Grazing on a hill?

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FrankieBoy

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YO says she's had her horses grazing on it for years and never had any probems, I just wondered what your thoughts are, and If there could be any issues?
Its quite steep and there is no flat land at ether bottom or top, its a constant slope. Could this be bad, or am I being rediculous?
 
Erm, not sure really. I think it helps keep them fit going up and down but if there's no flat land at all I don't know if it would cause strain.

Sorry I can't help. I'm sure someone more experienced will be along shortly and can help more than I have!
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We turn our young stock out on a hill over winter - means that they can be turned out without the mud being such an issue. But you do need to make sure they have some sort of shelter, ours is both sides of the same hill so they tend to go wherever the wind isn't (if that makes sense?)
 
We keep our on a hill and have done for 7years (although it does have fairly flat parts) we didnt have any problems at all until last week when our 20yr old got cast in the field because she hadn't been able to balance herself enough to get up on the steepest part of the field! Its all worked out fine though and we have just sectioned off the least steep bit for the oldy to live in.
In genral i think its almost good for them to live on the hill, it keeps them (and me) that little bit fitter and i think i even read somewhere that it can be good for older joints (could be wrong though)
 
Not to put you off, but i put my ex racer on a hill once and he ran round, ripped his shoe off taking chunks with it, pulled all his shoulder muscles and fell flat on his face all in the space of 2 hours of being put on it. Not saying it would happen to yours (wasnt a problem with my pony when i was a kid, he loved it) but if you've got something that like to run around just be careful in case it looses its footing etc.
 
Good for them...

my back field is like the side of a mountain...the youngsters have a whale of a time galloping up and down...
 
Basically, They have a flat field with a field shelter in which is their over night field, and they go in the sloping field durin the day. I just wasnt sure if there were any inherant risks with them constantly standing on steep sloping ground?
 
No real risks - helps build bum muscles
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There are risks in any field - our summer grazing is flat but a kind badger has decided to dig a hole about 12 feet out from the hedge and about a foot deep in long grass, wouldn't have found it without the dogs and could have caused a severe injury if one of the horses had found it first, so basically there are risks in any turn out
 
Ours are on a hilly field constantly (ok, so some flattish areas at top and bottom) and we have never had any problems (and had a 36 yr old horse on it).

Keeps them fit, out of the mud, and I promise you, if they fall over once trying to run down hill, the lesson will be learnt for next time
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I prefer them to be on a hill as well, certainly when it comes to keeping them fitter.

Also, I have a 25 yo mare who has a slipping stifle. I rotate my fields between my flat field and my hill field. After a couple of weeks in the flat field, the mare's stifle starts to slip. As soon as she goes back into the hill field, all of the symptoms disappear. So being on a hill is very obviously beneficial in her case.
 
my friends live on practically the side of the mountain and turn their horses out on it ok most of the time.........
But have had one freak accident of the horse rolling, going down the hill and getting its legs stuck in the gate. was quite nasty but the horse did recover.
The ponies seem to love it though!
 
mine are on a hill one side is really steep and i used to paick when i first put my ponios on it but now i prefer it to flat grazing as it doesn't get muddy however the grass takes longer to grow back. Mine does have another side which is less steep and the top is nearly flt plus they can walk across the bottom of the hill if they really want to. The only problem ive had was a little shetty x welsh trying to escape being caught and thought she would be clever and bolt up and down the hill repeatedly on about the 5th go down she ran through the long grss which must have been slippy she went over on her side got up and trotted off. So nothing really drastic has happened really and ive been there about 3/4 years. I just hate having to poo pick it but i guess its good for me lol
 
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Could this be bad, or am I being rediculous?

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You are being ridiculous.
 
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