Winter grazing help

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monkeynut

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I have 3 1/2 acres sectioned in to 3 paddocks, 2 are 1 1/2 acres and the third is half an acre.

I have two horses and a pony, the horses are in at night at the pony lives out. They are all in the same 1 1/2 paddock and the others are rested.
I know it's not enough but I have to manage with what I have.

The gateway is nearly knee deep in mud and the rest of the field isn't great either. It's my first winter on the land and I though this would be the best winter field but it seems that the rested field is much better draining.

My horses are miserable, the only way I can get my ISH out is with a lunge whip, he just really does not want to go out.

I'm thinking of moving them to the other field and leaving the 'winter' paddock to recover, but I'm worried that come spring I will just have two trashed fields!

Any advise welcome
 
It will recover by spring if left now, the grass is still growing and once the horses stop trashing the gateway that will also get a chance to if not actually dry at least stop getting worse, I use most of my fields in the winter rotating as they start to get muddy and they always recover in spring.
 
Yes it will recover especially as the grass is still growing on. I always put an electric fence corral round the gateways as it helps keep the mud at bay. Roll on spring.
 
I have a similar set up to you.
I second corralling the gates off, this makes a huge difference to the gateways as the horses can't congregate in them making the mud deeper.
If it is your own field, I would also dig. The gate ways out and lay hardcore, although you can't do this until next year now.
I have a winter trash paddock, which is about an acre. Yes it gets muddy, but then recovers in spring with harrowing and rolling. I would not be moving the horses at this stage. Winter still has a long way to go, and may get more and more wet, then you will end up with more trashed than not. Although it recovers, the grass isn't as good as the non trashed fields either,and if you have 2 fields like this, it means you are limiting what you can do come spring.
I also have a shelter with a large hard standing outside of it so the horses can get out of the mud.
 
The grass is still really coming through. You'd be best off getting them into the rested field now, the other one will be fine for spring.
 
I agree with the others, move them to the other paddock now.

It will pick up again in the spring, then maybe think about hardcoring the gateways before next winter.
 
Youd be better off letting them have the whole lot through winter and separating the fields off nearer spring to allow them to recover. 2 horses and a pony on 3.5 acres will create alot less damage than them all on 1.5 acres and it will recover much quicker
 
_HP_ said:
Youd be better off letting them have the whole lot through winter and separating the fields off nearer spring to allow them to recover. 2 horses and a pony on 3.5 acres will create alot less damage than them all on 1.5 acres and it will recover much quicker
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This

I have three ponies on four acres out 24/7. I let them have the lot over winter and
then rotate through the summer so all of it gets rested at some point. It is fine like that.

Currently they are not out on all of it as there is still loads of grass and so I am slowly extending the area they can get to. They would be too fat otherwise and it means I will not need hay for a while. However I cannot wait to get them out on the lot as they poach it far less then.
 
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