clairelouisehorses
Well-Known Member
I know alot of people have summer and winter grazing but what about those who only have one field? How do you manage your grazing?
One Paddock
- Thread starter clairelouisehorses
- Start date
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Depends how big it is. And how much grass your horse needs in an ideal world.
My retired horses have had the run of about 6 acres this winter, in a few weeks they will get sectioned off into about 1.5 with another acre to strip graze into and the rest will grow on for hay. That worked really well last year and then they get the whole field again in the autumn
In a smaller paddock it is a toss up between being able to rest an area vs having enough space for the horse.
My retired horses have had the run of about 6 acres this winter, in a few weeks they will get sectioned off into about 1.5 with another acre to strip graze into and the rest will grow on for hay. That worked really well last year and then they get the whole field again in the autumn
In a smaller paddock it is a toss up between being able to rest an area vs having enough space for the horse.
Hipo
Well-Known Member
My two only have one field of just less than an acre. They do not require much grass in spring/ summer. It’s quite well draining for clay, and dries up really quickly as it gets a lot of wind.
It tends to get split in half over winter, and they get hay and come in over night. They are now on the whole field and are living out.
I will split it if I think they are getting too much and borrow some other horses to eat it down.
It tends to get split in half over winter, and they get hay and come in over night. They are now on the whole field and are living out.
I will split it if I think they are getting too much and borrow some other horses to eat it down.
Pc2003
Well-Known Member
My 2 have a paddock of about 3 acres? Dec-mar they get the whole thing as they are stabled at night so like them to have as much space as possible whilst out. Then I slowly start to reduce the paddock size from March onwards to start resting some and then when they go out in April for the spring I go to strip grazing in quite a small paddock as neither need much. By the time I get close to one end it’s nearly knee high 😬
windand rain
Well-Known Member
5 acres 5 horses in winter they have the center of the track in summer they have the track, the track runs about 15 ft around the outside of the paddock I do have to strip graze them onto it as the time from September to April gives quite a bit of growth. The standing foggage has to be stip grazed into and lasts from Sept to about the end of January we are feeding hay now until they go back onto the track
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
I've got 1.5 acres that I've had 2 on (on a track) for summer and (in most of the field) most of the winter, then just the 1 horse since February. I've managed to rest one side of the outside track and once it's sufficiently dry I will put the track back in. It's quite trashed now but that's a good thing for me as it means a bit less grass in summer!
The paddock was just about manageable for 2 horses but it's a much more realistic prospect for one.
The paddock was just about manageable for 2 horses but it's a much more realistic prospect for one.
Equi
Well-Known Member
Depends on many things. I had one field and two horses, one a poor tb and one a fat welsh. it was fine in summer and in winter i would let them trash it to a point then they would come into the hard paddock with a bale, and turned out now and then when it was dry. In about april they would be moved to my neighbours field only for the sake of the tb (he didnt have horses and was happy for it to be grazed down) then in summer it would just flourish and i would be panicking about the welsh.
Now i have the same paddock, but 5 minis instead. Its currently split in two, boys and girls have seperate sides, and so far i have been having a section of it for summer (cause they are fatties) then they get the rest for winter and are fully encouraged to trash it to make the regrowth slower in spring. Its being split again in the coming weeks when it is dry enough so i have a shoot up the middle (to keep young stallion and mares VERY separate) and again i will have summer section then winter they can do whatever. I DO now fertilize and weed kill the winter section cause the grounds had 15 solid years of horses on it with no managment above rag/doc picking, but its not actually that bad looking and clearly its good cause i cant get the bloody weight off the rats even on the bare patches! Last year i had to bring big horse home for two weeks to eat the grass down.
The field is approx one hectre so not massive!
Now i have the same paddock, but 5 minis instead. Its currently split in two, boys and girls have seperate sides, and so far i have been having a section of it for summer (cause they are fatties) then they get the rest for winter and are fully encouraged to trash it to make the regrowth slower in spring. Its being split again in the coming weeks when it is dry enough so i have a shoot up the middle (to keep young stallion and mares VERY separate) and again i will have summer section then winter they can do whatever. I DO now fertilize and weed kill the winter section cause the grounds had 15 solid years of horses on it with no managment above rag/doc picking, but its not actually that bad looking and clearly its good cause i cant get the bloody weight off the rats even on the bare patches! Last year i had to bring big horse home for two weeks to eat the grass down.
The field is approx one hectre so not massive!
Last edited:
Hollychops
Well-Known Member
I have 1.5 acres for turn out. Its not in any way big enough for them to graze sufficiently all year round ive found, hence why it has only ever been for turnout. I have 2 retired ponies on a 3rd of this over winter that gets trashed depending on the weather. We are on clay so it doesnt drain well. they come in at night in winter and if really bad will have a duvet day with my yard, seperated by electric fencing and they can then wander back and forth as they please. I seperate my paddock into 3 by the use of electric fencing and have just moved the whole lot down to the middle 3rd so they have more grass and get them ready for moving to a 5 acre field i rent 1/2 a mile from home. Once there the area theyve trashed will be harrowed and the whole lot sprayed.