Is it just me?!

[[69117]]

Has anyone else noticed that fields are looking less and less like fields and more and more like flat squares with no shelter??
I like my horses to have to walk up and down hills, have something to rub against and have the shade/shelter of some trees while they're turned out, and I am especially happy when they can get up to a full, flat out gallop while they're playing.

Now I know that circumstances differ, and that these one acre square jobbies are probably perfect for super valuable competition horses who go out for a couple of hours a day max. or those recovering from injuries etc. I also know that we can't all have access to our dream grazing, and that I am very lucky to live where I do (something I am reminded of every time I look out of the window), but surely this shouldn't be the norm???

I had a dreadful time last week when I took my horse over to a yard near my father's house for the weekend. He is seriously injured and I was going to stay there, and didn't trust anyone with changing his dressings, keeping his stitches clean etc. Now, when I got there, I was shown a small rectangle of much less than an acre, on a slope so steep that if my lad had tried to roll he would have been toast (I know I said I like slopes in my fields, but there was no level ground at all, and he's a twenty four year old recovering from a serious injury!). There was no shade or shelter whatsoever, no water - I would have had to lug it up from the yard, and as he drinks so much I would have been going back and forth all day - and the fencing was badly erected plastic electric fence posts and tape. I promptly burst into tears and took him home again!


Is it just me that hates this sort of thing? I'm so fed up with seeing horses standing in their one acre square, flat paddock, all alone with no friends to talk to, looking miserable in this heat! Like I said, I do know that I'm very very lucky to have what I have, and if it was a choice between the above and no grazing at all, I'd definitely go for the above, but I like my stabled horses to be out from 7am until 10pm in the summer, and from 7am til 7pm in the winter, regardless of weather. I couldn't do that with them in a field with no shelter! I have also noticed that the best way to keep any sort of topline on my old boy - especially at the moment while he's not in work recovering from this injury - is to turn him out on "The Bank", which is a fairly steep field at the top, running down to a flat area at the bottom with a stream and stands of trees for them to play around.

What do you guys think??

 

[MrsMozart]

Ah, horse Utopia.

As you say, you (and your horses) are incredibly lucky to have what you have. The majority of the rest of us have to put up with what we can get.

We're looking for a house with land, and the land is top of the priority list, but even so, we'll get what we can and I doubt it will be even close to perfect. Who knows, we might even have to run some electric tape on plastic fence posts.

 

[0ldmare]

I know what you mean, but I guess its all down to catering for what owners want ie if they mostly want individual turnout then there is always going to be little titchy paddocks, and logistically you couldn't get shade/shelter in each one.

There is a yard near me that has a bewildering number of paddocks all taped off with electric fencing and a single horse in each one. I guess they look fairly happy though it doesn't look very aesthetically pleasing

I have to say I prefer horses to have company and a bit more room, but then again I'm lucky to have my own land and so the horses don't come and go. My 2 love a bit of mutual grooming and stand nose to tail swishing each other when its hot. When one lies down the other stands guard. Its how I like it, but can understand why that's not alway possible

 

[Brandy]

Our fields match your description although are big enough for a gallop! They are properly, neatly and securely fenced, but dead flat (the fens!!) and rectangular. The YO weeds, fertilizers, tops, rolls, mends fence posts etc with startling efficiency!! It is a relatively new yard, and was previously farm land hence lack of hedging and trees, though there are trees along the fence line which are growing nicely and throw shade in all but the highest sun.

Would love a big tree in the field though. And 24/7 turnout would also be nice!

 

[Enfys]

It would be lovely if they could be out on acres of rolling land, but that just isn't, as you say, always possible, or practical. Many horses are kept in paddocks here and fed hay because land is better used growing hay or crops.

I'd love for mine to have hills, my land is flatter than a flat thing, in fact the highest point above sea level in this Province (which is several times larger than England) is a mere 693m, that is 2,274', hardly even a decent hill! I'd love to have some hills for them.

My horses, for the most part, graze small, flat paddocks because that's all I have. They do take turns in 15 acres or so of forest meadow, woodland and forestry, I like them to be able to browse.

I have trees, huge trees, that cottonwood is over 80' tall, what do they do in summer? Eat the bloody thing! Ingrates.

 

[[69117]]

Enfys, that is STUNNING, I won't be showing my horses that or they'll start getting ideas!

I really do appreciate what I have, and can understand circumstances etc. but, for instance, there is a new livery yard near us that opened last year. They originally had five big-ish fields, all with nice trees and although flat, they were lovely! However, they decided that they wanted to make the maximum amount of money from what they had, so those five fields are now 24 individual half acre squares! It makes me cross!! That was just greed, not necessity!

Also, MrsM, I have nothing against plastic fence posts and electric tape - I have sectioned off the dreaded killer buttercups with them! - but this was so badly put together - the hook over thing to close the gate was literally a coat hanger that had been pulled about a bit. Electric fencing is fab and can look b***dy smart when it's put up well, but this looked like the horses had done it themselves! There were places where he could have just stepped over it and buggered off in the the sunset...

I love the fact that I just went and turned Roy boy out after he FINALLY finished his medicine, and he's currently standing with his legs practically giving way while his three best pals groom him. It's seeing things like that that remind me why I buy £4 jeans from Primark in order to pay for my horses and be able to keep them at home!

 

[MrsMozart]

Do you know for sure it was because the YO wanted to make more money? I know quite a few people who do not want their horses in a herd . They want individual turnout so their darlings don't get kicked, etc.... Having dealt with a few kicks and bumps over the last few years I can understand their angst, but my horses are always in herds as that is what I believe they should be in. Also, a lot of owners are scared of walking into a field full of neds .

 

[[69117]]

Sadly I do. Initially they split one field up because a few owners wanted individual turnout - brilliant idea! But when I was chatting to one of the grooms their the other day she said that the YO had realised that people would pay more for individual t/o so split up all the fields. A few people left because they preferred having their horses in a herd.
Tis sad my boy is currently out with all sorts of ridiculous bandage defence systems on to stop his friends grooming his stitches off! But if I put him somewhere alone he'd kill himself trying to get to his friends... can't win!

 

[emmaln]

As you have said, it would be wonderfull to have Paddocks with rolling hills and trees and even a stream running through, of course with post and rail fencing! Unfortunately for lots of us this is not possible financially or practically? My 3 girlies are out in a 2 acre electric fenced Paddock with a shelter which i section off to preserve the grazing! As soon as another Paddock comes available they will have 3 acres! Despite this i have trouble keeping the weight off 2 of them despite being in full work even my tb is kept looking really well on very little hard feed! I do prefer to have individual t/o so that i can control what goes in and out of my girls but would never have them on their own!

 

[pastie2]

I have the most lovely fields to turn out in, in the hills of Cumbria. 40 acres, trees and a river that meanders through it. Dairy cows and sheep. I hate it with a passion, if my mare spent more than 5 minutes in this eutopia she would become so fat and possibly laminitic. She has to spend most of the time in the barn, then in the evenings she goes out into my tiny orchard for an hour or so. I would give my eye teeth for a small patch of ground that didnt have tonnes of fertiliser smothered on it. Dairy cows and horses just dont mix. So be careful for what you wish for!!!!

 

[marmalade76]

I totally agree with you Starzaan, my worst nightmare for my horses would be for them to be in a featureless post and rail or leccy fenced paddock.

I keep mine on a little farm which is no longer a working farm as the owner is getting on a bit. She's rather old-fashioned, which I like. The fields are undulating, steep in places. There are loads of trees and hedges (the safest form of fencing IMO), there are streams fed by springs, lots of valleys/gullies where they can get completely out of the wind and fantastic views. Our fields are never over-grazed or horse sick and they are rotated regularly. They can browse aswell as graze and have plenty of room to have a hooley if they wish.

I went to veiw a pony recently which was kept on a large livery yard. The field there was split into little paddocks about the size of my garden (and I don't have a big garden) with electric fencing with one horse in each - no shade, no shelter and not enough room for a buck and a kick! Horrid! The pony I tried really needed to chill, I expect a decent bit of turn out would have done him the world of good!

Just to give you taste of our turn out:-

 

[maletto]

Obviously that is the ideal, but I think there is a whole sliding scale of what is best for the horse whilst keeping the owner in mind. I know there are yards in London where horses live in 24/7. To me that is totally mad!! Surely, considering that, some sort of clinical 1 acre patch is better than nothing?!

My boy is currently out in a field with 3 other horses, but his bit has been sectioned off. Partly because one of the ponies in the main field is a nutter and partly because he has been kicked and seriously injured (think 3 months box rest) twice previously when turned out with others. It suits him fine as he can see the others and they can groom each other over the electric but can't get into too much trouble (I hope). Because there is no shelter, he is out at night and in during the day. I am lucky that the field he is in slopes upwards and is big enough that he can have a mini hoolie but it is by no means the sanctuary you describe.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that many of us do not have access to such wonderful facilities, nor do we have the time to trek across 20 acres of paddocks to bring them in, so we make do with what we have and try to keep the horses comfortable, healthy and sane.

 

[Enfys]

Sadly I do. Initially they split one field up because a few owners wanted individual turnout - brilliant idea! But when I was chatting to one of the grooms their the other day she said that the YO had realised that people would pay more for individual t/o so split up all the fields. !

Crikey! YO charges MORE for individual turnout? Hmmm, I had never thought of that. I suppose if I paid board then I'd have to stump up as I wouldn't graze my horses in a herd (not of my own) ever again either, I have 4 paddocks going now just for my own 7 horses to avoid bloodshed/unwanted foals etc.

I suppose, logically, individual paddocks mean less space for more horses if you are thinking purely in monetary terms.

 

[tangoharvey]

i agree - my mare grazes in 50 acres with 30 other horses, all the fields are open and they roam like a wild herd, htere are large hedges, trees, natural streams and a river too - it can take 20 min to find your horse sometimes, but I believe they have the best environment in the world AND several fields saved for winter grazing, we dont usually hay until end Dec...

 

[spotty_pony]

I agree with you. It's alright if there is no shelter if the horses are only being turned out for a couple of hours, but horses need some sort of shelter if they are living out 24/7. Two of my horses are in a field, which is sloping and has a hill in it and natural shelter provided by hedges and trees. My other two are in a flat paddock with a hedge along one side and they have a field shelter in there, which although it isn't natural shelter, it is better thank nothing. Another pet hate of mine, is bad fencing. I've seen far too many yards with dangerous loops of tape used as fencing and barbed wire and chicken wire!

 

[_MizElz_]

My horse is so miserable in her barely-one-acre, totally flat square paddock that I am unable to catch her without penning her in....

It isnt that bad. Last year, we were at a yard where she was in an 8 acre field with beautiful trees and a lovely stream running through the end. She was out with five other mares, and one day one of them took a dislike to her and kicked the sh*t out of her. We nearly lost her that night; we made our minds up that being turned out with these other horses was no longer an option, which is why we're now at a yard where she has her own little miserable acre...

Ellie seems pretty happy; although she is on her own, every morning I go down to check her she is led down in the far corner, alongside the pony in the next paddock who she is totally in love with. It isnt the idyllic picture, but she's a lot safer out there on her own, and my piece of mind as a result is far greater! And she's very settled, very happy - and this is what matters most to me.

 

[Llewellyn]

Good point what happened to horses needing shelter! Always had horses in fields with field shelters or hedges and trees (and usually a muddy patch or shallow ditch or stream for horses to play in) but the more I think about it the more I realise its true loads of people don't have any shelter making me really cross the more I think bout it. Spose I never have before because when you look at a potential field I personally do the water, food, fencing, shelter, nothing poisonous/sharp check!

Just thinking of those horses I know who are turned out after lunch (hottest point of day) for a stretch of leg with no shelter!

Shall add to my pet hates list.

 

[Ravenwood]

My horses have the perfect fields as you describe OP - sloping pasture, large beech trees and beech hedges, stream running through etc etc.........but......oh, what I wouldn't give for a piece of flat ground! I am so envious of anyone with a flat field! I have absolutely nowhere to school or put up jumps!

 

[Mithras]

I was just thinking about this recently as I've gone to quite a lot of trouble to get my mare into the sort of field you describe for the summer - 30 acres, grazing not ridiculously rich (the deer also help keep it down , varied terrain, some hilly, some flat, natural shelter (and shade), varied features, etc.. And she is so much happier and jumping so much better than last summer when she was in a smaller, flat field with not much shade. My other horse is stabled all the time with one hour turnout but I don't think he's any less happy than if he were on one of those little electrified squares.

In an ideal world of course, I would have my own 10 acres for both of them and it would be perfect!

 

[skint1]

I keep my pony and horse at 2 separate places and am lucky enough to have good grazing conditions in both places.

The pony lives on a farm and has 24/7 access to a large field with natural shelter, hedgerow fencing all that good stuff, but sadly he is laminitic so in spring and summer so has to live in a fat pen within the main field. The farm kind of came with the pony so it was a serendipidous find in the extreme.

In fact, I was shocked at how rare that kind of freedom is when I looked for a place for the horse. We looked at quite a few places before finding a place with relatively good grazing and management.

The horse lives on a large livery yard, which is comprised of several smaller stable blocks. The YO has created a very sympathetic horse environment (I feel), they're turned out in small herds (ranging from 2-7) Each field is big enough for a good romp, has varied terrain, safe fencing, ours has nice trees annd she has only one other horse in with her and they got on very well together. They have nice neighbours too.

 

[[69117]]

I'm really not trying to imply that those whose circumstances dictate that their horses have to be out in a small, flat paddock with no shelter are bad owners at all! I'm also not saying that my horses are out in 30 acres, which would be HEAVEN no no, my biggest field is 15 acres and rarely gets used because it's so boggy and the flies are murder.

I am, however, saying that it makes me really angry when perfectly good livery yards, with perfectly good grazing, choose money over happiness of the residents. I'm sure lots of horses are happy with this arrangement, and many owners would be too, but I can't help feeling sorry for horses with no shelter, particularly on hot days like we're having at the moment.

I put a pony out on loan to someone who kept her at the livery yard I mentioned in my post above, and had to have her back after a month because the silly woman didn't bring her in during the hottest part of the day. This was three years ago when we had that crazy hot summer, and my poor little cremello girl was a little fried crisp!

My feeling is, if you can, why wouldn't you offer your horse a more natural environment to graze in? Don't get me wrong, I'm not all about that crazy paddock paradise malarky, I just like to see my horses interacting with each other, and having a good scratch on a tree, or just lazing about in the shade on a hot day.

 

[Elsbells]

It all depends on the horse too though TBH. My little mare, who by the way had spent most of her life on a big competition yard before coming to me, went nuts when I turned her out with a friends old horse in five acres with it's stream, trees, hill and shelter. She now resides quite happily in her little acre patch where she can see all of what's going on and she can have the more structured and pampered lifestyle that she prefers.

I now have a very happy, contented and secure horse at last.

Not all horses take to the bornfree idle, all it does for her I'm afraid is make her feel insecure and abandoned, poor love

 

[Enfys]

My horses have the perfect fields as you describe OP - sloping pasture, large beech trees and beech hedges, stream running through etc etc.........but......oh, what I wouldn't give for a piece of flat ground! I am so envious of anyone with a flat field! I have absolutely nowhere to school or put up jumps!

Swap you?

 

[Enfys]

My feeling is, if you can, why wouldn't you offer your horse a more natural environment to graze in?I imagine we all would Don't get me wrong, I'm not all about that crazy paddock paradise malarky, I just like to see my horses interacting with each other, and having a good scratch on a tree, or just lazing about in the shade on a hot day.

Paddock Paradise system isn't so crazy really, in fact it makes darn good sense to me. Especially if you have horses on restricted diets for whatever reason, I know plenty of people that it works extremely well for. Better a loop around a field where they have to move about than from hay to water to shed in a field (as mine have at times)

 

[moses06]

Around my area alot of the yards are individual turnout, I love it!! Never, ever again will I keep my horses in a field with a herd at livery. (If I had my own yard that would be a different matter) reasons for this are injury, I have had horses injured over the years, been unable to get my horse out of the field due to the field bully gaurding the gate - I find this unacceptable, and disease risk of new horses coming and going all the time. and I'm so glad we have small paddocks on our own when the physco horse from hell turned up at our yard NO WAY would I have let mine out with that thing. Mine are settled in their paddocks and want for nothing.
I am lucky enough to have 3 horses so I do occasionally put them together for a while for a scratch and a groom, but at the end of the day, mine are working animals so I need to prevent injury as much as I can TBH I don't give a monkey's toss what other people think, I do mine to suit myself.

 

[zandp]

I am at one of the few yards in my area to have herd turnout, not big herds, mine are in a group of 4 but almost every other yard i've been to look at has individual turnout and a few of them have fields with no shade too. YO's have all said they can't afford the insurance that having herd turnout costs.