how many horses 8 acre winter field and 7 acres summer rotated f

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Anna2015

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As above really. 8 acres rested all summer to be used winter and 7 acres divided into three fields that will be rotated through summer.

Some horses stabled and some out 24/7

Am I right thinking 6 - 7? As the fields are split.
 
Lots of variables as I see it. Numbers depend on many things:

Size of horses. I mean you can run 30 mini horses on there easily.
Dietary requirements.
Soil type, terrain.
Grass type? Lush? Poor? All grass? Mixed grazing/scrubland?

I would keep more on there, but then I offer forage all year round and do not rely on pasture to sustain my horses.
 
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my current field is approx 4 acres, I have 4 horses, 1 poor doer, on paper, it should support my lot, but in reality it doesn't, on clay, it is a very wet field that would support 2 poor doers comfortably, I supplement the grazing all year, as the slightest shower and it turns to mud, my lot come out of winter lean, my old TB, needs additional feeding to keep him right, so I would say a max of 5 horses
 
Thanks all. The grass is lovely and flat with a tiny slop. This winter has been so harsh for floods and it's held up pretty well. Small little parts have water.

The horses are a mix from a 9hh shetland to 16.2 TB. There's only 3 at the moment but my friend would like to move her 3 in that's why I we checking. Again thank u.
 
The recommendation used to be 1.5 acres for the first horse, plus 1 acre per extra horse, but the way the climate is getting that is asking for trashed fields IME. It depends on whether you want the grass to support them or is it mainly for exercise, are they good doers, are you laying some down for hay, does the land drain well. I have had 5 horses and one pony on 8 acres this winter, in at night and they were finding something to nibble until the last week or two but it is looking pretty poached now.
 
As stated it depends on the field/horses but 15 acres would kill my good doers they have 4 acres of sandy meadow two of which are winter grazing which we are still strip grazing and started on just before christmas they still have about 1/2 an acre to go at and so far I havent used any hay this year they are still fat. They are fed daily oatstraw chaff with supplements in Spring they are strip grazed acrosss about 1/2 and acre and over the summer they will have the rest in tiny amounts. They are fed the same year round. So in a good year I would reckon an acre per horse is good in a bad year you need two acres for the first one and an acre each for the rest. so 6/7 is easily accomodated. If it is a bog them maybe not but it sounds ideal. The old adage of two acres for the first and one therafter included taking hay off for winter forage in summer in the old horsemens manuals.
Just to add mine live out 24/7 and are all under 14.2 two highlands and a dartmoor but until this year we had a Connemara on it too
 
The old recommendations take into account the need to rest, etc. 15 acres ought to be plenty for six horses. If you've already got three on it, you'd already know if it were likely to turn into a quagmire!
 
I have 14 acres approximately with three horses and three minis, they have access to it all over the winter months then it is split into three when the grass starts coming through and they are rotated through the summer. It works out fine but I wouldn't keep any more than that on it. They live out 24/7 all year round but will come in during the day in the summer to get away from the flies.
 
I'd rather only have about 5 on it as you will be less likely to have to feed hay then! plus it will get churned up less!

my mare used to be out on 7 acres already round, it was never rested but there were 4 horses on it! occasionally the cows would go out for a while but there was never any mud, they only ever needed hay/haylage when it was put out for the cows and when I say they needed it, they didn't they just used to share with the cows! I never had to hard feed her during the winter until we moved to less acres!!
 
It depends if they live out or not. I think six would be fine if they are stabled overnight in winter, but might be pushing it slightly if they live out 24/ 7. The ground may hold up okay if it's well draining, you might just find you need to feed more hay as they will eat it down quicker. We currently have two on nine acres. They live out all the time and were originally sharing with two mini shetlands and a flock of sheep, but it's been just the two since mid-Jan. We have plenty of grass - not exactly long and lush but enough that we don't need to feed hay in the field over winter and I think it would have coped fine if the sheep and shetlands had stayed on. But I probably wouldn't want more than four full-size horses on it 24/7 over winter just from the point of view of the grass.
 
If the soils is good and it drains well it should easily cope with six horses, especially if in during the night. Bear in mind that just because an empty field has drained well, it may not when horses are on it poaching it. I would put road clippings in the gateways for the winter field before you put any horses in it (a good area around the gateway ideally where they will mooch when waiting to come in).
 
So only one field would be in use at a time? Will you be resting the winter field in summer or still using it? And vice versa.

Personally I'd only have 3-4 horses on the field - anymore and the field will get trashed in winter. I've a horse and 2 donkeys on a 5 acre flat field that Drains well and it's nearly at the point where they are going to have to come off it and stand in as field is that wet & trashe.
 
It depends on the land.
How well it drains and what the horses are like!
I know 2 quiet 15hh ish geldings that live in the same size field as 2 boisterous 17/18 geldings. One field is wrecked, the other looks good despite the weather and lakes which come and go!
 
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