End of the road because of facilities?

Nudibranch

Nudibranch

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We are lucky to have the horses at home, but the landowner will not sell grazing for love nor money so we have to rent our fields. The farmer has just told us we can't use the barn any more and we'll have to use the 25 acre field instead. Fine for the big ones but my little 30 yo Cushings pony needs restricted grazing. Now I don't know what to do with winter coming.

In summer she has an electric fence, and there's enough shelter with the hedge/trees. However she can't go on 24/7 turnout even in winter and fencing off a patch would mean no shelter. We're not allowed to put up a field shelter. Even rugged, at her age that seems wrong. Now we're losing the barn I can't have her in part time. I have no option now but 24/7 turnout on unrestricted grass and that will not suit her. At the moment she's arthritic but controlled with either No Bute or Danilon and on daily Pergolide. Putting her in the big field is going to risk - in fact probably guarantee - continual laminitis attacks. So do I make the decision now and spare her the risk? I just don't know what to do. I've had her since she was 2. :(
 
difficult position you are in!
would you have the possiblity of putting a single stable in your garden? that way you can keep her in as an when, on your own terms? a pony wont need a huge stable.....may be 10 x 10.....or possibly a bit smaller? shed style???
as long as the stable is within your garden boundaries you wont need planning permission!
 
Can you not fence her off a very thin strip that runs alongside the hedge and trees - that way she has restricted grazing and shelter.
 
Most ponies even of that age if well rugged unless in a very exposed area would probably do ok in a fenced off area.
If you really needed to you could put something down so they had a lie down area if it was muddy.
 
I know someone in a similar position, not allowed to have a field shelter.
So they bought a very old trailer for a couple of hundred pounds (much cheaper than a shelter) and parked it in the field with the ramp permanently down. There's a nice straw bed on the floor and haynets hung inside, and the pony is perfectly happy using it.
 
The small stable in the garden is a good idea, you can make a reasonable shelter from straw bales too. I'd also consider electric taping a small area and putting woodchips or something down that the pony can be brought onto if she's getting too much grass. My laminitic lives out 24/7 year round wirh careful use of electric fencing.

I'd certainly try before throwing the towel in, if she starts to suffer then that is the time to make any drastic decisions.
 
Nudibranch said:
We are lucky to have the horses at home, but the landowner will not sell grazing for love nor money so we have to rent our fields. The farmer has just told us we can't use the barn any more and we'll have to use the 25 acre field instead. Fine for the big ones but my little 30 yo Cushings pony needs restricted grazing. Now I don't know what to do with winter coming.

In summer she has an electric fence, and there's enough shelter with the hedge/trees. However she can't go on 24/7 turnout even in winter and fencing off a patch would mean no shelter. We're not allowed to put up a field shelter. Even rugged, at her age that seems wrong. Now we're losing the barn I can't have her in part time. I have no option now but 24/7 turnout on unrestricted grass and that will not suit her. At the moment she's arthritic but controlled with either No Bute or Danilon and on daily Pergolide. Putting her in the big field is going to risk - in fact probably guarantee - continual laminitis attacks. So do I make the decision now and spare her the risk? I just don't know what to do. I've had her since she was 2. :(
Click to expand...

I would set up a track for her with electric tape. Probably the best form of turnout for a laminitic or arthritic pony. Google paddock paradise or track grazing.
 
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