track system/paddock paradise?

ester

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I just wondered who used it and if you had any pics, most on google seem to be US based and not quite so muddy!

At this time of year we would normally move our two on our summer acre of grass and leave the 3 that they have had in bits over the winter to grow up for hay. But due to Franks not quiet soundness he isn't in proper work and this is likely to be an weight issue now and throughout most of the summer tbh :( even though we strip graze, there is rather a lot of grass for them to get rid off before we even start that as the paddock is rested from augustish last year.

I don't think the acre is big enough to track/be worthwhile tracking, plus they would have a lot of grass to start with. I am considering if I can make use of the bits that are rough and bare from winter to create one in the 3 acres, and leave the centre and the summer paddock for hay. The thing is it would have to only go part the way round at the mo (due to too much grass again!) and I would be a bit concerned about arguments when it was extended given that it would be narrower (I suppose so long as extended enough we might be able to get away with that).

we only have two, with an established 7 year hierarchy and excellent electric fence respect but I just wondered how other people got on, and if it is worth it if your track isn't circular. Essentially Frank is otherwise going to end up in a starvation paddock for part of the time when I would prefer him to be moving round a bit more.
 
You can track around an acre, I know of a couple of people who do.

You could start the track very narrow where you are saying there is too much grass or zigzag it a bit. The narrower it is the less time they will spend on it.

Obviously the further they have to walk for food the better so if you could track around the whole of the land you've got great, and make it narrow on the good stuff. You could always muzzle Frank during the day when the sugars are highest :)
 
Just an idea, could you fence a smaller circular track further into the field? So just brought in from where you would be doing it with two fence lines as opposed to the edge of the field and a fence line.

Not sure if this makes sense or not!

Pan
 
thanks TT, useful to know, I am cautious of having it too narrow in the first instance, as he does bully cally a bit and would hate for either to get stuck in the tape. I might take some pics later to see what you maybe think but it is a bit long and thin. I kind of wish we had got them to walk it when it was nice and wet to trash the outside! but our system has worked well for the last few years.


This week they have been going out on approx 20x40m ish of the acre for 2 hours a day and barely mad a blip on it and I'm just worrying somewhat that he is going to end up with lami aswell as the other issue :(.

PJ, yes I do understand, that is a poss I suppose, just requiring more eleccy fence to play with. I will have good gaze at it later and see if I can get some inspiration!

Clearly we just need more horses to eat the grass ;).
 
I have this system in part and use it for my 16.3hh IDX mare and my 10hh falabella x. It has worked fabulously this winter with her being much fitter than ever before (I only have time to ride at weekends in winter) and the falabella really enoying the exercise.
I have just over 5 acres of land and the track probably equated to 1.75 acres I reckon and it runs around the perimeter of the land. I have haylage feeders and water at the top where my stables are, but the best grass is down the hill at the bottom. They have hedge foraging available on 2 sides too. It's great - they only thing I don't have and ought to really is the gravel track bit. My mare is only recently barefoot - I have always caved in before after a few weeks, but bought Boa boots for the transition this time :)In summer I will use my paddocks too.
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This is the best grass area - at the bottom of the hill, so if they get thirsty - it's up the hill
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Summer paddocks
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and I use 2 wheelie bin feeders for their haylage like this:
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I am very pleased with it - it works well - they move about a lot :)
 
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I have two tracks, one is on a little over an acre. It works well but the grass doesn't last long. I tend to use this one in the worst weather as my trash patch, or when the bigger one needs a break. I'm not too worried abut the lack of grass though as I tend to feed hay/haylage most of the year anyway, especially to the fatties, at least that way I can keep tabs on what they are actually eating.

I would use the barer 3 acres and create your track in there, you could always move the track to the other patch after mowing it. My bigger track isn't a continuous loop for all of the year, I block it off at the gate during the worst weather to stop them hogging the gateway. It still works fine.
 
Thanks for everyones thoughts :) YandC, thanks for all of your pics, I do think our main downfall might be lack of a proper grazed rectangle to school on, we might leave that responsibility to Mum's mare! Unfortunately, being on the levels we have no hills to make them go up and down :p. Frank still has shoes on atm but I do have someone coming to have a chat about taking them off in a couple of weeks so I am half thinking in that ilk too.

This is the layout and what I think I am thinking to do, (blue line = eleccy fence track) let me know if you have anymore thoughts! (you can also play spot the pony :p )

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horseaddict I will pm you ;) :).
 
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We made a track in an acre by fencing off the paddock at regular intervals and leaving an opening at alternate ends so the horses had to zig zag their way down the field.
We used this to stop a rehab horse from galloping around once turned out after box rest.

Or you could make 2 large triangle shapes with a corridor running around the outside and down the middle of the 2 triangles.

The track system can be any shape as long as the horses have to keep moving.
 
thanks horserider, yes that makes sense a little more thinking outside the box than just a loop round I am stuck on. I really think there is too much grass to do that full time atm but could poss do that instead of the area they currently get for a few hours a day. That is actually one of the reasons I don't want to keep him on the rough patch and stick mums on the grass because I fear he would start getting annoyed and run the fencing and he doesn't need to do that right now!
 
We made a track in an acre by fencing off the paddock at regular intervals and leaving an opening at alternate ends so the horses had to zig zag their way down the field.
We used this to stop a rehab horse from galloping around once turned out after box rest.

Or you could make 2 large triangle shapes with a corridor running around the outside and down the middle of the 2 triangles.

The track system can be any shape as long as the horses have to keep moving.

Those are both great ideas, may have to pinch them!

Pan
 
We made a track in an acre by fencing off the paddock at regular intervals and leaving an opening at alternate ends so the horses had to zig zag their way down the field.
We used this to stop a rehab horse from galloping around once turned out after box rest.

Blooming genius. I wish I'd thought of this months ago/asked the question. Thanks :)
 
I had my first track on 60m by 80m - it was an L shape and worked brilliantly. There is a diagram of it on near the bottom of the page on my blog
 
I have my two native ponies on a track system that goes in a figure of eight around half an acre! I've kept them like this from April until October for three years now and they manage very well. I never have to feed hay; I move odd posts every evening.
 
Lucy I will go and have a look,

I have transferred my thoughts to mum to think it over before the weekend (it would be best if we can implement sooner while the grass still has some semblance of control!) and also told me not to worry too much about having sufficient hay crop :). Also muted getting something else to eat the acre down to start, the trouble is we will need all of that grass over the summer just not now!

so watch this space, will let you know if we end up implementing.
 
Just an update, this morning we set up half a track round the field, and going to see how they get on over the next week. Have had to instruct the neighbours not to chuck over carrots and bread as usual in case of arguments given the reduced space! :rolleyes:. They have certainly moved round more this morning than they do in the other paddock :D. couple of pics:

testing it out ;)
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it then comes back round the corner
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and back onto the last winter paddock
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leaving this wide at the moment whilst they settle then will plan to shift the fence closer to the edge in a couple of weeks and track all the way round it.

I like it :), am hoping that it does the job.
 
watching this as im thinking of doing this for mine over summer

they live out tho and im not sure yet which is best.... current setup is fine but the whole idea of walking constantly is appealing to keep fattys weight off :D
 
If we had been more prepared we might have done it in the smaller paddock and kept this for hay but they would needed to have been out there a month ago and we weren't that good at planning particularly not knowing how sound Frank would be.

Our previous set up took a couple of goes but has worked well for us over the last few years, this time of year being the main problem time but mitigated by Frank having been hunted and v. fit, sadly not the case this year..

They will be out 24/7 now so ask me for an update in a couple of weeks!
 
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