# Paddock Paradise on 1/2 acre!??



## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

I have recently moved to a new house. The house is on 1 acre of land. There is a garage and we have started building a chicken run for our hens. That leaves about 1/2 an acre left. 

I have always wanted to keep my horse at home and see his head pop up from my kitchen window but, up until now my garden has always been the size of a stamp, hardly big enough for a hamster, let alone a horse! lol

I heard about the Paddock Paradise track system and would really love to build one for my horse. But since I only have around 1/2 an acre land I'm not sure whether or not it can be done. 

I know that I will have to build a sacrifice pen or similar and have to do LOTS of maintenance work (poo picking etc) and I will have to supply him with hay all year round and provide daily excersise (the location is PEERFECT for hacks!) 

Oh, and my horse won't be alone! I'm going to be getting another horse in the near future but this makes me more skeptical about this as I'm not sure if it will work with two horses. 

If any of you have built up Paddock Paradise track on 1/2 acre and kept more than one horse on it and it was a success please share! :-D I would LOVE to see my dream come true! 

Thanks in advance!
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Before you bring any horse home you'd better make sure what you local zoning laws require as far as acreage. 

1/2 acre is nothing, and regardless of whatever system you have in place, that tiny lot is going to be a dirt pit in no time. Plus, what are your plans for all that manure?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

OmgOSH, yes, check on the zoning laws. Even though I am on the west side of my little town with 5 acres and zoned Ag2, there are nuisance laws in our town. I cannot so many horses that it reeks. I own three and have kept 5 here, when I first moved in.
Keep looking. I wouldn't settle for less than 3 acres, and it can be found. I looked for 12 years to find suitable amount of acreage. I fired 5 real estate salesmen who thought that I had an extra 1/2 million$ to spend on a horse property, when the right place was 30 minutes away from where I used to live. =D
(6 bedroom, 100yo house, 4 car new garage, barn with loft holds up to 500 bales, area below for 3 stalls, 16 x 19 ft. attached shelter, fenced in 4 acres, two outbuildings--$89,900 in 1999)
Don't give up and don't be hasty.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I have 5 acres and 3 horses. I could legally put 3 horses per acre on my lot if I wanted due to our Ag designation, but I won't. My lovely pastures would be manure filled dirt holes in no time. :?

My front paddock alone is 1/2 acre, and I only put the horses out there when I'm rotating, seeding, or mowing the actual pastures.


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## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

I don't think there are any restrictions on the amount of acreage per horse here but any property that has eqines (horses, ponies, donkeys etc) must be registered. Also the eqines must be microchiped, that's pretty much the only restrictions on owning a horse in Ireland. I'll have to double check, I did just scan through the page! :-D 
Thanks for the replies
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## kiwi79 (Nov 11, 2011)

Although it is a pretty small area to work with it would probably work ok until you get some rain and then you would have a big, muddy mess on your hands. What is the layout like, is it flat or sloped? If you were able to put down an all weather surface around the track like lime stone race rock or something similar then it would be much more pleasant for the horses and better for their feet. You wouldn't need a stand off pad then although the initial work of scraping, compacting and buying and spreading a surface material could be time consuming and cost a little bit. You could then use the centre area for short periods of grazing at a time.


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## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

kiwi79 said:


> Although it is a pretty small area to work with it would probably work ok until you get some rain and then you would have a big, muddy mess on your hands. What is the layout like, is it flat or sloped? If you were able to put down an all weather surface around the track like lime stone race rock or something similar then it would be much more pleasant for the horses and better for their feet. You wouldn't need a stand off pad then although the initial work of scraping, compacting and buying and spreading a surface material could be time consuming and cost a little bit. You could then use the centre area for short periods of grazing at a time.


Its mainly flat with some trees (such as willow) there is a pond as well. That's a great idea using the limestone race rock! I'll have to look into that since we get LOTS of rain here!
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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I kept my horse on about the same amount of land for a while. Limited turnout saved the grass and you throw the manure in a dumpster. You can do a pasture paradise on such a small lot and you can keep a spot in the middle for grass to live (and do limited turnout on it).


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

As 1/2 acre is little more than a big yard if square, I would indeed build a track setup, especially if that's all I had, if only to save wrecking the whole place. You can - & I suspect will need to if it gets muddy - put down rocks & gravel(not sharp) around the track where necessary to take care of boggy areas. If you're on an acre, you might be able to take up more land in a track, have them go round the outside of the chook run or such. Around the whole property border, if you don't mind doing gates... hay nets, water, any grazing, etc can be at different areas around the track, to promote movement. While I think a circuit works better, you can always compromise if you can't manage more & have a 'C' track or such...


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## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

loosie said:


> As 1/2 acre is little more than a big yard if square, I would indeed build a track setup, especially if that's all I had, if only to save wrecking the whole place. You can - & I suspect will need to if it gets muddy - put down rocks & gravel(not sharp) around the track where necessary to take care of boggy areas. If you're on an acre, you might be able to take up more land in a track, have them go round the outside of the chook run or such. Around the whole property border, if you don't mind doing gates... hay nets, water, any grazing, etc can be at different areas around the track, to promote movement. While I think a circuit works better, you can always compromise if you can't manage more & have a 'C' track or such...


Thanks! Great advice! I drew up a plan this morning, just to see if it would work. Actually, doesn't look too bad!  
I'm not really able to make it all around the perimeter but I can loop it around the house and run and flower beds! I estimate that I will have enough room for a small sand school (well more round pen!) and a small stable block with 2 stables! 
Thanks for the advice! 
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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm sorry PP. Half an acre for one horse, let alone two, in Ireland will not work :-( your land will become chewed up, soggy, boggy, destroyed. 

You won't be able to put hay down for them to eat because the ground will be mud. They will get mud fever from standing in mud. 

I know you want that dream to have horses at home....but now is not the time it will be delivered. Settle on the chickens, enjoy the garden, and keep your horse in livery.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

PalominoPrincessx said:


> I don't think there are any restrictions on the amount of acreage per horse here but any property that has eqines (horses, ponies, donkeys etc) must be registered. Also the eqines must be microchiped, that's pretty much the only restrictions on owning a horse in Ireland. I'll have to double check, I did just scan through the page! :-D
> Thanks for the replies
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Generally in the UK the local guidelines are two acres for the first horse, plus one per horse thereafter. I don't know about Ireland, but I suspect there are similar guidelines there too. Whilst they are not rules, they are there for a reason.


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## luvmydrafts (Dec 26, 2013)

just one half acre is not enough room for one horse let alone two...

...i never used a paddock paradise setup but I know that they limit the amount of the land that is used...making it even smaller and encourages the horses to move around on it more making it even more used...It will become a muddy, trampled dry lot within weeks...you wont have any place to put hay down like someone said, and if you miss even 1 day of picking all the poo out of the track {you will also need a place to put the manure} it will be a mud AND poo mess...and good luck getting any grass or anything to grow on it then for a long time after...


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

I love the paddock paradise set up, but it really does have its limitations. I belive it will work much better in dry regions, due to heavy trampling. That much traffic on wet ground is indeed a recipe for mud and health issues. 
What is the soil type and how much precip do you get in Ireland?


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## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

^ ^ ^ ^ The soil here (well where I am) is actually not that bad! When we do get the rain it doesn't get too muddy and it drains quite well. It makes get veery wet but the next day it drys up and looks grand! :-D Well as for precip it tends to just drizzle all day but usually if it rains one day it will usually be sunny the next day! Or it just rains on and off with a few sunny spells in between!  

Mud fever is what is ready bothering me though! I think my best bet is to buy a separate field that is much bigger and turn them out in that when it really starts to get muddy! There is a farmer just down the road from me so I'll have to ask if he is willing to rent out a field during the winter month! :-D Thanks for the replies!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Your soil might not look muddy now but wait until you put a horse on it. One of my grandfathers lived in Ireland - it rains a lot - more than it rains in Wales and that's saying something. After a month of wet weather your horse(s) will be knee deep in mud
My best suggestion is that you spend some money on having a proper manage built and use that as a turnout area if you want to keep a horse at home. If the rules in Ireland are the same as in the UK if you put it on land that's classed as garden you might not need planning permission if its classed as grazing then you will.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Talking as someone who spent 10 years living in not-quite-enough land for horses, but yearning to have them at home in a Soggy England - I do feel for you, I really do. But I am just going to keep raining on your parade.

For horses at home in Ireland you need:

Dry covered hay storage where bales can be delivered to easily
Dry rodent-proof feed storage
Somewhere to hang up wet rugs to dry, and dry rugs ready to put on
Bedding (shaving bales storage), ; you will use at least one a day when you are stabling
Muck heap location with ability to have muck heap taken away easily. Location must be so that it doesn't drain into yours or neighbours land, nor onto the road
Access to stables so that when it is too muddy or rainy you can bring them in to stand in the dry, or when you have the (inevitable) box rest need
Electricity at the stables for lighting so you can see to muck out 
At least two pastures so that you can rest one for six months after it has been chewed up over the wetter of the two wet halves of the year

It's a tall order. 

Have you moved far? Have you checked out the local livery yards?


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

They guy who created pasture paradise had less than an acer for 6 horses and it worked. The track will not stay green but if you are ok with that and putting gravel in places i dont see why it wont work.

This is coming from someone in az where we dont blanket, use bedding and have pipe stalls so yeah might not apply to wet areas (though when it rains here mot horses are standing in 5 inch of water for a day or two, then mud for about 4 days). If your horses are going to be out 24/7 and you dont want to have a barn bedding may not be an issue (but having at least 1 stall for emergencies is good). You will need a run in shelter and hay storage. For manure here we put it in dumpsters and it goes out with the trash.
This is the author of the book and how he did it and why.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Kiger, I almost posted that same video (LOVE it!), but the difference in soils and climate between California and Ireland are huge. I am not so sure that it would be managable, healthy or safe.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I looked for my place--5 acres, a REAL house, barn, garage and two outbuildings and 4 acres fenced--for 12 years. I saw many places that wouldn't work, and many places that I could not afford. Are you THAT impatient?!?!? I do NOT believe that you can do what this man says. I drive by a place where they keep 6 horses on 2 acres. I never see them ride, and I halfway think the horses LIVE in their stalls. They settled for what they have, and you are settling, too.
I can think of something else, if you are in a low lying area, your barn could flood, too. Then, there is NO place for your horse(s) to keep their feet dry!!
My property is the original one in our town. It looks flat as a pancake, BUT my house and property drain east to the east part of town, and the town drains SSW to the nearest town. Even today, with WAAAAY too much rain this Spring, my horses have places to keep their feet dry.
I am done on this thread. If you proceed with your faulty plans, I don't want to hear about the train wreck.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

There's a massive difference between Ireland and somewhere like Arizona - even between Ireland and CT which other than lots of trees looks similar in terms of having grassland and defined seasons. Imagine those 4 days of a horse standing in that Arizona mud and then imagine that being for every month from the end of September through to April - its horrendous. 
You can keep a horse in the UK including Ireland on a small acreage but only if you're prepared to stable if for a lot of the time when its raining non stop for weeks and weeks
This is a typical photo of what many UK horse owners were suffering last year - and its a sight that's going to be seen again and again as winters there get wetter - and that is not a small field


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

In az you have easily have 7 horses on an acer but we dont do a lot of turn out here (normally in an arena). If drainage is a huge issue i dont see doing a lot of turnout. If the spend most of the time in the barn i can see it working (my mare was on MAYBE half an acer with 2 minis and the grass did fine, but she got 4 hours a day turnout). You may have to build up the barn area. Build it up a foot higher than the rest of the property. IF you can do that it might work. But take into account you may not get a lot of turn out. I would look at getting more land or talking to the farmer for longer/bigger turn out. Knowing and seeing how wet it can get there I would talk to a contractor about building a stable block. For lighting if you cannot get electrical installed look at solar lights. They work quite well (Assuming you get enough sun).


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I wouldn't do it. Here on Long Island (New York) pasture is a luxury and large dry lots are hard to find (over 100x100). While I don't have much of a choice (because small is pretty much all we have around here) I would never choose for my horse to live on a postage stamp piece of property. I'm also thinking of getting my own horse property in the not so far away future, it's in the 5 year plan I hope, and I won't settle for anything less then 8 acres. My horses will be happier and healthier and I'll have more time to enjoy them! Don't settle, if you going to do it right! Don't sacrifice your horses happiness and health.
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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Kiger, imagine a land where it almost never ever stops raining. Where the air smells of damp green leaves, or damp autumn leaves, or damp twigs. Or occasionally damp snow.

Now imagine that the land beneath your feet is rich black soil that soaks up the water and .... Just holds it there. Oozing. 

Now, imagine that this is in a country where every square foot is owned, populated, farmed, built on, talked about, governed by rules, gossiped over, and walked on. Where the very idea of building up a yard area would a) probably be contravening planning permission and b) causing your angry neighbour's field to flood. 

I am describing Shropshire, where I used to live. Which is similar to most bits of Ireland and so I feel qualified to describe it. It will be HUGELY hard for PP to keep a horse where she is describing, it won't be a joyful way for her to start horses at home.

Now I am going to step out of this thread because I feel bad because I am being the nay-sayer.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Yeah if its that bad then no. When it floods here in az we are wet for over a week or more and all the horses will be standing fetlock deep for about 2-4 days and there is not much to be done about it. I could not imagine that constantly.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Shropshirerosie said:


> Kiger, imagine a land where it almost never ever stops raining. Where the air smells of damp green leaves, or damp autumn leaves, or damp twigs. Or occasionally damp snow.
> 
> Now imagine that the land beneath your feet is rich black soil that soaks up the water and .... Just holds it there. Oozing.
> 
> ...


Don't feel bad SRosie - Its only when you live in different parts of the world that you begin to realize just how different life is and how you have to adapt to deal with it. I lived in Shropshire and Staffordshire but then moved to Herefordshire and found it even worse as far as muddy ground went - and two yearlings turned 4 acres into a deep bog in a month the first year we were there and local farmers were complaining to us about how we horse people ruined the land - those two spent most of the rest of that winter shut in a barn it got so awful
Here in CT I've forgotten what a muddy winter is - in fact we hardly see real mud at all!!!


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## BoldComic (Feb 26, 2012)

I no longer feel bad about our short mud season. We keep 2 horses on our .34 acre lot with no problem. It's just a dry paddock but they get used plenty for exercise. We do have to feed hay year round unless we find a summer pasture to lease. It is very educational to hear about horse ownership in other countries. 

To the OP, I know what it's like to want a bigger piece of property where you can have what you want and everyone can live happily. Sounds like it might be a no go this time but I'm sure you'll make it happen eventually. I'm the meantime, enjoy that acre. There are many people (me included) that would love to have a whole acre 
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## PalominoPrincessx (Jun 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the replies! Yeah, I guess that was never going to work. So, change of plans! I'll be keeping my horse at livery and maybe I'll look into buying an equestrian property with proper fields a barn etc in the next few years. Thanks again.
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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Not sure where you are in Ireland but I keep an eye on property in the Cork area and prices there are going down all the time especially if you're prepared to do renovation projects. Check them out on Rightmove.


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