Shamed for Harrowing Paddock

[luckyoldme]

I wouldn't change a thing.
I've just been through a whole interfering colleague thing.
If she approaches you again tell her you don't want her unsolicited advice.
If after a couple of attempts to get your message across she still sticks her nose in just tell her you are busy and walk away.

 

[Ponyroc]

Your neighbours sound completely bonkers! I suspect no matter what you do they will need to find a reason to kick off. It’s hard when you get your first horse as you question everything. I’ve just finished harrowing 2 of my clay paddocks. It’s the only way to break the ruts up to even it back up. Your regime sounds good too me - I do a combo of poo picking and harrowing and this year I will be rotting my muck heap down and chucking that back in the fields too. (I also keep the seedy bits from the bay I feed and Chuck that on the field). Horses take so much from the paddocks that you have to put it back. Don’t engage and stay polite but carry on.

You're kind of right about them finding any reason. I spoke again to the neighbour who got shouted at (the friendly one who doesn't like dirty paddocks and in her personal opinion doesn't think harrowing is useful but doesn't hound on me about it), and she mentioned the angry lady who came at her said that the rugs hanging on my fence up the driveway looked like 'chinese laundry'. Her own words.

I think I have decided to go the route of harrowing only when I'm literally about to move him to a different paddock entirely instead of doing thirds of a paddock at a time. I'll pick and pile up the poo and then spread it over the paddock after he's left it and harrow it in then, and of course, leave him off it for at least 6 weeks. More work but at least then I have a resolution that keeps the neighbours happy, particularly when he's in the front field, but still fertilise the field naturally.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Your land do what you want with it. Tell you neighbour to sling their hook