Trashed Winter Field

[J_sarahd]

I’m worried about Nova’s field - she only has one all year round. The gateway and about 1/3 of it is just mud. She has also churned up the fence line and there’s plenty of skidmarks dotted around it.

For now, I have fenced it in half. It’s L shaped so she’s currently at the top whilst I pray the rest of it gets a break but that’s obviously where all the mud is.

I am just worried about it getting any worse. She’s a stressy, young horse so I am obviously expecting skids and stuff in there.

Any tips? Shall I put her in the other bit of field (only issue with that is that there’s no neighbours down there and she can’t see anyone like she can at the top)

 

[Peglo]

Our winter field is so wet we just let them have all of it so they aren’t in concentrated mud areas. It is in a right mess by February but it grows back well in spring/summer. But we do have a couple of other fields to put them in and 3 are good doers so we usually have too much grass for them.

 

[L&M]

What size is the field? Does she come in at night or have access to a hardstanding area?

 

[PurBee]

When mine were younger and would tear about in the winter boredom months, i would put hay in various piles all over the field - this increased stimulation for them and encouraged natural grazing movement - rather than them standing for ages eating from 1 hay feeder.
So they were busy engaging more in natural grazing-like behaviour, despite there being no grass growth, which helped keep them calmer when out in the fields when muddier and slippy.

The advantage to spreading hay in piles everywhere is the seedheads from the hay drop off and many germinate to help recovery of the field when spring rolls around.
Its a nice ‘kill 2 birds 1 stone’ effect to put hay in piles all over a sorry winter paddock.

 

[meleeka]

I let mine have the whole lot and harrow in Spring. I then put up a track so at least the middle bit gets a rest. It usually recovers fully before the next winter. I think the more space they have, the less permanent damage they make.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I just let my boys have all of their small field. Gateways are horrendous. They get plenty of hay out. The fields recover really well so I don't worry about them any more!@

 

[SEL]

Mine have all of the field to spread the load. I'm another who splits the hay and I've also started putting treatballs out with a few nuts in to distract my youngster from zoomies

 

[TPO]

Edited to delete because forum formatting is making the post 3miles long. Basically my first priority would be getting her company/herd turnout.

 

[Getbackboys]

fence off end of winter to allow for it to repair itself, it does repair itself, right now let her have all, howver i would fence off entrance so cant stand there and make it worse than it is

 

[Getbackboys]

people i know have a manicured 2 acre field very rich and healthy that is green as green and the two horses who live out are fenced off in a bog, on the other side of the field opp where there is a stable, no shelter for them sweet f..all, i am so tempted to leave a note on their gate because it is just so unfair on these two ponies. the best part is they are both cobs and covered condition wise so essentially dont need tonnes of grass in summer.

then their father has a little cob mare, pregnant, why breed more when there are too many already in another field 1/2 mile away no shelter from wind, rain etc, all on her own…..i hope you hear where i am coming from

 

[cauda equina]

Some people (usually non horsey men ime) think grazing needs to look like a lawn

OP I too would let your mare have the whole field and sort it out in the spring

 

[mariew]

The smaller the space the quicker she'll trash it. I suspect giving her more space and resting the field over summer/autumn is better and try to harrow in spring if you can is better.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine gets trashed every winter it's always fine by spring I would just let her on the whole field.

 

[HashRouge]

I would give her the whole field. I would also see if anyone wants to double up with their horse - you could put both horses out on one field for the winter and then as soon as it starts to dry up in spring, move them onto the other, rested field. That way you wouldn't need to worry about trashing your field. You may also find she is less "stressy" if she has a friend.

 

[J&S]

I do same as Meleeka, right now they have all of the 2 acres plus small hard standing with two open stables with a "porch". It will be harrowed and rolled in the spring when dry enough, a bit of re seeding done and a large patch in the middle will be fenced off to make a grass track system round the outside. The middle area gets completely rested till September and very carefully stripped into till finished, then opened up, like now.

 

[Ratface]

Old Horse is with his little herd of five relatives. They have a regular rotation of winter fields, poo-picked daily. They have their daily hooly-fest and then get down to the serious business of grazing. They're all mid teens to early thirties and are lightly rugged Arabians. They have small plain feeds twice a day and ad lib home grown hay. They're on thick straw beds, so even if they managed to stuff all of their massive haynets down their throats, they still have excellent quality straw to fill any gaps. Checked daily by eye and twice monthly by weight tape. I know that the weight tape isn't the most accurate measure of condition. However, that, together with an experienced eye, close observation of my horse's behaviour, manners, coat, and general temperament over 10+ years and a supremely experienced YO, who has known him all his life, I think that he's doing OK.