This is how it is at my boarding barn. BM has 500 acres, over 150 horses, most of them are broodmares, babies, retirees, layups, and youngsters. There are a number of field boarders out 24/7, and the broodmares and babies have a varied schedule of in and out but are out as much as possible.
Apart from a few young horses being worked over the years, I am really the only person who uses the ring or rides, jumps, competes, etc. My mare and her daughter have been there for 10 years (since the younger mare was two weeks old.) The older mare is (and has been) on 24/7 turnout, in the winter and in bad weather she wears appropriate waterproof clothing, and my younger mare is in during the day year-round and out all night. She is incredibly healthy, low maintenance, and robust, which helps!
When the daughter was younger, she went out with a herd of other fillies in a 15+ acre field and they were in at night – except in the summer – but now she is out all night every night, unless the weather is particularly bad in which case she stays in her stall, but that is a true rarity!
It’s convenient for me, healthier for her since she gets more turnout time, and since she is black and very sensitive to bugs, she absolutely loves being in and under a fan during the day in the hot summer months. We are in Northern Virginia.
At my last boarding facility, my mare (the dam mentioned above) was out at night as well, and it was just more convenient and healthier all around! I’m surprised more boarding facilities don’t do this, actually.
