# Pasture Rotation Question



## seajay (Sep 25, 2012)

I need ideas for how to set up my pastures for rotation where my horses can still have access to their run in shelter. I have attached a rough idea of our current situation. We just moved into our home so the horses will be there more permanently for the summer and we need to utilize the land better. It is split into two pastures right now, but both sides are being utilized. I need a couple more so I can rotate and can't seem to figure out a creative way to allow them access to their shelter without splitting the pastures too narrow. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

The only way I can see to do it would require that the horses not be allowed access to the run in. In good weather that wouldn't be too much of an issue and in bad, I suppose you could run out and open a gate. The other option is to build another run in shed.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

You should establish a smaller "sacrifice area" right in front of the shelter, then have your pastures branching off from that. You open whichever gate to allow access to the pasture currently being used, and your horses still have access to their shelter. Here's sort of an idea (click on it for a bigger version):


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

What Eolith is saying is what we do. We have a dry lot/ sacrifice area around their shelter and each pasture has a gate leading into the dry lot. We open whichever gate leads to the pasture they will have access to and keep the other one closed. Then in the winter our sacrifice are is large enough we can keep them contained up there and feed hay but keep our pastures from being tore up during the muddy season.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

you need to have the corral area, and the gates from each pasture leading into the corral.
I also keep my water trough in the corral area and a feeder , as I still throw hay at night to the horses while they are on pasture. I dont throw as much hay as i do to the non pastured horses, this way it is easier on the horses digestion, and when the pasture is dormant for winter
they are already used to having the hay, you increase the hay amount as the pasture declines.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

How many horses are you talking about and how big is each pasture? You honestly only need 2. One to graze and one to rest. Typically you need a minimum of 21 days rest to allow the grass to grow and build stores. Build the dry lot area around the shed. Use boards or panels so it will withstand the abuse. Go through the season and see how things hold up. That will tell you more than we ever could. If the pasture that you are grazing gets stressed before you have enough regrowth to move them to the other one, just run them in the dry lot, lock them up and start feeding hay. If you don't have enough acreage for the amount of horses you have on it, it doesn't matter how may pastures you create. Your stocking rate will still be too high to support that # of horses.


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

What about something like this? Create a sacrifice area in front of the run in (the greens spiral is a round bale during the winter, and blue square your water tanks). Dark blue is proposed fence and red are gates. They always have access to the sacrifice area, and you just tie open the one gate to the pasture you want them using that day/week/month/whatever. They always have the run-in, tanks are in one place, easy for you to fill/clean, and you can rotate them easily.









The other thing I would think about is a pasture paradise type system where you fence them OUT of the middle of the paddock and use a track/ring along the inside of the current fence as your 'sacrifice' area and just let them into the middle for a few hours each day to graze.


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

Eolith said:


> You should establish a smaller "sacrifice area" right in front of the shelter, then have your pastures branching off from that. You open whichever gate to allow access to the pasture currently being used, and your horses still have access to their shelter. Here's sort of an idea (click on it for a bigger version):


Where did you get those pictures?


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