Tracks v paddocks

[SantaVera]

Track systems seem to be much praised nowadays as an idea way to keep horses. Mine have small paddocks, around an acre each with field shelters and in winter they have a large field to graze in. Locally a horse owner has turned her half acre paddock into a track. Every time I go past I notice that her horses are either standing doing nothing or standing eating at the haynet. I have never seen them in 5 years wandering around the track exercising. My horses stand and eat at the haynet or in the field shelter out of the flies but they also spend a considerable amount of time wandering around the paddock nibbling at short grass. I think this is far healthier for them both physically and mentally. Both are lami prone and are ok on this system. Has anyone else spotted that on some tracks at least horses just stand about.

 

[Peglo]

We have a summer paddock with a grassy road going off it but mine are a far better weight when I make a track around the outside of the big winter field. It’s actually just a U shape but they move much more, have plenty of room to gallop and it seems to encourage play far more than the summer paddock does. They could get a very good gallop along the road in the summer field but they don’t tend to for some reason.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I am in two minds.

Currently my EMS mare does well in the summer when the field (2.5 acres) is split into 4, normal pony goes in first to take off the length and then she goes in when it's shorter, at the moment she is being good and staying in her grazing muzzle so has moved in quickly (they both come in for a few hours during the day for maintenance and she gets soaked hay and the other one haylage)

When we had a mini I tracked the field (in grass) and whilst they did move move (they loved a race) it trashed the field as we are on clay.

If money were no object and by husband didn't object I would put a surfaced track around our orchard, but as we are planning to move again at some point it's out of the question. This is mostly because we have such wet clay that a surface would be amazing in winter.

 

[meleeka]

Mine have a track round an acre. I think you are slightly missing the point of them. They are designed to allow the horse to act as if they had a larger field, whilst providing restricted/no grass. Mine stand around eating hay too, because there is very little grass to eat. They could be shut in a stable or a postage stamp of a field with the same result, but what the track provides is the opportunity to move around, that stabling or tiny paddocks doesn’t. Whether they choose to do that is entirely up to them (unless of course the water is at the other end to the hay).

My ponies stay trimmer, the arthritic one less stiff and their waistlines trimmer. I don’t have a track in the winter as I don’t have to worry about grass then as there’s usually none left anyway.

 

[GinaGeo]

The tracks have a place. They restrict how much access there is to grass, whilst encouraging them to move more than in a postage stamp paddock.

Mine also have more hedgerow access on the track and it’s a lot more interesting than a small field of the same area.

You do have to deign them cleverly so they encourage movement and I have mine as a grass track which I don’t feed hay on. And don’t turn to mud in winter.

They do park if there is only one source of food. Or if all the resources are together.

I have a smaller surfaced track which we use in winter, when the ground (clay) won’t take turnout. It’s harder to get the movement on there as a smaller area. And the food needs spreading out a lot. But they move more than they would on a winter turnout paddock. And it allows them to live out with access to their stables. So works well and the fields don’t get destroyed and the horses are never knee deep in mud.

The centres are also allowed to grow into meadows in Spring which is great for the wildlife and I rotate the horses that can eat the grass around sections of it.

Done well they work well. Done poorly they don’t

 

[southerncomfort]

My two are on a track on about an acre and a quarter.

I've actually tried putting up 2 rectangles of fencing this year, instead of 1 big square, so they have strip down the middle as well, and I've been really pleased at how they're using it.

I've had to strip graze, and I currently move fencing in 3 different places, but I vary where I move it. They get very excited when I turn them out as they have to search to find the new grass.

I only use mine in the summer, and they are in the school during the day.

I also put out a bit of soaked hay if I think the new grass won't keep them going too long. Ideally I'd spread the hay on the ground around the track, but currently too windy for that.

So it can work really well but it does take a bit of ingenuity and experimentation.

 

[tda]

When I had my track up round a just under 2 acre field, there were 2 feeding stations, at opposite ends of the field, water was next to one of those stations. It worked well as once they got pushed off the hay by another pony, they had to walk over to the other hay, the original pushy pony would think they were missing out so would make their way over, and so it continues.
Also if one set off for a drink the rest would slowly follow

 

[Burnttoast]

Ours are on a grass track in the summer. Total area about an acre, length about 450m, with a yard and shelter integrated into it. We feed hay once the grass is very poor, either in the yard in boxes, if the weather is bad, or scattered along the track. I prefer not to use permanent feeding stations unless I'm feeling sorry for them when the rain's hammering down - they discourage movement when the whole point is more movement. Therefore I wonder how effective bare tracks with hay stations are compared with grass tracks. At the moment no hay as the grass is constantly growing. It's hard to tell how much they move compared with a paddock of the same area, but they do move, quite a bit. My neighbour, who overlooks the field, tells me they have a zoomies session every evening, and during the day they will occasionally just hoon about. The rest of the time they are mainly on the move grazing, as they would be in a field, but I suspect the close fences keep them moving a bit more than in a field. We have hedges in the middle that mean you can't see more of the track than the side you're on, and sometimes when poopicking, if they're going in the same direction, you can get all the way round without actually seeing them(!) so they're moving at least as fast as a person poopicking. They stand/lie and chill sometimes, of course, but it would be odd if they didn't. What I really like about it is they never need to do handbrake turns when they're having a gallop.

 

[Polos Mum]

Like everything I think there are pros and cons and good and bad examples.

A dull track with shelter / food / water all in one place will be worse than a moorland native grass hilly paddock with lots of friends/ hedgerows etc.

To make a track work properly I think takes a huge amount of effort to spread forrage all over multiple times a day and have interesting things to do (logs / hills / sleeping areas etc.)

Tracks with a huge round bale in one corner next to the water trough I imagine would encourage them never to move.

 

[SEL]

Also track in summer (too wet in winter and less sugar in the grass).

My grass growth has been so strong this year I'm having to strip graze them round the track so its currently about 3/4 of the way around a 2 acre field. I purposely made the grassy bit the furthest away from the shelter and the water so they have to move between the grass / shelter / water. My track has enough grass on it not to put a huge amount of hay out although there is a bit for the one in a muzzle.

My grass is over knee high so if they had access to the full 2 acres they would explode.

 

[dorsetladette]

Once mine have grazed the first summer paddock down (about an acre) I put a track up round the edge of both summer fields. The plan is to get them moving more, so the nice fresh grass they want to eat most is the furthest point from the shelter and water. Sometimes it's in an oval and sometimes a U shape. It keeps my porky 2 a little less porky and means I've not needed to 'restrict' as such or use a muzzle (yet). This spring/summer is proving a little more tricky managing weight so I'd assume people are trying different things more to keep horses happy and healthy.

 

[Nasicus]

I was devious, and designed my tracks so that water was at one end (strangely enough, always the end with the hosepipe ), and as time went on, the grass was further and further away as I strip grazed along it. A couple nice, shady loafing spots along the way too. If/when we reached the point where the majority of the grass was gone, I would then take hay and scatter it along the length of the track, some in little handfuls, some larger piles. Kept them scavenging all day long, they were up and down the track searching for bits of hay, nibbling the hedgerows, heading back for a drink etc. It certainly kept them more active in my opinion. Especially when I tracked them on an acre on a hillside, water at the top, shade at the bottom. Track around the outside, middle split into three sections with access from the bottom, would open one up, strip graze it, close it, open another etc. When the section was nearly eaten, it mean they had to go down, across, up the hill and across again to get to the water and visa versa. They definitely looked in cracking condition on that one, they wouldn't have had to travel nearly as much as if they'd just had the run of the acre.

Aaaah I miss my track systems.

 

[SEL]

I was devious, and designed my tracks so that water was at one end (strangely enough, always the end with the hosepipe ), and as time went on, the grass was further and further away as I strip grazed along it. A couple nice, shady loafing spots along the way too. If/when we reached the point where the majority of the grass was gone, I would then take hay and scatter it along the length of the track, some in little handfuls, some larger piles. Kept them scavenging all day long, they were up and down the track searching for bits of hay, nibbling the hedgerows, heading back for a drink etc. It certainly kept them more active in my opinion. Especially when I tracked them on an acre on a hillside, water at the top, shade at the bottom. Track around the outside, middle split into three sections with access from the bottom, would open one up, strip graze it, close it, open another etc. When the section was nearly eaten, it mean they had to go down, across, up the hill and across again to get to the water and visa versa. They definitely looked in cracking condition on that one, they wouldn't have had to travel nearly as much as if they'd just had the run of the acre.

Aaaah I miss my track systems.

When my track is fully installed I randomly strip graze into the middle so they have to go searching for the new grass. They all seem to enjoy that.

 

[Boulty]

There are many roads to Rome & all that.

If you want to promote movement on a track then you do have to be clever about where you put everything or yep they totally will just plonk themselves in one spot for hours. They need to have reasons to keep moving around the whole thing. The absolute ideal would be to have different surfaces, hedgerows, trees etc to create enrichment opportunities and reasons to want to be at different places at different times of day and to try NOT to have the food too close to the shelter & the water too close to either (unless you’re catering to poor doers or those with mobility issues)

Obviously grass free track systems can be a literal life saver for those with laminitis, EMS etc but lots of “normal” horses can live fulfilled lives in that setup as well. (For something that can have at least some grass access I think something similar to the Rockley setup where they spend part of the time on the track and part on grass (even if that grass is strip grazed or paddocked) & so the track is replacing the need for stabling whilst still ideally offering the option of a shelter can be a really nice middle ground / best of both option although for a lot of horses you’d need to be thoughtful about how the grass is managed and what species are encouraged etc especially for horses with metabolic or weight issues)

 

[fidleyspromise]

In the past I had a track but the way my field was the hay, shelter and water was all near the gate so pony didn't move much.
I now have 2 on a track. I move fencing here and there for them to get a bite of grass, the water and shelter are in opposite ends and I'm seeing lots of movement.
These horses are on the track to eat it down. Once eaten, my other pony will be on track and these 2 will get access to grass.

 

[Tarragon]

If I had my own land I would create a track, but I don't. I think they are a fundamentally good idea.
A friend of mine has one in a field of about 5 acres and she has a small herd of 5 horses on it, and you can spend ages just watching how they move around. Water is at the bottom of the hill and their hay feeding place is at the top, and there is the main track around the whole field and two ways to cross the middle which can be opened or closed as required. All of her herd can eat grass, so it is just a way to promote movement and restrict grass at the same time.
Someone else I know had a laminitic pony that had a track around its field, but the track didn't go around the whole way to start with. It had water and shade at one end, and fresh grass at the other end - which ended up being a long way round the field! She would keep the pony off the track for a bit, then move the end of the track a tiny bit, then let the pony out, and it would gallop all the way round to the newly uncovered fresh grass at the far end, then revert back to searching along the whole length. Perhaps not as successful as my other example, but not a bad setup for a smaller field.

 

[SantaVera]

Like everything I think there are pros and cons and good and bad examples.

A dull track with shelter / food / water all in one place will be worse than a moorland native grass hilly paddock with lots of friends/ hedgerows etc.

To make a track work properly I think takes a huge amount of effort to spread forrage all over multiple times a day and have interesting things to do (logs / hills / sleeping areas etc.)

Tracks with a huge round bale in one corner next to the water trough I imagine would encourage them never to move.

Yes this is what it's like

 

[Fjord]

Has anyone seen the studies that showed some track horses had higher levels of cortisol, presumably from being kept moving? I haven't seen anything other than it mentioned in comments on track living, but can see how it might happen in *some* setups, maybe if there was one horse that was a bully and kept pushing another around. Otherwise, having a varied terrain, plenty of different food spots and relaxing areas, can only be a good thing. It's what I'll do when I win the lottery and have my own land! Ideally I'd have a surfaced track, with grass verge areas and hedgerows, so that there can be some grazing but the horses have to look for it.

 

[SantaVera]

Has anyone seen the studies that showed some track horses had higher levels of cortisol, presumably from being kept moving? I haven't seen anything other than it mentioned in comments on track living, but can see how it might happen in *some* setups, maybe if there was one horse that was a bully and kept pushing another around. Otherwise, having a varied terrain, plenty of different food spots and relaxing areas, can only be a good thing. It's what I'll do when I win the lottery and have my own land! Ideally I'd have a surfaced track, with grass verge areas and hedgerows, so that there can be some grazing but the horses have to look for it.

I've wondered if on some large tracks those low in the pecking order get bullied away from food and so have to keep moving on. Especially if the track is narrow or the same width all round so they cannot easily get past the more confident horses

 

[Equi]

Tracks need to be done correctly not just have a track and have the water/hay at one place. There should be water at one end, small nets at different locations, different terrain on the track (I.e hills, sand, rock, mud, grass) and stuff in the way too like branches or poles where they need to move over them to get to the hay/water.

Done well they work. Done poorly they may as well just have a small grassless paddock.

 

[millitiger]

I've done a grass track this summer, for the first time, and I'm a total convert!

Judging by the poo placement when I am poo picking, mine use the whole track daily.
I do some strip grazing into the middle each day but they don't spend all of their time there.

Horses seem much more relaxed too.
My older horse suffers with desperation anxiety and I was worried about him running around on the track.
However, he is so relaxed and more than happy to be by himself on one side- this would never happen in a normal field!
I absolutely love it.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think there's a huge difference in commercial track set ups and a track on a field for the summer with your own horse's on it.

I'd be very, very reluctant to use a commercial track system again. If I had my own land, I'd most likely put up a track for the summer.

 

[Miss_Millie]

I think there's a huge difference in commercial track set ups and a track on a field for the summer with your own horse's on it.

I'd be very, very reluctant to use a commercial track system again. If I had my own land, I'd most likely put up a track for the summer.

Would you mind elaborating on why? Many people are impressed by the big commercial tracks, but I must admit that I would worry about the horse's hooves always being on such an abrasive surface. I think that some of them look quite stark too - horse-net type fencing in a straight line and not much in terms of natural enrichment like hedgerows. I also wonder if being on this kind of system long-term would affect the horse's posture from constantly pulling hay from tiny holed haynets.

Some of the big track names would also bash you for giving your horse a blade of grass, even if they're not metabolic. Some of them have very extreme views.

OP, I have a sort of hybrid system with areas of track which go between different paddocks. I find that this helps to increase movement and they do enjoy tanking up and down the tracks when they're feeling fresh. In the Winter I take it down because the tracks would get completely poached otherwise.

 

[Nicnac]

I have my own land and an EMS horse plus a shetland and 2 other good doers. I know that they move around a lot (out 24/7). They go one end to drink, another to browse hedgerows, their places, stand under trees, sleep places, rolling places, wander over to say hello to us or the other horses. 3 are muzzled 24/7 so intake is restricted.
If I had tracks they would congregate where there's food and move less. They'd be waiting for me to replenish their food source! I had a long chat with my vet and we decided it wasn't for us.
Like everything it's horses for courses.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

We have Abbots View near us, some of them who can tolerate grass do have access to it or have time seperate from the herd for loose hay time. They are a good follow if you are on face book.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Has anyone seen the studies that showed some track horses had higher levels of cortisol, presumably from being kept moving? I haven't seen anything other than it mentioned in comments on track living, but can see how it might happen in *some* setups, maybe if there was one horse that was a bully and kept pushing another around. Otherwise, having a varied terrain, plenty of different food spots and relaxing areas, can only be a good thing. It's what I'll do when I win the lottery and have my own land! Ideally I'd have a surfaced track, with grass verge areas and hedgerows, so that there can be some grazing but the horses have to look for it.

I haven't seen these. Off to see what I can find.

I've wondered if on some large tracks those low in the pecking order get bullied away from food and so have to keep moving on. Especially if the track is narrow or the same width all round so they cannot easily get past the more confident horses

I have made sure mine is very wide so two horses can pass easily without one being trapped as that was a concern I had.
Yesterday I moved my fence so the ponies also had access to trees for shade/shelter and I have gorse along the fence line that they pick at.

Here's a laugh: moving my fencing I figured it would be easier toift it up over the trees than to redo it. I had to phone my partner to bring his step ladder as I ended up with my fence post stuck in the tree. I really thought lifting the post up and over would work . I also tried tying it to a jolly ball and throwing it over the tree but it also got stuck in the tree

 

[Fjord]

Here's a laugh: moving my fencing I figured it would be easier toift it up over the trees than to redo it. I had to phone my partner to bring his step ladder as I ended up with my fence post stuck in the tree. I really thought lifting the post up and over would work . I also tried tying it to a jolly ball and throwing it over the tree but it also got stuck in the tree

Oh that's funny, sorry!

 

[Nasicus]

Here's a laugh: moving my fencing I figured it would be easier toift it up over the trees than to redo it. I had to phone my partner to bring his step ladder as I ended up with my fence post stuck in the tree. I really thought lifting the post up and over would work . I also tried tying it to a jolly ball and throwing it over the tree but it also got stuck in the tree

Haha, for me that would be a 'cut the rope and re-join it with conductive connectors' situation

 

[magicmoments]

I've wondered if on some large tracks those low in the pecking order get bullied away from food and so have to keep moving on. Especially if the track is narrow or the same width all round so they cannot easily get past the more confident horses

Having had my low ranking horse on a track system, I wouldn't quite see it as the best answer now. I'm not looking to get another horse, but I found my horse could be trapped between higher ranking horses, therefore at more risk of injury, and also not having access to any hay whilst the higher ranking horses chose to stay where they were. Also there needs to be hay in all hay stations all the time, as again if not, lower ranking can be left with nothing to eat. Horses are such a dilemma trying to do what you think is best. I love them, but don't love trying to do what is best for them at livery.

 

[whirlwind]

We have a track set up around 12ish acres but it’s very wide, probably 15/20ish metres round most of the way with one side that’s quite steep wider. It’s more about saving some field for winter whilst still allowing them loads of movement and hedgerows. I think when we mapped it it means the field is split roughly in half between track and middle so a nice compromise. Hoping to get a hay cut off the middle in the next couple of months then it’ll be left to grow again for standing hay strip grazed in winter.