paddocks...big or small/split?

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noodle_

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I have an acre (approx?) for my horse - its currently split into 4...

back has masses of grass on, which is resting...front not so much (resting) and 2 middle ones (using and rotating)

Trouble is it dips a lot and gets VERY wet...

Just wanted opinions what you all think is best... have it in half (half summer/half winter) up the middle - whole lot all year? (no divide?)

or divide it off into smaller paddocks?

My horse needs to eat constantly but she gorges...literally its not normal...!!

Whats the best way to divide (or not?) it all off.... my paddock literally goes up a hill (middle) and back down the other side

Just ideas on the best way to manage it - ?? PLENTY of room but im obviously lacking field management ideas : :D :D
 
I'm like a broken record with this :o but a track system around the perimeter works fab! Controls the amount they eat, keeps them moving and rests the middle for as long as you want to!
 
thanks :D it had crossed my mind.... (but also the cost for the amount of fencing that i will need which kinda puts me off lol!!

My fields more long than wide, hence splitting it currently into 3 (soo to be 4 when it dries up she can go on the long grass)

I dont have much grass now purely as my horse is so effing greedy... normal horses would have tons on this field :o :o :o
 
I do it round an acre paddock with simple electric fencing and poly posts, so not too expensive and easy to move, you could halve it and then track just one half to save fencing. I've got a super greedy one too, although I've got eight huge sheep on at the moment that have eaten everything down to bare earth so opened the lot up!:eek:
 
haha :D

thats my "issue" - where i would happily fence it off for her (half an acre?) for the first one, she wouldnt have tons of grass, but i dont want her on mega amounts of grass to be honest!, i just need her nibbling (ulcers)


does it help grass growth too, given if shes not constantly on one bit?? I could rest just under half of it if i paddock paradised the first half (which has been resting for a month but still not much grass , but enough?))


just need nice sun for my grass to grow :D
 
Would you split a field with lekkie fencing (paradise system or other way) with a 2 year old?

My intention was to split my 2 acres into half so rest half, graze half, but having seen the speed and energeticness which with my 2 year old now does BIG GALLOP LAPS for fun, I'm thinking it's much safer at the moment to give him (and my 18 year old) the whole space for the next couple of years.
 
im going to split mine into the paddock paradise but only use half my acre! which sounds mean but my horse looks amazing atm (lost a lot of weight) purely as shes stopped being pumped full of crap cereal foods...

she eats redigrass and hay - thats it! (ok some natural simple systems in her feed ball) but nothing she sholudnt have


who knows.... next week i may ask about parelli (JOKING, cant stand parelli :D :D )

for a 2 year old that likes to gallop lots and obvs has the space to do so - split it...

mines in 4 and thinking about it, has WAY too much of an easy just shuffling round it... so will try it for a few days letting her wander round in a circle while the back half rests... then put her on the massivly grassy bit in stages :)
 
I've never had youngstock on a track system, but I'd imagine that there are plenty that have. The beauty is that you can make it as wide or as narrow as you want, my mare uses it as a racetrack and will happily gallop round it :D

It depends how big the track is as to how the grass copes, I tend to move the track as needed to increase/decrease the grass and if it gets too wet I make the area larger to stop poaching. I allow the grass in the middle to grow - when piggy sheep aren't demolishing it - and use it for winter forage. :)
 
noodle_ said:
I dont have much grass now purely as my horse is so effing greedy... normal horses would have tons on this field :o :o :o
Click to expand...

TBH unless you have a native pony or miniatures, an acre isn't really enough for one horse for a year if kept out 24/7, I know mine would make short shift of one acre only, would have to end up supplementing forage and feed to make sure they had enough.
In your situation, I'd split into 2 and either make sure it's grazed down before going onto the other side or swap over every fortnight so neither get too long and he has to work for what he gets. In the winter, the larger size should stop it being poached quite so much but I'd save the one half just in case the other gets a beating and you have to rest it in the spring.
 
Suechoccy said:
Would you split a field with lekkie fencing (paradise system or other way) with a 2 year old?

My intention was to split my 2 acres into half so rest half, graze half, but having seen the speed and energeticness which with my 2 year old now does BIG GALLOP LAPS for fun, I'm thinking it's much safer at the moment to give him (and my 18 year old) the whole space for the next couple of years.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more with you. Youngsters need space to run and play and are much safer the larger area they have rather than risk stress to joints if they're always cornering and braking.

I feel so sorry for those at livery yards (some not all I know!) where they have only a tennis court size patch; how on earth can they have a stretch out and play on that size of ground?
 
You could if possible have two electric fence lines parallel and each day move them both so that they get a new bit and then part of the eaten section gets rested, when you get to the end/boundary you start at the beginning again so at least a foot or 2 wide acre length section is fresh and the other rested daily until you have covered the whole of the field. Hope that makes sense. Bit labour intensive mind, but then anything to do with horses is time consuming and physical... thats why I can eat lots of chocolate!

I manage my strip grazing like this and it works well
 
It's not how big your paddocks are its what's growing in your paddocks that you need to think about and how you manage them to get the best out of them into your horse.
 
Thanks all :)

i made just over half her paddock into a track and she thinks its amazing lol!


she spent ages mooching about the new grass and walking round...dontthink she could believe her luck :D

So for now - shes on there while the middle and back rests :)

as its drying up it will be fine...once it gets wetter, not sure what im going to do :o
 
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