Managing with a small paddock...

metalmare

metalmare

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I have moved Humber onto his new grazing and it is a small paddock - I would say between a 1/4 and a 1/3 of an acre.

The other option was to sell him! Fields to rent are not common around here as it's mainly agricultural land.

Now I hate seeing him alone and really want to get a companion, under 12.2hh.

Can it be done? I realise I would be feeding hay for much of the year and probably moving fencing around all spring and summer to rest the ground, but Humber grew fat this year wearing a muzzle and does need really restricted grazing in the summer months.

The long term aim is to buy my own land but I can't see him alone all the time I'm saving - it could take a couple of years!
 
Sure it can be done, don't worry. He's a sec A right?

My mini lives permanently in a paddock the size of yours, often with a weanling QH for company, he is next to other horses too. In summer I don't feed him at all because he blows up like a zeppelin if he as much as looks at fresh grass.

Get yourself a small pony/donkey as a companion (Charity re-home jobby? Market shetland?) and if you have to feed hay year round so be it. He'll be fine. Promise.
 
Thank you :)

He is indeed a sec a and even in the bleak midwinter I can barely feel his ribs.

I prayed it could be done with care and planning. You've brightened up my evening!
 
metalmare said:
Thank you :)

He is indeed a sec a and even in the bleak midwinter I can barely feel his ribs.

I prayed it could be done with care and planning. You've brightened up my evening!
Click to expand...

Happy Christmas.

Hey, paddock cleaning is much easier too in a small space! :D

This is where Charley lives: It really is only a very small patch, used to be a bit of the front garden!

scan0001-2.jpg
 
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The main problem with small areas is poaching, so much will depend on the soil you are on. Low-lying clay soil may end up as a bog, but if you are on sloping sandy soil you should be fine, even if you have to supplement with hay.
 
Wow - aerial photo, how cool. And look at all those gorgeous woods, I bet you get some fabulous birds and animals come visiting.

The space looks pretty comparable, I would say.

As for the manure, the next door house has a huge veggie plot... think I might be onto something ;)

Merry Christmas!
 
It is clay, but at a highish point. Hoping that little unshod feet won't do so much damage. I was thinking of having a wet area that is given over to damp days but retaining an area for dry days so that there is always some better, rested pasture. Also, the next door neighbours have a smaller paddock they've offered for summer use... but I don't like to rely on that. That said, until you buy your own land what can you rely on? As this week has proven to me.
 
With just two small ponies you'll manage fine with a small area like that if it's well drained. Little feet make so much less mess! And in this weather the ground is totally solid so it saves the ground anyways.

Maybe think about getting a small patch hardcored with a shelter put up and confine them to that during the very wet weather. As long as they've got food and a friend they don't need much room.
 
Agree that he/they will be absolutely fine, they will have loads of room to race around if they are only little. We use 'hay balls' for our section A's in normal weather as they don't have a lot of grass in their new paddock. We fill a small holed haynet to the correct weight for the group and tie the top up so that there are no strings to get feet caught in. It makes them eat more slowly so that the little they need/get lasts longer, you may find something like that useful.
 
Is that then loose on the ground to entertain them?


It's funny - the house I asked for rent is called 'Acre House' so I thought I was well in. Turns out the plot is an acre, including the area that the house and dozens of hen houses stand on, so the paddock is small.

That said the owner has had cattle and pigs in the past as well as his own ponies.
 
sorry yes, we just throw it into the paddock with them and they share it really well. It may not be perfect for you but that is often the case no matter where you are and at least you will be happier and 'master of your own (and your pony's) destiny'.
 
I have two minis on around i think about 1/2 an acre ( in comparrison its about the size of the field Enfys has in her picture at the back end with the field shelter in, no the one Charlie has ) however i seperate this into three. In summer they get one part, as i need to keep their weight down, for showing and laminitis reasons. They get extra feed/hay when necessary. Over the summer the grass is allowed to grow in the other 2 parts, lightly grazed by a friends horse to keep the top off. Once my shows are over, between October - february they are gradually allowed on the other 2 parts, where they live out 24/7 over winter and are allowed to graze that little bit extra once most of the goodness has gone out of the grass.

It does get poached but not too bad, once the ground dries, we roll it and it more or less grows itself. Ive never had the need to fertilise, especially as the other 2 parts are left to grow over summer for the next winter.
 
Thanks everyone. This is so encouraging. And exciting! I feel a bit more prepared as I have electric fencing and muzzles (if I rested an area then moved him back on) so I am starting to feel my own boss.

Those miniatures are absolutely stunning!
 
Ah thankyou! Meant to add you will have to make sure you poo pick though. On average i get about 1 barrow per 24 hrs with two 32" minis so you shouldnt get much more!!! I seperate mine all with electric fencing its so easy, you can adjust your grazing as and when. To be honest i find in summer i actually have too much grazing and usually end up reducing it even more :)
 
I asked the chap earlier what should I do with poo, as in should I form a muck heap or bag it up and get it off the land (somehow!)

Ahhh, leave it, he says, the rain will wash it in.

So I had to reword it, no I'd like to make a muck heap and save the grazing, if that's okay!

Typical Lincolnshire laid back...!

In reality I think I'll have to have a gardener's fest, a friendly farmer or a tip run periodically as I don't want to lose land to a muck heap!

One thing, Humber eats thistles, nettles, anything, so there shouldn't be much rough left!
 
Youll def have to get rid of it!! If you imagine what 365 barrows full of muck on your land will look like in a year!! It deosnt wash in either and removal will obviously help with worm issues.:)

edited to add, my minis graze EVERY bit of grass because i remove the poo. I dont have any "tuffs" as you would get if the poo wasnt removed. removing the poo will give you more grass available for the horses to eat.
 
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