Field Questions!

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horsesatemymoney

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Ok, how much would you expect to pay for 3.5 acres, just grazing and a shelter, per month, in a horsey area?

How 'well' would 3.5 acres do 2 good doer natives over winter and would you expect to need to feed hay etc on top?

Thanks!
 
What county is it in? Yes I would think that would be great for two good doers,I have one on twoish acres and don't expect to feed much hay, but it is a bit overgrown and I think the grazing is quite good here.
 
I have a 3 acre field that I rent from a farmer and got a good deal at £600 per year rental and then on top of that I pay for all harrowing, hedge cutting etc.
I did not get a shelter with the field though.
My field is clay and I have far too much for one Welsh D. I have to have it cut each year and then in the winter I strip graze him each day but even then I probably only use 2 acres of it in total.
My lad is not out 24/7 though, he is stabled at night every day of the year but I never have to feed hay in the winter when he is out.
I think for two good doers it would be possible you just have to manage the land carefully and let areas recover in the spring and summer and poo pick regularly.
 
i have 2 15hh good doers on 3.7acres and i do give a section or 2 for each of them everyday as i dont want the winter area grazed completely bald-i dont fertalize (spelling) though as i see a dramatic reduction in the quality of their hooves if they are graze on fertalized grass
 
I pay 25 a week for about 3/4 acres and a shelter. I have a river alongside for water.
I have a 14.1 cob and 11hh hill pony on it and it's more than enough. They are on it 24/7 all year round as I just have the shelter, no stables.
 
I have a bit more than that and pay £140 a month in Surrey (but that is a cracking deal :)).

I usually have enought saved grass until Christmas but might not make it this year as they kept breaking into the saved bit when I was strip grazing. I gave up and let them have the final quarter of the field and now they are meeping that they have nothing to eat :rolleyes:. They would have tucked in to it (its a bit stalky) if I had been strip grazing :o. I have told them to try a bit harder.

Be prepared to supplement with hay when the grass is frozen hard all day or snow. In January/Feb when the weather is hardest I feed hay ad lib, but aim to have them on a falling plane of nutrition coming to the spring grass so no risk of laminitis. That way they have a reasonable summer with regulated grazing.
 
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Thanks, how do they go on if it is frozen and cold (do they ever struggle to cope?) I've always had stabled horses! :o Is life easier with them living out? How do you set up strip grazing?
 
They do extremely well in tough conditions, they seem to like the snow. I did worry about them on the frozen ground, but they treat it with respect (unlike some stabled horses who go crazy and gallop about and injure themselves).

The weather they don't like is constant rain and bitter wind. I always keep the field shelter well bedded down as they all go in there.

Horse living out in winter are quite hard work. You will become an weather expert :) Biggest tip is when there is a big freeze, keep dustbins full of water under cover so that when the troughs are frozen solid you have water easily available.

Strip grazing - I put a line of electric across the field, allowing them say a quarter. They eat the grass down, then move the line every other day (or every day depending on conditions). I am on sand so have an easy life compared to those on wet ground.

One of mine is a pure bred Arab and a proper Princess, she has lived out all her life.
 
Thanks RR that is very helpful- I don't think this field has water, so it will be containers, what about security wise, have you had any issues? There is a shelter that I will put straw into and which I could also use to cover us both if I change rugs if it is raining etc. I'm just very nervous as never done it before!:o
 
Security wise, the fields belong to a house and can't be seen from the road, so no problems there. I don't keep my tack up there though and store my hay out of sight.

I have had a field with no water and it was a bit of a bore but I got used to it.

What soil are you on and has the field been grazed recently?
 
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