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[RC] switching from pastures to pens....advice? - Sarah SeasholsTitle: switching from pastures to pens....advice?Hi everyone, I’d like some advice from those of you who keep your horses in pens, or in group situations in a sacrifice area, with additional advice on keeping your endurance horse from becoming a hay potato.. J We are moving to a new house on 25 wooded acres, and will be bringing our horses home asap. The land is wooded and undeveloped, and while there is plenty of it, there is no prepared pasture. We’ve already contracted out to clear the land (and to keep it endurance related…planned my conditioning trails J), but obviously we won’t have good, usable pasture for at least 18 months (we’re in Virginia, and grass grows very nicely around here). Our horses are currently housed on 24/7 pasture turnout with free-choice hay, and they get along with each other – I almost never see any nastiness (2 well-behaved geldings, one ancient Shetland/mini pony boss mare). We’ll be putting in a very large run-in shed, and they will have free-choice hay. Approximately what size of sacrifice area would you consider to be adequate to hold these 3 without cramping? What types of fencing do you recommend since it’s a limited size? I’d prefer something that could be temporary, as the barn and pastures will not be in yet (i.e. electric, panels, etc…) And finally, would putting down stone dust on the entirety of the pen/paddock or just around the main use areas (run-in, hay, water) be preferred? Obviously I don’t expect any grass to grow in the paddock, so I don’t want a mud pit... Anything I should do differently with a pen-kept than with a pasture-kept endurance horse-in-training, besides regular exercise? Thanks for any and all advice! Sarah Virginia
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