How much acreage is needed?

[HelenMac]

If I have 5 acres of pasture, how many horses will it support?
I’m only wanting one horse but presumably he will need a companion. There are horses in paddocks almost next to ours but not sharing a fence. My neighbour says that’s close enough but I’m not convinced.
Options for a companion? A retired Shetland pony? Or rent out to a friend’s horse/s? What are my options here?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Burnttoast]

Depends on soil type, whether you intend to stable/yard for part of the time, etc. I would say 3 max personally, to keep the ground in good heart. I have 2 ponies on just under 4 acres, out 24/7 - I'd really like another couple of acres for flexibility and to feed less hay. It's easier to keep horses with similar management needs together so a blood type in work and a shetland doing very little may not be perfect companions, although shetlands/similar are very popular for this role. I do rent to a friend and we rub along well enough but tbh unless your views and ways of doing things are very similar I think it's probably easiest to have just your own horses.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I have two ponies on 2.5 acres of clay. It’s too much in summer and too little in winter.

 

[94lunagem]

I have 2 on 6 acres, April - October they tend to stay on 1 acre then I rotate around the other 5 acres October - March/April. Both natives living out 24/7.

Mine are both companions now but previously I had 2 (then 1) big ridden horses and 1 Welsh A companion. 3 is often considered better than 2 so you don’t end up with separation issues if you want to take your ridden one off the yard. But mine have never been clingy (in any combination) so 2 is fine.

Personally I’d try and manage it with your own horses, I did the livery thing for a while but it was more hassle than it was worth and I can now suit myself with my routines, for example I don’t have to consider someone else and if I want to rotate fields on a whim I just do it!

You’ll just need to bear in mind their compatibility. Most small sorts that lend themselves to being good companions live on thin air, which might not suit your other if they’re not such a good do-er. My smallest has a small paddock (part of the 1 acre) and hay in summer to manage lami risk, with my other in the remainder of that field. They can touch over the post and rail fence (life is too short to try and keep a hungry small behind plastic posts!) which isn’t ideal but he gets some days out at the back end of the summer when the field is eaten down, and they’re together all winter. What I’m trying to say in a long winded way is it’s not “ideal” but it’s fine, they’re happy and there are ways to make it work even if your companion does need weight management.

 

[HelenMac]

Depends on soil type, whether you intend to stable/yard for part of the time, etc. I would say 3 max personally, to keep the ground in good heart. I have 2 ponies on just under 4 acres, out 24/7 - I'd really like another couple of acres for flexibility and to feed less hay. It's easier to keep horses with similar management needs together so a blood type in work and a shetland doing very little may not be perfect companions, although shetlands/similar are very popular for this role. I do rent to a friend and we rub along well enough but tbh unless your views and ways of doing things are very similar I think it's probably easiest to have just your own horses.

Oh yes of course, trying to manage the weight of the pony! Horse care gets more complicated at every turn!

 

[HelenMac]

I have 2 on 6 acres, April - October they tend to stay on 1 acre then I rotate around the other 5 acres October - March/April. Both natives living out 24/7.

Mine are both companions now but previously I had 2 (then 1) big ridden horses and 1 Welsh A companion. 3 is often considered better than 2 so you don’t end up with separation issues if you want to take your ridden one off the yard. But mine have never been clingy (in any combination) so 2 is fine.

Personally I’d try and manage it with your own horses, I did the livery thing for a while but it was more hassle than it was worth and I can now suit myself with my routines, for example I don’t have to consider someone else and if I want to rotate fields on a whim I just do it!

You’ll just need to bear in mind their compatibility. Most small sorts that lend themselves to being good companions live on thin air, which might not suit your other if they’re not such a good do-er. My smallest has a small paddock (part of the 1 acre) and hay in summer to manage lami risk, with my other in the remainder of that field. They can touch over the post and rail fence (life is too short to try and keep a hungry small behind plastic posts!) which isn’t ideal but he gets some days out at the back end of the summer when the field is eaten down, and they’re together all winter. What I’m trying to say in a long winded way is it’s not “ideal” but it’s fine, they’re happy and there are ways to make it work even if your companion does need weight management.

Thankyou. My neighbour has 2 horses and a pony who has to stay on his own paddock (the old mare is possessive of her gelding and the pony upsets her!) and goes indoors to manage weight. He’s not lonely though because he’s next to the others which I’m told is adequate for friendship. Sounds similar to yours

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I don't think living next door is near enough for friendship tbh. How can they do mutual grooming? And will they all be in the same fields all year round? Or could they be separated by one or more fields at certain times? What happens if the neighbour sells the horse or moves away from the property?

 

[Midlifecrisis]

5 acres for two horses sounds good.

 

[HelenMac]

I don't think living next door is near enough for friendship tbh. How can they do mutual grooming? And will they all be in the same fields all year round? Or could they be separated by one or more fields at certain times? What happens if the neighbour sells the horse or moves away from the property?

Yes. I said I wasn’t convinced.

 

[Lois Lame]

Yes. I said I wasn’t convinced.

Actually, I hadn't understood what you'd meant until Pearlsasinger's post.

 

[ycbm]

Helen, putting this together with your Introduction, I just want to sound a note of caution about being a novice owner with horses at home. I know from 30 years experience that having horses at home is isolating and all the responsibility will rest on your shoulders. I'd had over 10 years in DiY with very experienced people and then on a very big livery yard by the time I went it alone. I don't want to shatter your dreams but I do hope you're putting some plans in place to have some experience help you can call on. And that you either like hacking alone or have hacking buddies lined up.

It is a blessing to have your horses outside your door, I hope you get to experience that in all its joy.
.

 

[HelenMac]

Thankyou. Yes, all things that I am considering. It’s not instant either, it will take quite a long time to all come together.

 

[ycbm]

Thankyou. Yes, all things that I am considering. It’s not instant either, it will take quite a long time to all come together.

Please stay with us then because yours is the kind of journey we love to follow and to help you if you ask us to.

5 acres is a great amount of land, not too much, not too little. Y1ou can be very flexibly with that.
.

 

[JBM]

If you’re riding horses
Just be aware you may have to get 3 horses (or a small companion animal) as some horses get bad separation anxiety with just 2 and it can become stressful to work with them by themselves
A lot of horses work fine in pairs but just something to consider as well

 

[HelenMac]

Please stay with us then because yours is the kind of journey we love to follow and to help you if you ask us to.

5 acres is a great amount of land, not too much, not too little. Y1ou can be very flexibly with that.
.

Oh yes, I’ll hang around!
I’ve read so many differing opinions on acres to horses that I thought I’d ask. One that’s we picked up was 1.5 acres for the first horse and then 1 extra per extra horse. So 2.5 acres would support 2 horses and 5 acres would support 4. But I’m still unsure.

 

[HelenMac]

If you’re riding horses
Just be aware you may have to get 3 horses (or a small companion animal) as some horses get bad separation anxiety with just 2 and it can become stressful to work with them by themselves
A lot of horses work fine in pairs but just something to consider as well

3
This plan is mushrooming…

 

[Burnttoast]

Oh yes, I’ll hang around!
I’ve read so many differing opinions on acres to horses that I thought I’d ask. One that’s we picked up was 1.5 acres for the first horse and then 1 extra per extra horse. So 2.5 acres would support 2 horses and 5 acres would support 4. But I’m still unsure.

That used to be standard advice (usually when stabling was also involved) but climate change is making land management/grass-growing harder - either too much rain or not enough - so it looks like those figures do need revising. Finding yourself overstocked is no fun particularly in years when hay making has been tricky.

 

[ihatework]

5-6 acres is a good amount for 2-3 horses.
But the devil is in the detail.
The type of land will have a huge impact on you, particularly in winter - if it's well draining the great. If it's clay then life gets miserable.
Also the type of horse you are planning on putting on the land - smaller/native/unshod that type will need less grass than bigger sportier types in general.

FWIW I've got 6 acres split into 2 x 3 acre paddock, with a large hardstanding area. Horses out 24/7 with free access to hardstanding and shelter. The ground is well draining. I had planned really for just 3 young horses with an occasional 4th on short holidays. I ended up (unplanned) with a 4th all winter. The ground has coped but it's not ideal and next winter I only want 3. But I've fed ad-lib hayalge on the hardstanding since Nov and they will need that until they move paddocks, I expect mid April/early May.

 

[ycbm]

Oh yes, I’ll hang around!
I’ve read so many differing opinions on acres to horses that I thought I’d ask. One that’s we picked up was 1.5 acres for the first horse and then 1 extra per extra horse. So 2.5 acres would support 2 horses and 5 acres would support 4. But I’m still unsure.

The original advice when I was young was 3 acres for the first horse and an acre per horse after that, but it was a model that was meant for people who made their own hay.

It really does depend on how wet or well draining the land is and what type your horses are. Wet ground will keep the numbers down. Fatty cobs will put it up. I had 10 acres but it was wet hill ground and I would never have put more than 4 on it over winter.

Do you have an idea of the quality of what you're buying, drainage and fertility wise?
.

 

[HelenMac]

We’ve got someone coming next week to take a look and advise us. I believe it’s pretty fertile according to our neighbours. It’s had sheep on it occasionally and I think has been used for hay at some point. Drainage ok but will need managing around gates and heavy traffic areas. The neighbours horses have created mud in some areas of her winter paddock along the fence line where they come to speak to us and the gates of course.
There are so many variables. My neighbour has 3 on her paddocks which are slightly wetter and at least an acre smaller than ours. But one is a pony that needs weight management and the horses have hay too as they are in overnight and so on.
So yes, I guess it’s all dependent on the animals you want to keep and how.

 

[HelenMac]

That used to be standard advice (usually when stabling was also involved) but climate change is making land management/grass-growing harder - either too much rain or not enough - so it looks like those figures do need revising. Finding yourself overstocked is no fun particularly in years when hay making has been tricky.

Just the sort of advice I’m looking for. Thank you.

 

[HelenMac]

5-6 acres is a good amount for 2-3 horses.
But the devil is in the detail.
The type of land will have a huge impact on you, particularly in winter - if it's well draining the great. If it's clay then life gets miserable.
Also the type of horse you are planning on putting on the land - smaller/native/unshod that type will need less grass than bigger sportier types in general.

FWIW I've got 6 acres split into 2 x 3 acre paddock, with a large hardstanding area. Horses out 24/7 with free access to hardstanding and shelter. The ground is well draining. I had planned really for just 3 young horses with an occasional 4th on short holidays. I ended up (unplanned) with a 4th all winter. The ground has coped but it's not ideal and next winter I only want 3. But I've fed ad-lib hayalge on the hardstanding since Nov and they will need that until they move paddocks, I expect mid April/early May.

Helpful. Thank you.
What is your hard standing? Is it hardcore?
Do you have stables as well or just a field shelter?

 

[Burnttoast]

This is useful for getting an idea of the type of soil you'll have https://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/

 

[GypsGal1718]

Should be ok, I manage two on 3 acres albeit ponies with restricted grazing as lami prone. They are out 24/7/365.

 

[HelenMac]

This is useful for getting an idea of the type of soil you'll have https://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/

That website is brilliant! Thank you!
“Slightly impeded drainage” as I suspected and a bit clayey.

 

[ihatework]

Helpful. Thank you.
What is your hard standing? Is it hardcore?
Do you have stables as well or just a field shelter?

Hardstanding is 400sqm, type 1 with granno dust over. It’s a treble field shelter that I keep open (but it can be gated/slip railed into 3 x stables if needed)