wonderhorse11
Well-Known Member
can you keep on 20 acres?
how many horses?
- Thread starter wonderhorse11
- Start date
wonderhorse11
Well-Known Member
anyone any advice? 
Lintel
Well-Known Member
Going against all know. 1 Horse- 1 Acre.
I think it depends.
I would happily put Fatty Highland and his buddy out in half an acre together. Very Very good doers and suspectable to Lami, therefore that would mean that I would put 80 of my highlands out in 20 acres. (doubt I shall ever have 80 highlands though!)
But then you have the lighter non good doers- some of which I think they needs about 3 acre's to keep up a good weight. So I'd only put around 15 Bad doers out in a 20 acre field.
Also depends on the quality of the grass. If it was beautiful rich grass I can feed many. If it was poor feble grass you'd need more acre to get the nutrition.
But space wise- I'd put about 20-25 horses out there.
(I think 80 highlands is just overdoing it with the space!)
Slight ramble...
Yeah.. final answer. 20-25
I think it depends.
I would happily put Fatty Highland and his buddy out in half an acre together. Very Very good doers and suspectable to Lami, therefore that would mean that I would put 80 of my highlands out in 20 acres. (doubt I shall ever have 80 highlands though!)
But then you have the lighter non good doers- some of which I think they needs about 3 acre's to keep up a good weight. So I'd only put around 15 Bad doers out in a 20 acre field.
Also depends on the quality of the grass. If it was beautiful rich grass I can feed many. If it was poor feble grass you'd need more acre to get the nutrition.
But space wise- I'd put about 20-25 horses out there.
(I think 80 highlands is just overdoing it with the space!)
Slight ramble...
Yeah.. final answer. 20-25
Puppy
Well-Known Member
How long is a piece of string?!
Some say one acre per horse, but it really depends on the quality of the grazing, how well it drains etc. I've been on clay soil where you needed 2+ acres per horse, but where I am now is much better.
Some say one acre per horse, but it really depends on the quality of the grazing, how well it drains etc. I've been on clay soil where you needed 2+ acres per horse, but where I am now is much better.
Cazzah
Well-Known Member
Lots of variables to consider:
Soil
Grass coverage/quality
Maintenance
Type of horses e.g. good/poor doers
Size of horses
I've always worked on the principal of one horse = one acre so about 20.
Soil
Grass coverage/quality
Maintenance
Type of horses e.g. good/poor doers
Size of horses
I've always worked on the principal of one horse = one acre so about 20.
forestfantasy
Well-Known Member
Lots of factors to consider:
Bit more info needed please
- Quality of Grazing
- What horses you want to put on it
- Time of year
- Whether it will be all year round or just summer or winter
- If you'll be rotating paddocks or using the whole field
Bit more info needed please
Littlelegs
Well-Known Member
You could get 30 odd if its well draining & you don't mind haying lots & its a settled herd. Or you could struggle with 10 large horses on badly draining clay soil. As already said, how longs a piece of string?
wonderhorse11
Well-Known Member
it is very good grazing with good drainage it will be used all year round and for general livery so will be all types of horses/poines
Super_Kat
Well-Known Member
Personally I'd section it off and say max 6/7 horses as you'd need to allow parts of it to rest every so often or it will get horse sick if you've constantly got horses on it
Enfys
Well-Known Member
That depends on so much.
Soil. Terrain. Local climate. Size of horses. Requirements of horses. Stabled, living out.
Do you want the land to entirely sustain the horses? In which case you need to rotate your grazing and keep paddocks empty.
Do you want to feed forage all year round? I know yards that have 20 acres, and maybe 15 small paddocks with 3 or 4 horses in each, paddocks are merely for turnout and forage is fed year round.
Soil. Terrain. Local climate. Size of horses. Requirements of horses. Stabled, living out.
Do you want the land to entirely sustain the horses? In which case you need to rotate your grazing and keep paddocks empty.
Do you want to feed forage all year round? I know yards that have 20 acres, and maybe 15 small paddocks with 3 or 4 horses in each, paddocks are merely for turnout and forage is fed year round.
Toby_Zaphod
Well-Known Member
There are so many variables, quality of the grazing, wether you are stableing them or leaving them out 24/7.
It's said that you should allow 1.5 acres for the first horse & 1 acre for each subsequent horse. I like to protect the grass & leave some fields to rest so I wouldn't have more than 10/12 horses on 20 acres & I don't leave them out 24/7 either.
It's said that you should allow 1.5 acres for the first horse & 1 acre for each subsequent horse. I like to protect the grass & leave some fields to rest so I wouldn't have more than 10/12 horses on 20 acres & I don't leave them out 24/7 either.
Wagtail
Horse servant
As the others have said, it depends on the land and how you want to keep them. You say it is good grazing, so if it's perfect, well drained and good quality, then average of 15 - 20 horses. If it is going to be grass livery only then I would say a maximum of 12 horses. If you or the liveries are prepared to hay up all year round then you could have 30 plus horses.
Magicmillbrook
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I was going to say.
Equinus
Well-Known Member
Someone I know has 25 acres of well drained land, and reckons she can keep 10 horses and a few sheep and grow her own forage. She has separate Winter and Summer paddocks, and uses the winter paddocks for hay and haylage.
Depends whether you want to keep things in-house or just fill it up with liveries for the rent. I think most people realise horses don't need too much good grass, but short grass poaches badly in the winter if you have a lot of stock.
Depends whether you want to keep things in-house or just fill it up with liveries for the rent. I think most people realise horses don't need too much good grass, but short grass poaches badly in the winter if you have a lot of stock.