whats your field set up?

CanterAndBanters

CanterAndBanters

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I currently have about 7 acres across 3 small ponies and 2 horses. Details of horses are below:

Horse 1 - Can eat as much grass as she likes with no risk of lami. Is a good doer. She's 18.
Horse 2 - Same as above, she's 2
Pony 1 - Same as above, needs more grass as he's 34.
Pony 2- Needs restriction, lami risk. She's 7.
Pony 3- Mini shetland, needs restriction. He's 10. Was cut late and can be a bit riggy.

At the moment. I have my fields split into the below:

Field 1 - 2 acres of lush grass. Used summer only.
Field 2- 1 acre of lush grass. Used summer only.
Field 3 and 4 - Winter paddocks/ restricted grazing (no grass).
I then have my hay field of around 3 acres spare which I either use for hay or last summer I opened up a bit of it as ran out of grass.

Currently approach I have:

Horses 1,2 and pony 2 and 3 winter out together with ablib hay in fields 3 and 4. Horses 1, 2 and pony 1 then move into fields 1 and 2 (on rotation). Pony 2 and 3 stay in winter paddocks/ restricted grazing.

My question is- is this a good set up? Pony 3 is a good companion for pony 2 but he can be riggish with her so wondering how I can address this without taking away her companion. Is there a way I can have them all grazing together without any lami risk?

THis is my land (I own) so I'm free to do as I please.
 
I have 3 ponies on 5 acres. split into 3 paddocks.

Winter field has hay feeder and shelter is about 2.5acres. Summer paddocks are just over an acre each. I have 2 very good doers and one that needs a little extra. I keep them in a way that supports the good doers and the 3rd is given each in the form of a bucket feed.

We did have a large plot years ago which we shared with a friend. She had a very high lami risk pony and a mini sheltand. For the most part they grazed with the other horses/ponies. But in summer they would hang back in the already grazed field for a week or so when we moved paddocks to let the larger horses take the best of the grass off any new grazing. It worked for us quite well.

Regarding the riggy behaviour have you tried agnus castus/chase tree berries?
 
I had 2 ponies on 4 acres with a perimeter track. To begin with both needed some restriction so they were on the track in summer with hay as required. In the winter they grazed the middle, which had rested all summer. When the older started needing more grass/less hay he would go in the middle for a few hours each day in the summer to top up his intake.
 
I have too much grass but rent two different fields and reluctant to let either go! So much grass that I’ve come out of winter having used about 5 bales of hay.

Currently two fat natives have a starvation paddock overnight and go out in the big field for a few hours with muzzles on.
 
dorsetladette said:
I have 3 ponies on 5 acres. split into 3 paddocks.

Winter field has hay feeder and shelter is about 2.5acres. Summer paddocks are just over an acre each. I have 2 very good doers and one that needs a little extra. I keep them in a way that supports the good doers and the 3rd is given each in the form of a bucket feed.

We did have a large plot years ago which we shared with a friend. She had a very high lami risk pony and a mini sheltand. For the most part they grazed with the other horses/ponies. But in summer they would hang back in the already grazed field for a week or so when we moved paddocks to let the larger horses take the best of the grass off any new grazing. It worked for us quite well.

Regarding the riggy behaviour have you tried agnus castus/chase tree berries?
Click to expand...
i've just put him on Rigcalm today so hoping this helps.
 
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