Or "Paddock Paradise" whatever the proper term is

 

I have one!
On 1.5 acres, not huge, but helps a ton with getting them moving and not pigging out as much. =)

Paddock/Pasture Paradise Track System is what I usually call it so there's less confusion.

Mine is 15 feet sides and 20ft corners. Small horse and 2 minis, could of and should of gone a bit more narrow.

I haven't added any logs, sand nor gravel, since it's not needed for me and I will be letting them in the center for winter grazing freely. It's on steeper hills, so they have to go down and up if they want to get to the barn or water.

Mine go in the center to graze for an hour every other day to every 3-4 days, depending on how well they are listening to me calling them back. They have hay given in the AM and sometimes lasts, though, they just pack it in like hogs, even though it's more than they need of hay a day.

Have the water, shelter, hay and most used gates as far from each other as possible, to even out wear. If, in the future you think you need more track, then you can add it in the center and have two pastures or an N shape at the far end.

Hopefully that helps some.

 

This is great to see your idea drawn out. I've been studying the Paradise Paddock style and thinking of how it would be done on my land, so good to see how you're envisioning it on a small space. I was also wondering if you wouldn't want to have more of an "N" or "W" shape so that they could walk constantly, as with a middle area of green grass, you'd maybe still have to be taking them on and off of it. It's great to see that sand box, as I've not actually seen that before. Possibly sand would be a bit cleaner than having them make a dug up dust bath area in the dry pen, as my mule and little horse are doing. Thanks for sharing!

 

I said less than 1/3 of an acre but I meant 3/4!!! Goodness that would be tiny haha
@secuono I so wish I had a hill for them haha this land is flat as flat could be, so that's why I was thinking the logs, get those legs up! I did plan on spreading out feed all along the track in slow feed bags. The water being away from the shelter may be an issue, the hook up is right there at the barn and my hubby came up with an "ingenious" self draining watering system that he's so proud of (a permanent hose was run up into the barn rafters with one end hanging in the trough and the other by the faucet, I'm excited to try it in the winter!) And I will be needing a water heater in the winter, and the power is at the barn.... Geeze, now it sounds like I'm making excuses haha but ideally yes, I would like the water to be on the opposite end. But I think I'll just put the entry gates down there instead, that should help.

If I may pick at your experience a little secuono, I'm guessing your minis fare well on this system. I keep debating back and forth on tearing out May's pen and letting her permanently live together with my gelding, she is just a piggly wiggly and I worry about her over eating and fighting over feed. They graze together well though.

Here I go rambling again. I do really like the suggestion you both had of the N or W shape for the center pasture! @LlamaPacker Who knows if my gelding will actually use the sand haha he likes to cake himself in mud whenever he gets a chance haha but I liked the idea too, especially if I could get the sand at little to no cost!

Thank you for your thoughts!

 

Before getting too involved in this, have you run this idea by your in-laws since it's their place?

 

@Prarie I have not run this particular idea past them, BUT I was given permission when I moved the horse there to do what I need to to make it work for me. Fencing won't be permanent, step in posts and electric string that I already have, and my mother-in-law wants to put gravel in her front drive and said I could just put my load in with that when I spoke to her about Pea Gravel previously. Like I said, this is still a fresh idea, no set plans just yet. Thank you for bringing that up

Their youngest pretty much plans on putting in a dirt bike track when we move the horses if he's still at home, so I think I'm ok with this. Mine's not near as destructive of a remodel ;-)

 

I'd be leery of those step-in posts for permanent fencing since if you lose electricity the horses can walk right through the fencing. Remember horses are an accident waiting for a place to happen. Also, it took under a month for our 2 mini's to turn a lush acre of grass into a dry lot so don't count on any pasture lasting for long on only 3/4 acre.

 

So far they've been there for two years, and the pasture was better this year than it was last year. Even had to mow it recently. They don't go out on it 24/7. I usually turn the mini out for a couple hours and my gelding gets turned out in the evening and put away in the morning. I've been surprised at how well it's done.

My gelding won't even begin to test anything resembling electric fence. All inner fencing I have right now is electric with a few T-posts mixed with step ins, and has been working like a dream. But I do have enough T-posts sitting around I could use those if I need to. The outer perimeter is already permanent if that was something you were concerned about

Thank you for your points. Nothing is set in stone yet, this will definitely be a spring project, so I'll have all winter to decide if it's workable, worth any risk, etc. I would just like to see some more movement in both the horses, thought this might help.

 

Here's some pictures of mine, from spring to now. It's too wide, so there is still grass, but I was worried about the flood areas, hills and zig zagy areas ending up too muddy, so let them be wide. =/
Minis still got round, but not as fat. Worked best for the 13h gelding, he used to turn into a massive hippo. =0

Video is from yesterday and should show how little grass there is on the track vs the thick 1.5ft grass in the center. Video might still be processing.

 

I had hot wire before that was solar, it doesn't work well on my pinto mini, she's too smart and knows when it's weak from grass.
So I bought a stronger plug in energizer for the track and I have 1 wire that is just hand tight at top for visual. Then 2 hot wires for the mini and pony heights to keep them out. They are high enough my 24in sheep can go under and for the LGDs to go under, but low enough the minis can't slip under. Since it is always a high zap, the mini no longer challenges it. But during lightening storms, I have to make sure to listen for the click, if its not clicking, I run out and reset the plug before the mini just happens to figure out it's not on.

I have metal corner posts, then metal center posts, in between posts are just step in posts to keep them straight. Not quite permanent, but not really temporary either. The low end floods, so having wood would be a waste and expensive to constantly redo, so metal works for me. Plus, the rest is rocky, so getting wood in is tricky.

 

I was going to post, but I forgot. I wanted to say thank you so much Secuono for the video. That helps a lot and gives me a good idea of what to do. I talked to my in-laws and I'm good to go if this is something I want to do. So we'll see!

Thank you for your replies everyone!