Dileepa asked:
I’m 23 year of age, a Sri Lankan and a novice on horse ridding and currently taking basic ridding lessons. I have been in love with horses from my childhood and now researching on owning my own horse. Since I have limited space, I wish to know whether it is possible to have a pasture like for example, a half an acre pasture and provide fresh grass, hey and grain to compensate for the shortage of space.
First of all thank you to all who has replied to my question so far.
The land I’m referring to is not my garden lol, it is a separate land across road from the land I live in. The land my house is situated is 2.5 acres but is bit hilly and also the house is situated in the centre which does not allow me to use the extra space for a pasture.
Thanks to all who have answered so far. The information was very helpfull.
horse owning
horse owning
as above, yes you can. with the whole space thing it also depends on the size of the horse. a shire for example or a large thoroughbred would not appreciate such a small space but a pony/welsh/arab/mini/morgan/quarter horse etc would be ok. less land = smaller horse
in a way anyway
horse owning
I know a person that keeps their horses on a 1.5 acre lot, but that includes the house, small 4 horse barn and garden (i think the paddock is about 3/4 of an acre). This person rides her horse everyday for exercises (lives next to a county forest with trails) and hays pretty much 365 days a year because the fresh grass doesn’t last that long.
You can keep a horse on less then an acre, but it cost more and you need to work them everyday (unless their lame).
horse owning
Like some have said…yes, you can have a horse on a smaller parcel. You already stated that you would be feeding it!
And it WILL turn into a dirt lot before long. So, if you’re hoping to have a green pasture for the horse to graze on for any period of time…it won’t happen. One thing to slow it down though, you can fence off the “feeding” area. The horse will hang out there more, and wear that area down first.
Don’t feed your horse fresh grass clippings…bad for them.
And don’t forget to exercise him. Make sure you take him out for riding, so he can “stretch” out. If he’s the only horse, make sure you spend time with him. Horses are herd animals, and want companionship. You will be his herd!
I know lots of people who keep horses on smaller acreage, and the animals are fine. With feed, care, and exercise, they are happy and well adjusted animals.
horse owning
People keep horses in stalls and feed them just feed and hay. One Acre or half is plenty. The horse will over graze an area that small though, so you won’t have any grass in there. Don’t feed the horse grass clippings.
horse owning
I am not sure where these folks are getting their information but it is not very correct. It might be ok for the horse, but it is not a very good idea. You should also consider the land you are going to have the horse on. Horses are very hard on pasture as they grab the grass with their front teeth and pretty much rip it out of the ground. If you know anything about photosynthesis, this is not good for the plant. The minimum amount of property that not only is suitable for the horse, but for the pasture as well is ****5 ACRES****. Talk to any agriculturist and they will tell you this (they may even suggest mroe). But 1 acre or less is not enough for a horse or the pasture, you will ruin your land, and end up with a dry lot, and in the winter or when it rains, a mud pit.
horse owning
Yes, your size acreage will be fine, but it will still be considered a dry lot, unless you seed it. You will still need to feed your horse hay and grain and supplements and use the area as a turnout…just curious, were you born in Sri Lanka? My husband too, was born in Sri Lanka, his father was head of the army, General Heyn.
horse owning
My first house had .33 acre & I had 3 horses on it. Yes, they can live on less than an acre if feeding hay. The grass may not make it… LOL But they are OK, BUT you have to feed hay.
***EDIT*****
I now have 151 acres in WY & 1 acre in Vegas( most of the time in vegas for work) my horses are in dirt & they don’t care as long as they get their hay! LOL
horse owning
First, check your zoning laws! They may not permit large animals in your neighborhood. The main problem with small acreage is excercise!!! If you will be riding the horse out everyday, keeping him/her excercised, no problem. Yes, you will have dirt and mud on small acreage but horses love mud baths! The other problem will be fly control! Pick up droppings, also daily and dispose of them in a compost. You may make friends with your neighbors by sharing some of that fertilizer. Also, you may want to get information from your county extension office on managing a small area. There are laws covering pesticide use. It takes much more of your time to keep a large animal on a small space. That’s less time in the saddle? Be sure you can make that commitment or you’ll find neither you or your horse having any fun. But it can be done.
horse owning
It would be adequate only for short periods of turnout. As others have said the grass would be dirt in no time. I would fence off another section on the 2.5 acres you live on for alternate turn out. There has to be a small area that will be suitable for a horse to spend some time on. Many horses are kept on hay alone without grass. I’ve seen horses in the desert areas living in dirt lots for their entire lives. They are given supplements, hay and grain to keep them healthy. Regular exercise is a must.
horse owning
No. Horses need space to stretch their legs, and that’s not going to be possible in under an acre. Whether you feed extra bulk or not has no weight against the lack of space to move around and the speed at which your paddock will deteriorate. Horses ruin fields very quickly – the smaller the field, the more potted the land will become.
Are you planning on keeping a horse in your garden? Not only will that annoy your neighbours, it’ll also be quite detrimental to your horse’s well-being. Aside from the space issue, horses need companionship. Not a person or a cow or a goat – a field full of other horses.
I recommend you keep your horse (if you get one) at your riding school. Plenty space, plenty company, and plenty help available.
horse owning
the general rule of thumb is 1 acre per horse, not just for grazing but for space too. i personally wouldnt use less than an acre per horse or you will find yourself short on grazing.
horse owning
An acre and a half is the minimum to sustain a horse – that is with good grass. An acre or less and you will have dirt in no time if your horse is turned out 24/7. If you keep your horse in a stall for half the day, you can lengthen the amount of time it will take for the horse to eat down the grass, but the horse will still turn the pasture to dirt in a relatively short amount of time.
A half an acre does not allow the horse to run nearly as much, either – and horses like to run. With a half an acre, you would have to limit the horse’s turn out to only a few hours to keep the grass as long as possible.