Livery yards and grazing grrr

MrA

MrA

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2012
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I know they have to make money but its annoying that they all seem to overstock. We don't have any grass and have been giving hay in the fields but now some liveries feel they don't need this anymore and have caused arguments. So now the geldings graze for a couple of hours till the grass is gone then just stand around looking bored or fighting. We have no paddocks resting for summer and that's a concern for me as we have more geldings than ever this year and the only thing that keeps me going through winter is knowing that come may they can live out 24/7 but this doesn't seem like it will happen and I'm really worried they won't get to at all which is a nightmare. They definitely need hay still in the field as the grass really isn't growing. Why can't liveries all just get along!! Sorry but the thought of ale not being able to
live out come warmer weather is a real bummer :(
 
Oh I wouldnt be very happy about that, mine always get hay until the leave most of it, then I know theres enough out there to keep them busy.
 
This has been a particularly difficult year and we unusually resorted to having all ours in at night when they took to escaping in the dead of the night. First time was amusing , the Police rescued them from helping clubbers at 2 am one Saturday! We are not overstocked and have thick hedges and post and rail but this year even allowing them access from their field into the indoor school with haynets didn't work and they have been stabled at night and ocassionally 24/7 from just after Christmas to a couple of weeks ago. Grass is now growing and of course they are now uncatchable!!!
 
I would like to apologize for ignorantly generalizing that all yards seem to overstock. Of course they don't that's just the silly attitude I have from the very small number of yards near me that I have been to.
 
Most yards I know of are overstocked Ale, I think a lot of YO want the money and know full well that liveries will pay for hay to supplement limited grazing.
I am very, very lucky as my current yard is small, only eight stables but we all have two big paddocks each to use as we see fit and she also has lots of extra grazing should anyone need it. We have no restrictions on turn out and have enough grass to allow 24/7 turnout all year round. I know just how lucky we are though, it's a very rare find around here.
 
I think it depends on what you own. The herd get hay, mine doesn't need it. She isn't out there anyway yet, but can't be turned out until its not going out anymore.

We have a16 acre winter field BTW and we do have rested land to move to, probably mine will be stabled as for me its waaaaay too much land! We have 24/7 year round turnout, not many yards do that I know. We also have two acre spare in case summer is dry.
 
Our yard is overcrowded, plus there's another tb mare coming nxt Sunday, which I'm not pleased with as it's in my field. Our winter fields are just a leg stretch, no grass whatsoever, once shes had a roll, she just stands there. Its awful. Full of mud. We don't get hay in either. I can't wait until we move to the summer one. I love that field. It's got a little bit of a wood up at the top, and they all go in there on a night time to lay down. Its like they all have their own little bedroom a piece.
 
Its where we live Ale. We have the same problem. Just not enough land in the south east and cost the earth. I pay through the nose for two small paddocks. I rest one and use the other supplymented with hay. This cost me another £140 per month on top of my normal £170 per horse. Plus the extra hay.
 
I am lucky that my yard has excellent grazing and the fields are well rested and never overcrowded. It's one of the reasons why I don't want to leave the yard, although I am paying over the odds for it. Almost every other yard I know just has mud instead of grass at the moment.
 
We have about nine useable acres but I only tend to use about five - out of laziness I might add !! Cos it's easier for them to come and go via the back field. Anyways, ours have been offered 24/7 out since last September. Only on really vile nights have they stayed in. But, I've been hanging nets in the arena since Christmas and they still eat them and don't venture up the hill as there's no real grass yet. Guess what I'm saying is, I just don't think there is a lot atm full stop. Better for the likes of our two as I ration their hay on double nets still, and they still look in "good" condition!lol
They do stand about looking bored and I can totally see why Ale would be bored and fed up with nothing to eat in his field. My girls are lucky in that they can take themselves off for a mooch about the yard for variety and come and go into their boxes. I think if they were shut in the field they'd be making mischief through lack of grub!lol
 
We are also lacking grass and are over crowded here... on our yard there are 6 acres of land split into 4 fields. and we have 3 ponies and 3 horses. we was meant to put hay in . I am going to make sure that next winter we do!
 
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