Foal Paddock Fencing/sizing Help and Newbie Intro :-)

[Irish_Love]

Greetings from the South!

Firstly, hi! I ran across this lovely forum thanks to a predict-a-foal google search, where I happened upon a hilariously delightfully post here from years back (the tarot cards filly):

[URL=“http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?191134-HELP!!-Lost-Predict-A-Foal-Instructions-PHOTOS-FINALLY!!!”]

Secondly, as a young (I’m recently 26- I know, I know…resist the urge :)) and first time nervous “breeder” with a march/april foaling date quickly approaching, I was hoping some experienced yodas may have advice about preferred foal paddock sizing and fencing.

I bred my maiden RIDSH to a KWPN/Oldenburg stallion and am moving her and my other 3 this month (I know, I’m an awful mom) to 22 acres that I bought. While getting construction loans for the barn/lq that I’ll be building on it, I’ll be roughin’ it in a camper and building her a paddock with attached foaling run in/stall in the mean time.

So how big should I make it? Flat land or slightly sloped? Is there “temporary” fencing that still holds up properly for a new mommy and baby or should I just make a 4 board with no-climb wire area for them and deal with aligning it to the future barn later? I feel like I’m being a bit paranoid, but she is my love- her/their comfort and safety is my utmost concern. I’ll build whatever I can stretch to afford haha!:lol:

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks again!

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Bare land? How I did it, as I have no existing fencing that is worth keeping, is I planned out my entire farm. Drew it all out on printed off google-maps and then walked it, and repeated a few times as I tweaked stuff. Did a 5-15 year plan. So outdoor/indoor, parking, storage sheds, barn, hay storage, etc. and electrical and water access. This helped me figure out the pasture rotation. Also, I have a pasture that is going to be a soggy mess in a flood year, so check out your topography. My vote is to plan the entire farm and then the size of the mare/foal run may work itself out when you have the overall plan in place. Is there water?? Busy roads? Natural shelter?

5’ no-climb with a 1.5" strand of hot tape across the top and across the middle (visual and physical reminder to respect the fence) would be my first choice in a perfect world. I’m all about low-maitenance. Or a variation with a board or flex board as the visual (I’d still make at least the top hot). Then four board flex fence would be my next choice. It is easy to spend other people’s money I guess, because I’m still going back and forth on my own. I am planning my foal paddock and will likely do no-climb with the tape as I describe, but space will restrain me to 250 x 150.’ I’m chosing no-climb also to avoid roaming dogs/coyotes, etc.) My size means I will probably need to supplement with hay.

Is the paddock just for the mare and foal? If budget isn’t an issue then go large. If it is, are you willing and able to store/feed hay?

My foal was fine for shelter with a deep run-in and her mom.

[Sunnydays]

If you have 22 acres - fence off a good sized area for mare and foal - maybe 2 acres, so they have room to gallop and graze. As TrtotTrot said, choose a spot that will be dry, and make the gate accessible, and consider how to get water to the field.
I think doing a 5 year plan is a great idea, and implement in modules.

[Irish_Love]

[QUOTE=TrotTrotPumpkn;6768540]
Did a 5-15 year plan. So outdoor/indoor, parking, storage sheds, barn, hay storage, etc. and electrical and water access. This helped me figure out the pasture rotation. Also, I have a pasture that is going to be a soggy mess in a flood year, so check out your topography. My vote is to plan the entire farm and then the size of the mare/foal run may work itself out when you have the overall plan in place. Is there water?? Busy roads? Natural shelter?[/QUOTE]

Thanks so much for the fantastic advice, especially with the fencing type and sizing opinions. I didn’t know if there was such a thing as “too big” or what have you.

To clarify, the 22 acres is unimproved, mainly mature bermuda pasture with a few cars of woods on the perimeter. I’ve added electric connectivity and a water meter with spigot so far. I did exactly what you mentioned and happened to print out and draw fencing and cross fencing plans from the proposed house and barn area, but it won’t be done before the foal comes, so I want to build something just for mom and baby first, but the official shelter will be up 3-6 months later.

So If I have the area- go ahead and make it decently sized? I will be making a makeshift “foaling stall” shelter (basically a private little 24 x 12 shelter attached to the paddock). Will this be large enough to be a decent run in later?

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

[QUOTE=Irish_Love;6769299]
Thanks so much for the fantastic advice, especially with the fencing type and sizing opinions. I didn’t know if there was such a thing as “too big” or what have you.

To clarify, the 22 acres is unimproved, mainly mature bermuda pasture with a few cars of woods on the perimeter. I’ve added electric connectivity and a water meter with spigot so far. I did exactly what you mentioned and happened to print out and draw fencing and cross fencing plans from the proposed house and barn area, but it won’t be done before the foal comes, so I want to build something just for mom and baby first, but the official shelter will be up 3-6 months later.

So If I have the area- go ahead and make it decently sized? I will be making a makeshift “foaling stall” shelter (basically a private little 24 x 12 shelter attached to the paddock). Will this be large enough to be a decent run in later?[/QUOTE]

Yes, I think Sunnydays gave a nice size, but if you have the funds you can go as large as you want, imo. With your amount of land you can always plan an expansion field if you really get into breeding and have more mares/foals. In my case, I have the “foal” paddock isolated on the north side of the barn-that-doesn’t-exist-yet, the barn has a non-existing 100 x 200 arena off the back of it (both on the highest, flatest point of the property), and then on the other side of the imaginary infrastructure I will have a sacrifice paddock leading to two larger fields I can rotate. So ultimately, if I have a weanling they will get to go out on a larger paddock eventually. My farm is just under 10 acres, but not all of that is pasture (I have a thick shelter belt on the north and west). I think the concepts are the same though–drainage, shelter and water and access.

24 x 12 is nice for a couple horses, imo. You can always add on to a run-in. You may want one somewhere else at a later date or have your barn, but I think that is a good starting point. When I had my foal, the run-in was actually too deep, so there wasn’t enough air circulation in the very back, imo (BO was using an old storage barn as the run in). The horses used it constantly to escape flies and the sun. Ignored it in bad weather. I’m planning a similar size to 24 x 12 (I have no current foals on the way, btw, this is for my mare and her yet-to-be-discovered donkey companion–because I simply have to have a donkey). One difference is I am going to add a small enclosed area for metal garbage bins to hold grain. Something I can lock if I did decide to leave tack there. I would cement the floor if I was leaving tack, btw.

One other bonus to planning it all out now is you can plant some tiny trees now, which is much cheaper than moving in the giants. How I want mature landscaping to look is part of my long-term plan. But I’m getting way carried away here. Can you tell I’m thinking about this a bit these days?

[Irish_Love]

[QUOTE=TrotTrotPumpkn;6769978]
One other bonus to planning it all out now is you can plant some tiny trees now, which is much cheaper than moving in the giants. How I want mature landscaping to look is part of my long-term plan. But I’m getting way carried away here. Can you tell I’m thinking about this a bit these days?[/QUOTE]

In an attempt the further enthrall my almost-civil-union-worthy other half with my similar horsey paradise plans, I was reading your post to him and watching him laugh as it went on. I’ve been ranting and raving about how we need to plant oak trees so they can grow, and figs and apples to line the sides of the nonexistent driveway so that when they mature they can drop into the pastures for the babies to snatch up :-). I too have a color-coded map out of the arena spot, and round pen placement, and trailer parking, and and and… :rolleyes: by the time I reached the end of yours, he said “Omg it’s just like you… in a computer… planning barns with pens and highlighters. There are more of you! Jesus, help us all…”:yes: haha amen to that! I swear year after year… he just doesn’t understand.

I never would have thought about a run in being too deep. I’ve either had a proper barn or woods in a pasture, nothing in-between, so thank you for the advice.

Lastly, any idea where the most reasonable no climb wire rolls are?? I’m in Georgia/Alabama line by Atlanta, but will drive to the neighboring states for a decent rate. Good ole Red Brand or is the tensar worth it? SO much more expensive, though.

[HyperionStudLLC]

Build it as big as you want, provide shelter and clean water. The lay of the land should not matter as long as it doesn’t flood. The more space the better IMO. You can always chop it down later when you have to separate horses. One key thing to remember, know your compass. Where does the sun rise and set, where does the weather come from. Place your sheds and barns in locations and positions that reflect bad weather and take advantage of good weather.

Fencing can be what you like and can afford. Make it safe and effective are my rules of thumb.

Don’t panic, your heart and head are in the right place.

Cheers

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

[QUOTE=Irish_Love;6770906]
In an attempt the further enthrall my almost-civil-union-worthy other half with my similar horsey paradise plans, I was reading your post to him and watching him laugh as it went on. I’ve been ranting and raving about how we need to plant oak trees so they can grow, and figs and apples to line the sides of the nonexistent driveway so that when they mature they can drop into the pastures for the babies to snatch up :-). I too have a color-coded map out of the arena spot, and round pen placement, and trailer parking, and and and… :rolleyes: by the time I reached the end of yours, he said “Omg it’s just like you… in a computer… planning barns with pens and highlighters. There are more of you! Jesus, help us all…”:yes: haha amen to that! I swear year after year… he just doesn’t understand.

I never would have thought about a run in being too deep. I’ve either had a proper barn or woods in a pasture, nothing in-between, so thank you for the advice.

Lastly, any idea where the most reasonable no climb wire rolls are?? I’m in Georgia/Alabama line by Atlanta, but will drive to the neighboring states for a decent rate. Good ole Red Brand or is the tensar worth it? SO much more expensive, though.[/QUOTE]

I’m laughing so hard I cried a little, because I can see my husband having the same reaction–if I could even get him to read a thread on COTH of course! I reread my posts and I probably sound a little bit like a crazy person. My only excuse is the snow and short days and lack of horse to ride.

You simply must post pictures in the Around the Farm forum as you develop this place. I (and many others) love to read/see what other people are doing.

Finally, because I am a bit touched and that means I, of course, have looked at this, I will tell you I would go with class 3 galvanized coating on the no-climb if you can. It will last longer and it is a big enough pita to put up that I think it’s worth it. Baekart is what I can find locally, the Red Brand they sell here is only class 1 (although they make a 3). I’m not sure what’s available to you (we don’t have tensar, so I don’t know??). 2" x 4" no climb will be cheaper than diamond mesh horse wire though. Someone else may chime in with a better idea. Good luck!!