Show me your track/strip grazing systems!

texenstar

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Hi Everyone!

I know this has been asked before but, unfortunately, all the old threads no longer have the pictures on due to the forum update.

Who here uses a track system/strip grazing/other? I have 2 horses both who are rather fat, barefoot, and do not need lots of long grass. I will be moving onto my land at the end of this year. I have 4 acres to play with (which includes barn and arena) so am looking for inspiration!

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read or answer :)

Picture of the two fatties in need of managed grazing!

28276669_10155819121230932_7936630843449356793_n.jpg
 

PapaverFollis

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Last summer I had my two on a track around 1 acre. One end was blocked so I could hook it up to the electric on the outer fence so it wasn't a complete circle. It worked really well. They were always hungry for a bit of hay. I thought my field was 2.5 acres for some reason (had a maths brain fart) so thought they had more space than they did but it still kept the weight down on the fatty and kept the old girl moving. Sometimes a bit too much. I'll share the video which shows the track well but the old girl was a bit lumpy because she'd gone nuts the day before!

This year I am down to one horse and have 1.5 acres. Going to try making the track a complete circuit and use a couple more posts so my corners aren't as sharp.

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MissTyc

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I don't have any pictures, but I have a figure of 8 track. I move the "loops" of the 8 around so they can strip graze but they never know exactly where the grass will be. They cover a lot of ground every day!
 

MyBoyChe

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MissTyc, how do you do a figure of 8? Im thinking just 2 separate circles but that wouldnt force them to walk around the whole of the 8. Ive currently got a huge rectangle which they have to walk around the outside of but Im a bit worried what Im going to do with the grass that grows on the inside! Yo wont cut it for hay so I might just hve to keep it mown :(
 

MissTyc

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MissTyc, how do you do a figure of 8? Im thinking just 2 separate circles but that wouldnt force them to walk around the whole of the 8. Ive currently got a huge rectangle which they have to walk around the outside of but Im a bit worried what Im going to do with the grass that grows on the inside! Yo wont cut it for hay so I might just hve to keep it mown :(

Depends if they're allowed some grass or no grass at all? Mine are allowed grass.
I have a perimeter fence that is the outside of the whole track, and then I run two separate fencelines as inner tracks, roughly as a figure of eight but of course the shape itself doesn't matter. I move these inner fencelines around a bit here and there so the horses are encouraged to search for their grass by travelling the whole track. Also, hay on one end, water on the other. Mine use it as a racing track several times a day. I only have my rehab horse + companion on there as the others are out on 40 acres but it's worked very well and I only need a single strand of fencing which they haven't broken in a year (touch wood!).
 

meleeka

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I loved my track but I think it may have contributed to my boys head shaking (letting the middle grow) so I’m trying without this year. Mine was a figure 8 too. The stables are in the middle and always open. Mine was only over 2 acres but I was amazed at how trim it kept them through the summer.
 

tda

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I had 6 ponies on a track around a just under 2 acres field. Worked well, as the weather was dry. We then took the tack down and strip grazed it later in the year.
I'm going to rest it for a couple of weeks (they've been out all winter) then put the track back up.
I would love some other surfaces other than grass, but OH is not too keen
 

Nudibranch

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I use a track half way round a 9 acre, with a stream at one end and shelter/gate at the other. Its 400m long and usually about 10m wide though I adjust the width depending on waistlines. So much better than a regular fatty paddock - I can see them from the windows and they're always moving about.
 

HashRouge

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I normally just strip graze but am trying something different this year. My field is very long (not sure how long exactly but 250m worth of electric tape is not long enough) and very narrow at the gate end (maybe 15-20m?). It stays this wide until halfway down, then gets quite a lot wider (50-60m?). I think the deer have been grazing on the field all winter as there wasn't much grass when they moved down a week ago. I gave them the whole field to start with and it was amazing to see how much more they were moving than usual and I really wanted to maintain this. So now that the grass is coming through more, I decided instead of sectioning it off into a small paddock and then strip grazing, I would give them a long thin strip all the way to the end. I set it up today, so will see how they go. I will just make it wider to give them more grass as needed :)
 

ester

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round about 3 acres, hay made off the middle, grows back up to foggage and split into 3 paddocks for winter (too wet to keep the track up) It's wider than I would have it ideally but I wasn't there for construction last year! -We started doing this about 6/7 years ago, 3 year gap when the ginger came to Wiltshire and has been back up since he went home (and can no longer be muzzled).
39925366_10160891478245438_658303054935752704_n.jpg


Personal track for one (round about half an acre)
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pistolpete

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No photos but I only have two acres for two fatties. I have been trying to double strip graze. In other words move the tape up behind them as they eat. It’s anazing how much the ground recovers in a short time this time of year. This way they are still restricted but the area they are eating isn’t getting bigger and barer. Helps keep the plant diversity and makes the grass last longer. Feeding lots of hay too. May have to soak hay if weight increased.
 

3OldPonies

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Interesting to read this thread. I'm trying a track for the first time this year and was wondering what to do with the bit in the middle! Think I'll leave it for winter foggage if I can. If we get the rain promised this week, I might even be narrowing the track or making one end into a dead end.
 
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oldie48

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No photos but I only have two acres for two fatties. I have been trying to double strip graze. In other words move the tape up behind them as they eat. It’s anazing how much the ground recovers in a short time this time of year. This way they are still restricted but the area they are eating isn’t getting bigger and barer. Helps keep the plant diversity and makes the grass last longer. Feeding lots of hay too. May have to soak hay if weight increased.
I have to admit, I don't like to see my paddocks completely stripped bare, I think I may have to think about a muzzle for my fatty as I'm struggling to think how to make a track for him whilst allowing enough grazing for my other horse.
 

Nasicus

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I asked on here a little while ago for ideas, and this is what I currently have and have planned:

track.png

This is over 4 acres, and it's working really well so far, keeps the pair of them moving back and forth from the grass to the water. Once the grass in the current access is getting thin (but not bare) I've been opening up a bit more at a time. For example, that red rectangle on the left side was opened up last night for them. Once they're further into the left hand field, I will probably shut off half of the shaded area to allow it to regrow.
 
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texenstar

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I asked on here a little while ago for ideas, and this is what I currently have and have planned:

View attachment 31860

This is over 4 acres, and it's working really well so far, keeps the pair of them moving back and forth from the grass to the water. Once the grass in the current access is getting thin (but not bare) I've been opening up a bit more at a time. For example, that red rectangle on the left side was opened up last night for them. Once they're further into the left hand field, I will probably shut off half of the shaded area to allow it to regrow.


Thank you! This is very helpful :)
 

pippixox

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I loved my track but I think it may have contributed to my boys head shaking (letting the middle grow) so I’m trying without this year. Mine was a figure 8 too. The stables are in the middle and always open. Mine was only over 2 acres but I was amazed at how trim it kept them through the summer.
I didn't get mine topped last year so it got very long and my mare developed sweet itch. may just be coincidence but this year I am keeping on top of it and will get it topped early to keep the length down or look at getting it grazed by less good doers for a bit! the benefits are too great to their weight not too for me!
 

pippixox

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I have about 6-8 acres (never measured it accurately!) it is almost a rectangle, but gets a bit wider at the back. one long side is a river and one is a road and the short end by the farm track is where they come in and I park. I have made a U shape track along riverside and to the back end of the field, so they cover plenty of ground as they go off to far end but have to come back half way to drink and all the way to the gate near the road for breakfast. then a big rectangle to open up in the winter strip by strip.
but this winter they trashed the front bit quite a lot on the short side by the gate, so this spring I have moved the track to the opposite long side by the road, (had to add hose extension to move the water) and made an L shape so the front trashed bit is being reseeded and rested.
does that make sense! I need a drawing I think
but basically my plan is now that each spring the track will move to the opposite long side so it can have a turn being rested. or it can get a bit too sparse and don't want land lord to complain.
 

Hormonal Filly

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Following as I have about 3 acres (just my summer field!) for 2 geldings with good grass. One I have restricted and made a paddock up the long side as he is fat but unsure what to with the rest of the field. My other gelding isn't fat yet but don't want him having the rest of the field which is over 2 acres to himself as he'll soon get fat or having to less as hes a 'escaper' and will just jump out if he gets bored.

I may strip graze it after reading this. @pistolpete do you move the fence behind them and in front of them. So you're resting it behind them but they get a tiny bit of extra grazing in front of them regularly without suddenly giving them the entire field?

Trying to avoid feeding hay as fields quite a walk.

No photos but I only have two acres for two fatties. I have been trying to double strip graze. In other words move the tape up behind them as they eat. It’s anazing how much the ground recovers in a short time this time of year. This way they are still restricted but the area they are eating isn’t getting bigger and barer. Helps keep the plant diversity and makes the grass last longer. Feeding lots of hay too. May have to soak hay if weight increased.
 

windand rain

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track2.jpg
about 3/4 of an acre and a track about 15ft wide this is the end we move in to give a bit more grass but you can see the track the other side too where it goes round passed the car. It is blocked atthis en the water is the other side of the track fence to the right of this picture so they have to go round the track to drink and back to get grass The black pony is laminitic and hasnt had a bout since introducing this system three years ago
track 3.jpg
the water end a different year
 
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JillA

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This is my layout - three horses, one Cushingoid and, er, rather well on the middle paddock which is about 2/3 acre, on poor doer on the larger field which is over 3 acres (he then has the middle for foggage in winter) and the smallest paddock (about 1/2 acre for a friends good doer QH. Electric fencing on polyposts as the inside fence, with lead out cable under conveyor belting for connection. Although they don't HAVE to keep moving for shade, water etc they do seem to . All are barefoot with good feet, except the poor doer who suffers with cracks.
 

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JillA

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Hi there,
I am a third year animal sceince student looking into grazing systems for my dissertation, if anyone who uses a track system could fill out my survey that would be amazing!
https://nclafrd.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N8prbhc34XB3p3

I did start but after the initial page there isn't scope for multiple answers and I really don't have time to do the whole thing three times for three horses. If you could revise it to cater for that let me know and I will be happy to complete - I was one of the first in this area to set up a track system and I have a PPID former laminitic
 
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Hi, thank you for completing and taking interest! It is for one horse at a time but honestly just completing one is a great help to me.
As for 'bumping old threads' I did start my own thread but had no luck with any help, so I found a thread in which I thought people may be interested as this is the topic I am covering, so thank you to those who have helped me.
 
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