The Original Plans
 Stage Three -- Shows all PP design elements in place on Great Gotlands's property. My Horses. Willow and I, conditioning for an endurance ride. Willow is a purebred Swedish Gotland broodmare, born in 1997. We have done 2 Limited Distance (25 mile) endurance rides last season. Check out my blog on our rides... http://gotlandendurance.blogspot.com/ (updated to have story of them coming home - http://gotlandendurance.blogspot.com/2009/08/theyre-here-theyre-here.html ) I have found her a new (BETTER!) natural hoof trimmer, and I want to compete more this summer, so I need her feet to toughen up! Already she is way better on roads. I am so happy! All of us at the that barn has switched to that trimmer, and even the laminitic mare is trotting down the gravel road no problem, after just 2 trims! As I was just leasing her, this girl has gone back to the breeders.   Dayanarra (The Husband Slayer) a 2008 half Gotland filly. She is my little girl, and my planned big endurance horse! Just 9 months here. In her full winter fuzzies. She looks liek a yak. Right now my horses are next door to me. But I plan for most of my fencing to be done by end of April 2009. I have to top my woven wire fencing with electrobraid. And add about 500' of electric on step-in posts to cut off the grazing area. I also have to clean up the junk in the trees (curses on the previous owner!) My two will move in right after. We cannot wait! My husband is almost as excited as the dogs!

Our topography. Unfortunately, all flat as a pancake. Dang prairies! Feel free to add sugestions to my discussion page http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/thread/2586462/Like+advice+on+my+plans+for+a+PP+on+my+property+this+year. on how to incorporate terrain to my area. I thought a deep sand area to simulate how they would have to work up/ down a hill. I want to add some jumps as well, make them use their hind end! We have a heavily treed yard, the dark brown is scrub oak and poplar, with a heavy underbrush of cranberries, plums, dogwood, scrub willow and prickley hawthorn. It is pretty solid; not expecting them to make too many new trails through it (so not a lot of short cuts taken).
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Stage 1 - main horse area: Approx three acres. Already completed.
Yellow lines are the already installed fenceline (sheep fencing topped with electrobraid). The orange/ brown lines are paths cut in the woods. We don't intend to fence the paths in, and don't expect them to take shortcuts through the trees. The underbrush is thick and in many cases very prickly! If we find they are going off the trail and taking the shortest route, we will then add electric fencing. Dark blue is wet ground. We have a few wet spots (to put it mildly). The fenceline along the east side is pretty wet, and likely to become very muddy with constant travel. It boarders a slough, and as you curve north and west-ward to gets much wetter (underwater by a 1+ foot). Hence the alternative paths available, and not fenced off! To the east is a huge shallow pond. If I can control the bullrushes, it is full of ducks and geese. And a deafening number of frogs... The pasture area is high and dry (the highest point in the section - the envy of my neighbours!). The north trails are also dry, and they are covered in forest litter and roots. I am hoping they will stay dry and fairly grass free. At the southeast corner is a run-in shelter. It is 13x16 feet deep. I am walling off much of the front, and hanging a tarp/ mosquito netting in the doorway. Into the wall will go a fan. I don't want them to be spending all their time standing in the shelter, but I also need to give them some time away from the insane 'skitters in summer! Ahhh, gotta love Canadian "wildlife"
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Stage 2 To be completed this spring Add lines of hot tape to reduce grazing area - white lines inside, on pasture area. At the south end, where the building is (a greenhouse/ garden shed), I am putting two gates, so I can open them up and create a loop, or close them and make them run the WHOLE way around to get at the treats/ hay I put there.
I am building a number of slow feeders. To hold hay for 2-4 horses, for a day or two. I will make at least three. I plan to make them two-sided, so they can access from either side and be able to get away from the other horse. These stations will be placed where the #1 are on the map. I love this idea, as I can refill them all with my work quad every few days.
I have already built a loose mineral/ salt station, and I will place it at the back of the track system, opposite the water. This is #2 on the map. It will be mounted on a sturdy post (I have naughty monkeys), so the feeder is about 12-16 inches off the ground. This is to allow for snow buildup in winter.
I have also to dig a drainage pit and pipe in my waterer I built. I found an old plastic bathtub in the trees out back. Dragged it home and box it in and insulated it. I added a lid with a 60/40 split (can open one side and no the other) and put a push button drain in it. In winter I add a floating tank de-icer to keep it clear. It sits just above ground level, and I plan to surround it in pea gravel for further drainage. I don't intend to create a hoof soaking area - there is plenty of water on my property already!!!!
I have a bit of clean up to do as well, and then the horses will move onto the property! I hope this to happen before the end of April 2009.
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| Home-made 2-compartment loose mineral and salt feeder station to go at back of track. Still need to add flap at front to protect from wind and rain. Planning to make flap out of home-made oilskin.
 Willow and Narra trying out the feeder for the first time. Works great!
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