> Skye, our smallest track is in a 75 x 110 foot area, t 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
That is interesting. Our horses do not stand at the fence at all while they are in the paddock, except when its dinner time or breakfast, even then we still have to call them in about half the time. I think it is because there is varied terrain and trees throughout the edges. Actually different trees on 3 sides, some good for shade, others good for rubbing...they seem to move around a lot in that paddock. But that is not typical of a normal paddock....they have stuff to do in there and enjoy doing it I guess. We really try to keep them in pasture though...the pasture we lease next to our land is 18 of really varied terrain and a lot of different grasses and vines...they get a lot of movement in their plus good feed. It looks nothing like a regular pasture you would envision. It is rough, with fallen trees, very overgrown, Big trees and hundreds of small ones....they move around that 18 acres all day and have to come in for water and a few alfalfa cubes in the am and pm....it is very wild land. And because there is so much varied grasses, vines and legumes they get what they need from it...nutritionally, socially, physically and mentally. > The narrow area, kind of moves them through faster... Wider areas > a 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... If we ever need to put something like that in I would consider it for my horses. Luckily we have a natural one that is already in use! > > Jamie Jackson has a book out, Pasture Paradise - Yes, we have seen it. I guess we quit purchasing and downloading stuff from Jaime ever since he got on that all horses should and could be barefoot in any terrain. Turned us off because we know that it is not true. Skye Fire Island Eco-Treks-808-443-6085 Fire Island Professional Farrier Service-640-6080
