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Discussion on Making Tracks...My Paddock Paradise (Holistic Hoof/horse Care)
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 6:39 pm:
A couple of years ago I was forced to start trimming my own horses. Looked easy enough, right? Wrong! Lots of learning.
And as these things go, one thing led to another. There is much, much more to hoof care than just a balanced trim, beveled toe, the right amount of moisture, etc.
In my many hours of reading online, and watching videos, I kept hearing about Jamie Jackson's Paddock Paradise book. Finally bought the book, and nothing in there really that can't be found online, but always nice to read the basics.
So, about 3 weeks ago, I set up my "track." I bought inexpensive "silver" wire; Parkmak 8 Stand Poly Wire (www.horse.com) and 40 of the plastic step in posts. I had some t-posts for corners, and insulators.
After getting my son & husband to remove the t-posts the I needed out, and my hubby pounding in the ones I needed for the corners (note: easier to make fence in the spring when the ground is soft!) I had the new fence up in about 2 hours. Only reason it took that long was because I had to hunt for some things I couldn't find, thought I threw stuff away.
I have an outer fence of 3 strands of Horse Guard Fence. The inner fence is 2 strands of the silver poly wire. I have a 30' wide section on the west, and the north and east are 20'. The south is the dirt paddock they normally live in much of the year. Water and stalls are there.
I also have 2 ready made tracks: Our road to the woods, I just need to buy 3 more gate handles to open the fence more easily. And a natural track around my arena in my east pasture.
Observations:
The horses do move more! No doubt about it. As it said in the book, give them some place to go, and they move.
So far, I am letting them graze every morning for 3 to 4 hours on one of the 3 pastures. Then back to the track. They seem very content with the arrangement. Improvement in Miss Witchy (Gem) attitude.
They get their small amount of grain/supps mid afternoon, a bit of hay in the stalls. If anyone needs more weight, I'll leave that horse in with more hay.
Putting hay out right now is fun. I use our Honda and put some on the front and kinda sprinkle it around the track every night.
Not sure if this will be costlier, or an investment. I am thinking an investment. I could let them graze 24/7 now, and not feed hay. But then the pastures would be gone and then I'd have to feed all hay. And they wouldn't be moving as much.
Might be a lot harder in the winter to spread the hay!
I haven't put gravel of any kind down yet. I figure the ground is darn hard right now and just adjusting to that with moving more will be a test for hoofs & limbs.
I've put a few different mineral blocks out, and apples too for them to find. They have some new dirt in front of the barn, and that seems to amuse them also!
This will be an ongoing project. I know the geldings need to take off weight & I need to tape them so I have a record. I have lots of hoof pictures so it will be interesting to see if hoofs change or not.
Because I do have so little pasture, I didn't go to extremes scraping the sod off, or killing off the grass. I probably won't see weight loss yet because they are eating on the track but it is getting bare in spots.
I have other ideas for more "tracks" in the future. It's really limited only to what you can imagine and depending on your land, it can get really interesting! I don't have hills, but do have lots of soil from our garage being built. Might make a hill yet. And would love to put the fence into the woods, if my Oh Great Hunter Warrior would allow it!
Because Erika asked about this,  , I don't have pictures ready but I'll get some so you can all see how easy it was to do.
Oh, and a bonus? I also walk the tracks to check the amount of grass, minerals left, etc. And I will have to walk it once we get snow because the Honda gets stuck in snow!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 - 6:52 pm:
I forgot to say some of the reasons I went ahead with this plan.
One: Over weight horses.
Two: One with bad attitude.
Three: Not seeing hoof changes I was hoping for.
Four: The biggest factor; Tango was having lameness issues, laminitis symptoms, and I wasn't sure if the laminitis was from too much pasture, poor hoof form, or both. Probably both; he's my biggest challenge to trim, and my easiest keeper.
Everything about this concept just makes so much sense to me. Horses are meant to move for hours a day. And grazing on lush pastures, no matter how much land they have, they just don't move enough. Nor do they move enough on the right kind of terrian. Can't make hard hoofs from being on soft pasture I guess.
I could go on and on about the hoof circulation improvement with movement! But I'll have to wait and see what things look like months down the road.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 12:37 am:
I think you're doing a great thing here, Angie! I would do exactly the same if I could.
Thanks for sharing this with us, and I'm really looking forward to seeing your pics.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 1:54 am:
Angie I think you will see hoof improvement and improvement for Tango. Since my horses started their 24/7 turnout their hooves started growing much faster! Right now I am limited to a small pasture since we are building a machine shed. It really is remarkable how much horses move even in small spaces.
We are blessed, or cursed, depends on how you look at it with our big hills and the horses have to go up and down them several time a day.
Looking forward to pics and updates how this turns out for you...hope it works!
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Member:
lilo
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 5:21 am:
Very interesting. We have a natural hoof care trimmer in the neighborhood who really advocates this approach. I sometimes subdivide my pastures with temporary fencing, hoping the neighbors won't object. Our grazing is so sparse, however, that the horses tend to move quite a bit in the two hours they are allowed out. The rest of the time they have their dirt paddocks.
I am looking forward to the photos and follow-on assessment.
Lilo
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:06 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:07 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:08 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:09 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:10 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:11 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:11 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:12 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:14 am:
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 6:29 am:
Sorry the typing is so small on each picture. I always have such a hard time getting pics on here. This time I resized in Picasa because when I used pixresizer it didn't work...maybe because the text was on the pictures? I have no idea! But enough sitting here dinking around with this, hope you all get the idea! It was really easy with what I had already to do this, only wish I had done it sooner.
We have so little pasture though that I still have trouble giving it up for a non grazing track. I think the addition of some different types of stones at the gate areas will make the difference in hoof health. I can always keep the track open during a poor growing season, it's a very adaptable concept!
I need to drag the track to spread manure, buy a few more HG gate handles, plus another gate handle for the temp fence so they can graze the biggest inner pasture. Plus tomorrow I will get a few different mineral blocks, horse treat blocks, etc., to put out.
I love how this seems to keep them mentally busy also! I wish I had made a movie of them all inspecting the fill we put in front of the stalls! I thought I would have to level in right by the barn, but they've been busy playing king of hill, and leveling it themselves! Plus licking it, and digging in it. Hilarious!
Something else I am loving right now is they no longer stand in front of the stalls, pooping mounds of manure all day long. When I was locking them in the dirt area, that is all they did. I never see them there any more, every time I look out, they are some place different on the main track.
I hope I have good feedback to report over the next few months...I am anxious also to see how this plays out. Just need to convince hubby I need to BUY rocks, lol! He'll probably tell me to go to the river and start hauling them. Which is a possibility I guess...ssshhhh...lets hope he don't think of that.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 7:09 am:
Wow! Angie, that looks great! Can't read the fine print but I think I get the idea. So do you keep the track grass mowed, or do the horses keep it down? Other than moving a lot, is there anything to keep them from eating constantly on the track?T
hanks for posting all this-lotta work!
Erika
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 7:10 am:
Hi Angie, I've seen pics and read an article of a Swedish vet/horsebreeder. He had a track around his paddocks as well and had even got a few 'natural jumps' put in! The horses loved to play with them and it seemed [according to him] to improve their agility. Always wanted to try something like this out!
Jos
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 7:50 am:
Hmmm..Erika, got your glasses on? I can read the fine print, it is a struggle though. Just walking you through it, except the 2nd picture was taken facing west, should have been east but the sun was too bright...never complain about the sun though!
I haven't worried about mowing the track, they've ate down. I still struggle with destroying grass! I need to spread the manure spots with the mower or drag and I see they are eating more into those areas which probably isn't good.
Jos,
Hey, that makes me want to use some of the dirt from the garage project to make some hills/jumps. I worried though about the fencing beside it?
I could pretty easily haul some downed trees in there..well, hubby could easily do it with the jeep, would be fun for him.
Besides eating on the bark, they'd have to jump them.
Great idea, thanks.
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Member:
annes
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 10:18 am:
Angie, thanks for sharing this. It is really interesting. How do you keep your horses from leaning on/over the temp fence to graze taller grass on the other side? Every time I have used the step-in posts and temp fencing, my horses just lean it over to eat wherever they want. I don't remember reading you had electric on the temp fence...just wondering. It looks great and I am sure your horses are happy!!
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Member:
shirl
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 10:54 am:
Angie,
Beautiful Place, happy horses.
Hugs, Shirl
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 - 11:51 am:
Ann,
It is very much electrified!! I have warned everyone to make sure they turn the fencer on if they've turned it off. Once the horses figure out it's not electric, I don't trust them to stay put even if it is on. I wasn't sure I wanted to go with such skinny wire, but it was cheaper than any of the webbing type fence.
Hope the deer don't destroy it too much over the winter...sigh.
The arena fence is never electric though.
Thanks Shirl!
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - 1:05 am:
It looks absolutely wonderful. I am so jealous!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - 3:45 am:
I mentioned earlier that my witchy mare, Gem, seems to be calmer & sweeter since they've been on the track.
Last night after I was done with her, I thought Tango was looking lonely. So on a whim, (which is not a good idea with him, lol!)I decided to saddle him up.
Threw the pad on him, with him loose in his stall. Hmmmm...no reaction. Turned around to get the saddle, he was looking out the door, no biggie, he's nosey. Put that up on him, wow, no reaction again!
(For those that don't know, Tango has been terrified of things above him, around him, and I've been dealing with these issues for years)
Bridle came next, opened his mouth right up for the bit.
Next, my 2, 35 foot ropes for driving. Normally this is heart attack time for him. I can get one side hooked on the bit, and through a stirrup, lay the loop on the horn, then it's a game to get the other side done. By then he's worried!
Not a prob lo em this time!
He's still got some stiffness, I think it's in his shoulder, so I didn't want to circle in the round pen more than a few times. Decided to take a walk, or rather jog, (he walks FAST!)down the woods trail.
He spooked once when he stepped on stick and it hit him inside his back legs.
Dummy did the same thing on the way back, and went in all directions, so he ended up wrapped up in the lines pretty darn good. (I'll always wrap a horse up when ground driving, vs hanging on their mouth and getting dragged)
This isn't the disaster it sounds like. O.k., one rope under saddle pad, the other one over his nose & around his body, does paint a bad picture I guess, but it was a good thing! He stood still the while I unwrapped him, no fear in his eyes, just a ho hum "help me out here" look in his eyes.
I can't say for sure it's JUST from the new pasture setup. He did get lots of loving, doctoring, and massaging, when he was hurting in his front feet.
But with 2 outa 4 showing a change in their attitudes...? (The other 2 are the same, I think even lazier, lol!)
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - 8:02 am:
This is great, Angie, I hope it works out as well for their feet as it has their attitudes. Just out of curiosity, how big was the original pasture in which you made your track? Do you turn them out in the rest of the pasture at all or are you using only the track?
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - 5:25 pm:
Sara,
Hmmm...I am lousy at acreage. My rough drawing when I was planning for the wire for this shows 315' on the west side, (add 20' for the track), 200' (add 50'..20 + 30) on the backside, but have to minus for the round pen when coming back to the barn/dirt. I know my west pasture is 200' x 220' and this one, the north pasture that I did the track in is a bit bigger than that.
Just asked hubby if he remembered, he said NOOO, and we are not measuring it again, lol!
I could redo my rough draft and put in on here, it would make more sense then.
Yes, they graze in other areas every morning. The 3rd picture down, I have made a temp run to the east pasture, which has my roughly, 80 x 120 arena in it. They graze around that, pictures 6, 7, 8, show that. Picture 8 is like the long side of an "L" laying on it's side, and they are grazing at the far end of that; which I can open or close also.
I will now shut them off the east, and tomorrow they will go on the west. Picture 5, see the white truck across the road? I hope to do another track in that pasture, but we have to move the fence when we get the driveway redone, as soon as the garage is built!
The track will always be open, but they are only locked on it after grazing in one of the other pastures.
Of course they can graze the main, north, pasture if I open that up too.
My biggest problem with this was figuring out gates. Especially to go to the east pasture and having to cross the woods road. In the past I've had fence strung up in all kinds of configurations, I wanted this more permanant. Of course it won't be, hubby is talking about changing the garden, again, and that will mean more pasture in one area, less in another.
I could use going to fence design school; seems we are always changing the layouts.
Just curious, can anyone read what is on the pictures?
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - 7:26 pm:
Thanks, Angie. That gives me a rough idea.
I can barely read the writing on the pictures if I don't enlarge them. It was much easier to use the "View - zoom" function in the browser window, though!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - 5:15 am:
Sara,
I can email you the pics if you'd like. I didn't even put them all on here.
I think I will diddle with the whole layout drawn out and see if I can get it on here with the print being large enough to read. I know when I searched for "Paddock Paradise" I needed to see it drawn out. It's simple, yet it's not because everyone's set up is different.
I guess you can keep making the tracks kinda spiral(?) inside themselves so that you'd end up without any large grazing areas? Not sure I'd want to do that for 4 horses.
One thing I should mention is they say when you make the track more narrow, the horses move faster. Wider, they will slow down. You can add "lounge" areas also, just places bumped out from the track.
It's not about them running on it though, just the fact that they walk more with someplace to go.
I hope others try this and give feedback; I'd love to hear what they added like gravel, jumps, mud holes (ice ponds here!)dust baths, and what they find with their horses health, weight, attitudes, and of course hoof health.
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Member:
annes
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Posted on Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - 5:31 am:
Angie, I could read the small print but just barely. I have to commend you for all your work on this and I think your husband needs a pat on the back. Not all husbands would step up for this kind of project. I will look forward to your updates in the future!
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Member:
paul303
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Posted on Friday, Sep 4, 2009 - 4:06 pm:
Yeah, Angie, I could read the small print....but then, I'm nearsighted and have to take my glasses off to see to read.....even my bifocals!! Oh the joys of decrepidity.
But, seriously, Ann is right....Brian is a gem. Paul would pound me into the ground head first with the t-post pounder! Once the fences are up...THEY'RE UP FOR LIFE!!
Beautiful farm, Angie, does the whole upper peninsula look like that??
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2009 - 4:30 am:
Angie we are putting up a machine shed and it looks like a bomb went off around here! Not an easy task when you have nothing but big hills! The bulldozer guy made a "road" going around the spot the shed is going. I rode Hank around around it the other night and boy would it be perfect for a "track" for riding OR turnout...Hard clay, gravel, rocks, and of course a BIG hill). My hubby would shoot me tho! I will be able to ride around it tho so hopefully that will help Hanks hooves toughen up a bit.
Love your track! Will it stay up during the winter?
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2009 - 5:27 am:
Ann, Lee,
Yes, I thanked Brian. I also cleaned up his end of the barn. He's so overworked, and tired, he was feeling like he'd never get caught up. I try to never ask him to help with "horse crap" but I really wanted this done this year, not next spring when the ground was soft enough for me to get the t-posts out, and easily put more in. There are still 2 in the middle of the pasture from the old fence line, and he won't try to get them out due to his hip hurting. I hope the horses don't run into them!
Old age...grrrr...our minds want to DO DO DO, and our bodies say NO NO NO, lol!
Diane,
We have a huge hole beside our house, and it probably looks the same as your mess! We've built our house...no wait, we've DE-modeled our house (tore it down around us, while living in it, and rebuilt it) over the last 12-15 years and are finally getting a garage. And when that is done, we have to rebuild the driveway, and move the fence in the west pasture. And that will be a major pain: WOOD posts, boards on it, plus HG fence tape. That will mean holes to fill after digging out the posts.
Give me t-posts over wood any time.
Then, Brian has been getting free RR ties, and his plan is to put them in for the corners. I hope he starts with the arena, I am tired of that sagging every spring.
Eventually.
Maybe you can just put out mineral blocks, and other interesting things to make them go on the track? Or did you mean hubby would shoot you because you'd need more fence?
FYI, my cost was: 20 step in posts at $2.45 each, and 20 at $2.10 each (Tractor Supply was more expensive) Each roll of fencing was $39.90, I just barely needed the 2nd one. Could have gotten by with one roll but I wanted 2 strands. And 7 t-posts. Not an even number due to going around the back of the round pen. And I had those.
I would like 4 more HG gate handles, but can make do without them for this year.
I honestly think the cost will be repaid in less hay being fed, and less time spent on hoofs, which will mean my rasps will last longer.
Watching the horses go out to graze this morning, I can honestly say Tango was moving the best he's moved in a long time. I think just as we get stiff from too much sitting, or even standing in the same spot, so do horses, and the movement is so good for all of us.
I also noticed they don't seem to get "pasture bloated" again, I think it's because they are moving more. I haven't changed what they are eating; in fact they are grazing more in the morning than they were before.
Unless the fact that we had frost already changed the grasses, I think it's the movement helping keep the grass bellies down.
Yes, the track will stay up all winter. Of course if I can't walk out on it due to deep snow, it may be tough to keep feeding on it. And I don't know if I want to see all the manure next spring.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 5, 2009 - 6:39 pm:
Angie a hole in the ground isn't even close to the explosion that went off around here! We had to have a dirt scraper come in and scrape dirt off the back hill, bring it over here through the horse pasture(which is now all ripped up) back up the hill to by the house to fill in the hill to make a flat spot! I need to get a picture of it.
Today hubby and I were trying to figure out how to re-arrange the horses pasture and paddock. We opened the gate...horse were out grazing, hubby and I went to look at something nearby. If Hank sees me he HAS to come up to say hi...What did he find but an open gate leading to anywhere he would like to go!>>>including down the road , because our fences are down for the demolition.
Thank goodness he turned the other way and galloped all over the ripped up hills, he had a blast and looked wonderful...even with his crappy hooves and ugly fetlock. Those ripped up, grassless hills would be so perfect for a track!!! I thought of this post as he was tearing around it. Hubby was paniced he was going to take off through the 1 strand electric fence that was the only thing between him and the great wide open.. I said no, I'll be right back...got a bucket of alfalfa pellets shook it and he came galloping back down, then up the big hill right to me, gotta love hog horses LOL. Unfortunately if we don't seed down those mountains I think we would have landslides....but it would be SOOOO nice!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2009 - 4:45 am:
Wouldn't this be an awesome track!
1st up the big hill...next around to the house, then around the other pasture to the arena sigh....wonder if I could talk hubby into letting me have a part of it...Hank had a blast on it. How did you convince your hubby???
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 6, 2009 - 5:24 am:
Diane,
Ohhh, I love the potential I see there!
What I do when I want something "equine related" and my non horse loving husband is hearing "Ka ching, Ka ching" I do my research and put everything down on paper.
Men are visual remember; I drew a rough diagram of what I planned to do, along with his part of the work involved, (taking out t-posts, and putting them in a new spot)and what I needed to buy along with different costs. (I would have liked to buy more HG fence, or even some other web type fencing, but it was too expensive) I asked his opinion too.
Now, Brian knows that by the time I've done my research, I've pretty much decided what it going to happen, lol! Asking his opinion is showing that I value his thoughts, and his $$$$. And he knows that I won't go overboard, and I know that I can wait on some things, like the gravel I want in 2 spots on the track.
Then I spent every moment I could praising the benefits of what this track concept would do, lol!
Of course he thinks I am nuts, but then I think he's nuts to BUY deer bait, just to shoot the deer, and then I feed the venison to the dogs more than I eat it,  !
It helps to present more than one option. And remember you can go with a less wide track for less horses.
BTW, do NOT tell your hubby who you got this ideal from!!!  Just in case we are ever in the area and stop in!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Monday, Sep 14, 2009 - 9:30 am:
Just thought I'd give an update on how using the track system is working.
I haven't added any gravel, or any logs to jump over yet. It's been too HOT!
The ground is rock hard and dry. When I trimmed and tweaked hoofs last week, they were rock hard also. I didn't notice any mind boggling changes like more concavity, but I thought most of the hoofs still showed the mustang roll at the toes. So I think more natural wear in taking place.
Can't vouch for any weight loss yet, it's been 5 weeks since I put this together. I am still letting them graze every morning for 3-4 hours, but pastures are pretty much done for. I suspect within a week I will be feeding only hay.
I think the reason everyone is just as fat is my fault though. It's hard not to feed as much as I've always done. I am trying to give a flake in the afternoon, and then end up putting a bale out every night. I am worried about going for too long of periods without any hay.
I know they are moving more, and I am anxious to add gravel at the gates hopefully this fall yet. Maybe then I will see changes in the their hoofs. And with no grazing at all, maybe I'll see some ribs on the geldings.
A Wa Hoo moment: I've been working Tango in the round pen,and no GIMPY horse! He trots off every night when I let him out, snaking his head down, little bucks, he's feeling good. He seems to enjoy the track the track the most out of all of them; he goes running off by himself and makes a lap, lol!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 26, 2009 - 6:35 pm:
Here's a short cute video called "Paddock Paradise in central NY" It's not mine.
Tango has a new game; when someone drives the ATV on the woods road, he likes to race them on his track! I wish I could put my video on, but our computer don't work to upload videos...drats!
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm7JfM5F61s&feature=related
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 26, 2009 - 10:37 pm:
Neat video, the track is a very good idea! I think the horses in the video are fatter than mine!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 27, 2009 - 9:05 am:
Isn't that the video that someone says "that's all muscle?" LOL!! I am still looking to see ribs in my horses too. Tango may be a tad slimmer, I don't think Cody has lost any though. Maybe now that it is going to cool down, they will move even more, and loose a few pounds.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 27, 2009 - 1:02 pm:
Ha ha! that was a cute video!
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 1, 2009 - 11:16 am:
Thought I'd update this with some new observations, 3 months now on the track.
Track is now all dirt (mud!) & I am putting 4-6 flakes of hay out at first light, another 4-6 mid day, or feeding in stalls. One bale out late as possible before dark. Pretty much 2 bales a day, normal amount for this time of year.
When eating, I very seldom see the horses all bunched up. 3 will be on the east side, and one, Tango, will be over on the west side, when I first spread the hay out. As they eat, another horse will shift to the other side, then another, and pretty soon it's 3 on one side, 1 on the side that had 3 to start out with.
Much more movement than eating out of tires!
Stalls that are open 24/7 do not get as dirty. I hardly ever notice them just standing in them unless the weather is wet, windy, & cold. Even on those days it seems 1 or 2 are out looking for hay at any given time.
So I would agree with the statement: "Give them some place to go, and the GO!"
My mares have GAINED weight...Good! They got some extra in their stalls mid day for awhile.
I know Tango has lost some, no before & after weights, but he looks better, and less padding over his ribs. Not sure if Cody lost or not; no one is too heavy IMO. Might be muscling replacing fat?
HOOFS: May be premature on this, but (fingers crossed) I think little flat footed Gem is getting some concavity!!! I am tweaking/beveling about every 2 weeks which may account for some changes of course.
I do think both mares are getting some toe callous too. Have to do geldings today or tomorrow, so no new report on them.
I have NO lameness, gimpiness; even Willow has been cantering around. (She had something going on for awhile)
FUN FACTOR: When I use the 4-wheeler to spread the hay out, it's fun to see the horses run with me! Some times I make a few loops to keep them going, lol! But the 3rd day in a row I did that, they just mosied over to where they thought I was DrOpping the first bits of hay. Buggers.
I put 2 old cedar fence posts in for them to play with, found one laying across the inner fence. I guess they picked it up and DrOpped it on the fence. Luckily the wires snapping kept them off the grass inside!
Still want to dump gravel in by the barn, and one gate area. IF the ground freezes hard enough before it snows so we can get a truck back there.
All in all, I think this is the BEST thing I've done for my horses. I would recommend for all horses owners to try some version of this no matter what your pasture situation is.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 1, 2009 - 11:30 am:
What a great report! I agree movement is key for just about any type of horse physically and mentally! I locked mine up for the first couple of freezes and frosts. I could tell the difference in all of them when just standing around eating.
Hank even got a little bit of a DP when locked up!!
They are back out 24/7, I worried all night because of the cold and frost on the grass. This morning no detectable DP's Their pasture is kind of set up like a track I have it separated by elec. fence. to get anywhere they have to go around it. They canter and play, roll and try to get whatever grass is left.
Glad it is working for you Angie, I think next spring, once we get everything back to normal from it's ripping up(machine shed) I am going to try it on the back hill! Of course I am going to kill the clover first!
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Member:
kpaint
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 1, 2009 - 12:20 pm:
Thanks for the update Angie! Glad it's working well for your crew. (Exercise is a big key for me as well. If I spent more time at the trainer, I'd probably be better off!) If my Haffies spent more time in the harness, they'd be better off. The time is coming!
Hope I'm ok Diane! It froze last night for the first time. I just put the mare out. Poor geldings got the bigger dry lot. The grass here is still lush and green. !!!
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