Suitable place for a pony?

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Scot123

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Hi - I would really appreciate some advice from more experienced owners. I am currently looking (after many years riding & experience with other peoples horses) to buy my first horse.

Actually, I will be buying a pony (approx 13hh) to share with my young daughter.

Our house is semi-rural and has a large shed that can be converted to a stable (approx 14ftx14ft) along with storage. There is a bit less than 1/2 acre ground - mostly hillside. Also direct access to forestry tracks and beach for riding each day. What would be your opinions of this set-up?

Obviously need to take into account amount of ground available/company etc. Advice/comments appreciated!
 
congrats on moving into ownership! :D

a couple of points spring to mind. If it is your first horse then Id recommend being on a yard with others at least to begin with.

I have a small paddock about 1/2 acre attatched to my house and had a stable/shelter built. I used to hack home from the yard and have lunch while my horse had a haynet... then we progressed to a 'sleepover'. Eventually I felt confident enough to move him home completely and have never looked back.

I have fab hacking from home, and i cope without a school and minimal facilities as the hacking and convinience of him being outside my back door outweighs it. Its great in winter to be able to pop out and top up hay etc.

The other thing I did was in addition to my paddock, i rented a bigger field of a couple of acres a few hundred yards along the road from my house. The paddock gets really trashed in winter so its good to have something to rotate with. I also got a companion pony but its not been easy - its not always as simple as getting just 1 as the one you hack out can be nappy and not want to leave its friend, likewise the one you leave behind might freak by itself while you are away. I got round it by carefully selecting both the companion pony and the ridden horse i bought (first one was the exception and was happy being alone). I had to make sure the companion i bought was an easy going sort and i had to ensure the ridden horse was not in any way nappy and was independent enough to go out/come in alone. I had to put work in to make it work; putting the companion into the stable for a short while with hay/leading him out etc so they started the way they would go on.

Good luck with it all, its definitely do-able:)
 
Thank you very much for your answer. I guess there's always a way! Yes, as you say, I think my ideal would be finding good grazing close by so there would be enough space for a companion too. Or sharing grazing of course. I've been struggling to find any grazing in my area (nigh on impossible I fear) which may be the thing that scuppers my plans! Hence my question on feasability... But thank you for your encouragement and advice, it's appreciated.
 
If you find a really good dooer ie lives on fresh air I would cut the field in 2 rest one side use the other, this way it wont be over grazed and will recover .
Also pick up poo remove any weeds as possible.

weeds take up s space. Make the most of what you have by having wall to wall grass with very little or no weeds.

Also put a grazing muzzle on so he wont or she wont eat to much, this way you can subsidized him with hay and save your field. You might want to get a little companion like a donkey also with muzzle as a companion. Donkey has the advantage wont need exercising doesn't cost allot to feed, and wont be stupid when u take the pony out ( might bray but that's it)

Our front field is less than an acre prob 1/2 we have a 14.2 with a muzzle pony and donkey also with muzzles. tho in summer donkey is in garden bit. Do this and you will be fine , if you get a shelter or stable and keep him in part time you will find you have plenty of grass.


hope this helps
 
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Hello. Many thanks, that's all really interesting. So do you keep both the pony and donkey on that area full time or also have grazing elsewhere? I suppose it is not so much the grazing that's the issue, as feed would obviously be supplemented (and you have the muzzle suggestion), - but the area needed for them to be happy outside. Do you think that's enough ground for them to enjoy being turned out, (if they are also given sufficient exercise being ridden)? Especially if I were to take on the suggestion of halfing the land and rotating? Thanks!
 
It would really depend on the soil and type of grass in my opinion. On clay soil it would quickly turn to mud..

My friend has two 12h-13h ponies on about an acre, which just about does them all year round. Again, it is hillside, with some braken and heather. She has a shelter for them, and puts haynets in there for them in winter.

I think that just under an acre may be too small. Definately look for some grazing elsewhere, or perhaps moving them to grass livery somewhere else in summer to let your own field rest for the winter?
 
Thanks again! So..when you say you think that's too small - do you mean you think it's too small to supply them with all their grazing (which I would think is definitely the case) or too small to give them a decent turnout? Or simply that it would get too churned up as it's too small to sub-divide?
 
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