Considering horses

[Percheron chick]

Thank you all. This is such good info that only people with horses would think of! I’m glad I asked here.

I’m a realist so it’s not scaring me!

We have 4.5 acres and could probably fence off maybe a little under an acre in a rectangular shape for a shelter and dry lot. Part of that is wooded, part is in the sun but we would do like a three sided shelter in that sunny part I think, so they have more shade access.

We have what are basically trails on the property just from us walking certain paths on a regular basis. We are still working on infrastructure but I was thinking we could start purposely creating what would become riding trails around the perimeter so there is somewhere to work them outside of their specified area. Our neighborhood backs up to a state forest that we could probably access as well; I need to check on that still.

I have a spot in mind that would be basically between the horses and the garden where I could let the manure sit to break down where it’s out of the way of human activity. Lol A tractor is somewhere in our future but not sure where just yet! I’m already hauling chicken poop to where our banana ring will be with a wheelbarrow. Fun stuff.

4.5 acres to work with makes management much easier.
Rethink how to maximize the property.
I would fence off the trees as the turn out area. Eliminates the majority of the scooping you have to do if they're out the majority of the day. You can still use it as a "hiking" area and haven't lost any land. With a state forest next door, that will become your trail riding area. You will have miles to ride on while you can loop your property in 10 minutes. No competition. The horses will hide in the trees in the hottest part of the day and be happiest. Have a dry lot area about 40x60 with a loafing shed, hay storage, water and hay. Gives you a place to lock them up and you're saving 3/4 of an acre. That gives you room for have an arena (100x200 is 1/2 acre) or even a large roundpen 60-100'. You can easily keep an eye on the kids from the house.
I would spread the poop out in the trees. Encourage some grass growth, reduce the fly larvae by allowing it to dry out and get it as far away from the house as possible. I dump a few loads of poop in the chicken run to give them some entertainment and they do a fine job getting it ready for the garden.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Compost worms loooooove horse poop. You could set up a worm composting winrow system and that would get you a valuable end product either for your own gardens or to sell.
When I finally get back into horses I'll likely put in a system just like @Percheron chick outlined above. The grass here in this climate (wet, humid = very high quality forage ideal for dairy cows) is not at all good for horse's digestive systems so they will have to live in a dry lot with hay, with carefully managed turnout.

 

[Alagirl]

Oh, btw.....horses are hard on trees! You might have to protect them from damage - the trees - or you could lose them.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Oh, btw.....horses are hard on trees! You might have to protect them from damage - the trees - or you could lose them.

Maybe I'm wrong but I got the impression her acreage was wooded? Not just a handful of trees... Nothing wrong with it but what grows under a heavy tree canopy versus a grass pasture can cause digestive problems,especially if it's all they have to eat during turn out. Make sure you can identify toxic plants and trees for horses

 

[Alagirl]

Maybe I'm wrong but I got the impression her acreage was wooded? Not just a handful of trees... Nothing wrong with it but what grows under a heavy tree canopy versus a grass pasture can cause digestive problems,especially if it's all they have to eat during turn out. Make sure you can identify toxic plants and trees for horses

they often just strip the bark of trees just because.
Standing knee deep in grass and eating trees. Definitely something to watch out for.

 

[Emily_loveschickens]

1. Yes horses are herd animals therefore they do need a companion.

2. It sounds like your footing is okay but, It depends on how good your horses hooves are. some horses need shoes just due to bad feet.

3. depends. are doing a paddock, stalls?

4. ideally you should be feeding both If you horse is in heavy work, but If your not doing much work a hay diet if okay as well but horses NEED to have fresh grass!

5. Horses are expensive... vet bills, supplements, getting there teeth done, the trailer, dewormer, vaccinations, etc.

6. IMO I feel you should wait a bit until you are a bit more experienced with horses just so you can learn a bit more

 

[TJAnonymous]

they often just strip the bark of trees just because.
Standing knee deep in grass and eating trees. Definitely something to watch out for.

Completely agree... I've had horses who do that!

At my previous house, we had 55 acres. Less than 5 of it was grass pasture. The rest was heavily wooded. I had a lot of trouble with my horses eating toxic plants and trees on that property because the grass was so poor and full of scrub. I had one horse, a large pony really, who ate a lot of wild persimmons. These aren't toxic themselves but eating a lot of them can cause bezoars in the stomach. He ended up dying from a bunch of tumors in his stomach. I had no idea... There are many different trees and plants that are very toxic to horses. They generally will NOT eat them unless it is all they have to eat. When you have less acreage, this can and does become a problem. My current house has 4.5 acres. We have a lot of giant oaks which provide critical shade. Of course, acorns are toxic to horses. We also have a couple of maples - also toxic to horses. I spend $500/yr on grass seed and pasture supplies to improve the 4 acres of actual grass I have to ensure my horses aren't tempted to eat any of the toxic stuff. It also helps keep down things like buttercup, red clover, and nightshade (all toxic) in the pasture.


I'm simply telling the OP to become familiar with the plants and trees on their property and know what may be toxic to horses. Know what the signs & symptoms of illness relating to them could be.

 

[pinewoodacres]

Maybe I'm wrong but I got the impression her acreage was wooded? Not just a handful of trees... Nothing wrong with it but what grows under a heavy tree canopy versus a grass pasture can cause digestive problems,especially if it's all they have to eat during turn out. Make sure you can identify toxic plants and trees for horses

they often just strip the bark of trees just because.
Standing knee deep in grass and eating trees. Definitely something to watch out for.

That’s good to know. Only part of that area is wooded (with mostly pines), and there is a big open space that is trying to grow grass (and weeds) now that we cleared out the half dead little oaks that were there. The pine needles in the wooded area snuff out most of anything else that would grow save for wild blackberry (yes, thorns) and muscadine vines that have never borne grapes as far as I can tell.

 

[pinewoodacres]

Completely agree... I've had horses who do that!

At my previous house, we had 55 acres. Less than 5 of it was grass pasture. The rest was heavily wooded. I had a lot of trouble with my horses eating toxic plants and trees on that property because the grass was so poor and full of scrub. I had one horse, a large pony really, who ate a lot of wild persimmons. These aren't toxic themselves but eating a lot of them can cause bezoars in the stomach. He ended up dying from a bunch of tumors in his stomach. I had no idea... There are many different trees and plants that are very toxic to horses. They generally will NOT eat them unless it is all they have to eat. When you have less acreage, this can and does become a problem. My current house has 4.5 acres. We have a lot of giant oaks which provide critical shade. Of course, acorns are toxic to horses. We also have a couple of maples - also toxic to horses. I spend $500/yr on grass seed and pasture supplies to improve the 4 acres of actual grass I have to ensure my horses aren't tempted to eat any of the toxic stuff. It also helps keep down things like buttercup, red clover, and nightshade (all toxic) in the pasture.


I'm simply telling the OP to become familiar with the plants and trees on their property and know what may be toxic to horses. Know what the signs & symptoms of illness relating to them could be.

Thank you for those examples. We do have some persimmon shrubs we can take out, there are a handful of some type of oaks back there so I will check that, and I know we have some kind of nightshade that has popped up in some spots that my plant ID app can’t tell me beyond “it’s a nightshade.” I will definitely add this to my research list.

 

[Folly's place]

Lots of good advice here already!
I've had horses for 30+ years, mostly at home on pasture. Now we are down to four, two pasture pets, and two who should be being useful, but I'm done riding. They graze our fields, and loaf. It's a tough life...
Definitely more lessons, and lease if possible, work free at the barn, whatever you can do to get that experience! The horses that are suitable for a beginner, which you are for at least another year, may be the ones that you outgrow later. Or you decide to learn a different aspect of the sport, and need a different horse to go in that direction. I've also met 39 year old horses, so ownership is a long term commitment often.
Lots of toxic plants out there! We found out last year that we have poison hemlock here. Lots of poison hemlock. Ugh!
Mary