Has anyone ever had a horse be more nervous or spooky when they are in night turnout?
My Horse is much more up and aware of noises and things when on night turnout. This mornings ride was just not fun due to that and she’s just tense.
Never noticed this with any early morning tides. Is there some critter bothering her at night?
How long has she been on night turnout? Is she with (or near) other horses?
Some of 'em don’t deal well with it; some get over it and are ok after a while. But if she’s not sleeping, that could explain the jumpiness this morning…
I’ve got an older mare with some vision problems. She is noticeably spookier at night but I don’t notice that it makes any difference in her daytime behavior.
When I drop by the barn late, 10, 11, midnight, maresy is very alert and wide-awake. She loves doing clicker work and ground work late at night. She sleeps after breakfast, and is reliably asleep at 8 or 9 a.m. The horses in our barn take clear shifts sleeping, so some of them are flat out asleep at 10 pm, and others (the older ones) tend to sleep heavily all afternoon. The horses have stalls with small run-out paddocks, some of them sleep inside and some only sleep outside. I don’t know what maresy does at night when she’s on pasture in a herd. Maybe, as boss mare, she runs around keeping an eye on everyone? Anyhow, definite nocturnal tendencies here!
If she is left alone in a holding pen after dark, she does get rather upset, thinking we have forgotten to bring her in.
Some horses might not sleep while outside, and so your horse could be somewhat sleep deprived. I have read that horses do not get restorative REM sleep unless they lay down prone. Some horses take a few days to adjust to a routine change. Or maybe she is missing her day time turn out friends as well? Could be lots of things.
I ask the same question as paw:
How long has this been the T/O program?
My 2 are out 24/7 with access to stalls, but they stay out overnight in all but the worst (pouring rain, blizzard) weather.
Right now they are choosing to sleep - lying down - right outside the stalls on the accumulated tracked-out pelleted bedding, dirt, etc. As evidenced by the impressions they’ve left in the ground.
I go out after dark for a last barncheck & to dispense cookies.
They will come in from pasture when they see the barn light go on, sometimes strolling, sometimes Fulltilt Boogie 
And I’ve seen them go on High Alert if they see something in the pasture or on the road that interests them.
But IMO none of that affects their behavior during the day, either on the ground with me or U/S (in harness for the pony).
Thank you for your experiences.
I had forgotten until after yesterdays tense hack that last year she was fairly nervous last summer on night turnout. Last fall when I put her back on day turnout within a few days she was back to being relaxed and much less spooky.
Shes turned out with my other horse so she has company. I don’t know if she lays down to sleep while on night turnout. i know she’s not laying down during the day inside which leads me to believe she’s not sleeping well.
When she’s in at night, she does lay down which is quite evident.
I hate having her on day turnout in the summer in Georgia but I’m thinking about doing it.
Some horses just aren’t happy out at night, they love their stall.
Does she have access to shelter when she’s out at night? A run in could make all the difference.
You can leave the barn lights on or if field is away from the barn, get solar lights. BTDT with both methods.
Unfortunately no run or shelter available, there is a security light near the pasture she’s in.
Maybe that light is bothering her?
Horses have much better night vision than we do.
Was she turned out in that same field last year?
Can you switch her to a pasture that has at least some dark area she could get to?
I have lots of ???, don’t I? :winkgrin:
I had one horse that came from a full time show lifestyle to my fox hunting life style and for two years he did not do well on night turnout, would be cranky and exhausted in the mornings, sleep heavily during the day etc. He was going out with one other horse, had a run in etc. It didn’t work for him until he started going out with an entire herd. In retrospect I think he never felt safe enough with just one other horse to lay down and sleep. Being in a herd of about 20 horses he is a new man. Do you have a herd option?
A lot of animals come out and roam at night. Horses are more nervous about seeing all those coons and possums and all roaming through pastures. The more lights the better.
I had my stallion on 24/7 turnout with a run in. He was not resting well at all. He didn’t get nervous, but it did affect his performance. switched him back into the barn= happy horse… He only enjoys being outside for about an hour max now. unless theres a pretty mare in the next field. 
My rescue TB gelding is super sensitive and was not good being ridden at night under the arena lights last winter. He was super spooky. His vision is fine. I think he just needs more time to get adjusted to it. Hopefully this year he’ll be a lot better.
