How big is your all weather turnout?

blitznbobs

blitznbobs

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Im putting down an all weather turn out paddock for next winter … the ideal location limits me to 12m x30m… is that big enough for 2 to 3 horses at a time?

How big is yours ?
 
That sounds fine - its about a tenth of an acre, and anything is far better than being in a stable for long hours during the worst weather weeks. Allows them to trot if they feel inclined, groom each other, look about at what’s going on without feeling ‘confined’.
Our main turnout yard is a weird shape due to buildings and paths, has trees and hedging one side, around a similar sq m size as youre planning, for 2 over 14hh horses. Ive extended it with tracks to fields so use that for extra variance, and have winter trash fields they can use. They go into winter chill mode, so arent fizzy with pent-up energy.
A group of boisterous yearlings may find it limiting though, so good fencing essential, but again, its even better for them than being stabled, if thats the forced situation the weather sometimes puts upon us owners! They’d still get to socialise full body contact with another than being stabled.

I think the situation of the turn-out is just as important as size. If they get to see as much as whats going on around the yard that provides mental stimulation, curiosity, entertainment even, than being in an enclosed space surrounded by hedging all round and being cut-off from activity.
My 2 get to see us wander around doing jobs, the wildlife, our animals, vehicles passing etc. Whereas the fields are very cut-off from activity so when out there in the winter would be waiting at the gate early due to nothing much to graze, and nothing to see. They much prefer being on the yard, munching hay, having a nosey what we’re up to, and having a kip in the open barn.
 
I used to let mine wander around in the yard when I was at my last livery yard. Can’t understand why yards don’t have more ‘outdoor stables’. I know it’s a pain but they really do need to be outside for a decent bit of the day. When I hear of leisure horses living in all winter I cringe. Even though the fields do get trashed they all do recover. Every year I’m amazed at how quickly the mud dries up when it stops raining. We know this!
 
Mine is roughly 20 x 20 but opens off the yard which is an odd shape but probably adds another 15 x 12, plus 3 open stables. I can also open my arena which adjoins, adding another 20 x 40, so they can have a really good tear round if they need to. have 2 x 14.2s and 2 sectionAs on it full time during the winter.
 
Mine is about 10m X 30m, but an L shape plus one stable. He is on it 24/7, as the stable has freezer strips to keep the worst of the weather out but allows him free access. It is just for one small horse as the other goes out on the 30 X 30 arena during the day and a conventional stable at night.
 
30m x 30 m roughly. At one stage home to 3 cobs and a Suffolk punch. Cobs all stabled for a portion of the day :) have them room to mooch, groom, play etc and also get out each others way if needed. Obviously not a huge space but better then a 4 square walls 😘😘
 
It depends on the horses- for lots that would be fine. For ones prone to chasing/kicking/protecting food it is likely to be too small. But even a 20x40 m arena is too small for those! Could you split into two or if your horses are good friends and adlib food supplied - fine
 
blitznbobs said:
Im putting down an all weather turn out paddock for next winter … the ideal location limits me to 12m x30m… is that big enough for 2 to 3 horses at a time?

How big is yours ?
Click to expand...

My barn was 27m x 12m and was plenty big enough for 3 to overnight in, but if I had horses in at night and a dry turnout I would prefer it to have been a lot bigger.
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ycbm said:
My barn was 27m x 12m and was plenty big enough for 3 to overnight in, but if I had horses in at night and a dry turnout I would prefer it to have been a lot bigger.
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It is just for the really bad days… the fields are so wet atm that one of my mares has got abscess after abscess, it’s not tenable to keep her in the wet day in day out I need another option… other than keeping her in every other week
 
Mine is at least 20x40, but a really odd shape so hard to be certain. I don't know what I'd do without it - my heavy clay fields are completely impossible in winter. I have lovely dry legs & feet & nice clean rugs. Not 1,000% ideal, but better than knee deep mud & everything covered in clay.
 
Mine is probably 35x 15m with the stable yard to one side of it. It’s plenty big enough for three. I’ve had it for over a decade and it’s the best thing I ever did.
 
I have 2 two, roughly the same size as that. There is a long one that is about 10/11m wide but about 35m long that has had 4 horses on it over winter. I had a smaller one that is more square that has had 3 horses on.
I put a bale out in them (though fatty pen had to have small hole Haynets for a bit), and they have water troughs too, so they have food and water constantly.
There a big enough for a little canter and buck. One has my old arena surface as a surface.
This winter I think my horses only had one day when the didn't get out and I think that was due extreme wind, but other than that they have been out everyday. They are glad to go out in the fields however. Poo picking the pens is the bane of my life 😭
 
blitznbobs said:
Im putting down an all weather turn out paddock for next winter … the ideal location limits me to 12m x30m… is that big enough for 2 to 3 horses at a time?

How big is yours ?
Click to expand...
Mine is not far off that - about 35m x 15m. It's great for my two. They are generally very calm but can and do have a run around on it. I only have two acres of the most ridiculously claggy clay. I'd never have been able to keep the horses at home if we hadn't put it in. It's brilliant.
I've attached a pic, though after three years of having the horses use it, it doesn't look like this any more.
 

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Mine's 8x20 for two medium-sized ponies, but our land is pretty dry and I've never had to use it as dry TO. The summer track and winter fields open off it. There's a pole barn, water trough and sand pit in it and they do use it quite a bit, more in summer.
 
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