sjp1
Well-Known Member
I like my yard very much.
Our horses are corralled during the winter and go out to grass during the night in the summer and are stabled during the day.
I have no desire for my horse to be out 24/7 either winter or summer because he is now barefoot due to navicular changes, plus I am pretty sure he is metabolic.
The problem with my current yard is that the corrals are mud and not good mud. A layer of quarry dust has been put down and I am pretty sure it is acidic - the pea gravel I have put down has just turned to mush in one area because there is no drainage at all. And am pretty sure this won't change. The yard owner is lovely, but it is becoming fairly expensive for me - they feed haylage (included in livery) which they make themselves which is very high energy - I don't feed this because it doesn't help mine either with behaviour or feet. Plus the yard bedding which is included in livery is woodchip - wet and not very helpful for barefoot horses, so I use my own bedding - this can't be straw because they don't have the facility to get rid of it. We use straw for sheep so this is yet another cost I have to bear as I am having to buy in flax bedding - more absorbent than shavings and cheaper, but not as cheap as a good straw bed which would be dry if used in sufficient amounts.
I am not keen really on being a livery yard owner - but I would like a better set up and I know that most livery yards are all about making the most for giving the least - thats fine, if it suits your particular horse.
I would far prefer a track system for winter and summer - I am not keen on mine stuffing himself on grass all night and getting lammi or standing around in mud which causes foot issues during the winter with not enough movement.
So are there any good barefoot yards in Devon and are they needed?
Our horses are corralled during the winter and go out to grass during the night in the summer and are stabled during the day.
I have no desire for my horse to be out 24/7 either winter or summer because he is now barefoot due to navicular changes, plus I am pretty sure he is metabolic.
The problem with my current yard is that the corrals are mud and not good mud. A layer of quarry dust has been put down and I am pretty sure it is acidic - the pea gravel I have put down has just turned to mush in one area because there is no drainage at all. And am pretty sure this won't change. The yard owner is lovely, but it is becoming fairly expensive for me - they feed haylage (included in livery) which they make themselves which is very high energy - I don't feed this because it doesn't help mine either with behaviour or feet. Plus the yard bedding which is included in livery is woodchip - wet and not very helpful for barefoot horses, so I use my own bedding - this can't be straw because they don't have the facility to get rid of it. We use straw for sheep so this is yet another cost I have to bear as I am having to buy in flax bedding - more absorbent than shavings and cheaper, but not as cheap as a good straw bed which would be dry if used in sufficient amounts.
I am not keen really on being a livery yard owner - but I would like a better set up and I know that most livery yards are all about making the most for giving the least - thats fine, if it suits your particular horse.
I would far prefer a track system for winter and summer - I am not keen on mine stuffing himself on grass all night and getting lammi or standing around in mud which causes foot issues during the winter with not enough movement.
So are there any good barefoot yards in Devon and are they needed?
