm: |   |
Which is better for the horse, to be out in the pasture during the day or at night? Currently, my horse is out at night for 10-12 hours and in the barn during the day, so he does not get any direct sunlight. This is more obvious in winter as he is ridden indoors although in summer he is ridden outside and gets direct light when he is schooled and on the weekends. But if he was turned out in the day it would only be for about 6 hours. I guess my question is, over a long period of time is this going to affect his well-being and do I need to supplement his feed with anything?
Carol |
Josephine R. Budny
| | Posted on Monday, Feb 21, 2000 - 4:48 pm: | |
If given a choice, I'd rather have my horse turned out for 6 hours during the daytime, then 10 to 12 hours at night. The horse will benefit from the sunlight and the warmth from it. My observation watching yearlings (15 of them) and the 3 year olds is they socialize and play and roam around more so during the day time than they do at night. At night they hand around the walk-in shed and rest. My opinion. Jo |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2000 - 8:04 am: | |
Which is better depends on your climate, the time of the year, and your goals. Here at the 37th latitude and in a piedmont region where our goal is maximum comfort for the horses: during the winter we turn out during daylight hours, while during the summer we turn out at night.
I can see one of your concerns is for vitamin D. Horses are extremely resistant to Vitamin D deficiency. In one experiment ponies were deprived of sunlight and all sources of nutritional Vitamin D for 5 months with no symptoms of deficiency.
DrO |
Eva B. Orndoff
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2000 - 11:49 am: | |
Hi. Vitamin D deficiency isn't a problem where I live--Lots and lots of sunshine, so I vary according to season: daytime during winter, early spring and fall; night time during summer, early fall and late spring. Since I have seasonal pasture only, there isn't anything to eat during the summer months, so they just sleep, move around and pretend to graze at night. They're happy, but wish I'd leave them out all the time. |
Dr. Carol Artlett
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2000 - 12:54 pm: | |
Hi All, DrO, thanks for the info. It is nice to know that he is not going to become deficient in anything significant, which was my biggest concern. Jo, I agree with you and my preference would be for him to be out during the day but I have no say in it as he is boarded and Eva all I can say is "LUCKY YOU". He is an active horse and my trainer feels that the longer he is out the better plus he gives his buddy exercize as the horse can no longer be ridden.
Carol. |
Janet S. Hinrichsen
| | Posted on Friday, Mar 17, 2000 - 8:26 pm: | |
Hi All,
Thought I'd add my two cents. In Iowa the winters are very cold and I would love to keep all of my horses in. The older mares and geldings I have do not like to be in a stall. They were not raised in stalls and even don't like to spend much time in the shelter. If a storm is coming they know it and go to the timber some times they won't even come up for feedings. I of course have to go make sure all are okay. They of course look at me like I'm stupid. They know they are where they want to be so why am I disturbing them. They still don't come up until the storm is over. Younger horses I try to let out for most of the day until summer when the sun is hot all are inside under fans. The older show horses get out as soon as the heat of the day is over or before it gets to hot so as not to bleach out their coats and manes. |
Diane H Laspisa
| | Posted on Saturday, Jun 10, 2000 - 11:38 pm: | |
Heres my thoughts, I live in Illionis and we have lots of pests in the spring & summer. The mosqotoites are terrible at night they just swarm anything that moves. I would love to leave mine out all night but no matter what I spray them with they get eaten up pretty good. So I guess I would say it depends on where you live. Mine are out all day till late evening and then are brought in and let out early in the a.m. to eat their hay outside like a horse should do. |
