The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: Rosemary on March 04, 2009, 09:02:17 pm
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Anyone read, or even more interesting practising, Jaime Jackson's Paddock Paradise system of natural horse boarding?
Jaime Jackson is a natural hoof care guru, I suppose. He was a farrier then started natural hoof care and advocates natural ways of keeping horses.
He spent years observing horses in tehw ild then developed the Paddock Paradise model to replicate wild conditions in a domestic situation. Basically, it involves creating a 12'-15' wide track around the perimeter of your field using the boundary fence and an internal electric fence. THe grass is removed either by scraping or weedkilling. Then interesting things (from a horse's perspective)are placed around on the track - a shelter, a waterhole, mineral and salt lick, trees, gravel bed (good for feet), small hay drops. All this encourages the horses to walk, as they would in the wild.
My foot-trimmer uses this system for her horse. The centre of the field is allowed to grow as standing hay. Another friend has a client who has done this and says the horses can walk round 50 times in a day. Grazing with other animals is recommended. Keeps weight down, improves top-line development, improves feet, improves mental state, no warm up is required when riding.
I'd be interetsed to know if anyone else has heard of, or done, this.
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Yes, the couple who bought my house in Aberdeenshire do this. They have a circuit right round the field - one of the things they commented on was that they were glad I'd taken down the internal fences as it gave the horses a longer run - right round 14 acres
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Ok, hands up I'm a hoof anorak ::) All my horse's are barefoot.
I've read Jaimes books (and Pete Ramey's). We don't use a paddock paradise system. The grazing here is very old meadow, and since I've lived here (13 years) we have not used any chemicals. There are a wide range of grasses, flowers and herbs. We rotate with the sheep and this seems to work very well. Being on the side of a hill the horses keep themselves half fit walking up and down - they are naturally active TB's. They are all fed with a natural as possible diet (Simple Systems Feeds). If I had a horse/pony with Laminitis or metabolic problems I would set up a 'paddock paradise' type system. Has to be better than the old method's of keeping them shut in a stable/tiny dirt paddock for most of the time.
For anyone who's interested in 'Barefoot' http://www.barefoothorse.com/ Marjorie Smith's website with interesting links to other barefoot guru's ;D
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My boy's been barefoot for about three years now. At first he tiptoed over anything rough - last week he wandered happily down a type 1 path. Takes more work that shoeing but I think it's worth it, specially since he is prone to laminitis.
I also feed Simple System Total Eclipse. I used to feed one of their forage things as well but it was too hard to get it up here.
I'd love to try the paddock paradise idea but will have to convince my Yard Owner. He's really nice but not what you woudl call innovative.
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all mine are barefoot wouldn't have it any other way ;) even our ridden arab tough as owd boots x
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This sounds a wonderful idea. I've never had my horses shod, any i get have there shoes removed straight away, I've done all activeties (apart from racing) and find an unshod horse is better balanced with less slipping. I've been bear foot for 25 years and have had some very nasty comments form people who think all horses should be shod. >:( >:( It's wonderful to see people are realising the not all horses need lumps of mettel nailed to their feet, I've seen more problems with shod horses feet than any of mine have ever had. Proper diet and the correct hoof care and the average horse should be able to go unshod. OK rant over!! ;D ;D
I think this method would be useful for horses with vices, i have two wind suckers at the moment one gets very stressed when in the stable (not easy as he's TB) and the other a 17 year old arab who we got at 8 months old and was wind sucking when we got him. It would really keep their minds active, may give it a go this spring time being on my side!! :D :D :D
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OK - bumping for the best of reasons!
I'm hoping to use our new flat 5 acre field for a paddock paradise so looking for tips from the UK - what works, what doesn't. Most of what I've seen is in the US where dry seems to be the order of the day, so woudl welcome info from less dry climes.
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Rosemary, I can put you in touch with Philippa and Mike Black who bought my croft if you like. They are really into this natural food thing - even the baby is! ;D
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There are a few people on the Enlightened Equitation Board, that use the paddock paradise system in the UK. Check out the Barefoot forum http://www.enlightenedequitation.com/ee/boards/index.php
Also the Equine Podiatry Assoc board is helpful, with some very knowledgeable members. http://aepauk.proboards.com/index.cgi?
HTH :horse:
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Thanks - registered for EE board.
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Hi Rosemary......
I was looking at a book on founder and found another on P paradise at the foot of this page http://www.amazon.co.uk/Founder-Prevention-Cure-Natural-Way/dp/0965800733/ref=pd_sim_b_3
:)
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THis is related but not the same as the topic.
I put Smokey out in the arena today as none of the horses were going out. He's got no shoes so seems to cope better with snowy / icy conditions. His field mate was out too and I was speaking briefly to his owner, who said he's like his horse barefoot but he's too heavy (he's a heavy cob used for driving when he's sound). That doesn't sound logical to me - is it possible?
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I'd say if horses were meant to wear shoes then they'd be born with them on ;D
I don't know a lot about riding/driving horses, but surely unless the horse is seriously overweight he can't possibly be 'too heavy' for his own feet ???
Unless the owner is concerned the hoof might split when coming into contact with sharp stones and the like ? maybe that's the theory behind it ?
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I know this is probably far too simple a question, but knowing virtually nothing about horses apart from how good they can look in frosty mist in a photo I'm concerned that searching for the answer would only get me one side of the argument, and not the one being used here...
...why do horses have metal shoes in the first place? I (think) I understand it had something to do with hard road surfaces? But they've survived for millennia without visiting Clarks and not all natural ground is soft.
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I know this is probably far too simple a question, but knowing virtually nothing about horses apart from how good they can look in frosty mist in a photo I'm concerned that searching for the answer would only get me one side of the argument, and not the one being used here...
...why do horses have metal shoes in the first place? I (think) I understand it had something to do with hard road surfaces? But they've survived for millennia without visiting Clarks and not all natural ground is soft.
I think, (but could be very wrong) that the Romans were the first to use a detachable metal 'shoe' on their horses - I'm sure I've seen a photo somewhere of a equine roman sandal ? I assume that traveling long distances on their new road surfaces wore the hooves quicker than the horse could grow hoof and resulted in foot sore animals.
In reply to Rosemary, my old ID hunter was barefoot most of the year and clocking in at 750kgs was a very large lad ! He was only shod during the hunting season, due to work load wearing his feet too quickly - he averaged 28 full days a season, for 17 seasons with never a days lame or sick - so we must have being doing something right. I believe having a rest from shoes while not hunting, kept his feet and legs in good condition and gave him a trouble free working life. Sadly he died age 24 from a broken leg, while out in the field on his summer holiday :(
All my non hunting horses are barefoot all year round (including the TB's). I can't see any reason why a driving cob, with correct barefoot conditioning wouldn't be able to go without shoes. Unless the cob in question is heavy on his feet (i.e. toe dragger or uneven wear) or is driving long distances regularly.
I don't remember any of our ponies being shod when I was a child, nor any of my friends. Some of those ponies were driven as well as ridden.
Just my humble thoughts on the matter ;D
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I'd say if horses were meant to wear shoes then they'd be born with them on ;D
Like humans? ???