Location: Paddock Paradise Wiki Discussion Forum

Discussion: Looking to construct a PPReported This is a featured thread

Category: Discussion Forum / General Discussion
Showing 1 - 20 of 23  |  Show  posts at a time
1 2 | Next
mdsimanga
mdsimanga
Looking to construct a PP
Oct 9 2009, 9:33 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 9 2009, 9:33 PM EDT
Hi....brand new here and I am very interested in getting feedback on what I am looking to do. Before reading about PP I was planning the typical pasture for grazing, dry lot, etc., scenario. Now this PP has really got me thinking. So, here is the plan....I am in the process of getting my property ready for 2-3 horses. In what I can figure I would have approx. 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile of 'track'.....could be more but worst case this is what it would be. So, is this doable and will the horses have enough 'track' to thrive? Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks! Do you find this valuable?    
Keyword tags: None
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
1. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 11 2009, 10:11 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2009, 10:11 AM EDT
Welcome! I thought that I had already read a reply to your thread, but it wasn't here this morning, so I wanted to be sure to post a response to make sure it doesn't get lost in the shuffle!

Sounds like you will have plenty of track length. How much land in acres will you be surrounding -- about two or three acres? There's probably an easy way to convert distance to acres, but I don't know it.

My track in NY was 1/2 mile long and surrounded five acres. I haven't measured my present AL track, but it is MUCH shorter, surrounding about one acre. It will be expanded to go around the back of my property and circle another smaller field, but that hasn't happened yet. My usable property totals about 4 acres.

Be sure to take a good look at the "Layout Drawings" page at http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Layout+Drawings
You can also add an aerial photo jpg (from Google maps or Zillow.com for example), and we can help with more specifics.

Would you want to incorporate alternate grazing trails, or are you planning to build a drylot PP? Depending on where you are, what you're willing or able to use, and the tenacity of your field's grass, it can take quite some time to get rid of grass around the whole track. So if you need a drylot, I would recommend having one of those as well. I had success in NY with a drylot that opened directly to the PP but could be closed off if necessary. Then my IR horse could be separated or could wear a grazing muzzle and go out on the track with the others. But the track didn't dead-end at the drylot, either -- it just continued around next to it. It took almost two years for them to wear the grass away sufficiently for Jewel to be able to be on the PP 24/7 without a muzzle.

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
mdsimanga
mdsimanga
2. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 11 2009, 1:24 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2009, 1:24 PM EDT
Thanks for responding!! The total acreage of the property is a little over 3 acres. i will be surrounding about 2.5'ish acres. The track would surround both front and back but will not be able to do a complete 'circular' loop. Fencing would need to go through the driveway...can't do that. It would start at the top left of the property with a dry lot (120x70), then go towards the right another 170 feet,...making a total of 240 ft along the back, then make a right and go another 345 feet, the 170 and 345 would all have interior fencing of about 12-15 ft wide, the 345 then leads to a fenced in rectangular 'pasture' of approx. 1 acre. i would set up interior fencing in the 'pasture' so that they can do a complete loop. This 'pasture' grows very lush grass so i do not want them on it for lengthy periods of time. They then could come back up the 345ft side and back the 170 ft back and into the 'dry lot' where the barn structure is. The barn will have dutch doors that are always open. to come and go a they want.

None of this will be in the woods but there are trees all along the perimeter back and side. There will also be some gates that i can close if needed. But they can have the ability to move from back to front and back again as they wish.

Let me know how this sounds and will try to get a drawing put together.

Thanks!

 Do you find this valuable?    
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
3. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 11 2009, 6:29 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2009, 6:29 PM EDT
Sounds good to me -- so you'll have two turnaround areas; the dry lot on one end and a track around a green field on the other end. My Alabama plan is very similar: http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Tangledmanes (although I really have to update that page!) and SpottedTApps first posted a similar diagram here: http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/photo/5137315/Small+acreage+PP

Looking forward to some pictures or diagrams! What area are you in? Post your picture in "Layout Drawings" http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Layout+Drawings
You can also create your own page about your Paddock Paradise as it develops. Pawsplus, SpottedTApps and Wildridge have some outstanding page examples in Florida and Tennessee.

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
mdsimanga
mdsimanga
4. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 11 2009, 7:53 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2009, 7:53 PM EDT
I am in Pennsylvania. Thanks for the feedback. I will post a picture and hopefully create my own page. Now the work starts :)

Thanks! Do you find this valuable?    
GreatGotlands
GreatGotlands
5. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 21 2009, 9:32 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 21 2009, 9:32 AM EDT
It sounds just fine to me! I have about 1/3 mile for my two (and I sometimes babysit a 3rd horse here). There is no food left on track, but it is certainly enough space for three. In fact last time I kept the mare for an extra week because my friend was so pleased with how her chubby, lamenitic mare was looking. It slimmer her right down and built up muscle. Those horses did MILES every day, just wandering.
A picture of mine is found here... http://paddockparadise.wetpaint.com/page/Manitoba Do you find this valuable?    
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
6. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 21 2009, 4:20 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 21 2009, 4:20 PM EDT
I let my daughter measure the length of our track this morning (finally!), and it is currently 723 feet long. That's 0.13 of a mile, or about an eighth of a mile.

It seems so short! (My old NY PP was four times as long.) But they get a lot of benefits from it. Still, I can't wait to make it longer ;-).

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
mdsimanga
mdsimanga
7. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 21 2009, 7:30 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 21 2009, 7:30 PM EDT
Thanks for the input. I took a look at your PP and it looks great! it makes me feel better that there are others that have PP's on smaller acreage. It is amazing how much sense all of this makes. I am thankful that I came across this site. There is a ton of valuable info available. I hope to have things going in the next couple of weeks. Do you find this valuable?    
AdrienneTWimbush
AdrienneTWimbush
8. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 23 2009, 5:47 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 23 2009, 5:47 AM EDT
I'm looking to construct one too - but my problem is dry not wet! LOTS of dust - I'm concerned about the amount they ingest just from moving around the paddock. Should I put down gravel or stones of some sort where the dust/dirt is worst?
Adie Do you find this valuable?    
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
9. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 25 2009, 10:18 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 25 2009, 10:18 AM EDT
My first choice would be to add gravel. Pea gravel cleans up nicely because it slips through scoop tines, and is very good for hooves.
If your entire track is dusty and you want to start with gravelling smaller sections, but still need to cover the rest of the track in the meantime, you might consider using rubber matting like used conveyer belts along other parts of the track. Also, some light online research suggests that canola oil might be an option for dusty arenas and might be useful along certain sections of a dusty track.

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
AdrienneTWimbush
AdrienneTWimbush
10. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 25 2009, 6:20 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 25 2009, 6:20 PM EDT
Second and probably largest problem...we rent. I can probably get away with a small amount of gravel on the paddock... but we can't cover the whole track, mostly 'cause we can't afford it. Unfortunately here there are companies that have realised the money they can make from the free resource of conveyer belt... it's NOT free or cheap.
I do know one lady locally that has a PP whom I met recently - she was advised to keep the manure on the track - that it would suppress the dust. It seems to be working.
Adie Do you find this valuable?    
SpottedTApps
SpottedTApps
11. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 26 2009, 12:30 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 26 2009, 12:30 PM EDT
The problem with manure is that once wet it is slick, and if deep, it is horribly mucky sucky, disgusting! It also attracts flies and worms.

Do you find this valuable?    
AdrienneTWimbush
AdrienneTWimbush
12. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 26 2009, 4:56 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 26 2009, 4:56 PM EDT
I can imagine in a wet climate it would be like that - here it's very dry - rain is a rarity. I think she takes them off the track when wet. I really don't know the solution to this one, I'll keep experimenting. Maybe I can run them on the track until the rest of the paddock recovers, then put an 'inside track' in to let the other dusty track recover, and so on until I've got mostly grass in all areas. Hmm not sure really!
Adie Do you find this valuable?    
GreatGotlands
GreatGotlands
13. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 26 2009, 6:23 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 26 2009, 6:23 PM EDT
Something I have yet to try (becasue too busy) is to spread flax staw as a geotextile. It weaves to create a mat, and takes a very long time to break down (3+ years on peat bog). The bales are cheap around here; $1.50-$2.00 per bale, and I need to buy anyway to insulate my septic. So after winter I spread to make trails.

I am planning on trying an experiment. I am filling low, sloppy spots on track with manure, then will cover with flax straw. I will see how it stands up to stomping hooves for a season. Eventually I will cover these spots with rock or sand, depending on what I want them using these spots for. But first I want to see how the flax holds up.

Jen 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
AdrienneTWimbush
AdrienneTWimbush
14. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 27 2009, 2:44 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 27 2009, 2:44 AM EDT
We don't get flax here - I can get wheat or barley straw...and I can top up as needed. Not a bad solution, anyway. Let me know how you go!
Adie Do you find this valuable?    
GreatGotlands
GreatGotlands
15. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 28 2009, 9:50 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 28 2009, 9:50 AM EDT
Unfortunately the cereal straw will not mat and hold together like the flax will. Wheat will break down within a year. It is not a fibrous stem like flax (they can make clothing with flax, like hemp).

But you coulds still try it, I guess!

Jen Do you find this valuable?    
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
16. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 28 2009, 10:50 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 28 2009, 10:50 AM EDT
Do you think pine needles, or pine straw, might hold up? Or would they eat it?

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
GreatGotlands
GreatGotlands
17. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 28 2009, 5:30 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 28 2009, 5:30 PM EDT
Can't see them eating pine. Cedar yes, the deer demolish cedars, but I only see them go after pines when they are desperately starving. Think it would be similar for horses. My horses won'y nibble on the pine or spruce trees, even the young tender ones.

Pine needles take a log time to break down, so that part is good. But they also may blow around?

What is pine straw? Never heard of that!

Jen Do you find this valuable?    
GreatGotlands
GreatGotlands
18. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 28 2009, 5:44 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 28 2009, 5:44 PM EDT
Just googled pine straw. Very cool product! Here is a link; is this what you are refering to? http://www.pinestrawdirect.com/pine-straw-faq.html

They say it mats, and if applied properly will not blow away. Wonder if it would stay matted under horse hooves? I would consider getting a bale to try it out!

Unfortunately we don't seem to get it easily here in Central Canada. All my local pines are short needled.

One word of caution, I think I have heard that some evergreens are toxic to horses. Anyone know if this is true? Course it'd be a silly horse that'd eat pine needles! (i.e. one of mine)

Jen

 Do you find this valuable?    
tangledmanes
tangledmanes
19. RE: Looking to construct a PP
Oct 28 2009, 7:06 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 28 2009, 7:12 PM EDT
That's the stuff, Jen. Seems to be a southern product -- maybe someone down here can test it and compare results with your flax experiment?...

We have a lot of pines and oaks on our property, and I am thinning out the small oaks from the future horse areas to leave the pines and the needles they drop. (But I like the oaks so I'm thinning out the pines near the house, to have fewer pine needles on my roof and porch ;-). Oaks by the house; pines in Paddock Paradise. But the small PP they're currently on doesn't have pines, so it will be a while before you get a horsey pine straw mat report from us.

JoAnn Do you find this valuable?    
1 2 | Next