track system on two acres?!

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Lplates

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I am wondering how whether I could make a 2 acre field work for three ponies: a 13.2, a 12.2 and a 11hh who needs very restricted grazing.
I have just heard about the track system, but at the moment there is only one field it would work in, which is just two acres. It would have to be a simple ring track, with a field shelter at one end.
I was thinking that the 11hh could remain on the track, while the others could go in the middle for a few hours every day.
In the winter I was thinking that I could increase the width of the track to increase the grazing area and reduce poaching.
Would this work?
Would it get too muddy as it is a pretty small area?
Any advice gratefully received!
 
2 acres is plenty for 3 small ponies, I keep 3 on a field just slightly larger and they are bigger, the track system is ideal and will give them plenty of room to move about although it might be best to open it all up in the winter if they require less restriction from the grazing point of view by then.
 
be positive said:
2 acres is plenty for 3 small ponies, I keep 3 on a field just slightly larger and they are bigger, the track system is ideal and will give them plenty of room to move about although it might be best to open it all up in the winter if they require less restriction from the grazing point of view by then.
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exactly this. I have 2 tracks each round 2 acre fields. I would suggest for 3 ponies your track should initially be 12ft wide.
Make it wider in the area around the shelter, also wider if you can give then a rolling area. If your track has any downhill slopes make it wider at the bottom of the slope so they have somewhere to run out if they come cantering down the hill and cannot stop.
 
I have a track round a 3/4 acre paddock, for my 16.1hh wb who is metabolically challenged. Works fine and then you can strip graze into the "foggage" as the grass growth slows down in October
 
Does your track get very muddy? Normal sort of earth here, not too sandy or clay'y. Does get poached in winter by the gate and field shelter, but guess that is when I would open up into the middle of the field. Could get some sheep to graze with them if too much grass.
 
Lplates said:
Does your track get very muddy? Normal sort of earth here, not too sandy or clay'y. Does get poached in winter by the gate and field shelter, but guess that is when I would open up into the middle of the field. Could get some sheep to graze with them if too much grass.
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I take mine down once the autumn/winter rains begin, but my land is flat so yes, it would get poached. But by then the grass isn't growing much so they aren't so much at risk.
 
that is what i was thinking of doing too. Would probably get a few sheep in there as well to keep it down - not sure how much managing the 11hh will need in the winter if we get her - in the summer she needs nearly bare field.
 
Second that FB group... we've just put up a track around a one acre paddock, it has three cobs on it, one is on limited turnout due to toxic laminitis so he has a muzzle on. The horses definitely move more which was always my plan. If it works well we're going to completely rethink our field layout as we have five acres in total.
 
I have a track with 2 fells on on about 2 acres. I have taken 2 paddocks out of the corner for storage and a play area to work in, the rest is tracked starting with one round the outside and then I open up inner rings as they need more grazing. I find it works better to do that than just increase the width of the track otherwise they stop moving so much and the same bit gets worn or poached. I currently have 3 concentric circles with water and shade/shelter (big tree) on the outside track and the entrances to the inner tracks in different places so it looks like a maze. They love it - gelding in particular just likes galloping round and round every so often!
I usually take it down for the winter but they go to winter grazing due to my field flooding so this year I am just going to move them earlier to hopefully get them back earlier in the spring, and leave the tracks up over winter.
 
I like the sound of the maze! Is this all with electric tape? On plastic posts, or do you have proper wooden posts?
 
We have 2 ponies on just over an acre. We don't exactly have a track system, but we have partially split the field in 2 with electric fence, leaving an electric fence gate at one end (which we can close if required). The field is split into the flat top half (very exposed, dry and very little grass, we can also ride on this area, and the sloped lower half - partially in shade and much damper) The field shelter is at the far end of the top half of the paddock, the water is at the near end by the gate to the yard, and there's also a water at the half way point of the bottom part of the paddock. It means that they always have to walk from the grazing to the water or field shelter the long way round
 
I have one around 5 acres with 3 horses on. I love it. They canter round it and move so much more. In the winter I will close the track off and put them in the middle bit.
 
Lplates said:
I like the sound of the maze! Is this all with electric tape? On plastic posts, or do you have proper wooden posts?
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All plastic posts as not my field, I did originally have a few corner posts that were wooden but they didn't last long between the floods and being used to itch (and made it a lot less flexible anyway) so now just plastic. I don't have any corners though, it is all based on circles and ovals partly to protect the posts a bit more and partly to create a smoother track when they go hooling - no sharp corners to skid round. Just means the corners are a bit wider but that creates grazing areas and a toileting area so still a benefit! Interestingly I have 3 distinct toileting areas since using a track, never had that with a plain field, which makes it very easy to poopick and supports my little dung beetles better :-)
 
I have polyposts with lead out cable under a length of redundant conveyor belting from the perimeter fence. You could put it inside a length of hosepipe, any thing to protect it from getting dragged away by feet. It helps to have two posts together at the corners, otherwise a single one gets pulled into the centre. Two brace each other
 
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