Innovative ideas for keeping horses on small acreage?

[HorseMaid]

I'll start with the fact that where I live there is very little land coming up for sale, and when it does it gets snapped up and is way overpriced!

I have managed to find a very small yard for sale that isn't on the open market. It is horrifically overgrown (abandoned you could say!), however it does have a block of stables (I think there are 8, can't imagine how you could keep 8 there!), an arena, and a horse walker. There is decent hacking in the area also. It has a decent sized yard area and a small paddock (less than an acre). That's it. Less than 2 acres in total.

It would only be 2 small horses kept there if we bought it. In my head I'm thinking I'd get rid of the horse walker and expand the yard they could be kept on the yard over winter, with free access to the arena and adlib hay. It would be better than living in the mud pit they currently have over winter where they stand in one place eating hay all day. In summer could rotate between grazing the paddock and hay on yard, maybe a track system set-up.

Is it doable or am I crazy even considering it? Any ideas or opinions welcome!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

You can make a very good track system on two acres which would increase the versatility.

 

[daydreamer]

I saw a post on Facebook the other day about using google maps to measure the perimeter of a field. It was basically saying that if small fields are used to make tracks the area of the track is often bigger than people think and does better at supporting horses.

 

[teddypops]

It would be do able for just 2 horses especially if you don’t need to wreck the fields in winter.

 

[Hepsibah]

With two it is possible if they aren't poor doers. I have two on about an acre with field shelter which has too much grass over summer. I have a track around three sides fenced off to keep their weight down then I strip graze them at the beginning of winter. Once all the grass has been grazed off they get access to the whole area until around March when I start fencing them back into a track.

 

[skint1]

My daughter's horse lives on a track system, it's on a livery yard, only one in the area that does it. I was a bit taken aback by it at first but I have to say all of the horses there seem to thrive, they're not all crowding the gates to get out or trying to get to grass. I think they get moved onto different ones at different times of the year but not been there that long yet, so I would certainly consider it for this potential yard. Especially if your 2 are good doers. A lot will depend on the type of ground too, is it low lying and wet? If so, that could be a challenge

 

[pistolpete]

In Spain there’s be 10 or 12 on two acres. Only enemy is mud and drainage. I’d go for a track around the edge too but you will need to use road planings mud control mats or limestone unless the drainage is exceptional. Best of luck.

 

[Cloball]

In other countries it's quite common to keep horses on dry lots of little acreage. You could make a track and make in more interesting/stimulating than just an acre box. There's plenty of paddock paradise inspiration. Any grass I think would have to be seen as a bonus though.

 

[L&M]

Definitely do-able - you may need to feed more hay and have them in more, but nothing better than having your own set up to do what you like with. Also with an arena already in situ, you have turnout for when the weather is bad, which in turn will save the paddock.

We have 2 acres for our 2 - 1 x 15hh/1x 15.2hh.

We have it split into 2, the drier half kept for winter and the wetter half grazed in the summer. We then subdivide/strip graze as necessary and have had plenty of grass this summer, to the extent the winter section has gone too standing hay.

Ours are stabled at night in the winter, and come in for few hours a day in the height of summer, or when the grass slows down, so helps eak it out. We poo pick daily, pull weeds as we see them, and top any rough areas with an old sit on mower. We also have a small harrow and roller that attach to the quad so can do all our own maintenance.

So much depends on soil structure, the weather and the temperament of the horses (we are lucky as ours rarely hooley about), but with careful management 1 acre per horse is 'do-able'......an tbh the way land is disappearing, in a few years most horse owners will be lucky to have an acre per horse.

Hope it all works out for you.

 

[paddy555]

very doable, I would grab it before someone else does. Lots you can do with that set up for 2 small horses. Change 4 stables into an open fronted shed so they can wander and the other 4 keep for hay storage. Completely yard in winter, in summer let them have the paddock and let them wander into their shed to get out of the flies.
Considering the problems of getting your own place in current times this seems well worth doing. Good luck.

 

[cauda equina]

I would grab it too
Once in there you might be able to find some rented grazing nearby; if not, I'm sure you could make it work

 

[Pearlsasinger]

A track doesn't have to just go round the edge of your grazing, you can increase the length of the walk by taking the track across the available space diagonally, or up and down the field.

 

[rabatsa]

Easily workable. Although I have access to a lot more land I keep four equines on a similar area. As others said make a track and use the yard.

 

[windand rain]

Yes it is easy on 2 acres we keep 5 on 4 acres no stables. Our soil is sandy which is a massive help. With the yard cleared up it will be a huge asset if the land gets wet

 

[AmyMay]

8 stables could be reduced to 2. Horse Walker gone and immediately you have more space.

 

[HorseMaid]

Thank you all. To answer a couple of questions the ground is clay, but it's near the top of a hill and not near any water so I imagine the drainage is good. I can imagine spending a lot of money on hay BUT they were fed purely on hay last winter anyway so no difference except supplementing in the summer. One is a good doer, the other just "normal". There is a field behind which could perhaps be rented. A relative who has spent time in Spain said horses are kept like that quite happily.

 

[L&M]

I think people get too wrapped up in what is 'ideal' to keep horses - endless turnout on well draining land, herd environments etc etc.....sadly few of us can keep our horses to this 'ideal' and just have to make do with what we have got.......

i am sure you will make it work!

 

[Nudibranch]

Definitely workable but don't be fooled by the hill - our winter field has a spring which appears in winter and the top and sides are wetter than the bottom!
But a track is your friend. Sounds like a better option than many have access to.

 

[paddy555]

far easier to keep horses if you have buildings, a yard and a small field than having no buildings or yard and a lot of grass. It's swings and roundabouts. If you have a more grazing then there is the problem of restriction in summer, EMS, laminitis and fat horses. Also the costs of getting a farmer to top it, weed kill it, hedge trim etc plus if there is too much grass having to find something to eat it.
This way it will be more costly on hay but you are in charge of what they are eating. If it is clay probably don't even think about putting them out in winter save it for summer.

If you are rich and don't have planning problems you could run a permanent hard track around the edge of the paddock to use both summer and winter. A mixture or hard surface, gravel, sand, mud bath, rolling area etc.

Presumably it has water? does it have electricity or can you have a generator/solar?

 

[hock]

If you’re happy where you’re living and you can afford it, i think you should rip their hands off to buy it. I think you can easily make this work and my fingers are crossed for you!

 

[HorseMaid]

Paddy555 no we're definitely not rich ? but I like the idea of a permanent track around the edge. Having our own place I guess what we spend on livery now we could just offset against hay which I'm sure would be cheaper anyway. And Hock, what I'm thinking is that in the long term we could actually move closer to it, we used to live in the village closest to the yard but live a little further away now. Would be good to have a reason to go back.

Perhaps interesting times ahead!

 

[Spotherisk]

Sell the horse walker to fund mud mats ?

 

[Esmae]

I'd go for it honestly. Definitely use half the stables for storage for hay etc. Get rid of walker and stuff you won't use. Selling that might fund another project if you're lucky. Good luck with it all. Exciting for you.

 

[DSB]

Keep the horse walker,a life saver when you are in a hurry,the horses can stretch their legs,while you do the chores.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Definitely doable (with a lot of hay ?)

I personally would do a track in the summer, strip graze the standing hay over winter, keep them on the yard/arena on the absolute wettest days (and/or if the standing hay is just getting trashed - it's hard to know what the land will do until you've had it a few years).

If you've got an arena and also good access to hacking direct from the yard, then the horses will get loads of exercise whatever. Sounds v exciting!

 

[HollyWoozle]

Definitely doable as others have said and I would go for it. We keep 5 (varying from a mini up to a 16.2hh) on about 3 - 3.5 acres in total and they are out on it 24/7. Gateways and some parts do get muddy and churned up but there are always plenty of drier areas left. We feed hay all year round but this year the grass was the best it has ever been, although still poor compared to many fields I guess, and we've supplemented with very little hay this summer. Not having loads of grazing works very well as all of ours are good doers and not in work.

We do have stables with a concrete base open as shelters all year long.

 

[TGM]

I would second the suggestion above to use the proceeds of selling the horse walker to buy some mud control mats. They will make life much easier and more pleasant in the winter. The advantage of them over a permanent hardstanding/track is that you can reconfigure as you wish when necessary. Sometimes you don't understand how your land is going to work until you have been there a year or two so having flexibility is key.

 

[Annagain]

I'd go for it. Could you open up the stables internally so you have more of a barn that you could leave open onto the yard so maximise their space to move when they're not in the field? I too would sell the horse walker to have the extra space and use the money to improve the set up of the rest of the place.

 

[sport horse]

I would keep the walker - a life saver if you get a very wet spell and want to preserve your turnout, or if they are living in a yard and need a bit more exercise.

 

[TPO]

Another vote for mud slabs. They will be a lifesaver on clay.