[tobytoby]

I am now fairly confident that i will be able to buy or at least rent the 5.5 acre fields outside my house.
The question i have is about initial rotation of stock. I can split up a mature wood (lots of good grass) into 3 x 1 acre paddocks fully fenced/water supply. My intention is to have a pony for the girls and upto 6 sheep and quite a few semi free range hens.

What ideas could i get from all the learned folk out there, with regards to rotating the Pony & sheep with grazing? I know we can't quantify exactly how well the grass grows or is grazed in each season - but would a fortnightly or monthly rotation of the paddocks with horse then sheep work ok, with one paddock on a rest period?

I have another 1 acre area that is on a steep bank through the woods that i will do something with in the future (pigs??), and i have another 1.5 acre field that i will let the farmer have as silage/haylage and i  will graze thereafter until the following spring.

Any thoughts? Thanks

[ellisr]

My sheep and horse graze together as it helps with worm burden but if that is not possible the sheep will follow the horse to tidy up the land. To how long you can graze a patch depends on the time of year and quality of grass but in the summer you could move them monthly. In the winter you will have to supplement the feed and move them as often as the ground dictates

[Fleecewife]

We rotate our sheep about every 3 weeks in the summer, through 3 or 4 paddocks, but in the winter we leave all the gates open and they can decide for themselves where the best grazing is. The males stay in just one field.  We don't have a pony but our poultry help with the worm clearing, so include them in your plan.

[Hermit]

Why are you letting the farmer have the haylage when you are keeping a pony or sheep? Ponies are dead money, you need all the free food you can get. As for grazing remember the sheep will become twice that many at least, more if they have twins . Also to me the pigs would be better on a flat piece and the sheep on the steep field or else you may end up with the field at the bottom of the bank when they root up and walk it down. Whatever you decdide good luck, it is very exciting to get your own land and work it to produce your own food.

[Rosemary]

Ponies are dead money, you need all the free food you can get.

Oh, for God's sake, lighten up, Hermit.

Actually, tobytoby, I wouldn't keep a pony on its own - they like company of their own kind. My chum kept her's on its own - you should have seen the pony when she came to live with our two. She was in heaven - all that grooming and playing around. Sheep just aren't the same. Just my opinion.

[Hermit]

OOPS , the self sufficiency in me coming out  Just saying if you have a pony why dont you keep the feed, makes sense to me. Cant see the point in all that free haylage or silage going to someone else.
 

[tobytoby]

Thanks all.

The pony will have company occassionally with my daughters friend pony (tbh i wouldn't have one - but i am overuled by 4 girls in the house!!).
I will have an agreement with the farmer that he takes most of the haylage/silage, but i also get to use all his toys. In an average winter i am sure i won't have to give much hard feeding?

[Hermit]

Thats a good agreement, life is made a lot easier by the use of toys. When smallholding seriously you must make the most of every opportunity, and keep on the good side of folk that can help you on the way. His knowledge of the local land and animals will be invaluable and I am sure he will only be a call away in case of emergencies. Again good luck.