Slowly Creating Paddock Paradise

by Nancy Wolnowsky (Brandenburg, KY USA)

My 15 yr. old QH Gelding, Hershey, got laminitis 3 years ago. He was so bad it took 3 hours to move him 100 yards to a stall. His feet were iced while we were moving one leg at a time.

I blame myself, but my vet assures me that not all horses get laminitis due to grass. It’s in their genetic make up if they get it or not. I still feel guilty. Anyway, Hershey has more than fully recovered, but I constantly worry.

We’ve since moved to KY where he is in my own yard, so creating a paddock paradise is easier than at the boarding facility. My new barefoot farrier suggested that I read Paddock Paradise. What a great concept!

I’m going to start slowly so I can afford it. Currently in the summer, Hershey is in a 50X50 dry lot (breaks my heart) and goes out with a muzzle a few hours a day. I’m enlarging the paddock to 150 X 50 soon so he has a bit more room. I plan to put pea gravel at the gate entrances to the open stall area and make a muddy area around his water trough. I also plan to use some electric fence wire and posts to start the paddock paradise track coming out of the paddock.

My 2 acre “pasture” is perfect. There are 2 hills, one with several rock outcroppings and places where trees have fallen. He will need to step around and over these areas on the track. The other hill has several trees and will make a nice “camping” area. One long side of the track has Hershey’s “stud pile” already there (from cleaning the 50X50 paddock and stall area).

I’m excited to give it a try and I’m sure Hershey will really enjoy being out of his “jail cell”. Wish me luck! I’ll try to add photos as things progress. Nancy

Reply:-

Dear Nancy,

– Sarah Bell