Do you leave Barn Lights on

[Basketmiss]

Just wondering if you leave lights on or off in the barn during the night?

Does it make a difference in how the horses sleep?

Thanks

I have 2 geldings...

 

[Dona]

I have (1) 40 watt bulb I leave on towards the front of the barn closest to the foaling stalls. It puts out just enough light to be able to view the foaling stalls on my camera...but not enough to bother the horses.

 

[nluszcz]

No, I don't. Lights mess with stallion's systems. They cause them to "cycle" sooner than you want, causing them to flip to "winter mode" in the height of breeding season.

Lights for mares generally cause good things, ie cycling earlier than normal.

As far as security, I do leave a small light on outside the barn for safety.

 

[Miniv]

When we have stalled horses, YES. We keep one light on.........We also have an outside light on that is "light sensitive" and shuts off as the sun comes up. And a radio on 24/7.

MA

 

[Equuisize]

We keep a low watt bulb burning, makes enough light to

navigate in the barn in an emergency.....

We, too, keep a radio going for them....

 

[Shari]

Having lights on messes with a horse's night vision....also do not believe in Radios. Have worked in barns with radios and no radios. I will not have radio's on for my animals, just do not think it does anything for them. And I figure...I don't like sleeping hearing someone elses noise.....they might not like it either. Same with the light.

But each person must do what they feel best.

 

[minih]

Yes, we have two barns very seperate from each other and each has a light on all night. We also keep a radio on during the day, but we turn it off at night, I would not want to listen to something all the time. Everyone needs a break!

I will not have radio's on for my animals, just do not think it does anything for them.

We keep a radio on mainly to desensitize against sound, it really does keep a horse from spooking if you are at a show or anywhere with different noises.

 

[Marty]

I am so glad you brought this up.

Yes I do and I have no idea why.

I am strange.

Do strange things.

I have 1 large light in the middle of the barn that I have been leaving on at night since the time change. Hus asked me if we bought more stock in the electric company. Wanted to know why I keep leaving that light on in there. I said "I dunno"........Guessin I should put it out. OH!

We have floods on both ends of the barn outside just in case I need to go up there for some reason.

It's hard being me.

 

[Connie P]

One little night light on and right now Christmas music.

When I am watching a mare close to foaling I leave a light on in her stall so I can see what is happening over the camera.

They sleep just fine - I've watched them snooze for hours, especially when you think a foal is coming.

 

[Denise]

Most of the time no but when I get a new one in and they are stalled for a few nights, then yes I keep a light on for them. Once they are comfortable with the surroundings they are no longer stalled at night so off goes the lights. I do keep the radio on during the day but off at night. We sleep with the window open so we would hear it all night long.

 

[Basketmiss]

Ok I asked the question, now what I do.

Yes I have been leaving a light ( 40 watt ) on in the barn for Giddy ( he's the one stalled right now) I wasnt sure if I should be..

Marty you crack me up!! I just started laughing and my daughter say "What" I say what Marty posted made me laugh!!

So I guess I am strange too

and so is my over protective husband!

He thinks Giddy needs a light on to see in the barn..............

What if he cant see will he still poop in the perimeter of his stall??!!??!! HAHAHAHAHAHA He might start pooping ALL over his stall!!

 

[Minimor]

If we have horses in the barn--which is rare these days, but there have been several winters when we did keep horses in the barn every night--we absolutely do not leave lights on, nor do we leave a radio on. Why not? Because if we have horses shut in the barn the power is turned off at the breaker. No power means no chance of electrical fire in the barn.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Yes we have one light on in the barn in case of emergency and when the mares are in the foaling stall we use Christmas rope lites in addition to give us light enough for the camera even with a low light camera. We go down there every night at 8-9 to make sure all is well we also have a small watt light in both run ins again in case of emergency I like to be able to look and see that the head count is right and it doesnt seem to bother anyone. Its not like its 100 watts or anything just enough so we dont need flashlights to see whats going on in there. The big barn has a radio and it is also on playing oldies and soon Christmas music. As for the stallions they are away from the lighted end of the barn. We have a metal roof so the radio helps if we get pelting rain or hail as some of them are nervous about that noise. Also Helen is particularly sensitive to new noises ie: wind or rain on the roof and the radio helps mask that noise as well. Sooo guess Im wierd too.

 

[Miniv]

Just thought I'd add.............I feel it's good to have a light on either outside or just inside the barn at night incase of an emergency! Even if you don't have a horse stalled, having a light on close by sure helps if something is wrong.........plus some sort of lighting AND the radio is just one more thing that helps deter coyotes.

MA

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Very interesting thread.

We use one stall as the "feed room" and we keep a 60watt bulb on in there at night. A bit of the light spills over into the alleyway and a bit into a couple of the stalls. Our stallions are at the very opposite end from the light. When we have a mare in a foaling stall, we keep a 40watt bulb on in their stalls so we can see better on the cameras.

Our dry lot and our pastures have no lighting and that's kind of a bummer. It would be nice to flip a switch when the dogs are going nuts to see what's out there.

Also, I've found it helps to keep the rodents down to keep the area with the feed lighted. Well, that and the 7 barn cats!

 

[Cathy_H]

I leave a 7 watt night light on unless I am watching a mare under camera. We have a small barn so don't need much light to see everywhere. Just outside the barn on a light pole is a big security light which shines inside the barn when it is nice enough to leave the front open.

 

[eagles ring farm]

We keep a 40 watt bulb on when we are on mare stare in our foaling stall for the camera

and also when we have gotten a new horse for the first night ( don't ask me if it does any good)

other than that we have no lights on in the barn but we are lit up very well outside all our barns

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

I leave a bulb on when I am watching mares that could foal, so the camera gives a better picture. I also leave the light on for a week after the mare foals, so the mare and foal have time to be used to each other and not step on the foal. The only other time I have left lights on was when I was trying to have the mare ovulate earlier in the season.

Robin

 

[Buckskin gal]

Well ours is on plenty but simply because hubby often forgets to turn the lights off

I know they don't need them on except if we are expecting a foal and then we leave a 40 watt on so we can view the camera.

 

[Marty]

Can I have another turn?

Ok see in foaling, we do have a light on in that stall so we can see the camera or it would be dark and couldn't see anything because I have had a poop foal and a shadow foal and a bucket foal. But the cams are off now so we don't need the light.

Another thing is that like Minimor I am scared of fires so when I go someplace like for a few hours, I do shut down all the lights at the breaker too.



What if he cant see will he still poop in the perimeter of his stall??!!??!! HAHAHAHAHAHA He might start pooping ALL over his stall!!

Well see now you brought something different to mind because we leave a night light on in the bathroom and I am wondering if we didn't if there would be a problem that way

I have to go practice Soulja boy again bye