I’m on a smaller track with just 2 horses currently. It runs the perimeter of one of my pastures that’s right at 1.9 acres. I want to add some more enrichment opportunities so if anyone has something that works well please share!
I have a hay ball that I will put into a trough (to keep them from pushing it under the fence) and that works well! I’ve tried swingers (hanging small hay balls or lick its) from the trees but neither of mine will touch those.
Here’s a thought I’m pondering. With Lyme disease being such a problem in parts of the US, it would “seem” that having horses on a surfaced track and not grass, might mean less ticks and thus, the disease.
Anyone have any data on this?
I don’t have any data, but I do know I haven’t had any ticks except when the stupid leaves fall from my shade trees. I did have one tick last year as a result (that I found). But we have a LOT of deer and coyotes that come through so it wouldn’t surprise me.
Interesting. I’m curious to know how much the prevalence of getting it is reduced if they aren’t on grass.
I suppose this same theory would apply to a dry lot.
Yes it would and I’m curious. Would seem not being in grass and certainly not tall grass would mean a lower incidence.
fwiw I find my animals (and me) pick up ticks in the scrubby areas, not on my open pasture.
We mow a lot and so far, have never had a tick problem. The ticks I’ve gotten have been in wooded areas.
Me too. Haven’t had tick problems at all but sure do have friends around me finding positive dx for Lyme - their horses.
Maybe they are riding in places with long grass, woods, or just a tick problem.
I know that one park near me, that we all enjoy riding in, has a horrible tick problem.
Right. Very good point and yes they are endurance riders and doing lots of trails. And yes, we have a local park known for horrible ticks and years ago I rode there and we were horrified how our horse’s legs were covered in them. Never went there again.
We just reopened our barn for track boarding (gently) with one FB post and I had an absolute flood of inquiries. I have set up 6 tours and I already have 2 commitments. I can only comfortably take 6-8 in addition to my horses. Now of course, not all of them will pan out, but that was a good market test for whether there was any demand.
We are setting up the facility around equine and human wellness and I’m utterly thrilled to have such a response.
Do you get nervous about introducing new horses into an established herd on a track system? Like if there are narrow spots/ choke points along your track and normal hierarchy establishing pushes them into a bad spot.
Still working on our track system but haven’t started building yet. The horses are bored, chewing on all of the trees in their dry lot. Like little beavers. It drives me crazy! And makes me feel terrible that they’re so bored. We just built a sand pit for them today and I’ll be hanging some hay balls around the trees for them to play with instead of chewing the wood. I also put some tea out for them in buckets. Any other good dry lot enrichment ideas?
Treat dispensers they can roll around?
I always get nervous introducing horses to a herd, no matter the scenario.
But - the way I have my setup, they first meet each other within sight distance, then I have the new horses go out over the fence, then I shut the narrowest part of my track for a few days for the intro and then open it back up when they have sorted out how they’ll get along.
I don’t have a lot of coming and going. I have a small barn and can only accommodate ~10-12 horses at my most comfortable (although we have 20 stalls, that’s just too many for me). So it’s worth taking the time to gently acclimate everyone.
Oh, and the narrowest point of my track is ~15’. So not terribly narrow.
I add apples to troughs for bobbing for apples. Hay with some sprinkled oats in cardboard boxes is a fun (if destructive) activity. I have hung carrot and apple danglers but I have one horse that just yanks them down lol so those aren’t worth the effort.
There’s a great equine enrichment group on Facebook if you are interested.
I love this so much. For the horses. Here’s was a post today on Facebook. They make me smile so much to see the horses running:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/808480805889892/user/100003518218643/
I’m so glad to find this thread! I’m going to be making a track in our small pasture this spring. I’m a little hesitant because I’m afraid it’s going to be boring (just an inner perimeter to mirror my outer fence line) and I want to make it more creative and I’m really not sure how without spending lots of bucks that I don’t have right now.
For anyone whose made one, what materials do you use for the fencing and posts? I’m planning on using a poly rope for a top strand with a wire middle / lower strand and use step-in posts, but will they be strong enough for corners? I anticipate needing to use some T-posts but I can’t afford to use them all the way around (5-ish acres).
Is one hay station enough or do I need to have multiple areas for hay to make sure they’re moving? Any creative ways to use slow feed nets? I have a barbed wire external fence so I don’t want to hang feeders on my wood posts and have them get torn up by the barbed wire.
Barbed wire is not likely a good choice for a track system, where the horses are required to be in close proximity to the fencing.
I think, until you can replace the barbed wire, it is probably best to keep your pasture a whole open area so the horses are not as likely to encounter the fencing.
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