Width of perimeter track

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UKBreeder55

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Hi. We are starting a large amount of fencing. We need to leave a track around the outside of our paddocks - for access and so we can rabbit wire / cut hedges easily.

How wide should we make the track for a medium size tractor with hedge cutter to navigate? Would you leave more room in the corners?

Thanks!
 
I fenced right up to my hedges. Tractor cuts from inside the field. I do know that a 4 meter gate's width is too narrow (been there, did that) I think you would need double that. It depends on your acreage really. If you have a lot then losing the amount to an access track won't matter but it might if you only have limited. Hope this helps a bit.
 
The access gate into our field is 15'. It was originally put in before BIL bought it as access for a combine so is plenty for a tractor. We have a tractor with mower use it every year to top the field. I would think if you want a track all round the filed that a tractor can access then 15' with rounded corners would be fine. Actually thinking about it it is a bit narrower than that as originally it was 2 gates, 11' and 4'. We removed the old wooden 11' foot gate but left the 4' and put in a 15' which goes across the whole space overlapping the 4' so 12' should be adequate.
 
If you have hedges I'd fence up to them and make access internal - they're useful for getting diversity into the diet unless toxic species obviously - or graze the track as suggested above. Then the horses will keep the hedges trimmed to head height at least. We have a perimeter track for summer grazing that varies between about 3.5m to 8-9m at a couple of corners (two corners have tree clumps in them, access past which is narrow) - it's about 5m on average. We've had no trouble getting a tractor with a post knocker on it round it. More width would give you more peace of mind re manoeuvering.
 
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