Pasture fence planning - Ideas please!

[Ajierene]

Track system looks interesting. Where I keep my horse, they do something like this for the cows. The husband moves the electric fence every day. He closes off one section and opens the one next to it. The website I found talks about hay and water stations but there is one automatic waterer in the sacrifice area that also has the run-in shed and the chute. The cows just go back there to eat. In the winter, he will move the roundbale feeder around a bit but not as much.

We talked about doing this with the horses but haven’t yet. We do open the middle field or the circle on the driveway or send them to the front lawn.

[Bluey]

@Ajierene

Track system looks interesting. Where I keep my horse, they do something like this for the cows. The husband moves the electric fence every day. He closes off one section and opens the one next to it. The website I found talks about hay and water stations but there is one automatic waterer in the sacrifice area that also has the run-in shed and the chute. The cows just go back there to eat. In the winter, he will move the roundbale feeder around a bit but not as much.

We talked about doing this with the horses but haven’t yet. We do open the middle field or the circle on the driveway or send them to the front lawn.

Generally we move cattle around for grazing purposes, rotating pastures to manage grass, not to excise them.
Cattle live nicely in groups of all sizes, other than bulls at times fight, unlike horses, that play and fight and chase each other around and get hurt easily doing that if in crowding situations.

Those can be important differences when considering how to manage them.

[Ajierene]

I understand that - doesn’t mean you can’t do the same thing with the horses! The pieces of pasture that these cows are on are bigger than the dry lots you see out west so that whole “but for the exercise” theory goes right out the window.

The reason we don’t move the horses the same way is becuase the wife is in charge of the horses and she doesn’t want to do the work, and is a somewhat irrationally fearful the horses will injur themselves on the electric wire (same wire used when they are on the lawn).

It matters not to me, both would work just fine.

[Bluey]

There is an as of yet unresolved point of discussion when it comes to stress in paddock paradise systems.

Horses have shown some increase in hoof health, in body condition, etc., but studies are inconclusive on stress levels.
Crowding, even if minimally, generally causes stress.

Our vet tried it years ago, with a few yearlings and some old retired horses and both groups had more stress and injuries and strife than when kept in bigger pastures.
Hard to say the considerably more restricted space in a paddock paradise, necessary for that kind of management, was the cause of trouble or just normal accidents, that could happen any place, any time.

I would think it depends on the horses you manage, how well matched they are for agreeableness and getting along well.
The trouble is, horses change with the weather, the seasons, age, other parameters, so using any system always demands to be alert and proactive to change all along as their behavior changes.

More studies, not anecdote, is needed, I think.

[sailor-sunset]

I will definitely do a track system in the dry lot / sacrifice area. Would be especially great for the long winters and giving encouragement for them to do more than stand at the same spot and eat all day. I’m not sure about doing a whole perimeter/larger track, it seems huge! Also there’s not much for natural features of the land, just flat sand. I do follow that facebook group and have envy for some of those gorgeous tracks with wonderful natural features.

[lizloveshorses]

I have a track on 10 acres, it’s not as big as I expected actually! I also have some hills, but no trees, no water, no bushes, nothing “exciting.” But I agree, it’s way better than having them stand around.

[rulex]

I would do a track and set up the middle to be pasture that you can do rotational grazing on, perhaps with temporary electric fence? Sounds like your land and soil will need improving so I imagine incorporating rotational grazing will help with that.

[Mcl1]

Something I never would have thought of but have greatly enjoyed after moving to a property with them is having holding pens incorporated into pastures (especially if you’d aren’t planning on having stalls). They allow my horses to be fed without anyone having to actually handle them (one goes into his pen at meal time, the other goes to his feed spot in the bigger pasture). Also useful to have in case of any kind of medical issue. Mine are about 50x40.

Having pastures connected is also very useful for ease of care. My non-horsey husband would not be comfortable leading both horses in himself, but with my set up he can bring them in and feed without ever having to even touch them.

As for manure, with two horses on 4 acres of total pasture (their “home base” is 1 acre, they get access to 3 more during the day as long as it is not too muddy) - I just drag. I have 30 acres total so if they had to be stuck in a smaller area I could make a pile elsewhere but if we keep up with dragging it never looks bad and doesn’t smell.

[trubandloki]

I will second how great it is to be able to open and close gates to move horses around instead of having to lead the horses!

Being able to just drag and not have a mud pit will depend greats on your climate and soil.

My soil is mainly clay (and rocks, lots of rocks) and I could never just drag and not have a mud pit mess any time there was any rain. The clay does not need organic material holding moisture and making things even more sticky and wet. I clean up manure and rake up loose hay.
A friend who lives near by has very sandy soil, same general climate (clearly). She picks up no manure outside and her place stays dry and happy.