Re: self exercise

["Louise Burton" <firedancefarms@prodigy.net>]

Hi All,
A couple of comments about large pastures.  We have great opportunity to
watch the herd of 9...our new house is like an eagle's nest over the 100
acres!
Our 100 acres is about half woods and half open.  They do a lot of
scrounging....the post was correct..our horses walk close to 20 miles a
day...even now, when we feed twice a day..they are still out there walking
around.
Sometimes they get to running....who knows why...just run and run...they
race to the pond, race back...
Other observations to note...some horses run around a lot more than others!
I had an obsese stalled stallion here, no amount of paddock pacing or
lunging would get that weight off.  I turned him out on 8 acres with my
other stallion, and ...what an amazing difference...he became very
fit...before and after photos are amazing!  One of my mares is very lazy and
she looks it.
On the down side, horses that are new or low on the totem poll are often
hard to keep weight on.  We call it pasture stress.  Even with good grass
availiable, they worry so about where the other horses are ( to keep out of
their space)  they will not relax and eat.
They also are a lot more prone to getting cuts and scratches.

Given the pros and cons, I consider myself very lucky to be able to have so
much room for them to run...it does keep them "legged up"!

Merry Christmas to everyone!
Louise
Louise Burton
Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians
Oklahoma
http://pages.prodigy.net/firedancefarms