Wwyd - moving yards (grazing)

Dopeydapple

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I've been trying to find grass livery for my mare for a while, she is an extremely good doer and is just far too fat where she is. I want her to still be part of a herd, just a herd with similar diatary requirements ( too much grass currently and lots of as lib hay in the winter so no weight loss then to help). I can only find places that do individual turnout which I want to avoid. I saw a place this week that had fantastically bare paddocks but they were fairly small ( not horrific but not ideal) as they split the field up to put horses into pairs, also no natural shelter but maybe the winter ones do have, I would need to check. My question is given the rarity of 24/7 grazing should I take it or keep looking. Plus points are it's set up well for fatties and she has a friend, negatives are the paddocks are small and as they are in pairs she is likely to get very attached to the other one and be a nightmare if he goes anyway ( she is a stresshead when seperates from her friends).
 

milliepops

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i think you need to find out more about this yard, small bare paddocks might work OK in summer but what is the winter grazing like? you don't want to be stuck in a tiny bog. plus the shelter question applies as much in summer as winter i think, i would not want horses out 24/7 with no shade available.
 

Dopeydapple

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The only track livery place is triple the price. Tried a muzzle and she wouldn't eat with it on and eventually snapped the headcollar to get it off, don't want to put non fieldsafe headcollar on in case she injures herself trying to get it off. She's retired with a dodgy stifle...
 

Dopeydapple

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i think you need to find out more about this yard, small bare paddocks might work OK in summer but what is the winter grazing like? you don't want to be stuck in a tiny bog. plus the shelter question applies as much in summer as winter i think, i would not want horses out 24/7 with no shade available.
That's my current thinking, I think enough of the paddocks are rested to not worry about winter grazing but shelter and only 1 buddy is ringing alarm bells but I think I will have to compromise somewhere.
 

HappyHollyDays

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That’s awkward then, small paddocks with a dodgy stifle would be a non starter for me especially if it got muddy in winter. I think I would be trying to look for somewhere with a few hills, as sparse grazing as possible and a retirement herd instead. There is such a gap in the market for places and if you find one it’s nowhere near where you need it to be or as you have found out very expensive. I hope you manage to find something.
 

Dopeydapple

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That’s awkward then, small paddocks with a dodgy stifle would be a non starter for me especially if it got muddy in winter. I think I would be trying to look for somewhere with a few hills, as sparse grazing as possible and a retirement herd instead. There is such a gap in the market for places and if you find one it’s nowhere neawhere you need it to be or as you have found out very expensive. I hope you manage to find something.
That's exactly what I want but couldn't find it last year and hoped that the extra horses and bigger fields at the current place would compensate for the improved grazing but sadly not. I think I just need impartial opinions on what I can compromise on as I'm going round in circles and driving myself mad lol.
 

Leandy

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I would seriously consider this if it is the best you have found so far and you can always move again if you find something better. You can compensate for lack of shelter using appropriate rugs and if she is retired I don't really see a problem with them being paired up. Presumably there will be others around in the adjoining paddocks for company if her companion goes away for a bit so is this really a big worry? Only you will know whether the size of the paddock will a problem for the stifle. If so, is there access to eg a horse walker, or could you exercise a bit in some form to keep her moving more. Alternatively, look for options farther afield. If she is retired you presumably don't actually need her too close.
 

PSD

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What area are you in? Perhaps some of the brilliant members on her could help locate you something.
 

Fred66

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Individual turnout is not as bad as it sounds. Generally they are surrounded by others so they do have company just not in a herd. More places are going this way as the insurance aspects of being in a herd are problematic. Not only the horse, but people being in with horses that aren’t theirs.
 

Widgeon

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Individual turnout is not as bad as it sounds. Generally they are surrounded by others so they do have company just not in a herd. More places are going this way as the insurance aspects of being in a herd are problematic. Not only the horse, but people being in with horses that aren’t theirs.

Ours are all on indivudal turnout (unless two owned by the same person) as the YO is very wary after a nasty kick years ago. Freak accident I think but it (understandably) made her rethink group turnout for liveries. They can always groom with at least one friend over the fence and every so often they'll have a run up and down together. It's not perfect but they all seem very content. As you say they are always surrounded by others and we all make sure there's never one horse left alone. My horse came from herd turnout and seems completely unbothered by the setup we have. It's a trade off really - we have 24/7 grazing and our own paddock means I can manage mine to keep his weight down. So more pluses than minuses for me, but everyone's needs are different.
 

Dopeydapple

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Ours are all on indivudal turnout (unless two owned by the same person) as the YO is very wary after a nasty kick years ago. Freak accident I think but it (understandably) made her rethink group turnout for liveries. They can always groom with at least one friend over the fence and every so often they'll have a run up and down together. It's not perfect but they all seem very content. As you say they are always surrounded by others and we all make sure there's never one horse left alone. My horse came from herd turnout and seems completely unbothered by the setup we have. It's a trade off really - we have 24/7 grazing and our own paddock means I can manage mine to keep his weight down. So more pluses than minuses for me, but everyone's needs are different.
She had individual turnout at the previous yard for the reasons that you stated and she was fine but she is clearly happier now in her herd so I know that's not a compromise I'm willing to make this time, I already feel bad knowing how much she will hate me for taking her away from so much food and her bestie lol
 

milliepops

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pairs turnout can work out OK provided there are enough other horses close by so they don't feel abandoned if the other horse goes to be ridden etc. i have my ridden one on individual TO as she starts fights but in the past i've had pairs and that has been alright if your horse is not naturally clingy. Needs to be the right pair though so you could ask how the yard organise matching horses up.
 

Fred66

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She had individual turnout at the previous yard for the reasons that you stated and she was fine but she is clearly happier now in her herd so I know that's not a compromise I'm willing to make this time, I already feel bad knowing how much she will hate me for taking her away from so much food and her bestie lol
Obviously your choice but as you can’t find herd turnout where the grazing is right then to me it looks as though you have to balance the grazing against the turnout and as she was fine on individual before then I would prioritize the right grazing, but as I say your choice.
 

Dopeydapple

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Obviously your choice but as you can’t find herd turnout where the grazing is right then to me it looks as though you have to balance the grazing against the turnout and as she was fine on individual before then I would prioritize the right grazing, but as I say your choice.
The paddocks are as big as any she would have if put on individual turnout so it's definitely better than that option, it's just the ideal would be a bigger, sloping field of poor grazing with a small herd of retired natives, that doesn't seem to exist do I just bite the bullet and go for just paired turnout in an ok space??
 

Dopeydapple

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I took a few days to think about the place, decided it was worth giving it a go but the space had gone the day after I saw it so looks like I'm going to have to take the financial hit and go to the track livery as she has now been moved onto even more lush grazing so feel like I've run out of time to find anywhere.
 
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