Hi I am hoping to get some advice. Warning "wall of text"
I am very new to the horse world. I have had my 22 year old standardbred for about 2 months now. I pay to graze him at a property, my concern is over his paddock size. For the first month of grazing him at this property he had about 2 acres of paddock to graze in with 3 other horses. He seemed to be doing well and put on alittle weight.
However then the manager moved them. For the past month he has been grazing with 3 other boys in a paddock about 20x30 meters, so just to be clear that is 4 adult boys in that size grazing. I raised some concern over the state of the paddock with the manager as it was almost completely mud. She manages it with a 'strip' like grazing, opening up about a meter in width a day.
She told me last night that they had been moved into a new paddock, I was quite relieved. Then this morning I go to check on my boy and feed him and she has moved them into a area that is about 10x20 meters. In one night they have striped the grass bare and my boy acted like he was starving when I was trying to lead him up to the arena. He has never fought me for anything in the two months that i have owned him but this morning he fought me to get to the grass along the runway.
Also please note that for the past month I have had problems keeping weight on him. The manager keeps telling me I need to feed him more and telling me to buy him new products to add to his feed, which I do. He is getting about 4-5 big feeds a week and still not putting on weight.
Anyway a question from a very worried beginner. Is this grazing size too small for him and his mates or am I just being a overly concerned new mum.
I am very new to the horse world. I have had my 22 year old standardbred for about 2 months now. I pay to graze him at a property, my concern is over his paddock size. For the first month of grazing him at this property he had about 2 acres of paddock to graze in with 3 other horses. He seemed to be doing well and put on alittle weight.
However then the manager moved them. For the past month he has been grazing with 3 other boys in a paddock about 20x30 meters, so just to be clear that is 4 adult boys in that size grazing. I raised some concern over the state of the paddock with the manager as it was almost completely mud. She manages it with a 'strip' like grazing, opening up about a meter in width a day.
She told me last night that they had been moved into a new paddock, I was quite relieved. Then this morning I go to check on my boy and feed him and she has moved them into a area that is about 10x20 meters. In one night they have striped the grass bare and my boy acted like he was starving when I was trying to lead him up to the arena. He has never fought me for anything in the two months that i have owned him but this morning he fought me to get to the grass along the runway.
Also please note that for the past month I have had problems keeping weight on him. The manager keeps telling me I need to feed him more and telling me to buy him new products to add to his feed, which I do. He is getting about 4-5 big feeds a week and still not putting on weight.
Anyway a question from a very worried beginner. Is this grazing size too small for him and his mates or am I just being a overly concerned new mum.