Paddock track grazing on clay?

pottamus

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18 November 2005
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Hi for those of you on clay that have a track system around your fields...how does it stand up in winter?
My OH is not happy about the idea but I wanted to give it a go this year when I move my lad onto a new field. It is a rectangle field surrounded by hedge and trees on both sides but is clay. The total field is about 1.5 acres and it will be for one horse.
 

TTK

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4 October 2010
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I'm on heavy clay and let them have as much land as possible in winter to spread the wear. My neighbour has a track system and it is 2 foot deep of claggy mud and is revolting. I wouldn't do it, not on clay.
 

touchstone

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My track isn't on particularly heavy ground, but I still find it ploughs up over winter if left in the same place. I solve it by gradually moving one side of the track in over time so that the remaining area in the middle is grazed. The beauty of it is its flexibility, I can move one side or all of them and just use part or all of the field so that it is rested and doesn't get ploughed up. I usually have the whole field in use by the end of winter, but you can adapt it to to whatever you want.
 

AngieandBen

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Split the field up; half acre for spring/smmer, then do a track around this and strip graze it down. Leave the one to grow for winter. Even with just one horse on it it will churn up on clay
 
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