What to do with my new field?

[richardupsall]

Hi All,

I've recently inherited 3.5 acres on the edge of a village on the Cambs side of the Cambs/Suffolk border. It's not been used for a few years and is a bit overgrown but I don't want to sell and see it built on, so I thought I might rent it out for paddocks, being close to Newmarket. However, I'm not at all equestrian so have no idea what would be needed.

It's roughly rectangular with mature ditch/hedging on the side that bounds the road and another side but two sides are open to the rest of the field. It has no buildings or facilities and would (presumably) need vehicular access which an architect friend said should be achievable.

Raising a large income is not necessary but if I need to invest in fencing, buildings, services and so on it needs to pay back the investment and cover the ongoing costs.

Some questions then:

1. How many horses is 3.5 acres suitable for? Would it be better divided up in to ~1 acre plots or as a whole? If so, what sort of fencing is accptable and most cost effective?
2. It currently has a few saplings and brambles but is mostly rough grass - do I need to get it cut back before any horses arrive?
3. Do I need a building? What sort, how big, etc. Any idea of costs or pointers to designs would be useful. What sort of facilities does it need (water, drainage, electrics, etc)?
4. How much would you expect the rental to be, on what basis and what would you expect of the landlord? I am not really in a position to be disposing of manure or fertilising fields, etc - is that a problem?
5. What is the key thing that makes a paddock useful for you (other than location, which is obviously important, but can't change)
6. It has a footpath running across one corner of it which obviously can't move. Is this a problem? Would it need to be fenced off to protect the horses?

All advice gratefully received. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[Auslander]

I think you'd be surprised at how low the expectations of most horse owners are when it comes to rented grazing. We're generally pretty easy to please - safe, well fenced grazing with no poisonous plants will make most of us happy.
3.5 acres would be suitable for two horses or 3 ponies max if living out 24/7. Personally, I would make sure it was securely ring fenced - preferably with post and rail, and then let the person who rents it do any dividing up to suit their requirements. Most will want to graze it in sections, and will use their own electric fencing to do so.

You need to find out what the hedge is, and what the saplings are - if poisonous to horses, they need to be removed before even trying to rent the field out. Brambles and scrub aren't much of a selling point - might be worth getting some sheep in to do some clearing and fertilising for you. They will do a very effective job of razing everything to the ground, which will give you a much better idea of what you have, and will make getting rid of big things like brambles far easier. You also need to fence off the ditch if it is on the horse side of the hedge!! Horses have an astonishing ability to get themselves into trouble!

Buildings and electricity are 'good to have's, and you will be able to charge more if you put them in. Water would be pretty much an essential - some people do carry water to their fields on a daily basis, but it's a bit of a killer, so installing a water supply would be a really good thing. Vehicular access would be needed if you put buildings in, but most people would be happy with hardstanding on both sides of the gate.

For me - the perfect paddock would have a decent sized bit of hardstanding by the gate, a water trough, good quality, well built post and rail fencing, some sort of shelter (decent height hedge would be sufficient, but a field shelter (3 sides and a roof) would be perfection.

I would fence off the footpath - walkers and loose horses aren't a great combination. I'd be tempted to post and rail it, then line with plastic covered mesh on the footpath side, to prevent dogs getting in with the horses.

Can't comment on what you could charge, as I am in Berkshire, but if your place, set up as i've described above, were to come available near me - i'd pay £100 pcm very happily.