show and tell - horses kept as a herd in a barn

[coffeeandabagel]

As the purchase of our new home proceeds I am forever planning my perfect set-up. I love the idea of over-wintering them in a herd in the barn. Can you show me some examples and tell me the pros and cons of doing it please? I remember a piucture from daveismycat that was amazing! The horses were in a huge polytunnel.

 

[Queenbee]

As the purchase of our new home proceeds I am forever planning my perfect set-up. I love the idea of over-wintering them in a herd in the barn. Can you show me some examples and tell me the pros and cons of doing it please? I remember a piucture from daveismycat that was amazing! The horses were in a huge polytunnel.

Not my set up but I know of a set up in devon that worked extremely well - they had a significant Paddock Paradise system, that ran through a huge dirt floor barn, where they fed hay... the horses loved it. They used this system all year round and the horses had the freedom to come and go as and when they pleased. Another - was my old riding school, all the horses that needed shelter/extra TLC in the winter but did not have a stable were wintered in the indoor arena at night with piles of hay... in both scenarios the systems worked very well.

 

[MouseInLux]

Do you mean something like this? http://www.free-range-stabling.info

This system is getting to be very popular here in Luxembourg and I believe Germany.

 

[cowgirl16]

A friend of mine uses this system. There are 6 horses. Mixed sexes. They are all out at pasture from late afternoon to mid morning the following day, then all come into the barn for the rest of the day. They are all remarkably chilled and calm. I love this setup, wish I could use it myself. Like Queenbee, I remember an old riding school using their indoor arena to house the ponies at night in the winter. Worked really well. I can't really think of any drawbacks to a setup like this - provided the animals have enough space to spread out and avoid ones they don't particularly get on with.

 

[ycbm]

This is mine. Locked in overnight and out daytime in midwinter, locked in daytime in high summer, come and go as they please spring and autumn. Three feeding stations, automatic water with a drip drain when frozen. I only ever remove muck, daily. It's a brilliant system. I really can't think of any cons!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I don't have any photos but I have done this on and off for years now. I had a small barn that I used for three of them originally-the barn was in a hardcore yard area and they could be confined to that or have the run of the field and the barn/yard.

Currently in the winter I have use of an open fronted byre bedded down with straw-they cant have free range from that to the field sadly but the byre is maybe 50ft x 20ft. I did have three in this system but now down to two. I am quite high up and we can have big storms come in -if I keep them in the byre I dont panic if I can get there due to snow/fallen trees straight away.

Harvey Smith was keeping his horses this way back in the 70s/80s!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Ycbm I love that, really love it. I've always had a beautiful little yard idea in my head (for when I'm rich/lottery win!) but you've just changed it!
Does the wet need removing at all? Or does it just kind of rot and get replaced?
Brilliant you must have very happy horses

 

[coffeeandabagel]

Yes, aren't they great. Ycbm yours is huge! I haven't measured the barn but it's possibly half that size. Would be 2xhorses and a pony.

 

[Equi]

I have 3 stables (one split) so my herd of 5 get to choose who they want to spend the night with really. The mare/foal get one stable, but the other three choose..the loner filly usually chooses to go into a stable on her own and the other two go in together. When the colt gets up a bit he will have his own stable obviously, the others will again just go where they want lol

each stable has two hay racks, at opposite sides/corners so there is no fighting over hay.

 

[ycbm]

Ycbm I love that, really love it. I've always had a beautiful little yard idea in my head (for when I'm rich/lottery win!) but you've just changed it!
Does the wet need removing at all? Or does it just kind of rot and get replaced?
Brilliant you must have very happy horses

There is concrete on the bottom, sand, some earth and a lot of rotted wood shavings from when I used to use stables. I never remove any wet, it just goes to the bottom.

Yes, aren't they great. Ycbm yours is huge! I haven't measured the barn but it's possibly half that size. Would be 2xhorses and a pony.

It's an old lambing shed, 12m x 27m. Just a complete fluke it was there with the house we bought. I don't know why it took me fifteen years to realise they should live in it!

I have had five full size in it. I currently have two big boys and two minis.

I also ride in it in really bad weather.

 

[Shoei]

I have a 20 x 40 3 sided barn we use. 4 horses fed hay in there (separate piles) and they come and go as they please in winter.

I do have stables but only use in the very worst weather as they tend to stay in the barn when there is plenty of hay and save the grass anyway.

Keeps the oldie moving about and my stress head calmer. I think they are much healthier and natural. We only have 4 now but it worked just as well with 6.