Pasture Planning Questions

[ThreeCFarm]

We finally moved onto our 20 acres!

Anyway, we are trying to plan things out, as it isn't fenced and has no barn yet. Here are my questions:

1. What is the formula for an acre?

2. I get 10 acres for horsey stuff. I was thinking of having a 1 acre pasture, 2 2 acre pastures, and 1 5 acre pasture. I'm thinking that will give me a lot of flexibility. I have one stallion, 3 broodmares, one future broodmare, and 2 geldings. I know numbers fluctuate, but I will never be a big breeder in terms of numbers. I don't intend to have any more than the 3 or 4 broodmares I already have, which means only 1 stallion is needed. I'll have a few foals each year too. Do the pasture sizes sound right? I want to be able to rotate, and split the horses up or put everyone together, etc.

3. We're thinking of using field fence with hot wire to keep the horses from rubbing on the fence. What is your experience with field fence?

4. Any experience with a solar fence charger?

5. If I have to temporarily cross fence with hot wire (I plan on using the tape hot wire if I do), what height should the bottom wire be to prevent foals from getting on the wrong side?

6. I plan to have runs on the south side of my barn. What do you recommend for the footing? Sand?

Thanks!

 

[Miniv]

Had to re-read your post a couple of times to be clear.....but it sounds like you have more than plenty of room for rotating your group(s) around with the numbers you are talking about.

One piece of advice.....you can never have too many gates either between pastures or out of pastures!

MA

 

[wcr]

You can never have enough paddocks. Even with so few horses you will be amazed that all of a sudden you have nowhere to put horses.

Solar fencers don't have the sting electric has and if you don't have sun for several days you might find they don't work. I used solar until I got electricity around my place and quickly replaced them. I use straight hot wire on my pastures and paddocks. 1 1/2 inch wide, 3 strands fairly close together at the bottom with one high enough for big horses.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

wcr, that is the kind of hot wire we were thinking of using if we have to cross fence with it--I want it highly visible!

Good point on the gates, MA.

 

[USMCshamusmom]

here we have field fence lined with electric. cross fencing with the electric tapes would be a fine idea, about 2 ft high and maybe another strand higher or lower depending on the size and enthusiasm of the critters you wanted to contain... even a couple of dead strips above and below the charged tape would be good, as it will help visibility... we have 3 small pastures and a dry lot. Many times I have wished we had another dry lot. gates you can drive your mower, tractor, or pickup through are good, and you may want a few smaller gates for convenience as well. footing for your runs can be most anything that drains well as a base. Common here to use riprap covered with coarse gravel, then road base and a thick layer of dirt/sand on top of that. That way there is plenty of drainage and the runs don't turn into mud wallows at least for a few years. try to situate your runs on the dryest and best drained area you have. compaction from common use will eventually change it, but it will be easiest to maintain if you start with a high and dry location. Keeping Horses on small Acreage (i think that is the title) by Cherry Hill has been a very useful book for us in the past, loaded with hints and helps.....

what fun you are going to have!!!!

 

[ThreeCFarm]

here we have field fence lined with electric. cross fencing with the electric tapes would be a fine idea, about 2 ft high and maybe another strand higher or lower depending on the size and enthusiasm of the critters you wanted to contain... even a couple of dead strips above and below the charged tape would be good, as it will help visibility... we have 3 small pastures and a dry lot. Many times I have wished we had another dry lot. gates you can drive your mower, tractor, or pickup  through are good, and you may  want a few smaller gates for convenience as well.  footing for your runs can be most anything that drains well as a base. Common here to use riprap covered with coarse gravel, then road base and a thick layer of dirt/sand on top of that. That way there is plenty of drainage and the runs don't turn into mud wallows at least for a few years. try to situate your runs on the dryest and best drained area you have. compaction from common use will eventually change it, but it will be easiest to maintain if you start with a high and dry location.  Keeping Horses on small Acreage (i think that is the title) by Cherry Hill has been a very useful book for us in the past, loaded with hints and helps.....what fun you are going to have!!!!

 

 

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What is riprap? I've never heard of it. Thanks for all of the information!

 

[justaboutgeese]

Rip rap is heavy wire baskets filled with stones. I have a question for the original poster. Whats going on with the other ten acres ?? You have ten for "horsey" things and ten for ??????

 

[whitney]

Width x Depth divided by 43560 (feet in an acre) will tell you how many acres you have.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Whitney, THANKS for the formula!!!

Geese, my husband gets the other 10 acres for whatever he wants to do. He's talking pigs, maybe some cows, etc.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

How exciting for you to be in your new place with your new horses! I want to come and see it all. I also think lots of gates are good--I do not have enough! It makes me walk more, though! Solar charger electric is fine if the fence is sturdy, or if the horse already respects the fence. We get plenty of sunshine here to keep it going!

Marsha

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Hi Marsha! So far we only have Bob and the new donkey at our house, the rest will stay at my mother's for a while longer. Come over anytime!