Paradise paddocks and laminitis

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Patchworkpony

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Given that laminitis is such a prevalent condition these days, with the wetter milder seasons, can a paradise paddock really help negate the risk? I really hate those tiny, muddy electrified “prisons” that so many animals are forced to live in. Photos would be very helpful and inspiring.
 
Yes. A proper paradise paddock allows the horse to have freedom to move and removes the need for the “prisons” which you mention. There’s things for enrichment and also different surfaces for hoof health. The only thing missing is the grass. I have a track round my fields through the summer only and it’s amazing how trim it keeps my old natives.
 
meleeka said:
Yes. A proper paradise paddock allows the horse to have freedom to move and removes the need for the “prisons” which you mention. There’s things for enrichment and also different surfaces for hoof health. The only thing missing is the grass. I have a track round my fields through the summer only and it’s amazing how trim it keeps my old natives.
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Thank you for replying. May I ask what is on your track? If you want to bark it or sand it I have a feeling you have to get the dreaded planning permission.
 
Yes, paddock paradises in their various iterations really are the way to go. I put one up last summer for the first time, and my three did very well on it. Formerly I started with a smaller area and strip grazed I to longer grass x 2 daily. Now they have a larger area to start but no strip grazing until about November. I’ll be doing the same this year.



D7DB8D72-F3BA-4211-81CA-567111677056.jpeg

My take on a paddock paradise/equicentral system to suit my lay out at home. The neds moved about a lot more on this than on the strip grazing set up., and the grazing held up well, too.
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ETA Ah, do you mean the properly grassless system? I clearly don’t have that, but this works well for mine :).
 
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Patchworkpony said:
Thank you for replying. May I ask what is on your track? If you want to bark it or sand it I have a feeling you have to get the dreaded planning permission.
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Mine is just basic and grass (or dirt) which is why I only have it for the summer months. I think you’d be ok with something like clippings that doesn’t alter the actual ground.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Yes, paddock paradises in their various iterations really are the way to go. I put one up last summer for the first time, and my three did very well on it. Formerly I started with a smaller area and strip grazed I to longer grass x 2 daily. Now they have a larger area to start but no strip grazing until about November. I’ll be doing the same this year.



View attachment 41845

My take on a paddock paradise/equinatural system to suit my lay out at home. The neds moved about a lot more on this than on the strip grazing set up., and the grazing held up well, too.
View attachment 41846

ETA Ah, do you mean the properly grassless system? I clearly don’t have that, but this works well for mine :).
Click to expand...
 
The beauty of the layout that I showed is that it didn’t cost me anything extra to set it all out. Shutting a couple of gates and opening another, putting some extra electric fencing out (which I already possessed) and removing the second water point so the neds have to walk back from the second field when they want to drink.

Two of the neds have Cushing’s, so I need to be very careful with their grass intake.

The flip side is that it’s not all weather, but once the long grass has died down to foggage in late autumn IME it’s safe to strip graze them into it over the course of the winter.
 
I just use a track round the edge of the field. Depending on what the grass is like, it's either a full circuit or an L shape. Stream at the far end, gate and shelter trees at the nearest point. Even the L shape makes an 800m track (gets expensive in terms of electric fencing!) and I narrow or widen the track accordingly. Usually it's about 5m wide. Keeps them moving a lot more than a tiny square patch. If we need to do serious restriction I use an open barn and yard, and run the track around that instead to minimise grass.
 
I use track systems for my three mares and it really helps to keep them moving. The tracks all meet at certain points so they interact over the electric fence. They cant go in together as they dont get on!
 
I've got a horse with PSSM and track her field from spring onwards. If it was my own land I'd put more permanent tracks in place to use all year round.
 
We run a track round the edge but only in summer, it's not viable in winter (low lying somerset clay).
We make hay off the middle and our other paddock (on the right)

Find it much better than strip grazing etc over the years of ownership. When both were in full work we did have to make one side a bit wider so it we could fit a schooling space in.

83555013_10162995416980438_1384868808245641216_n.jpg
 
yes i'm on a yard so can't set up a full track with different surfaces, but set up my mini version last year and all summer had other liveries and the yard owner and family commenting how much my horses moved in the field all summer ! Keeps my cushings/EMS 25 year old mare fit and the younger who's had SI issues fit
 
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