We have possibly found a plot of land to buy for the ponies - its in the perfect area and we can afford it, however, its only 1.7 acres and we would need to put up stables for the ponies and have hard standing and storage for hay etc which would take up a bit of the ground. We have 2 welsh cobs and a shetland although we will prob go up to 3 welsh cobs and poss another shetland in time. I do not mind having to feed hay all year round as we do this anyway because ours do not live out 24/7 ever anyway and one of ours has had lami in the past so the less grass the better for me - realistically is this enough?? Do you manage on a very small amount of land.
How much land do you need??
- Thread starter Tiggy02
- Start date
i used to have an acre for a 13.3hh welsh cob and 15.2hh irish cob and it was a nightmare! never again! i ended up splitting it into 2 half acre paddocks and religiously re-seeding and fertilising the resting paddock. in the winter we had 1 paddock that was just a mud bath in order to save the rest for the spring.
It's not enough before you buy extra horses, I would want at least twice that so you can rest some.
Even with limited turnout it doesn't take long for the ground to get trashed, ideally you want somewhere big enough to divide up and still give the pones space for a good hooly.
I'd want a minimum of 1.5 acres for even 1 pony, so for 3 or more I'd say at least 5 acres.
I'd want a minimum of 1.5 acres for even 1 pony, so for 3 or more I'd say at least 5 acres.
P
Pink's lady
Guest
Unless it is VERY well drained I don't think it would be enough, and even then it'll get ruined.
The only way it might work would be if you got the entire area made into drained hard-standing and fed hay all year around. It would be expensive to do (and not sure you'd get planning permission for it) but it would stop the ground getting destroyed and mean you can totally control their diet. The RDA ponies live on an area like that during the winter and it works fine.
However, even then you couldn't fit 5 horses into the space - it's just not enough space for each horse and you'd end up with fighting.
The only way it might work would be if you got the entire area made into drained hard-standing and fed hay all year around. It would be expensive to do (and not sure you'd get planning permission for it) but it would stop the ground getting destroyed and mean you can totally control their diet. The RDA ponies live on an area like that during the winter and it works fine.
However, even then you couldn't fit 5 horses into the space - it's just not enough space for each horse and you'd end up with fighting.
I think it would get trashed Im afraid. We have an acre and I had a pals pony on it for an afternoon and I was amazed how much damage that did. We use ours for dog training though so we can't let it get mushed up.
chickyd444
Jasper 1993-2008 'Legend'
weve got 22 acres between 7 horses, all thought the big 9 acre doesnt really get used apart from for hay we are always using the 7acre for the summer the 5 acre and the 2 acre for the winter. approx an acre per horse all year round. i think 1.5 acre will end up in a real state, you cant put that many equines in such a limited space - they wont be able to have a run about and will deffinately end up fighting amongst them selves 
sorry.
sorry.
I have just under 3 acres for a sec D, sec B and dartmoor x. It has to be poo picked on a daily basis and sectioned into 2 to so that 1 half can rest through the summer. i open it out in the winter.
I think the rough guideline is an acre per horse, so the field is probably a little on the small side, esp if you would like another horse eventually.
I think the rough guideline is an acre per horse, so the field is probably a little on the small side, esp if you would like another horse eventually.
I think that's really tight, even if you have good doers. I have been down to 1 acre per horse at one place (3 acres) and it just about worked on well-drained land. However it wasn't ideal, I could have done with more so that I could have had a paddock resting properly over winter. In a really rainy winter it got horrible, with them living on a mud patch for months. They had hard standing, but I think they also need to have a bit of space to run about. You are talking about eventually having 5 equines, I wouldn't dream of that with less than 7 acres personally. (Bearing in mind you're also going to lose some ground when you build your buildings).
I manage to keep two oldies on 1 acre ...
but
Feed hay all year round against a wall so no hay squished into the ground
Neither have shoes and neither moves very well so there's no mad galloping around the field
The ground is VERY well drained (chalk) -- even while half of Sussex was flooded, I didn't even really even need my wellies
Use rubber mats at gates and around water trough
Am allowed access to another paddock for a few hours a day in spring and autumn, which I try to coincide with rain to rest my own!
Any other set-up and I think it wouldn't work.
but
Feed hay all year round against a wall so no hay squished into the ground
Neither have shoes and neither moves very well so there's no mad galloping around the field
The ground is VERY well drained (chalk) -- even while half of Sussex was flooded, I didn't even really even need my wellies
Use rubber mats at gates and around water trough
Am allowed access to another paddock for a few hours a day in spring and autumn, which I try to coincide with rain to rest my own!
Any other set-up and I think it wouldn't work.
K
katie11
Guest
i wouldnt see a problem with it tbh....
i know people with 2 big horses on 1 acre.....
ive seen and acre of land i want - cant afford it - -but if i could i would get it for my lad and his mate (who are 15.2. and 15.3)!
i know people with 2 big horses on 1 acre.....
ive seen and acre of land i want - cant afford it - -but if i could i would get it for my lad and his mate (who are 15.2. and 15.3)!
I am struggling this winter with 5 acres and 3 horses.
Although to be fair the land wasn't rolled or harrowed last year before I took it over so I'm hoping next winter will be better as it will have been done and I should have some mats by then
Although to be fair the land wasn't rolled or harrowed last year before I took it over so I'm hoping next winter will be better as it will have been done and I should have some mats by then
I think the old rule of 1.5 acres for first horse/pony then 1 acre each after is the minimum now we have such wet winters (but think you could disregard the shetlands from the calculation).
So for 2 welsh cobs and a shettie you'd need 2.5 acres, 3 cobs and 2 shettie's 3.5 acres minimum.
So for 2 welsh cobs and a shettie you'd need 2.5 acres, 3 cobs and 2 shettie's 3.5 acres minimum.
my two horses are on 5 acres and it isn't good enough. the ground needs a break but the rest of the ground is bad too 
i would want at least 5 acres between 3 horses if not more. at least you can section it off if its too big - you can't do anything when its too small though.
our drainage is non existant though
and it isn't good enough. the ground needs a break but the rest of the ground is bad too i would want at least 5 acres between 3 horses if not more. at least you can section it off if its too big - you can't do anything when its too small though.our drainage is non existant though
my two horses are on 5 acres
our drainage is non existant though
Jinx
and that is a good point, the land needs to be rested and sometimes you'll have to have remedial work doing on it so it can't be used. You need alternatives for when this is the case.
We have a pony (12hh) and 2 goats on an acre, which is split into 3 decent (ish 
) sized paddocks by electric fencing.
If the paddocks are looking tired, we rest them on rotation. At the moment 2 of them are open and we've closed off the third as it has ragwort in that we haven't cleared yet. We move the electric fencing round to different places periodically, so there's a good rotation going.
We'll be getting another pony (under 14hh) in the next year or so.
There *is* scope to extend the paddocks to about another half an acre. But unless the existing paddocks are showing signs of strain, like not much grass, too boggy etc, then we won't be extending.
HTH
) sized paddocks by electric fencing.If the paddocks are looking tired, we rest them on rotation. At the moment 2 of them are open and we've closed off the third as it has ragwort in that we haven't cleared yet. We move the electric fencing round to different places periodically, so there's a good rotation going.
We'll be getting another pony (under 14hh) in the next year or so.
There *is* scope to extend the paddocks to about another half an acre. But unless the existing paddocks are showing signs of strain, like not much grass, too boggy etc, then we won't be extending.
HTH
Well its not going to happen - our council say I would need change of use and also permission even for a mobile field shelter and as they are currently working on 16 weeks from application to decision and the ground is coming up for auction mid march we would be buying without knowing if we could keep the ponies there anyway - may wait and see what happens at auction because at 8,500 per acre I think its very expensive and there are 2 plots so if it did not sell may make a cheeky offer for the two plots which would give us around 3.5 acres and hopefully more time to sort out permissions etc.
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