numpty question - how much land would be needed?

[blood_magik]

We are currently in a position where we can afford to buy a property with some stables and land.

I'll use 8 as an example because one of the properties I'm looking at has 8 stables - how much land would be ideal?

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[The Xmas Furry]

I have 5 'proper' stables on almost 5 acres.
This 'would' keep 5 who are in over night, or in during the day, all the year round.
Its currently keeping 2, who despite the grass shortage in spring, are strip grazing the top paddocks as usual & are out 24/7

Usually I reckon, 1.5 acres per Fuzzy if out 24/7 (and providing hay in winter). Down to half an acre (min!) per fuzzy if only going out for a few hours per day turnout.
Have had up to 12 on mine in the past, tho most were in for breaking/schooling so only on short term turnout in order to keep a patch resting.

Would love to be in your shoes!

 

[celia]

It will depend on a number of factors:

- How many horses will be grazing the land.

- Your routine - so how much turnout they'll be getting.

- The quality of the land and drainage.

- Whether you want to set some aside for riding on or possibly for hay.

Working on the basis of eight horses stabled overnight during winter and out most of the time during summer I'd want 15-20 acres, ideally split into 3 or 4 fields to allow for rotation.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It really depends on the amount that your horses will be turned out.

My neddies (3 horses) are out 24/7 and we looked at properties with 6 acres minimum. We have a smidge under 8 acres of grazing but we could make another paddock of an acre if we fenced off an area of scrub and re-seeded etc... I wouldn't want more than 4 horses, unless I started to stable at night. I do have stables available which have been very useful as one of my horses has been injured.

My friend (1 horse, 2 small ponies), was looking for a property with a minimum of 1 1/2 acres (she would have liked three acres really) but her horses are always in at night, all year round.

 

[Honey08]

I agree with Celia.

The type of land makes a huge difference. We have 20 acres of clay soil, which churns up at the drop of a hat, or raincloud, and is very hard to drain and manage. We have four horses on that comfortably, with a 7 acre hayfield, and room for storage etc. We had a few liveries at one point, and it got very churned.

It amazes me looking at property ads sometimes that they have loads of stables and about 3 acres - and with a menage and garden included in that! Generally, the more land the better, up to about 30 acres for 8 stables!

 

[blood_magik]

It will depend on a number of factors:

- How many horses will be grazing the land. 3 to start with, then possibly up to 8 if we offer livery

- Your routine - so how much turnout they'll be getting. routine is usually t/o at 9, in at 4

- The quality of the land and drainage. unknown at the moment

- Whether you want to set some aside for riding on or possibly for hay. already has indoor/outdoor arenas built but could extend or build another

Working on the basis of eight horses stabled overnight during winter and out most of the time during summer I'd want 15-20 acres, ideally split into 3 or 4 fields to allow for rotation.

this property has 16.6 acres so it would be possible then
It seems really good value for money though so I'm starting to wonder if it's too good to be true

My two are stabled overnight and out during the day all year round at the moment

 

[Meowy Catkin]

The type of land makes a huge difference. We have 20 acres of clay soil, which churns up at the drop of a hat, or raincloud, and is very hard to drain and manage.

This is true. The field that is on a hill drains very well, but the two paddocks (at the bottom of the hill) are much wetter with heavier soil. We try to never use the paddocks during wet weather, however they are fab when we are short of rain because they stay much greener.

 

[Wagtail]

We are currently in a position where we can afford to buy a property with some stables and land.

I'll use 8 as an example because one of the properties I'm looking at has 8 stables - how much land would be ideal?

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It depends on how many horses you want to keep on it, and how. I have ten boxes but choose to use only seven of them. I have seven acres of land and think that this is a minimum really for seven horses. I would not like to have any more on there as in poor years (in terms of grass) I have to feed haylage in the field ven in summer. If I was moving my own horses somewhere without running a livery, I would look for 3 - 4 boxes with around 8 - 10 acres of land. That way I could keep my huge haylage bills down as would have more grass and possibly a hay crop in good years.

 

[blood_magik]

Let me see if I understand this:

Assuming the land is all in order, I'm looking at 1.5 acres per horse for grazing as we would be looking to stable at night. The minimum per horse would be 1 acre of grazing - is that correct?

I understand that not filling all of the stables would allow us to have a hay crop on the land that would have been used for grazing, which would bring down costs.