On Nov 25, 2007 12:31 PM, Skye and Sally ~Fire Island <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > We have a dry lot paddock...it is mostly weeds that they do not eat > with other types of stuff growing on top of our lovely rock. But we > have always spread out the feed to the horses that are kept in there, > its about a half acre....we want then to move around and hunt for the > feed. That way they are not standing at a bucket for a half hour > eating the feed and then standing there waiting till lunchtime. We > kept Foss there and full feed him...now I have a IR Icelandic gelding > that stays there....we tell our clients to do the same...put the feed > all over and let them move around to eat....simulate as much as > possible to what they wouyld do naturally in the wild. >
Skye, our smallest track is in a 75 x 110 foot area, this is where Raven's pony's go when she comes here, the oval in the middle is about 85 x 55 leaving about 12-16 feet on 3 sides, one side is narrower, maybe only 8 feet at the narrowest spot... she puts Huginn in the middle for grass a couple hours at a time, leaves the mini on the outside.. She was so excited to see how much they moved and moved and moved on the track... She also had them in there a few times without the track.. they stood at the fence staring at us or the other horses... so, the change was very obvious for both of us with two different herds, very interesting stuff... The narrow area, kind of moves them through faster... Wider areas are for grazing, socializing, I have a hill in there too... I know that they are mentally stimulated this way... I have always spread hay out too... but this method of keeping my horses has changed me forever... i will never go back to the old way of pasturing horses... Jamie Jackson has a book out, Pasture Paradise - I have not read it, I am sure he has a whole lot more to say about this then I can on a list... I just know that Psychologically, it keeps them moving and moving more then when they had access to this small area with no Oval in the middle... It really is amazing... I am trying to figure out how to put my round pen in there, I want it to be at least 60 feet... I might have to move the outside fence out in a couple places, to accomodate a Round pen... then I will bring in more gravel and some sand for good footing... I am still contemplating this procedure... I and my horses love our track system, take a look~~~ http://picasaweb.google.com/dakota.charm/TrackForHorses
