Livery yard research

[Terribrown]

Hi guys, a question for any of you who keep your horse on a livery yard. In order to get your horse year round turnout, would you be in favour of individual/nominated wood chip paddocks?

 

[Theocat]

Anything's better than nothing, and I suspect surfaced turnout areas will become more and more common. After last winter, when we were turning out into standing water / liquid mud for months, it would have been a godsend. I'd rather have small groups on a bigger area than individuals, on postage stamps, though, and I'd always prefer a herd on a drained field as my first choice.

 

[JillA]

Or pay significantly more for a lower stocking rate?

 

[Birker2020]

Or pay significantly more for a lower stocking rate?

at the yard i am at presently until its sold which it nearly is we t/o on a sand paddock with nets and each horse gets two hours a day in turn. its a good compromise but cant help thinking my horse would benefit for more t/o at times. but we have peat based fields so all year t/o isnt practical really. i think woodchip degrades if thats the correct word quite quickly and can also be slippy in the wet but thats my understanding and not something i know thru personal experience .

 

[skint1]

I would pay more for less crowded fields and also would consider the woodchip turnout if that's all there was, it would be good to have the facility to provide hay/ haylage as I don't like my horses to be without for long periods.

 

[rachk89]

Nope. My horse had that kind of thing at the last livery yard and he was depressed. Wasn't wood chip though his tiny turnout area just turned to mud completely as it was far too small for him. I won't ever put him in that situation again of individual turnout if I can help it he hates it. But that's just him some horses prefer it although I see some horses at the current place who do look a bit bored on their own.

 

[Nativelover]

I've been on a yard where there was a sand paddock to turn out in. Horse was very bored in there after 5 mins, so it became pointless, although handy to stick him somewhere whilst mucking out.
Also it was awkward when a few people wanted it at the same time as there was always someone delayed because if it.

I'd rather pay more for a less crowded yard and a few hours turnout a day, even just morning or afternoon.

 

[wills_91]

I'm fortunate that my YO only has enough stables for the land to support year round turnout, there is plenty of room to build more stables she just chooses not to as she wouldn't compromise the turnout situation. My horse is out 24/7 April to October and 7am - 3/4 pm in the winter, regardless of weather. I would not have a horse if it couldn't get turnout year round.

 

[JillA]

Ooh, sand paddock with haynets would worry me enormously (risk of sand colic, seen it too many times, especially if YO wants to keep it tidy by minimising amount of hay so they will clear up)
IME 100% t/o is better for the land, there is less congregating round the gate at turning out and bringing in times. That said, all my gateways have been laid with stone, which is another cost for liveries to reimburse over time. Fortunately now, I don't need their filthy lucre lol but many owners wouldn't be able to stand the cost without increasing prices.
OP wood chip becomes garden compost over time - deep and wet, so would need to be laid on top of hardcore of some sort

 

[skint1]

That's a good point re sand colic,once again I am reminded how very lucky I am to be at my yard, have year round turnout, never gets too muddy or trashed as fields aren't overstocked.

 

[be positive]

Anything's better than nothing, and I suspect surfaced turnout areas will become more and more common. After last winter, when we were turning out into standing water / liquid mud for months, it would have been a godsend. I'd rather have small groups on a bigger area than individuals, on postage stamps, though, and I'd always prefer a herd on a drained field as my first choice.

Or pay significantly more for a lower stocking rate?

I agree with both these, the amount of land given up for individual turnout may be better utilised by having hard areas within the fields, less stock and a higher rate would probably balance out loss of income from having fewer horses.
I would like to have 1 turnout paddock as an option for the few days I keep mine in but by choice would not want to use it every day in the winter unless it was large enough to enable horses to live out 24/7 and attached to a barn or shelter that also opens into a field that can be open or closed when required, rather than just an exercise area.

 

[Goldenstar]

Sand colic is only a problem if the horses are left hungry an long as they have good forage around the turn out , I prefer racks to nets in t/0 areas though.
OP I think it depends what you are offering if it's access to a turnout pen for waiting for farriers horse injured that sort of thing and some fresh air when the weathers at its very worse that's one thing but if it's weeks and weeks of standing in a postage stamp in lieu of going in a field It would not be for me.
However I think this sort of thing will become essential with warmer wetter winters and pressure on land .
You will have to maintain and top up the wood chips .

 

[Ceifer]

Last winter I had my horse at a livery yard with too little acerage for the amount of horses. As the weather turned the yard owners policy changed from 2hrs out a day, to out every other day for two hours, then to no turnout at all. My horse was miserable and a nutcase to ride. Never ever again.

I understand if you are on heavy clay or water logged ground but in my view running a yard that has too little land is a big no no

 

[Sparemare]

We have 2 acres per horse. There is a small paddock if anyone wants to use it too.

 

[PeterNatt]

The secret of good all year round grazing is to ensure that the land is well drained and thatv there is good field management..

 

[Theocat]

It's worth bearing in mind that wet winters and flooding are almost certainly just going to get worse: my yard had masses of acreage but the whole farm was covered in standing water - despite a lot of effort on drainage in recent years.

Surfaced turnout might be a necessity in some areas regardless of how much land they have if flooding keeps getting worse.

 

[sarahann1]

Hi guys, a question for any of you who keep your horse on a livery yard. In order to get your horse year round turnout, would you be in favour of individual/nominated wood chip paddocks?

I'd look for another yard, I don't like individual turnout and I much prefer good well managed grazing.

 

[pixie]

I have a fenced off stubble field that liveries can use as turnout for as long as they want over winter (24/7 if required). This compromise means that the winter grazing fields don't get too bad if there has been a lot of days of consecutive rain.

 

[Birker2020]

I'd look for another yard, I don't like individual turnout and I much prefer good well managed grazing.

we have never had a sand colic problem on our yard because the two nets are stuffed full and still have hay in them at the end of the day so they are not eating off the floor. we are lucky in that respect.

 

[Goldenstar]

The secret of good all year round grazing is to ensure that the land is well drained and thatv there is good field management..

No amount of drainage work ( which cost thousands ) will keep grazing right when you have too many horses on to little clay soil .
And that reality lots of livery yards face .

 

[Terribrown]

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses!