We’d all love to have our own horses. It’s so much fun, you get to play, ride, and care for your best friend, and looking after horses can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. However, it’s not as easy as it looks.
There are so many things to consider when it comes to equine care that you may not realize. It’s not just about brushing them, finding the right tack and equipment, or feeding them. Horses need a lot of space, care and attention in order to thrive.
One of the terms we use for a space for horses is a paddock. If you’re unsure what a paddock is, then you’re in the right place.
We’re here to help you understand paddocks, why we use them, and what the difference is between fields, paddocks and pasture. So, what is a paddock?
What Is A Paddock?
The most basic definition of a paddock is an enclosed area used for pasturing or exercising animals such as sheep and horses. Paddocks are also the enclosures used to parade racehorses before a race.
For the most part, a paddock is the term used for a small field or enclosure where horses are kept, fed or exercised around in.
A horse paddock is typically a fenced area that is big enough for a horse to move around in as they wish, but not so big that they can run around freely.
A paddock is therefore often used to limit a horse’s movement, separate it from others, or to control their diet in case they have any issues with feeding or injuries.
As mentioned above, a racehorse can also be saddled, paraded or walked around a paddock in order to show it to spectators before a race.
Paddocks are usually around 20 by 60 feet and can often be found on horse farms or near barns and stables as a safe place for keeping and monitoring horses. However, they can vary in size and shape depending on the particular paddock.
In some cases, paddocks can be accessed by a barn and are usually attached, so that horses have space to move around, or to get some fresh air, but also a warm shelter.
What Is A Paddock Used For?
Paddocks can be used for a variety of purposes. Most of the time, they are an indispensable resource for your horse to gain a little freedom to roam and graze, so that they are not cooped up in a stall or stable all day long.
Paddocks can also be used to separate horses that are aggressive, or those that don’t get on with other members of the herd.
When horses are kept in a field together, some can get bullied or are stopped from eating by other more aggressive horses, which can lead to the passive horse becoming underweight or starved.
However, they are also often used to isolate a horse or stallion for the purpose of breeding, to keep them safe, to help them recover properly from an injury, and to restrict their diet and grazing if needed.
Some horses can be prone to becoming overweight, so keeping them in a paddock where their eating habits are controlled and monitored prevents them from becoming overweight, getting laminitis or putting strain on the joints.
What Is The Difference Between A Paddock And A Pasture?
Now, you may be wondering how a paddock differs from keeping your horse on pasture. Leaving a horse on pasture means allowing them to live and graze on a large open stretch of grassland, but this is often with other animals such as cattle.
Pasture is normally a much larger space where the horse will have more freedom and can graze on whatever grass and hay is out there, whereas a paddock is a much more enclosed and controlled environment.
As a general rule of thumb, a pasture is a larger space of land that is more than 1 acre. This can be made up of several lots and paddocks, and horses may be able to walk around, drink, eat and move to their own shelter.
On the other hand, paddocks are smaller enclosed fields of an acre or less. They are usually designed for one or two horses at a time at the most, and are designed to separate or monitor horses.
How Much Space Does A Horse Need?
On average, a good rule to follow is to give each horse 1 ½ to 2 acres of open land. This can be in the form of pasture, hay ground, along with stables and paddocks to keep the horses safe at night.
Most equine experts argue that a horse should have about 2 acres of space, with an additional acre per horse you wish to keep after that.
If you are planning on keeping a horse in a paddock, then this should be under 1 acre, with access to a stable, as long as the grass is good quality and not too dry or boggy.
How Large Is A Paddock?
A good paddock should be at least around 600 square feet per horse kept in there, but paddocks should not exceed 1 acre, as this could be considered pasture if any larger.
Sizes and shapes of paddocks may vary depending on where they are and the grass quality, however, some experts argue that they should be around 20 by 60 feet for the best results and for the sake of your horses.
Summary
To summarize, learning about equine care and requirements can be confusing, and there’s a lot to know about horse welfare. If you’re thinking about keeping a horse, then you need to know about appropriate housing for your horse.
This includes not only stables and barns, but paddocks, pasture and grazing fields too. With this guide, you should have a wider understanding of what a horse paddock is, and why our horses need them.
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