Where to keep horses!

[~*Mango*~]

Hi how is every one!?

I was just wondering if you could keep a horse in when its rained over night and will trample all the mud if it goes out in the morning and let it out later on during the day? And also if it is possible to keepo a horse in all the time if it is used to it?

Because i am hoping to ask my parents for a horse later on in the year and i would like to be able to keep him/her at home but we only own 3/4 of a acre but we went to a museum the other day and they had three horses in this courtyard area (about 20m by 20m) and they had access to grass later on in the day and wondered if that would be ok for me to do it like that cos this is how it would go:

1) there would be a small fenced area of about 20m by 20m (would this need to be grass or could it be cobbles like the musuem?) and i know that if the horse slipped on cobbles it would be much worse than if it slipped on grass so could you please tell me which is better cos grass they can eat but it is likely to turn to mud and cobbles are much easier to clean. But all i really want to know is if its ok to keep a horse in such an area?

2) then there would be a sheltered bit (like a field shelter) and that would have hay in it so that they had somewhere to get food (oh and water) and then there would be a good supply of food for them.

3) then when i got home from school (or during the day if my mum was brave enough to let the horse out, or my dad but my mum would be better) i would let the horse out to graze in our garden and maybe take him over to the tree next to out house cos there is always LOADS of lovely long grass there - its hardly ever cut. And while he was grazing in our garden then i would be doing all the stuf round the stable (dunno *** yet but im SURE there would be something to do and if not i would do all the stuff i had to do inside like homework, courseowrk, eat dinner, tidy up etc - u no just general chores - lol!) and then i would bring him in after 3hrs or so and then poss ride him or atleast excorcise him.

4) then i would shut him in his stable for the night (wel it would be the sheltered bit and it would have a gate (would that be ok or do they need somewhere completley sheltered to sleep or would it be ok like that? cos when they sleep in the field they arent completley sheltered there either! lol!


Please let me know if that would be ok cos i know how to care for a horse im just not 100% sure on the grazing and stabling side to it!


Thanx any help/advice would be greatly appreciated -


~*Mango*~

[notpoodle]

i would never keep a horse stabled all the time unless there was a medical reason or something! horses should be allowed to run around fields and graze and things! you'll also find the horse might be fizzy/difficult to ride and handle because it has tons of excess energy.

the horse would also need a companion of sorts, otherwise it will be unhappy and bored.

i wouldnt keep it on just cobblestone either, because they want to roll every now and then (fancy trying that on cobblestone!) and shouldn't be on concrete/hard ground all the time!

[paynel]

Hi

notpoodle - i totally agree, i have kept my horse out from last july and she has been exellent, and very calm, shes even tb! there has been a shelter there tho, so she can go in wen she wants and she was rugged in the winter.

Hmm the small paddock would deffently have to be grass r something, i wuldnt like to stand on cobbles for a long'ish time, and it wuld be soo boring, nothing to have a peck at or anything.. so i would perferre grass there and when the grass does go in the small area, you will have to make sure theres always hay! there should also be water in this little paddock.

the tree by the house? if its not your land just watch out that no one complains, and just fink if you keep putting your horse on there the grass is deffently going to go very quick. If it is council land you might be ok with it, just make sure your always there, will he be on a long rope or is it fenced off round the tree? if he is on a long rope, make sure your always checking him/her. I used to put my horse in council grass cuz grass wasnt that good in my field (have now moved to yard tho! :D) and i made a portable fence out of bale'in'twine and sticks. sticks used as posts and the bale'in'twine as the rails. it was great!

Your horse also does need company, inless when you buy him his already kept on his own, a shetland would doo fine! not too much to buy , not too much to keep either!! could get one from market for at least £50 :D. but 2 horses together can bond really quicky and good and you might have napping problems etc.
I honostly wouldnt lock him up if there is no reason too! horses are far better left out in my eyes.

Hope this helps and if your not sure on anything else do not hesitate to ask!! :D :D

we are all friendly here and have different opinons which is really good! :D

Hope everything goes well for you and your new pony, let me know how it goes too!!

Lee n Pen Pen