Turnout Changes: Night to Day. Do I need to prepare or watch for any issues?

[One_Two_Three]

My mare has been on night time turn out (Florida) for 3 years. Over this past summer her stall was moved to a different barn. Up until that point she was next to her best friend, and the horse behind her always hung out at the front of his stall. Now she’s in a stall next to a pony mare that she HATES, and just this past month a huge Clydesdale moved in behind her after having a mini she couldn’t see behind her for most of the summer.

She has melt downs over these two constantly. Over the weekend while cleaning fans I watched her go from the pony next to her, kick the stall board, and then whip around and squeal and kick and bite at the Clydesdale who was half asleep leaning against the back of his stall. (he didn’t even blink when she came at him. We thought this would teach her to just quit, but, no)

The barn owner suggested a resolution that will work at least for the winter months here in Florida. Two other horses go out during the day and are in at night, so she suggested turning my girl out during the day and having her in at night, so there are no horses immediately around her to piss her off. (her barn mates are out at night, minus the two who are in, but do not share a wall with her) I’m mostly concerned with her attitude because I have come out to a horse with a swollen tendon sheath and many cuts with wood splinters sticking out of her back legs, most likely from kicking the stall boards.

Okay, now for the questions.

She was out last night and was left out today to do the transition from night turn out to day turnout.

This is probably a stupid question but do I need to be concerned about the change? She’s not exactly a sensitive horse and adapts well to changes (for the most part. Aside from stall switching, clearly)

She is also going from being turned out 6pm-7am (13 hours) to 7am-4pm (9 hours).

I THINK this will be a good change, even though she’s losing a few hours of turn out. Good for her stress level, good for her back legs…

Am I missing anything to worry about?

Should I keep an eye out for anything specific?

[findeight]

You are fine. Nothing much to worry about as long as her meal times stay consistent and she has water.

Akways had mine out at night in summer and in daytime in winter. No problems.

But you do have something to worry about with your current stall location and maybe with barn management.

Can you see about swapping her stall? Sooner or later that is going to have to be resolved as there will be times with them all in. I would expect the BO would rather swap stalls around? Mine all have done everything possible to keep horses that just don’t get along away from each other. It’s noisy and causes damage to stalls and sometimes horses. Ask about it.

If they won’t ? I’d give the barn a strike-they get 3. They moved your horse after 3 problem free years, they ought to make it right and just switch the stalls around until they achieve a peaceful environment…like you are paying for.

I know you like them and all, maybe see them as friends. But it’s a business arrangement and most if the time, you would never be friends with them outside the barn environment. You should speak up about them relocating your mare and sticking her next to horses she hates-that probably hate her.

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=findeight;7839889]
You are fine. Nothing much to worry about as long as her meal times stay consistent and she has water.

Akways had mine out at night in summer and in daytime in winter. No problems.

But you do have something to worry about with your current stall location and maybe with barn management.

Can you see about swapping her stall? Sooner or later that is going to have to be resolved as there will be times with them all in. I would expect the BO would rather swap stalls around? Mine all have done everything possible to keep horses that just don’t get along away from each other. It’s noisy and causes damage to stalls and sometimes horses. Ask about it.

If they won’t ? I’d give the barn a strike-they get 3. They moved your horse after 3 problem free years, they ought to make it right and just switch the stalls around until they achieve a peaceful environment…like you are paying for.

I know you like them and all, maybe see them as friends. But it’s a business arrangement and most if the time, you would never be friends with them outside the barn environment. You should speak up about them relocating your mare and sticking her next to horses she hates-that probably hate her.[/QUOTE]

I kind of feel obligated to do what the BO says…I get a discounted rate if I do feeding/chores/turnout.

She was next to the BO’s personal horse and then left & returned. When she returned, BO had purchased another horse, and put him next to her other. She suggested moving my mare to the stall that only has one neighbor, and has the tack room to the back. The only reason I haven’t agreed to it, is because that stall doesn’t have mats and is in direct sunlight during the summer.

These are “outside” style barns. No center aisle. 6 stalls to each barn with roof overhanging front of stalls. There are three on each side and they back up to the other three. (sorry, bad at descriptions)

I think the reason she is reluctant to move my girl back to her old stall is because she’s a bit selfish & wants her two guys next to each other, and it just happens they are in the barn that has two stalls & the tack room on their side, so no room for my girl to still be next to them.

So the winter situation is fine, I think. We’ll find out.

But for summer, do I give up stall mats and put her in the stall that has a lot of sun? Am I being too picky there? I know obviously her back legs and her mental state are two important things as well.

And who knows, she might hate her neighbor to the side still, even though it’s the one who was to her back when she was in her old stall.

:eek:

[saultgirl]

Can she just stay outside all the time? I wouldn’t want to keep a horse stalled if she’s that fussy about who’s around her.

Also, I’m a bit offended on behalf of your barn owner, for calling her selfish, for wanting to put her own horses in stalls of her choosing, in her own barn!

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=saultgirl;7840001]
Can she just stay outside all the time? I wouldn’t want to keep a horse stalled if she’s that fussy about who’s around her.

Also, I’m a bit offended on behalf of your barn owner, for calling her selfish, for wanting to put her own horses in stalls of her choosing, in her own barn![/QUOTE]

Okay so maybe selfish is the wrong word, but putting myself in her position and switching roles, I would gladly move my guy if it meant the peace could be restored in the barn…she has another horse who is not with her guys (the big clydesdale that my girl hates)

[Abbie.S]

I can see where you’re coming from, OP. Unfortunately, BO’s barn means she does what she wants. Wouldn’t be what I would do, given what’s happened, but it is her prerogative.

So long as her routine stays consistent, swapping day versus night shouldn’t be an issue.

But I’d agree the stall issue is far more pressing. You’d be amazed at what kind of damage shards of wood can do (ask me how I know… :no: ) I’d approach the BO from a safety perspective: tell her about finding wood splinters in your mare’s legs, the cuts, and the very reasonable concern over her continued soundness and safety. Even if she’s not willing to put you back to where you were, maybe there is some other stall arrangement that can be made.

[PlanB]

[QUOTE=One Two Three;7840010]
Okay so maybe selfish is the wrong word, but putting myself in her position and switching roles, I would gladly move my guy if it meant the peace could be restored in the barn…she has another horse who is not with her guys (the big clydesdale that my girl hates)

:([/QUOTE]

You should probably just be very happy she’s letting you keep a destructive horse in her barn.

[findeight]

[QUOTE=PlanB;7840295]
You should probably just be very happy she’s letting you keep a destructive horse in her barn.[/QUOTE]

Ehhh, she was not destructive for 3 years in another stall. I realize its her barn but most barn owners and managers don’t put paying client horses into unsafe conditions to accommodate their personal horses. Those that do have trouble keeping clients. OP needs to speak up here as her mare is at risk of getting hurt or damaging the stalls, so are the other boarders horses.

OP, those barns are “shed row” style. Popular in warmer climates with little or no snow.

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=findeight;7840525]
Ehhh, she was not destructive for 3 years in another stall. I realize its her barn but most barn owners and managers don’t put paying client horses into unsafe conditions to accommodate their personal horses. Those that do have trouble keeping clients. OP needs to speak up here as her mare is at risk of getting hurt or damaging the stalls, so are the other boarders horses.

OP, those barns are “shed row” style. Popular in warmer climates with little or no snow.[/QUOTE]

Yes shed row! I knew it was somewhere in my brain, thanks!

The BO is not annoyed or aggravated with my mare. She was worried about her well being and had suggested the change of turn out to keep her away from the horses she dislikes. While she’s destructive in the sense of self inflicted injuries, she is small, and hasn’t physically damaged the stall aside from splintering off some wood pieces. But she is destructive to herself.

I am happy to report that I went out to see her after work last night, after she had been out all day. She was quiet, calm, and extremely sleepy in her stall. The Clydesdale was still in, as he has a later turn out time, and she couldn’t care less about him. She was not pawing at her door (as I had sort of feared she may do, seeing all the horses go out) and just seemed so content. So fingers crossed that this continues and becomes a good option for the winter months.

I talked to the BO last night also, and told her I would consider moving my mare to the outside end stall that backs up to the tack room if we could either move the stall mats that are in her stall now over there, or add some to that stall. It was funny I mentioned that, because a new boarder was coming in, and stall mats were put in yesterday! They should only be here over the winter (snow birds) but she said if they weren’t gone by the time we needed to turn my mare out at night again, that we could swap their stalls. Now my only qualm with this stall is the direct sunlight at about 3pm. I guess I can always put up another fan on the other side of her door, to help block sun, and add more of a breeze for summer. The horse who was in there before never had issues, so I guess I’m probably just picking at petty things now.

[LauraKY]

[QUOTE=findeight;7840525]
Ehhh, she was not destructive for 3 years in another stall. I realize its her barn but most barn owners and managers don’t put paying client horses into unsafe conditions to accommodate their personal horses. Those that do have trouble keeping clients. OP needs to speak up here as her mare is at risk of getting hurt or damaging the stalls, so are the other boarders horses.

OP, those barns are “shed row” style. Popular in warmer climates with little or no snow.[/QUOTE]

I’ve always moved my horses around to accommodate boarders. They are the ones paying the bills, after all.

[trubandloki]

It sounds like the barn owner is trying to accommodate the OP and that things are working out well now.

[findeight]

Always nice when an OP reports back a situation has been resolved.