Sequel to "Why is it so hard to find a nice yard".

[HorseyTee]

So, some of you may remember my recent post about all the different yards I had viewed and the misfortune I was having finding a nice yard.

Well, I have found a nice yard! To make it even better, it is a very small private yard which I will be sharing with just a mother and daughter, but I will have my own separate half of the yard and own field! So happy and very excited to move

Now, question, I would like to get a 'healthy' mineral lick for the field, preferably with as little sugar as possible, is there anything you guys would recommend?

Another question, I have never had my own field to manage before, it is a just under 3 acre field, and the boys are a 16hh tb and a just over 14hh fatty cob. Would you give them the field all year round, or half it during summer, or half it all year round? I will be poo picking daily, but just not sure on how to manage the grazing?

 

[Fiona]

Congratulations......

Personally we strip graze with electric tape so that the horses get a bit of new grass every couple of days or so...

Alternatively I'd definitely set aside the best draining section of the field for winter.

I never use field licks as ours fought over it, gorged themselves and ID mare took an allergic reaction to the molasses...

Hopefully someone can recommend a low sugar one for you.

Fiona

 

[Nasicus]

Grats on finding a nice yard!
I would split it into several paddocks and rotate between them throughout the majority of the year. In theory you could split 1.5acres into three paddocks to rotate around, and leave the other 1.5 acres to grow up as a winter field? Or 2 acres into 4 1/2 acres paddocks to rotate and leave an acre for winter? All sorts of configurations you could do! I wouldn't let them have it all year round personally, as they would raze it bare pretty quickly without it having a break to recover, so you'd be struggling come winter!

 

[ester]

I'm not a fan of licks as I supplement but if I had to use one it would be a rockies in the field. Have done so before, horse still at the soil

Realistically it depends how wet the field is, the amount of sward and soil depth etc. We have good soil and good grass so the 3 acre field is tracked all summer, we make hay of the middle and spare one acre, it grows back to standing foggage and we use that in 2 or 3 sections over the winter. On poorer soils you will need to do less restriction and winter will depend on how well draining.

Whatever you decided you will do something different next year .

 

[SpringArising]

Mine get a Himalayan salt lick. They're about £7 and last ages.

 

[OWLIE185]

You need to arrange someone to remove your poos so you need to site your muck heap well away from the boundary of any fields so that it is easy to pick up and none gets anywhere near the boundary.
You should also arrange to have your field harrowed and rolled in the Spring of each year and re-seeded in the poached areas in Spring again. I have found that the recovery grass they use on sports fields to be the best as it is fairly rugged and handles the footfall.
If you are going to use electric fencing buy enough posts so that the posts will be no further apart than the height of the post and place them alternatively (at 180 degrees) so that the wind can not blow the tape off. On corners use 5 posts very close to each other so that the posts do not bend.

 

[HorseyTee]

Thanks for the replies.

I am SO excited....I can't wait to do some nice big beds up and go poo picking after work lol. I have 3 stables and a field shelter too, spoilt!

Do you not think a field lick is necessary? They don't get any hard feed or hay at the moment, and usually just hay in the winter fed as needed.

The field is gently hilly, so drainage would keep the majority of the field quite decent, and the top of the field is quite long as the previous person had only grazed the front, so I guess I could fence off that to save for winter and keep them at the front...the back part is highest too so would make sense as it would stay drier.

 

[LaurenBay]

Thanks for the replies.

I am SO excited....I can't wait to do some nice big beds up and go poo picking after work lol. I have 3 stables and a field shelter too, spoilt!

Do you not think a field lick is necessary? They don't get any hard feed or hay at the moment, and usually just hay in the winter fed as needed.

The field is gently hilly, so drainage would keep the majority of the field quite decent, and the top of the field is quite long as the previous person had only grazed the front, so I guess I could fence off that to save for winter and keep them at the front...the back part is highest too so would make sense as it would stay drier.

I use a lick, mine loves them in the summer but doesn't really touch them in the winter. I use a Himalyn Salt lick. Usually I go through a few in the summer. If you have more then one Horse and they fight over it then put another out.

 

[SpringArising]

Do you not think a field lick is necessary? They don't get any hard feed or hay at the moment, and usually just hay in the winter fed as needed.

Horses do need salt. I like the proper Himalayan salt licks as they can self-regulate. A lot of the other licks that are advertised are just very expensive molasses.

I'm more than happy with my horses just on good quality hay/grass and access to salt. They always look fab with shiny coats, too.

 

[ester]

I think putting a field lick out makes me feel better but has minimal impact on their actual mineral intake.

 

[HorseyTee]

Hi, thanks. We do have a brand new Himalayan pink salt lick so might just hang that out for them then.

The yard has a bridle path running alongside one edge too so I'm sure we will get to ride more often too and work on getting them a bit fitter!

I've never been so excited to move before Keep telling myself that I do NOT need to fill the third empty stable with a horse lmao.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

IF you are sharing the field with sheep: just a "heads up" to ask the farmer first - as I thinking I'm right in saying that ones which contain Magnesium aren't good for sheep??

Anyone know?? Something is in my head about it........

 

[HorseyTee]

IF you are sharing the field with sheep: just a "heads up" to ask the farmer first - as I thinking I'm right in saying that ones which contain Magnesium aren't good for sheep??

Anyone know?? Something is in my head about it........

Ye i think it is dangerous for sheep.

Luckily though the only neighbours are other horses off in the distance, no sheeps in sight.

 

[Templebar]

IF you are sharing the field with sheep: just a "heads up" to ask the farmer first - as I thinking I'm right in saying that ones which contain Magnesium aren't good for sheep??

Anyone know?? Something is in my head about it........

Or copper, a lot of mineral stuff often say on them do not feed to sheep.

 

[Landcruiser]

If you have a fatty pony you most certainly don't need to put anything containing molasses in the field! As others have said, a salt lick is necessary but that's all.
Your new place sounds great, enjoy!

 

[DD]

Congrats! I'd split the filed have then in all of it all year round and half of it in the summer. this iswhat I do with my field it works well for us.

 

[meleeka]

I’d let them have it all In winter and section off to rest in spring. I find the smaller the field the more mud will be produced. Have you considered gateways? Some grass mats put down now could save you bother in the winter. For a free alternative I have an old hessian backed carpet laid upside down in the gateway. Once you have mud it’s too late, so might be worth doing something now.

Mine have a Himalayan lick too. It lasts ages but they do use it.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would definitely save the drier part for winter - and it sounds as if that is what the previous person did. Should you need to reseed, which is unlikely unless the field has been over-grazed in the past, FGS do NOT use football field grass. That is hard wearing rye grass, perfect for playing football on, potentially deadly for horses. You need a specialist horse mixture of grass seed, in order to minimise the risk of laminitis. Unless the land is very wet, you will probably not to harrow and roll every year.

 

[HorseyTee]

Thanks for replies.

I have some electric fence now so will halve the field and save the long stuff that is on the hilly bit for winter and see how we get on.

 

[HorseyTee]

Thanks for replies.

I have some electric fence now so will halve the field and save the long stuff that is on the hilly bit for winter and see how we get on.