| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GHALEEM |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 5:52:33 PM
Does anyone use this system with their horses? I'm thinking of doing it but want to know about the pros and cons before i go to the trouble of electric fencing a six acre field
Michelle |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Fee |
Posted - 14 Aug 2011 : 08:07:34 AM
My field is leased too. Next thing I want to get is a load of sand. I have a corner that gets really muddy, it'll be great for there and sand is brilliant for keeping their feet filed. They spend a lot of 'hanging out watching the world go by' time in this corner when it's dry, so it's perfect for them and the field to fill it with sand.
I did try to plant a herb corner too, but need to rethink as Inka uprooted everything and ate it all including the roots. Guess I need to section it off for longer. I was just so excited to see what they would do and what they would eat. She's like a pig on truffles
Fee |
| GHALEEM |
Posted - 13 Aug 2011 : 1:56:46 PM
Sounds like you are most of the way there already Fee.
Unfortunately my fields are rented so i cant put the stone and sand down. I do have a field shelter with a paving slab floor and then an area outside that with chippings.
My boys are fat and are currently in a small paddock bored, bored, bored so i think they are gonna be pleased with the new arrangement. I will probably take the fencing down in the winter and they can eat the bit that i have saved.
Michelle
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| Fee |
Posted - 13 Aug 2011 : 01:56:28 AM
Originally posted by kimzi oops sorry i have accidentally wandered onto the wrong planet
I understand that it's having your horses living in a smaller area but ensuring they are grazing, moving and walking over a varied terrain to try to recreate as much as possible how they would live more naturally in a large area.
The way we so often keep them today in stables and/or small grass paddocks is many believe detrimental to their physical and mental health. In this case with particular emphasis also being on their feet. I'm no expert and only have a basic understanding so I'm sure others will add to that or correct me.
Personally I only seek to try to create as natural as possible an environment largely based on how we kept our ponies when I was a child rather than following this Jamie Jackson method. Although I do applaud him for advocating it and helping people to think about, consider and try were possible to recreate a more natural environment for their horse. For me it's akin to NH, in that its not new (although it may be to some I agree) it's about using your common sense whilst learning and improving things were possible for your horse through trying to keep things as natural as possible.
The other thing this method advocates is to fence out the centre if your paddock so that the horses graze around the 'track' you have created. This I believe is to reduce the grass whilst still giving them a larger area and because they have to graze around the perimeter it keeps them on the move a lot more like they would do if grazing more naturally.
Hope that maybe helps and sorry others who know much more if I've got it some or all wrong.
Fee |
| kimzi |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 10:56:40 PM
oops sorry i have accidentally wandered onto the wrong planet |
| Fee |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 8:48:34 PM
I think I've kinda got this going except the track which I'll look into doing as I need to figure out the best way to graze them to have the largest area with least grass in the summer but still encourage them to move, which this set up certainly does.
I have a large concrete area and have recently laid tons of pebbles in front of it so they have to walk over them to get on to the concrete. They have field shelters with wood pellet bedding and a canopy to keep out the rain but remain outside. I take most of the wet wood pellets bedding and I lay them outside in their latrine areas. They have a composted area which they use for rolling and also some of the drier bedding goes there. They have natural shelter from trees and a good hill in their field.
I'm so glad you brought this up Michelle as I really need to figure out and get my track up and running.
I have to say this year I'm also planning on putting on only no fill rugs and only the worst days too. Then my girls will be really happy!
I'm pretty sure my herd think they're in paradise
Fee
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| Pasch |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 8:46:43 PM
Oh yes,that's exactly what I will get as soon as I win the Lottery...Mine will have a hill and a small lake for the hot summer days,too... |
| BeckyBoodle |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 8:24:37 PM
Probably not a great description, but is about sectioning off or putting a track round your paddock with different terrains so the horse gets to use its feet properly and get used to different surfaces. At the same time it is encouraged to move round and so exercise itself and then there are other bits with a sand rolling area, possibly an area with different herbs growing so the horse can sort of self medicate etc. Obviously you need enough space to do this, and I think you can add strip grazing in of sectioned off areas. Hope that makes sense. I think if you Google it you will find websites about it. My friend has a book I looked through. I love the concept. I assume it is hard work to set up and you need space, but the results seemed very good. I think the principle again comes from watching wild horses and then trying to see how to make our paddocks provide the different terrains and areas they seek out.
B
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| Pasch |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 7:07:06 PM
Sorry for ignorance:what exactly is paddock paradise? |
| BeckyBoodle |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 6:55:19 PM
A friend is just about to do this for her energies. I think it looks fab if you can accommodate the set up. A key driver is the fact that one of the ponies is laminitic and sees it as a way of helping Abbi. Would be interested to hear more if you go for it.
B |
| Judith S |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 6:48:06 PM
A lot depends on your ground type as it can mean you need to import a lot of stone, sand or gravel to make areas that will not become poached in the wet. We have made stone yards in most of our fields which means we have dry, hard areas to feed on in the winter, and mobile field shelters. |
| Cate |
Posted - 12 Aug 2011 : 6:44:20 PM
Would love to do this. I know Nick of Clover Rose Equestrian has done it and has lots of info on his website. I think he would also give you advice. |
