Those of you with track systems....

[AutumnDays]

Especially large ones... Do you clear them daily?

Long story short, had created a great mini track system in my allocated paddock on livery, poo picked daily, parasite burdens all low, and weight loss steadily happening, to have been moved to suit another livery who is now benefitting from my hard work, and I have to start again in a paddock that was not managed (not poo picked, worm counts now med/high, bog running through patches so impossible to get a barrow around, lush grass, so strimming and clearing etc again... Feel really pants).

Anyway, I am sucking it up because life is on a different trajectory, and by Christmas we should be on our own land! A track will be going up, and the middle section managed on rotation for winter grazing is the plan. However, it's a ten acre field, (I only have 2 horses going onto it) and I am wondering the logistics of picking a large site like that daily! Hopefully sheep will be joining purely for cross grazing purposes in the near future, to help worm control and keeping grass down, it's just the poo picking part that has me a bit stumped.

Any insights gratefully received x

 

[rabatsa]

Increase the track gradually so that the grass levels are manageable. The horses will only be doing the same amount of droppings as before so collecting an extra barrow load or so a day helps clear up the remains from previous occupants.

 

[AutumnDays]

Increase the track gradually so that the grass levels are manageable. The horses will only be doing the same amount of droppings as before so collecting an extra barrow load or so a day helps clear up the remains from previous occupants.

Thank you. It's not the paddock they are in that I am querying the management of, I have cleared that with a lot of sweat and swearing! It's the one they are going onto, which hasn't been grazed for 15 years by anything, and will be new growth left to stand that's the massive site that I'm wondering how other manage

 

[rabatsa]

Thank you. It's not the paddock they are in that I am querying the management of, I have cleared that with a lot of sweat and swearing! It's the one they are going onto, which hasn't been grazed for 15 years by anything, and will be new growth left to stand that's the massive site that I'm wondering how other manage

This is the one that I mean when I say start small and slowly extend the new track as they graze the area down. I have to do this every spring with my lot until they get the track right round the field.

Have it narrower than you would really like to get the length until the track is established.

I thought that you meant that this new field was full of sh1t that had been left from previous occupants.

 

[AutumnDays]

Sorry, that's my bad explaining. No the one on the yard they are at now was, the one they are going to is a blank canvas. I can understand what you mean now though, I do apologise! I am being a bit slow on the uptake

 

[Landcruiser]

I have my two trackies out on a newly opened section of track which is knee deep grass wearing grazing muzzles. I started them off by giving them very short periods without muzzles just so they could eat some sections short enough for muzzle use - now they can be out for most of the day in muzzles and are not making much inroad into the grass on the track, rather trampling it, but they are getting enough to keep them busy without ballooning. Part of my track is surfaced, so they always have access to that, and to hay and water on the yard which the track goes off.

 

[Nasicus]

I had a track over 4 acres, and used to tootle along on a cheap fixer-upper ride-on mower pulling a little tipping trailer behind. Stop, pick up all surrounding poo, onto the next patch. I could do it in about 20-30 minutes with two.
If you've got the money and the land is suitable, I'd invest in a quad or a gator and a tipping trailer, would make zipping around 10 acres nice and easy for poo picking. Certainly less back breaking than pushing a barrow all the way around!

 

[AutumnDays]

I have my two trackies out on a newly opened section of track which is knee deep grass wearing grazing muzzles. I started them off by giving them very short periods without muzzles just so they could eat some sections short enough for muzzle use - now they can be out for most of the day in muzzles and are not making much inroad into the grass on the track, rather trampling it, but they are getting enough to keep them busy without ballooning. Part of my track is surfaced, so they always have access to that, and to hay and water on the yard which the track goes off.

The plan (dream!) going forward is to have it as a permanent set up, with a surfaced loafing area and for the intended sheep to graze down anything before the horses go on. I realise I need those funny things called time, money and patience first!

 

[AutumnDays]

I had a track over 4 acres, and used to tootle along on a cheap fixer-upper ride-on mower pulling a little tipping trailer behind. Stop, pick up all surrounding poo, onto the next patch. I could do it in about 20-30 minutes with two.
If you've got the money and the land is suitable, I'd invest in a quad or a gator and a tipping trailer, would make zipping around 10 acres nice and easy for poo picking. Certainly less back breaking than pushing a barrow all the way around!

Now that is an idea! Maybe I could sell that idea to the husband as a toy for him to play with so he will help out

 

[AutumnDays]

And as quick as that, the problem has been solved! Thank you @Nasicus for the idea, husband has jumped on that, so that is what we will do! Appreciate the replies all, thank you for taking the time to do so x

 

[Nasicus]

And as quick as that, the problem has been solved! Thank you @Nasicus for the idea, husband has jumped on that, so that is what we will do! Appreciate the replies all, thank you for taking the time to do so x

Haha, nice one! Mind, he might be asking to take it racing around the fields

 

[AutumnDays]

Haha, nice one! Mind, he might be asking to take it racing around the fields

Knowing my two, they'd chase him, so he'd be welcome to so they burn some calories!

 

[meleeka]

I’ve got an old ride on mower and tipping trailer. It’s fab and the trailer holds much more than a wheelbarrow, so I don’t need to go backwards and forwards to the dung heap.

The trailer is an Agri Fab one but it’s the same as this https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/the-ha...MI4Y_VoMiQ_wIVV-TtCh22Dw6MEAQYDiABEgK7L_D_BwE

 

[SEL]

yes I do poo pick daily - if you have horses that poo in one or two corners you could get away with leaving it but otherwise the track gets grim. Had a gator at my old yard and used to poo pick into old trugs on the back of it which I can highly recommend. Now its my daily exercise

 

[SantaVera]

Yes,my track is poo picked daily

 

[Nasicus]

I’ve got an old ride on mower and tipping trailer. It’s fab and the trailer holds much more than a wheelbarrow, so I don’t need to go backwards and forwards to the dung heap.

The trailer is an Agri Fab one but it’s the same as this https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/the-ha...MI4Y_VoMiQ_wIVV-TtCh22Dw6MEAQYDiABEgK7L_D_BwE

I had this exact one, held a lot but didn't really tip, I think it just wasn't high enough off the ground for it to get a good tip so I ended up basically scooping all the poop out onto the heap, doubling the work. I did figure out I was strong enough to grab it by the towing arm and upend the entire thing eventually, but personally wouldn't recommend it.
I also found the bolts holding the base on were prone to shearing through the plastic, and eventually the handle to release the tipping mechanism seized up completely over a winter.

It was very good for transporting stuff around, particularly plastic posts, electric rope etc etc for the track, but it didn't get used too much for poo after a while.

 

[tda]

I'm about to put my track up again, and as long as it's dry enough it's easier to do it daily.
I also have a quad and tipping trailer

 

[paddy555]

I had a track over 4 acres, and used to tootle along on a cheap fixer-upper ride-on mower pulling a little tipping trailer behind. Stop, pick up all surrounding poo, onto the next patch. I could do it in about 20-30 minutes with two.
If you've got the money and the land is suitable, I'd invest in a quad or a gator and a tipping trailer, would make zipping around 10 acres nice and easy for poo picking. Certainly less back breaking than pushing a barrow all the way around!

this. I would have thought that 2 horses on a track around 10 acres could be stretched to every other day for cleaning.
It is far more fun poo picking when you can ride round. You would get round 10 acres very quickly with minimal work.
I also have a cheap, old larger ride on mower type of machine.
The things to consider when looking for a machine are the height of it. It is harder work getting on and off a quad or say a compact tractor, the lower to the ground the machine is then the easier it is.
Consider hydrostatic drive rather than a manual gear box. That means you have one accelerator pedal and a brake. You "toe" the accelerator for forward and "heel" it for back. No time wasted changing gear.
Mine is very low to the ground so I just step onto it, if I want to move forward slightly for another poo I press the accelerator from the ground (saves getting back on and off) .
I have a tipping box on the back. That makes it much more manoeuvrable than a trailer.
Biggest thing is you need to be able to tip whatever you have easily which means tipping downhill. That way means just back up to the dung heap, operate a lever, tip and back to work. You don't want to have to manually unload a machine nor have to fork dung around on a heap.
if you are getting your own land it is worthwhile carefully positioning your dung heap. It can make life a lot easier if you can always tip your wheelbarrow or machine downhill.

There are lots of easy ways to poo pick a large track and it is so easy compared to a wheelbarrow in a field. Of course you may not have to. Your OH may see it as being "man's work" to fly round on a machine.

 

[AutumnDays]

Your OH may see it as being "man's work" to fly round on a machine.

It's a shame I don't think I could persuade him to do the poo picking part too!

 

[tda]

It's a shame I don't think I could persuade him to do the poo picking part too!

Get him a poo Hoover